Resaca, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Resaca is a city in Gordon County
, Georgia
, and Whitfield County
, Georgia
along the Oostanaula River
. The population was 815 at the 2000 census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), of which 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (2.47%) is water.
Resacas are former channels of the Rio Grande. There are two explanations for the origin of the word "resaca." The less likely holds that it is a contraction of Spanish rio seco ("dry river"). The other is that the word stems from the Spanish resacar ("to retake"), since the primary geological function of a resaca seems to be diversion and dissipation of floodwater from the river. Resacas are naturally cut off from the river, having no inlet or outlet.
Anecdotes abound as to the derivation of the place name, one involving the capture of an Indian maiden by settlers to be offered in marriage to the single man of her choosing. Transported by her captors to the center of the settlement in a gunnysack, she was ceremoniously unveiled to the awaiting public. Upon seeing her in the sunlight, onlookers were aghast at her homeliness, whereupon chants of "Re-sack-'er" arose. The website iGoogle states the translation of the Spanish word resaca is "hangover." The Town of Resaca was incorporated and granted a charter by the State of Georgia in 1981.
The Civil War
Battle of Resaca
was fought in and around Resaca in May 1864. Each year a re-enactment of the Battle of Resaca, the first battle of the Atlanta Campaign, is held on the third weekend of May.
Resaca is also the location of the first Confederate Cemetery in the state of Georgia.
The story of the cemetery is as follows:http://www.rootsweb.com/~gagordo3/resaca_cem_hx.htm
The memory of a Georgia woman, Mary J. Green, who with her own hands gathered and interred the bones and bodies of the Confederate dead left lying on the Resaca Battlefield, should always be sacred to us. The sight that greeted the Green family when they returned to their plantation after the battle was almost more than they could bear. Around the house on all sides were scattered graves of Confederates who had been buried where they fell. The Green daughters conceived the idea of collecting all the bodies and re-interring them in a plot of land to be known as a Confederate cemetery. The one great drawback, however, was that they had no money. In the summer of 1866, Mary began writing to her friends around the state, begging them to try and raise money for the cemetery. Although poverty was rampant in the South, the citizenry responded by giving what they could, be it a nickel, a dime, a quarter, or a dollar. Col. Green gave his daughters 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) of land with rustic bridges spanning the stream through the grounds of their cemetery.
The account of the first Memorial Day, October 25, 1866, written by Mary Green: "The day selected for the dedication ... was bright and beautiful, one of those charming days of our Indian summers where no sound was heard save the fluttering of falling leaves - a suitable accompaniment to our sad thoughts, as we stood in the 'bivouac of the dead.' " This cemetery and one at Winchester, Virginia, were consecrated and dedicated on the same day, each sponsoring group thinking theirs was the first Confederate Cemetery.
Since 1977, the Resaca area has been the home of the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension http://www.monastery.org/, housed in the former midcentury modern hilltop residence purchased from the late Rev. Thurman Chitwood, local entrepreneur and ordained minister in the Church of Christ. The denomination of which Chitwood was a part received much criticism for its intrusive practices and was characterized as a cult http://www.chocd.org/home.html, but in contrast to Chitwood's fundamentalist underpinnings, the Orthodox monastery has created an ironic cultural juxtaposition. The monastery is the only Orthodox Christian monastery in the state of Georgia. At one time it offered hospice to those afflicted with AIDS
. Local detractors, with unfounded fears of casual communicability of AIDS, unsuccessfully sought to have its permitting revoked. The monastery, just across the line in Whitfield County, maintains a cemetery for Orthodox Christians. At different times it has been under the authority of various "national" jurisdictions, which is not uncommon for an Orthodox monastery. It is currently subject to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Etropia of The Holy Sepulcher.
The Resaca Beach Poster Girl Contest http://www.resacabeach.com/, a swimsuit pageant at one time known throughout the South, was founded in the nearby city of Dalton in 1983 as a marketing gimmick of Conquest Carpet Mills, Inc. The name is tongue-in-cheek, since there is no ocean for hundreds of miles, although it draws reference to a once popular bathing spot on the Oostanaula riverbank commonly deemed Resaca Beach. Local boosterism proclaims: "Resaca Beach - North Georgia's Gateway to the Gulf." The pageant, which launched the career of Gordon County native Marla Maples
, former spouse of real estate magnate Donald Trump
, has been held intermittently since the mid-1980s, most recently in 2008.
of 2000, there were 815 people, 263 households, and 189 families residing in the city. The population density
was 295.4 people per square mile (114.0/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 101.5 per square mile (39.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.90% White, 2.70% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 15.58% from other races
, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.77% of the population.
There were 263 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,170, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $22,321 versus $20,132 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,052. About 8.6% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Gordon County, Georgia
Gordon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 44,104. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 52,044. The county seat is Calhoun.- History :...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and Whitfield County
Whitfield County, Georgia
Whitfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 30, 1851. The 2010 Census shows a population of 102,599. The county seat is Dalton.It is part of the Dalton, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Civil War:...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
along the Oostanaula River
Oostanaula River
The Oostanaula River is a principal tributary of the Coosa River, about long, in northwestern Georgia in the United States. Via the Coosa and Alabama rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mobile River, which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. Its name is said to come from a Cherokee Indian term...
. The population was 815 at the 2000 census.
Geography
Resaca is located at 34°34′45"N 84°56′38"W (34.579116, -84.943989).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), of which 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (2.47%) is water.
History
The city was named by returning Mexican-American War inductees who fought at the Battle of Resaca de las Palmas (translated Dry River Bed of the Palms) near Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, in 1846.Resacas are former channels of the Rio Grande. There are two explanations for the origin of the word "resaca." The less likely holds that it is a contraction of Spanish rio seco ("dry river"). The other is that the word stems from the Spanish resacar ("to retake"), since the primary geological function of a resaca seems to be diversion and dissipation of floodwater from the river. Resacas are naturally cut off from the river, having no inlet or outlet.
Anecdotes abound as to the derivation of the place name, one involving the capture of an Indian maiden by settlers to be offered in marriage to the single man of her choosing. Transported by her captors to the center of the settlement in a gunnysack, she was ceremoniously unveiled to the awaiting public. Upon seeing her in the sunlight, onlookers were aghast at her homeliness, whereupon chants of "Re-sack-'er" arose. The website iGoogle states the translation of the Spanish word resaca is "hangover." The Town of Resaca was incorporated and granted a charter by the State of Georgia in 1981.
The Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Battle of Resaca
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was part of the Atlanta Campaign of the American Civil War. The battle was waged in both Gordon and Whitfield counties, Georgia, from May 13 - 15, 1864. It ended inconclusively with the Confederate Army retreating. The engagement was fought between the Military Division of the...
was fought in and around Resaca in May 1864. Each year a re-enactment of the Battle of Resaca, the first battle of the Atlanta Campaign, is held on the third weekend of May.
Resaca is also the location of the first Confederate Cemetery in the state of Georgia.
The story of the cemetery is as follows:http://www.rootsweb.com/~gagordo3/resaca_cem_hx.htm
The memory of a Georgia woman, Mary J. Green, who with her own hands gathered and interred the bones and bodies of the Confederate dead left lying on the Resaca Battlefield, should always be sacred to us. The sight that greeted the Green family when they returned to their plantation after the battle was almost more than they could bear. Around the house on all sides were scattered graves of Confederates who had been buried where they fell. The Green daughters conceived the idea of collecting all the bodies and re-interring them in a plot of land to be known as a Confederate cemetery. The one great drawback, however, was that they had no money. In the summer of 1866, Mary began writing to her friends around the state, begging them to try and raise money for the cemetery. Although poverty was rampant in the South, the citizenry responded by giving what they could, be it a nickel, a dime, a quarter, or a dollar. Col. Green gave his daughters 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²) of land with rustic bridges spanning the stream through the grounds of their cemetery.
The account of the first Memorial Day, October 25, 1866, written by Mary Green: "The day selected for the dedication ... was bright and beautiful, one of those charming days of our Indian summers where no sound was heard save the fluttering of falling leaves - a suitable accompaniment to our sad thoughts, as we stood in the 'bivouac of the dead.' " This cemetery and one at Winchester, Virginia, were consecrated and dedicated on the same day, each sponsoring group thinking theirs was the first Confederate Cemetery.
Since 1977, the Resaca area has been the home of the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension http://www.monastery.org/, housed in the former midcentury modern hilltop residence purchased from the late Rev. Thurman Chitwood, local entrepreneur and ordained minister in the Church of Christ. The denomination of which Chitwood was a part received much criticism for its intrusive practices and was characterized as a cult http://www.chocd.org/home.html, but in contrast to Chitwood's fundamentalist underpinnings, the Orthodox monastery has created an ironic cultural juxtaposition. The monastery is the only Orthodox Christian monastery in the state of Georgia. At one time it offered hospice to those afflicted with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Local detractors, with unfounded fears of casual communicability of AIDS, unsuccessfully sought to have its permitting revoked. The monastery, just across the line in Whitfield County, maintains a cemetery for Orthodox Christians. At different times it has been under the authority of various "national" jurisdictions, which is not uncommon for an Orthodox monastery. It is currently subject to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Etropia of The Holy Sepulcher.
The Resaca Beach Poster Girl Contest http://www.resacabeach.com/, a swimsuit pageant at one time known throughout the South, was founded in the nearby city of Dalton in 1983 as a marketing gimmick of Conquest Carpet Mills, Inc. The name is tongue-in-cheek, since there is no ocean for hundreds of miles, although it draws reference to a once popular bathing spot on the Oostanaula riverbank commonly deemed Resaca Beach. Local boosterism proclaims: "Resaca Beach - North Georgia's Gateway to the Gulf." The pageant, which launched the career of Gordon County native Marla Maples
Marla Maples
Marla Maples is an American actress, television personality, and socialite, best known for her marriage to businessman celebrity Donald Trump.- Personal life :...
, former spouse of real estate magnate Donald Trump
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
, has been held intermittently since the mid-1980s, most recently in 2008.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 815 people, 263 households, and 189 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 295.4 people per square mile (114.0/km²). There were 280 housing units at an average density of 101.5 per square mile (39.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.90% White, 2.70% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 15.58% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.77% of the population.
There were 263 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 20.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,170, and the median income for a family was $30,938. Males had a median income of $22,321 versus $20,132 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,052. About 8.6% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.