Tifton, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Tifton is a city in Tift County
, Georgia
, United States
. The population was 15,060 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat
of Tift County.
Henry Tift Myers Airport (IATA: TMA, ICAO: KTMA, FAA LID: TMA) is a public airport located two miles (3 km) southeast of Tifton, serving the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.
of 2000, there were 15,060 people, 5,532 households, and 3,601 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,686.2 people per square mile (651.1/km²). There were 6,102 housing units at an average density of 683.2 per square mile (263.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.26% White, 31.57% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from other races
, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.56% of the population.
There were 5,532 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% were married couples
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,234, and the median income for a family was $37,023. Males had a median income of $27,206 versus $20,174 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,455. About 20.7% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
for South Georgia to harvest timber for the family ship building business. Little did Captain Tift know that the sawmill he built to prepare the lumber
for shipping, and the train tracks that were laid to ship the lumber would be the beginning of Tifton, Georgia.
As Tifts Town (as it was known until 1890 when the name was changed to Tifton) grew, Captain Tift and his associates adopted the same town layout that Mystic, Connecticut had, with even numbered streets running east and west as one traveled north from the center of town, and odd numbered streets following the same suit as one traveled south. Tifton had no town square and the city was crisscrossed with rail lines, all heading from the center of town like spokes on a wagon wheel. The town boasted the same grand facilities as many small South Georgia towns a courthouse, a town hotel, commercial
buildings and other features. Many of these buildings featured interesting interior and exterior architectural embellishments of the times. As the town grew, Tifton built an opera
house, several silent movie theatres, churches, and saloons. At the turn of the 20th century, a thriving community had evolved from the pine forests and electrical lighting was the rage. The Myon Hotel, built in 1906 was billed as the grandest hotel south of Atlanta.
Progress met the south when President Eisenhower proposed a new road system that would allow travelers to get from place to place in record time.
The interstate was a major contributor of the demise of many downtowns. As the interstate was built, new areas of development came along side these roadways. Since WWII, many women had joined the workforce and did not have the time or luxury of staying home with children while father was at work. Quietly, the communities focus on town activities shifted from the town center to the new suburbs. Hotels were being built along the interstate to accommodate the travelers. Service stations and shopping areas were going where the development was occurring, on the interstate
. The location along a major junction of highways made Tifton the ideal location for medical services serving a large (HSA 4140) geographic area.
In 2000, Tifton officially became the Reading Capital of the World, a distinction based on amassing over 2 million points in the Accelerated Reader
program and achieving other goals such as increasing library circulation and reducing illiteracy rates. This distinction was celebrated on Nov. 15, 2000, when a packed high school stadium read aloud from Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, as a 30 feet (9.1 m) Cat in the Hat balloon swayed overhead. The crowd then read silently from books of their own, earning the city dual entries in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people reading together in one place as well as the most reading together silently. Although Tifton is the reading capital of the world, the only public bookstore in town is The Christian Bookstore on Main Street. Tifton has a public library
, in addition to an extensive college library located at nearby Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
. http://www.americanprofile.com/article/1761.html
is a daily newspaper published in Tifton, Georgia. It is operated by South Georgia Media Group, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.
from Waycross, Georgia to their new home. The Georgia Firebirds are defending champions of the NIFL.
holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of a pre-K centre, seven elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and an alternative school. The district has 467 full-time teachers and over 7,641 students.
Until recently, Tifton was the home of the world's second largest magnolia
tree, which was located in Magnolia Tree Park. In 2004, the Magnolia tree was burned in a fire. The cause of the fire has never been given by local authorities. Currently, the tree and observation area are blocked from visitors by a gate. Although it no longer grows, the tree still stands. It is not known where the new second largest magnolia tree resides.
Henry Tift Myers Airport (IATA: TMA, ICAO: KTMA, FAA LID: TMA) is a public airport located two miles (3 km) southeast of Tifton, serving the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.
and Living History Museum opened on July 4, 1976. The grounds consist of five areas: a traditional farm community of the 1870s, an 1890s progressive farmstead, an industrial sites complex, rural town, national peanut complex, and the Museum of Agriculture Center. Over 35 structures have been relocated to the 95 acres (384,451.7 m²) site and faithfully restored or preserved. Costumed interpreters explain and demonstrate the life-style and activities of this time in Georgia’s history.
Tift County, Georgia
Tift County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 38,407. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 41,610...
, 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 15,060 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Tift County.
Major highways
-
Interstate 75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border... -
U.S. Highway 41 -
U.S. Highway 82 -
U.S. Highway 319 -
Georgia State Route 125Georgia State Route 125Georgia State Route 125 is a Georgia state route. In Valdosta, it is called Bemiss Road and runs next to Moody Air Force Base....
Airports
- Henry Tift Myers AirportHenry Tift Myers AirportHenry Tift Myers Airport is a public airport located 2 miles southeast of Tifton, Georgia. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.-History:...
Henry Tift Myers Airport (IATA: TMA, ICAO: KTMA, FAA LID: TMA) is a public airport located two miles (3 km) southeast of Tifton, serving the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.
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 15,060 people, 5,532 households, and 3,601 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 1,686.2 people per square mile (651.1/km²). There were 6,102 housing units at an average density of 683.2 per square mile (263.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 61.26% White, 31.57% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.61% 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 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.56% of the population.
There were 5,532 households out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.9% 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, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.9% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,234, and the median income for a family was $37,023. Males had a median income of $27,206 versus $20,174 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 $16,455. About 20.7% of families and 26.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.0% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
History
Starting in the mid-19th century, Captain Henry Harding Tift left his home in Mystic, ConnecticutMystic, Connecticut
Mystic is a village and census-designated place in New London County, Connecticut, in the United States. The population was 4,001 at the 2000 census. A historic locality, Mystic has no independent government because it is not a legally recognized municipality in the state of Connecticut...
for South Georgia to harvest timber for the family ship building business. Little did Captain Tift know that the sawmill he built to prepare the lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
for shipping, and the train tracks that were laid to ship the lumber would be the beginning of Tifton, Georgia.
As Tifts Town (as it was known until 1890 when the name was changed to Tifton) grew, Captain Tift and his associates adopted the same town layout that Mystic, Connecticut had, with even numbered streets running east and west as one traveled north from the center of town, and odd numbered streets following the same suit as one traveled south. Tifton had no town square and the city was crisscrossed with rail lines, all heading from the center of town like spokes on a wagon wheel. The town boasted the same grand facilities as many small South Georgia towns a courthouse, a town hotel, commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
buildings and other features. Many of these buildings featured interesting interior and exterior architectural embellishments of the times. As the town grew, Tifton built an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
house, several silent movie theatres, churches, and saloons. At the turn of the 20th century, a thriving community had evolved from the pine forests and electrical lighting was the rage. The Myon Hotel, built in 1906 was billed as the grandest hotel south of Atlanta.
Progress met the south when President Eisenhower proposed a new road system that would allow travelers to get from place to place in record time.
The interstate was a major contributor of the demise of many downtowns. As the interstate was built, new areas of development came along side these roadways. Since WWII, many women had joined the workforce and did not have the time or luxury of staying home with children while father was at work. Quietly, the communities focus on town activities shifted from the town center to the new suburbs. Hotels were being built along the interstate to accommodate the travelers. Service stations and shopping areas were going where the development was occurring, on the interstate
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
. The location along a major junction of highways made Tifton the ideal location for medical services serving a large (HSA 4140) geographic area.
In 2000, Tifton officially became the Reading Capital of the World, a distinction based on amassing over 2 million points in the Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader is a daily progress monitoring software assessment in wide use by primary and secondary schools for monitoring the practice of reading. It was created by Renaissance Learning, Inc...
program and achieving other goals such as increasing library circulation and reducing illiteracy rates. This distinction was celebrated on Nov. 15, 2000, when a packed high school stadium read aloud from Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, as a 30 feet (9.1 m) Cat in the Hat balloon swayed overhead. The crowd then read silently from books of their own, earning the city dual entries in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most people reading together in one place as well as the most reading together silently. Although Tifton is the reading capital of the world, the only public bookstore in town is The Christian Bookstore on Main Street. Tifton has a public library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
, in addition to an extensive college library located at nearby Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a State College of the University System of Georgia. Located in Tifton, Georgia, ABAC offers baccalaureate and associate degrees...
. http://www.americanprofile.com/article/1761.html
Tifton Gazette
The Tifton GazetteThe Tifton Gazette
The Tifton Gazette is a daily newspaper published in Tifton, Georgia. It is operated by South Georgia Media Group, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.- External links :* * - References :...
is a daily newspaper published in Tifton, Georgia. It is operated by South Georgia Media Group, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.
Sports
In the year of 2010, Tifton welcomed the Georgia FirebirdsGeorgia Firebirds
The Georgia Firebirds football team is a semi pro football program that competes in NIFL. The Georgia Firebirds plays at Brodie Field on Saturdays in Tifton, Georgia. In 2010, the Georgia Firebirds moved from Waycross, Georgia to their new home in Tifton....
from Waycross, Georgia to their new home. The Georgia Firebirds are defending champions of the NIFL.
Tift County School District
The Tift County School DistrictTift County School District
The Tift County School District is a public school district in Tift County, Georgia based in Tifton, Georgia. It serves the communities of Omega, Phillipsburg, Tifton, Ty Ty, and Unionville, Georgia.-Schools:...
holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, that consists of a pre-K centre, seven elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and an alternative school. The district has 467 full-time teachers and over 7,641 students.
Private schools
- Tiftarea AcademyTiftarea AcademyTiftarea Academy is a private school in Chula, Georgia .-Athletics:Athletics play a major role in developing strong qualities in students. Character development, discipline and leadership are greatly impacted by active participation in Tiftarea athletic programs. School spirit at Tiftarea is...
, located in Chula, Georgia (K-12) - Grace Baptist Church & Christian SchoolGrace BaptistGrace Baptist Church & Christian School is a private Baptist school located in Tifton, Georgia....
Higher education
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a State College of the University System of Georgia. Located in Tifton, Georgia, ABAC offers baccalaureate and associate degrees...
- Main Campus - Moultrie Technical CollegeMoultrie Technical CollegeMoultrie Technical College or MTC, is an accredited technical college, located in Moultrie, Georgia, in Colquitt County. Moultrie Technical College is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia...
- Tifton Campus - University of GeorgiaUniversity of GeorgiaThe University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
- Tifton Agricultural Campus - Troy UniversityTroy UniversityTroy University is a public university that is located in Troy, Alabama, United States. It was originally founded in 1887 as Troy Normal School. Its main campus enrollment is 7,194 students. The total enrollment of all Troy University campuses is 29,689...
- Tifton Campus
Points of interest
- Coastal Plain Research Arboretum
- Abraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural CollegeAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College is a State College of the University System of Georgia. Located in Tifton, Georgia, ABAC offers baccalaureate and associate degrees...
(ABAC) - Georgia Agrirama
Until recently, Tifton was the home of the world's second largest magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
tree, which was located in Magnolia Tree Park. In 2004, the Magnolia tree was burned in a fire. The cause of the fire has never been given by local authorities. Currently, the tree and observation area are blocked from visitors by a gate. Although it no longer grows, the tree still stands. It is not known where the new second largest magnolia tree resides.
Major highways
- Interstate 75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
- U.S. Highway 41
- U.S. Highway 82
- U.S. Highway 319
- Georgia State Route 125Georgia State Route 125Georgia State Route 125 is a Georgia state route. In Valdosta, it is called Bemiss Road and runs next to Moody Air Force Base....
Airports
- Henry Tift Myers AirportHenry Tift Myers AirportHenry Tift Myers Airport is a public airport located 2 miles southeast of Tifton, Georgia. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.-History:...
Henry Tift Myers Airport (IATA: TMA, ICAO: KTMA, FAA LID: TMA) is a public airport located two miles (3 km) southeast of Tifton, serving the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.
Agrirama
Agrirama located in Tifton, Georgia, Georgia’s Museum of AgricultureAgriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and Living History Museum opened on July 4, 1976. The grounds consist of five areas: a traditional farm community of the 1870s, an 1890s progressive farmstead, an industrial sites complex, rural town, national peanut complex, and the Museum of Agriculture Center. Over 35 structures have been relocated to the 95 acres (384,451.7 m²) site and faithfully restored or preserved. Costumed interpreters explain and demonstrate the life-style and activities of this time in Georgia’s history.
Notable Residents and Natives
- Cyndi ThomsonCyndi ThomsonCyndi Thomson is an American country music artist. Thomson wrote songs with songwriter Tommy Lee James and in 2000, she signed with Capitol Records Nashville as a recording artist...
, country music singer - Kip MooreKip MooreKip Moore is an American country music singer-songwriter. He is signed to MCA Nashville and has released his first two singles, "Mary Was the Marrying Kind" and "Somethin' 'Bout a Truck". His debut album will be released in January 2012 .-Biography:Kip Moore was born in Tifton, Georgia...
, country music singer - Members of alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band September HaseSeptember HaseSeptember Hase is an American alternative rock band formed by singer/guitarist Al Janelle in 2005. Janelle formed the group as a three-man project with Adam Smith and Matthew Heller after the dissolution of his high school blues band.... - Caitlin CarmichaelCaitlin CarmichaelCaitlin Elizabeth Carmichael is an American child actress.-Biography:Caitlin Carmichael was born in Tifton, Georgia, to parents Tom and Catherine Carmichael. Caitlin's career began when she was 3 years old. Her family took her on a Disney cruise for her birthday, and while attending a show, she...
, american actress - Nanci BowenNanci BowenNanci Bowen is an American golfer. She attended the University of Georgia and her rookie season on the LPGA Tour was 1991...
, LPGALPGAThe LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
Major Winner - Dennis DoveDennis DoveDennis A. Dove is an American pitcher who is currently a free agent.-External links:*...
, St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
pitcher - Nick GreenNick Green (pitcher)Nicholas Alvin Green is a minor league baseball pitcher who is presently a free agent.-Career:Green attended Tift County High School in Tifton, Georgia....
, a pitcher for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, attended high school in Tifton. - Dina TitusDina TitusAlice Costandina "Dina" Titus is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party. She previously served in the Nevada Senate and was that body's minority leader from 1993 to 2009....
, U.S. Congresswoman representing NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, former Nevada state senator and was the 2006 Democratic nominee for governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Nevada. - Todd FordhamTodd FordhamLindsey Todd Fordham is an American football player who is currently retired, but played as an offensive lineman for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. He played college football at Florida State University....
, former NFL football player for the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville JaguarsThe Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Pittsburgh SteelersPittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
and Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. - Clay ShiverClay ShiverSpencer Clay Shiver is a former professional American football player who played offensive lineman for three seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and one season for the Carolina Panthers....
, an All-American American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and a member of Florida State UniversityFlorida State UniversityThe Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
's all-time football team. Shiver continued his career by playing for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
of the NFL.