Bainbridge, Georgia Explained

Bainbridge, Georgia
Settlement Type:City
Motto:"Georgia's First Inland Port"[1]
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Georgia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Decatur
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:Edward Reynolds
Established Date3:December 22, 1829
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[2]
Area Total Km2:54.40
Area Land Km2:51.22
Area Water Km2:3.18
Area Total Sq Mi:21.00
Area Land Sq Mi:19.78
Area Water Sq Mi:1.23
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:14468
Population Density Km2:282.47
Population Density Sq Mi:731.59
Population Metro:27842
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:30.9047°N -84.5711°W
Elevation M:37
Elevation Ft:121
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:39817, 39819
Area Code:229
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:13-04896[3]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0354431[4]

Bainbridge is a city in Decatur County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Decatur County.[5] As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,468, up from 12,697 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Bainbridge, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area and a principal city in the Tallahassee—Bainbridge, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area.

History

The first European settlement in what is today Bainbridge was a trading post set up by James Burges in the late 18th century. From him comes the name Burges's Bluff.[6] The town was named after U.S. Navy Commodore William Bainbridge,[7] commander of the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), and was incorporated on December 22, 1829.[8]

In 1824, Bainbridge was designated seat of the newly formed Decatur County.[9]

On October 10, 2018, Bainbridge fell victim to Hurricane Michael. The storm left widespread damage through the city limits, including downed trees, power lines, and structural damage. Many residents affected suffered severe damage to their homes.

Geography

Bainbridge is located in the center of Decatur County. The city is in southwestern Georgia along U.S. Routes 27 and 84, which form a bypass around the southern part of the city. U.S. Route 27 leads southeast to Tallahassee, Florida, and north to Columbus. U.S. Route 84 leads east to Thomasville and northwest to Dothan, Alabama. Other highways which run through the city include Georgia State Routes 97, 253, 309, and 311.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 52sqkm, of which 48.7sqkm is land and 3.3sqkm, or 6.40%, is water.[10]

Bainbridge is located on the Flint River, which flows southwest to meet the Chattahoochee. Together they form the Apalachicola River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. At the junction of the two rivers, the Jim Woodruff Dam forms Lake Seminole. A system of locks at the dam allows barge traffic to travel between the inland port at Bainbridge and the Gulf of Mexico.

Demographics

Bainbridge racial makeup as of 2020[11] !Race!Num.!Perc.
White5,10635.29%
Black or African American8,10656.03%
Native American310.21%
Asian1170.81%
Pacific Islander40.03%
Other/Mixed3362.32%
Hispanic or Latino7685.31%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,468 people, 4,471 households, and 3,111 families residing in the city.

Economy

It was announced in December 2019 that Brazil-based gun manufacturer Taurus had been granted a $39 million tax-incentive package to move from the Miami, Florida area to Bainbridge in return for creating 300 jobs. The package includes $20 million for construction, $7.9 million in tax credits, $4.5 million for infrastructure, $4.3 million in property-tax abatements, and $3 million for equipment, in addition to a land lease arrangement of $1/year for 73acres of land. The subsidy totals $130,000 per job.

In December 2023 it was announced that significant tax breaks for a large primate breeding operation were approved by the Bainbridge City Council despite a lack of transparency to local residents who have since expressed outrage and strong opposition to the project. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has highlighted several dangerous aspects of this project that threaten the health and well-being of local human and wildlife populations. Examples include the spread of numerous exotic diseases from animals imported from foreign countries through the international primate trade, and the disposal of millions of gallons of toxic animal waste that will be generated from the project and dumped in to the local ecosystem. PETA has also noted that officials representing the newly formed company spearheading the Bainbridge primate project were recent high-level employees of companies currently under investigation for an alleged illegal primate import scheme.

Arts and culture

Arts

Annual cultural events

River Town Days is held each year the second weekend of March.

The Swine Time Festival and Decatur County Fall Festival and Fair are annual events.

National Register of Historic Places

The Decatur County Courthouse was constructed in 1902, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also listed on the Register is the First African Missionary Baptist Church.[12]

Public library

The Decatur County Gilbert H. Gragg Library is located in Bainbridge. The library serves the population of Decatur County and acts as the headquarters for the Southwest Georgia Regional Library.[13]

Education

Decatur County School District

The Decatur County School District holds pre-school to grade 12, and consists of two primary schools, one elementary school, one middle school, and a high school.[14] The district has 384 full-time teachers and over 5,782 students.[15]

Schools include:[16]

Other schools

Parks and recreation

The Bainbridge-Decatur County YMCA opened on September 15, 1986. Its building had a cost of $1,000,000.[17]

Infrastructure

Transportation

The city is a seaport linked to the Gulf of Mexico via Florida's Apalachicola River. Officially known as Port Bainbridge, these facilities are managed entirely by the Georgia Ports Authority.

The Decatur County Industrial Air Park, located 6miles northwest of the city, provides general aviation service to the community.

Notable people

References

  1. Web site: City of Bainbridge website. City of Bainbridge Georgia. September 6, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120905093328/http://www.bainbridgecity.com/. 2012-09-05. dead.
  2. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. December 18, 2021.
  3. Web site: U.S. Census website . . 2008-01-31 .
  4. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  5. Web site: Find a County . 2011-06-07 . National Association of Counties . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . 2011-05-31 .
  6. Book: Fowltown. Neamathla, Tutakosi Talofa & the first battle of the Seminole Wars. Dale. Cox. Rachael. Conrad. 2017. Old Kitchen Books. 978-0692977880.
  7. Web site: Profile for Bainbridge, Georgia, GA. ePodunk . September 6, 2012.
  8. Web site: Bainbridge. https://archive.today/20121224180410/http://www.dca.state.ga.us/cityscapes/comm.asp?D=1&city=Bainbridge&YRID=. dead. December 24, 2012. Georgia Department of Community Affairs. September 6, 2012.
  9. Book: Historical Gazetteer of the United States . Routledge . May 13, 2013 . 30 November 2013 . Hellmann, Paul T. . 220. 978-1135948597 .
  10. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bainbridge city, Georgia. U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. October 20, 2015.
  11. Web site: Explore Census Data. 2021-12-09. data.census.gov.
  12. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=01001535}} National Register of Historic Places Registration: First African Missionary Baptist Church ]. National Park Service. Steven Moffson . June 2001 . with
  13. Web site: Homepage . Southwest Georgia Regional Library System . 21 July 2017.
  14. http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=643&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education
  15. http://www.school-stats.com/GA/DECATUR/DECATUR_COUNTY.html School Stats
  16. Web site: Our Schools . Decatur County School District . December 31, 2020.
  17. Web site: Too small for a YMCA? … No way!. The Post Searchlight. 2012-03-21. 2021-04-25. - Author was the interim CEO of the YMCA.

Further reading

External links