Johns Creek, Georgia Explained

Official Name:Johns Creek, Georgia
Settlement Type:City
Image Blank Emblem:Johns Creek, Georgia Logo.png
Blank Emblem Size:170px
Mapsize:250x200px
Pushpin Map:USA Georgia#USA#Metro Atlanta
Pushpin Label:Johns Creek
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Johns Creek in Metro Atlanta
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Georgia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Fulton
Leader Title:Mayor
Leader Name:John Bradberry (R)
Leader Title1:City Manager
Leader Name1:Ed Densmore
Leader Title2:City Council
Leader Name2:Dilip Tunki, Stacy Skinner, Bob Erramilli, Chris Coughlin, Larry Dibiase, Erin Elwood
Established Title:Incorporated
Established Date:December 1, 2006
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:81.18
Area Land Km2:79.81
Area Water Km2:1.38
Area Total Sq Mi:31.34
Area Land Sq Mi:30.81
Area Water Sq Mi:0.53
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:82453
Population Density Km2:1033.17
Population Density Sq Mi:2675.92
Timezone:EST
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:34.0333°N -84.2028°W
Elevation Ft:945
Postal Code Type:ZIP codes
Postal Code:None assigned to Johns Creek by USPS as it does not recognize the city. 30005, 30022, 30024, 30097, 30098 from other cities apply in various parts of Johns Creek.
Area Code:770, 404, 678, 470
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:2404806

Johns Creek is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. According to the 2020 census, the population was 82,453. The city is a northeastern suburb of Atlanta.[2]

History

In the early 19th century, the Johns Creek area was dotted with trading posts along the Chattahoochee River in what was then Cherokee territory. The Cherokee nation at the time was a confederacy of agrarian villages led by a chief. However, after Europeans colonized the area, the Cherokee developed an alphabet, and a legislature and judiciary system patterned after the American model.

Some trading posts gradually became crossroads communities where pioneer families – Rogers, McGinnis, Findley, Buice, Cowart, Medlock and others – gathered to visit and sell their crops.

By 1820, the community of Sheltonville (or Shakerag), was a ferry crossing site, with the McGinnis Ferry and Rogers Ferry carrying people and livestock across the river for a small fee. Further south, the Nesbit Ferry did the same near another crossroads community known as Newtown.

In the 1820s, the discovery of gold in the foothills of northeast Georgia within the Cherokee Nation – approximately north of today's Johns Creek – led to America's first Gold Rush, the eventual takeover of the Cherokee Nation by the U.S. government in 1830, and the subsequent forced exile (the "Trail of Tears") of Cherokee Indians to Oklahoma and other areas of the American West.

A few Cherokees remained, the most famous being Sarah Cordery (1785–1842), the half-blood Cherokee wife of pioneer John Rogers (1774–1851), and their 12 children. Rogers was a respected, influential plantation owner and colleague of President Andrew Jackson. Rogers's 1828 home – today, a private residence in Johns Creek – was an overnight stop-over for Jackson. Much later, the home was also visited by famed humorist Will Rogers, the great, great-nephew of John Rogers. Johns Creek's name comes from John Rogers's son, Johnson K. Rogers. A local tributary was named after him, and the name "Johns Creek" eventually came to be the name of the area.

In 1831, much of the land in the former Cherokee Nation north of the Chattahoochee was combined into the massive Cherokee County. When Milton County was formed in 1858, the Johns Creek area was folded into it.

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, Milton County was dissolved and all of its land was then absorbed into Fulton County.

The four main crossroad communities — Ocee, Newtown, Sheltonville and Warsaw — remained the social, educational and business centers of rural, unincorporated northeast Fulton County. For the next 50 years, these communities helped bring a sense of identity to this largely undeveloped and underpopulated area, as the nearby cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Duluth and Suwanee and adjoining Forsyth and Gwinnett counties continued to grow and develop.

In 1981, a group of Georgia Institute of Technology graduates bought 1700acres of farmland and woods near McGinnis Ferry and Medlock Bridge Roads for a high-tech office park. The new office park was to mirror one built in 1970 in nearby Peachtree Corners, known as Technology Park/Atlanta. Spotting tiny Johns Creek on an old map, they named their mixed-use, master-planned community "Technology Park/Johns Creek". This is the first reference to Johns Creek as a place. The area grew over the years to become the home of 200 companies – many of them Fortune 500 firms – with nearly 11,000 people spread over 6000000square feet of office, retail and industrial space. With the jobs came houses and shopping centers, and the population increased to about 60,000.

By 2000, a grassroots movement to incorporate the Johns Creek area into a city was slowly developing. Residents wanted more control over issues such as traffic, growth, development and quality of life. They also sought a level of service that was a challenge for the sprawling Fulton County to provide. Following the nearby city of Sandy Springs’ successful incorporation in 2005, a legislative campaign was started to incorporate the Johns Creek community. House Bill 1321 was passed by the state legislature, signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue in March 2006, and approved by the residents of northeast Fulton County in a July 18, 2006 voter referendum.[3] In November 2006, the city's first elected officials were voted into office, with the City of Johns Creek becoming official December 1, 2006.

Newtown Elementary School, built in 1929, is Johns Creek's only listing on the National Register of Historic Places.[4] It was listed in August 2006, with location described as "near Alpharetta", before Johns Creek's incorporation was completed.

In 2017, an iHeartJC initiative has been growing to have the city's residential, business and innovation ecosystem develop a long-term strength and identity in healthcare innovation and wellness. The resolution passed a year later.[5] Since then, the city has had over 700 companies and 1400 professionals in lifesciences as well as 450 companies and 13,000 jobs in healthcare, including recently Boston Scientific move, build, or work there.[6] In 2022, the group was renamed Johns Creek Vitality.

Geography

Johns Creek is located in northeastern Fulton County. The elevation ranges from above sea level along the Chattahoochee River to in the Ocee area along the Alpharetta border. Johns Creek is bounded to the south by the Chattahoochee River and Gwinnett County, and on the northeast by McGinnis Ferry Road and Forsyth County. It is bounded by Roswell to the west, Alpharetta to the northwest, Suwanee to the east, and Duluth, Berkeley Lake, and Peachtree Corners to the south. Downtown Atlanta is to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Johns Creek has a total area of 81sqkm, of which 79.6sqkm is land and 1.4sqkm, or 1.76%, is water.[7]

Climate

Johns Creek has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Demographics

Johns Creek, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)!Pop 2010[8] ![9] !% 2010!
White alone (NH)45,978style='background: #ffffe6; 39,48359.92%style='background: #ffffe6; 47.89%
Black or African American alone (NH)6,925style='background: #ffffe6; 8,5289.03%style='background: #ffffe6; 10.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)69style='background: #ffffe6; 730.09%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.09%
Asian alone (NH)17,892style='background: #ffffe6; 24,60323.32%style='background: #ffffe6; 29.84%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)22style='background: #ffffe6; 380.03%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH)219style='background: #ffffe6; 5240.29%style='background: #ffffe6; 0.64%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)1,623style='background: #ffffe6; 3,4142.12%style='background: #ffffe6; 4.14%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)4,000style='background: #ffffe6; 5,7905.21%style='background: #ffffe6; 7.02%
Total76,728style='background: #ffffe6; 82,453100.00%style='background: #ffffe6; 100.00%

Johns Creek first appeared in the 2010 U.S. census. In 2010, its population was 76,728; and the 2020 United States census numbered 82,453 people, 28,638 households, and 23,283 families residing in the city.

Johns Creek's 2010 demographics showed an estimated $109,576 median household income, a $137,271 average household income and a $45,570 per capita income.[10]

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[11] the top employers in the city were:

Employer
  1. of Employees
1Emory Johns Creek Hospital1250
2Macy's771
3Atlanta Athletic Club500
4Publix394
5Saia390
6Kroger388
7Alcon310
8Nordson Corporation250
9Home Depot200
10Intralot176

Arts and culture

Johns Creek has metro Atlanta's only part-time, fully professional symphony orchestra, the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra.[12] Under the leadership of Music Director J. Wayne Baughman, the orchestra performs several times each year.

The Johns Creek Arts Center offers classes and camps for aspiring artists in multiple media throughout the year.

There also are several festivals year-round, such as Founders Week in December in which the community celebrates the city's incorporation with activities and a parade. The Fall Family Festival in September is a community get-together at Newtown Park. Arts on the Creek is a juried art show, and also has musical and stage performers. "The Taste of Johns Creek" is an annual food festival in the fall that features more than 40 local restaurants with proceeds supporting public school extracurricular activities.

There are six golf facilities (five private, one public) in Johns Creek, including the renowned Atlanta Athletic Club, home of the 2011 PGA Championship and the 2014 U.S. Amateur.[13] Other golf facilities include Country Club of the South, Rivermont Golf and Country Club, River Pines Golf, St. Ives Country Club, and The Standard Club.

The Atlanta Athletic Club was the site of the inaugural Atlanta Tennis Championships in 2010.[14] Johns Creek is home to thousands of members of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (ALTA), one of the largest and oldest organized recreation leagues in the country.

Johns Creek, which is bordered by of the Chattahoochee River, has multiple nearby spots where paddlers can put in or take out their boats. It has shoals and low-level rapids. It also offers prime trout fishing.

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center offers a replica of a Creek Indian hut, an 1800s historic village, and wildlife in 46acres of woodlands. Biking the 4miles Greenway along Georgia 141 is a popular pastime. The city has plans to develop and connect other pathways to the Greenway, which will tie in with other cities, adding several miles of trails.

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Northeast Spruill Oaks Library and Ocee Regional Library.[15]

Johns Creek International Festival

Each April, the city hosts the annual Johns Creek International Festival. In 2017, over 23,000 visitors attended the event.[16] It is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the state and nation, representing many countries and cultures from around the world. This free community event features restaurants and food trucks, vendors, international beer and wine garden, live music and dance performances, and fun kids’ activities.[17]

Education

Public schools are operated by Fulton County Schools. Schools located in Johns Creek include:[18] [19]

Elementary schools

Middle schools

Autrey Mill, River Trail, and Taylor Road

High schools

Chattahoochee, Johns Creek and Northview

Private schools

Infrastructure

Transportation

Major highways

Public transportation

Johns Creek is not directly served by MARTA trains or buses. GRTA Xpress Route 408 connects Johns Creek with the Doraville MARTA station.[21]

Pedestrians and cycling

In January 2018 significant plans were approved for the engineering phase to upgrade State Bridge Road and Pleasant Hill Road.[22] There is community-wide support from the community in both neighboring Johns Creek and Duluth for the pedestrian river bridge for the project. It will serve to improve bike pedestrian safety, boost local economies by improving access to businesses, enhance connections with surrounding neighborhoods and improve traffic flow in the area. In addition, the upgrade will serve to ease inspection and maintenance of the bridge in the future.

In March 2018, the Gwinnett County Commissioners approved the agreement with the Johns Creek City Council.[23] [24] Both sides have agreed to remove the sidewalks from the existing bridges in order to widen the roads. To improve safety for pedestrians, a new pedestrian bridge will be constructed on one side of the river. A pedestrian underpass linking both sides of the wider road is being considered to further improve access and provide for a safer crossing of the road.

The Rogers bridge project is another significant plan is to connect to Duluth via reconstructing a bike/pedestrian bridge across the Chattahoochee River. The engineers will determine whether to replace or rehabilitate the existing Rogers Bridge over the Chattahoochee River, will take into account the environmental impacts of each option, and will restore the working bike/pedestrian connection between Duluth and Johns Creek. This will allow access to the planned 133 acre parkland under development in Johns Creek, and will allow Fulton County residents access to Rogers Bridge Park, the Chattapoochee Dog Park, and the Western Gwinnett Bikeway currently under development by Gwinnett County.[25]

Law enforcement

The Johns Creek Police Department[26] launched April 27, 2008, and the fire department[27] launched October 27, 2008. The police department was certified by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement within two years of the department's formation.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. December 18, 2021.
  2. Web site: Johns Creek is state's wealthiest city. https://web.archive.org/web/20111016144933/http://www.northfulton.com/Articles-c-2009-05-14-177756.114126-sub24321.114126_Johns_Creek_is_states_wealthiest_city.html. dead. 16 October 2011. Northfulton.com. 17 April 2017.
  3. Web site: Johns Creek - Georgia.gov. Johnscreek.georgia.gov. 17 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20120311202457/http://johnscreek.georgia.gov/05/home/0,2230,70163884,00.html;jsessionid=8CBA440694CD6F6179CD803E9382F99B. 11 March 2012. dead.
  4. That Newtown Elementary School is the only NRHP listing in Johns Creek can be verified by review of locations of all National Register of Historic Places listings in Fulton County, Georgia
  5. News: Johns Creek 'iHeart' initiative emphasizes health, wellness . 2023-06-14 . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . en-US.
  6. News: Johns Creek - Target Industries . 2023-07-14 . Johns Creek City Website . en-US.
  7. Web site: Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Johns Creek city, Georgia. U.S. Census Bureau. American FactFinder. April 29, 2016. https://archive.today/20200213045622/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1342425. February 13, 2020. dead.
  8. Web site: P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johns Creek city, Georgia . United States Census Bureau.
  9. Web site: P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johns Creek city, Georgia . United States Census Bureau.
  10. Web site: Johns Creek, GA 30097 Household Income Statistics - CLRSearch. 2011-05-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20120321101034/http://www.clrsearch.com/Johns_Creek_Demographics/GA/30097/Household-Income. 2012-03-21. dead.
  11. Web site: Johns Creek - Annual Comprehensive Financial Report. 2023-01-16. www.johnscreekga.gov.
  12. Web site: Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra . Johnscreeksymphony.org . 2014-06-20 . 2017-04-17.
  13. Web site: Atlanta Athletic Club gets 2014 U.S. Amateur to follow hosting 2011 PGA. Pga.com. 17 April 2017.
  14. Web site: Atlanta Tennis Championships Overview . Atlantatennischampionships.com . July 26, 2011.
  15. Web site: Fulton County Library - Home . 2010-07-10 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100208054151/http://www.af.public.lib.ga.us/ . 2010-02-08 .
  16. Web site: Johns Creek - Johns Creek International Festival is coming April 21. Johnscreekga.gov. 28 January 2019.
  17. Web site: Johns Creek - International Festival.
  18. Web site: Schools & Buildings . Fulton County Schools . November 7, 2019.
  19. Web site: Zoning Map. Johns Creek. 2020-05-08. - Schools indicated on the map.
  20. Web site: School Facts. Holy Redeemer Catholic School. 2020-05-08. 3380 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022-5053. September 26, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200926025540/https://www.hrcatholicschool.org/school-facts. dead. - The school's address may be stated as being in "Alpharetta, GA" but the school is not in the Alpharetta city limits.
  21. Web site: Johns Creek - Getting Around Johns Creek. Johnscreekga.gov. 4 August 2018.
  22. News: Johns Creek OKs engineering for State Bridge widening. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 4 August 2018.
  23. News: Gwinnett, Johns Creek teaming up on $1.5 million bridge project. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 4 August 2018.
  24. Web site: Gwinnett commissioners approve agreement with Johns Creek for pedestrian bridge at Chattahoochee. Curt Yeomans. Gwinnettdailypost.com. 10 March 2018 . 4 August 2018.
  25. Web site: Rogers Bridge. Duluthga.net. October 20, 2017.
  26. Web site: Johns Creek, GA: Police Department . 2010-10-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101124034122/http://johnscreekga.gov/police/index.asp . 2010-11-24 .
  27. Web site: Johns Creek, GA: Fire Department . 2010-10-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100528000746/http://johnscreekga.gov/fire/index.asp . 2010-05-28 .