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Jonesboro, Georgia

Coordinates: 33°31′28″N 84°21′15″W / 33.52444°N 84.35417°W / 33.52444; -84.35417
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Jonesboro, Georgia
Buildings in the Jonesboro Historic District
Buildings in the Jonesboro Historic District
Flag of Jonesboro, Georgia
Official seal of Jonesboro, Georgia
Official logo of Jonesboro, Georgia
Location in Clayton County and the state of Georgia
Location in Clayton County and the state of Georgia
Jonesboro is located in Metro Atlanta
Jonesboro
Jonesboro
Location of Jonesboro in Metro Atlanta
Coordinates: 33°31′28″N 84°21′15″W / 33.52444°N 84.35417°W / 33.52444; -84.35417
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyClayton
Government
 • MayorDonya Sartor
Area
 • Total3.00 sq mi (7.76 km2)
 • Land2.98 sq mi (7.71 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
919 ft (280 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total4,235
 • Density1,422.10/sq mi (549.16/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
30236-30238
Area code(s)770/678/470
FIPS code13-42604[2]
GNIS feature ID0332118[3]
Websitejonesboroga.com

Jonesboro (/ˈnzbʌrə/) is a city in and the county seat of Clayton County, Georgia, United States.[4] The population was 4,235 in 2020.

The city's name was originally spelled Jonesborough.[citation needed] During the American Civil War, the final skirmish in the Atlanta Campaign was fought here south of Atlanta, cutting off the city and forcing the mayor of Atlanta to surrender at Marietta in early September 1864. The final fall of Atlanta in the Battle of Jonesborough ended up being a decisive point in the nation's history, propelling Abraham Lincoln to re-election two months later, and continuing the war until the Confederacy finally surrendered the following year.

History

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Jonesboro was inhabited by settlers as early as 1821, as a result of the Treaty of Indian Springs,[5] and it was founded as Leaksville in 1823.[6] In 1825, the Flint River Baptist Church was erected on a hill in Leaksville. After the Macon and Western Railroad arrived into the area in 1846, the town was renamed to Jonesboro, in order to honor railroad official Samuel G. Jones who was also honored by its citizens.[5] Jonesboro was incorporated over three decades later, in 1859.[7]

Jonesboro hosted the beach volleyball at the 1996 Summer Olympics with the artificial beach created at Clayton County International Park.[8] Jonesboro elected their first Black Mayor, Dr. Sonya Sartor, in March 2023.[9]

Geography

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Jonesboro is located at 33°31′28″N 84°21′15″W / 33.52444°N 84.35417°W / 33.52444; -84.35417 (33.524512, -84.354290).[10]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2), of which 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.89%) is water.

The railroad through Jonesboro is built on the Eastern Continental Divide and there are no bridges for the tracks for many miles in either direction.

Climate

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Climate data for Jonesboro, Georgia, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1994–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 77
(25)
81
(27)
89
(32)
92
(33)
95
(35)
103
(39)
104
(40)
104
(40)
99
(37)
98
(37)
86
(30)
78
(26)
104
(40)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 69.7
(20.9)
73.6
(23.1)
80.7
(27.1)
85.3
(29.6)
90.4
(32.4)
95.9
(35.5)
96.1
(35.6)
95.9
(35.5)
92.5
(33.6)
82.8
(28.2)
76.8
(24.9)
72.6
(22.6)
97.7
(36.5)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 52.7
(11.5)
56.5
(13.6)
64.7
(18.2)
73.0
(22.8)
80.5
(26.9)
86.7
(30.4)
89.6
(32.0)
88.6
(31.4)
83.2
(28.4)
73.4
(23.0)
62.4
(16.9)
54.7
(12.6)
72.2
(22.3)
Daily mean °F (°C) 42.5
(5.8)
45.9
(7.7)
53.3
(11.8)
61.0
(16.1)
69.7
(20.9)
76.6
(24.8)
79.8
(26.6)
78.8
(26.0)
73.3
(22.9)
62.5
(16.9)
51.7
(10.9)
45.1
(7.3)
61.7
(16.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 32.3
(0.2)
35.3
(1.8)
41.8
(5.4)
49.1
(9.5)
58.8
(14.9)
66.5
(19.2)
70.0
(21.1)
69.0
(20.6)
63.3
(17.4)
51.6
(10.9)
40.9
(4.9)
35.4
(1.9)
51.2
(10.7)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 17.1
(−8.3)
22.3
(−5.4)
28.6
(−1.9)
36.3
(2.4)
45.9
(7.7)
58.2
(14.6)
63.4
(17.4)
63.5
(17.5)
53.1
(11.7)
37.1
(2.8)
27.7
(−2.4)
24.0
(−4.4)
15.9
(−8.9)
Record low °F (°C) 5
(−15)
6
(−14)
14
(−10)
29
(−2)
37
(3)
50
(10)
52
(11)
57
(14)
42
(6)
29
(−2)
19
(−7)
7
(−14)
5
(−15)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.02
(128)
4.86
(123)
4.95
(126)
4.19
(106)
3.47
(88)
4.59
(117)
5.09
(129)
4.42
(112)
3.56
(90)
3.62
(92)
4.19
(106)
4.96
(126)
52.92
(1,343)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3)
0.0
(0.0)
0.1
(0.25)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.0
(0.0)
0.2
(0.51)
0.8
(2.06)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 10.5 10.6 9.7 8.5 8.3 10.8 11.2 10.2 7.9 6.8 8.2 10.4 113.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.4
Source 1: NOAA[11]
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006–2020)[12]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1870531
18801,04897.4%
1890803−23.4%
19008779.2%
191097010.6%
19201,0609.3%
19301,0650.5%
19401,20413.1%
19501,74144.6%
19603,01473.1%
19704,10536.2%
19804,1320.7%
19903,635−12.0%
20003,8295.3%
20104,72423.4%
20204,235−10.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
Jonesboro racial composition as of 2020[14]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 1,126 26.59%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 2,247 53.06%
Native American 6 0.24%
Asian 124 2.93%
Pacific Islander 3 0.07%
Other/Mixed 146 3.45%
Hispanic or Latino 583 13.77%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,235 people, 1,195 households, and 771 families residing in the city.

Infrastructure

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Transit systems

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MARTA and Xpress GA/Georgia RTA buses serve the city.

Movies and literature

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Many of the scenes from the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit were filmed in Jonesboro. Another 1977 movie, the obscure 'In Hot Pursuit (aka The Polk County Pot Plane), was filmed in and around Jonesboro.

Tara, the fictional plantation in Margaret Mitchell's novel Gone with the Wind was supposed to be located approximately five miles outside of Jonesboro, the closest town.

"We Are Marshall" was briefly filmed at Tara Stadium in Jonesboro. The stadium was changed from green to light blue and light yellow for the scene.

Lynyrd Skynyrd's (pronounced 'lĕh-'nérd 'skin-'nérd) album cover was photographed near the corner of Mill and Main streets.

Landmarks

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Education

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Clayton County Public Schools operates public schools.

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Jonesboro, GA - City History". www.jonesboroga.com. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 234. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  7. ^ "City History." (Archive) City of Jonesboro. Retrieved on September 21, 2012.
  8. ^ Georgia Department of Economic Development. "Clayton County International Park". Explore Georgia.
  9. ^ "Jonesboro voters elect Dr. Donya Sartor as their first-ever Black mayor". March 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  11. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Jonesboro, GA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  12. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Atlanta". National Weather Service. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  13. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  14. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
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