Dawsonville, Georgia

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Dawsonville, Georgia
Old Dawson County Courthouse.JPG
Historic Dawson County Courthouse
Flag of Dawsonville, Georgia.png
Seal of Dawsonville, Georgia.png
Motto(s): 
"Protecting our history and providing for the future"
Dawson County Georgia Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Dawsonville Highlighted.svg
Location in Dawson County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 34°25′N84°7′W / 34.417°N 84.117°W / 34.417; -84.117
Country United States
State Georgia
County Dawson
Government
  Type Mayor-council government
   Mayor John Walden
Area
[1]
  Total8.61 sq mi (22.31 km2)
  Land8.59 sq mi (22.25 km2)
  Water0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation
1,365 ft (416 m)
Population
 (2020)
  Total3,720
  Density433.01/sq mi (167.19/km2)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
  Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30534
Area code 706
FIPS code 13-21940 [2]
GNIS feature ID0331529 [3]
Website www.dawsonville-ga.gov

Dawsonville is a city in and the county seat of Dawson County, [4] Georgia, United States. The population was 3,720 in 2020. Dawsonville is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area.

Contents

The city head is Mayor John Walden, who was sworn in on December 18, 2023. [5]

History

Senator William Crosby Dawson William Crosby Dawson.jpg
Senator William Crosby Dawson

Dawsonville was founded in 1857 as seat of the newly formed Dawson County. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1952. [6] The community and the county are named for U.S. Senator William Crosby Dawson. [7]

Geography

Dawsonville is located at 34°25′N 84°7′W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.3 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2), or 0.26%, is water. [8]

The community is at the junction of State Routes 9, 53, and 136. SR 9 leads northeast 14 miles (23 km) to Dahlonega and south 17 miles (27 km) to Cumming, while SR 53 leads southeast 6 miles (10 km) to U.S. Route 19 and west 24 miles (39 km) to Jasper. SR 136 also leads to Jasper, on a 29-mile (47 km) route that runs further to the north through the southern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Amicalola Falls, 15 miles (24 km) north of the center of Dawsonville, is one of the seven natural wonders of Georgia.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 199
1900 217
1910 179−17.5%
1920 19810.6%
1930 2032.5%
1940 31957.1%
1950 318−0.3%
1960 307−3.5%
1970 288−6.2%
1980 34218.8%
1990 46736.5%
2000 61932.5%
2010 2,536309.7%
2020 3,72046.7%
2023 (est.)4,627 [9] 24.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
Dawsonville racial composition as of 2020 [11]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)3,23686.99%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)290.78%
Native American 150.4%
Asian 200.54%
Pacific Islander 50.13%
Other/mixed 1674.49%
Hispanic or Latino 2486.67%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,720 people, 998 households, and 667 families residing in the city.

Recreation

Auto racing

Dawsonville Pool Room Dawsonville Pool Room in Dawsonville GA.jpeg
Dawsonville Pool Room

The city's community is known in auto racing circles for its long tradition of involvement in the sport; many racing skills originally developed as a consequence of moonshine activity in the area. Dawsonville celebrates this legacy each October with the annual "Mountain Moonshine Festival". [12]

Dawsonville is the home of retired NASCAR driver Bill Elliott, who won the Winston Cup championship in 1988 and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015, and his son Chase Elliott, who won the 2020 NASCAR Cup Championship and who currently races in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bill Elliott's nickname is "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville". [13] The former city hall has a racing theme as well, and serves as the location of the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. Following a significant racing accomplishment made by Bill or Chase Elliott, such as a win, the siren on the Dawsonville Pool Room near the city square goes off to let the town know.

Education

Dawson County School District

Dawson County High School Dawson-county-high-school-dawsonville-ga.jpg
Dawson County High School

The Dawson County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of three elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. [14] The district has 219 full-time teachers and 3,036 students. [15]

The Dawson County School System is a charter system.

Notable people

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dawson County, Georgia</span> County in Georgia, United States

Dawson County is a county located in the northeast region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 26,798 up from 22,330 in 2010. The county seat is Dawsonville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone, Georgia</span> Town in Georgia, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monticello, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Monticello is the largest city in and the county seat of Jasper County, Georgia, United States. The city includes historic buildings such as the Jasper County Courthouse, Monticello High School and the Monticello Historic District. The population was 2,541 in 2020. It is 56 miles (90 km) southeast of Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jasper, Georgia</span> City and county seat in Georgia, United States

Jasper is a city in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,084 in 2020. The city is the county seat of Pickens County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mooresville, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Mooresville is a town located in the southwestern section of Iredell County, North Carolina, United States, and is a part of the fast-growing Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 50,193 at the 2020 census, making it the most populous municipality in Iredell County. It is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of Charlotte.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornelius, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Cornelius is a suburban town located along Lake Norman in northern Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, United States. It is a major suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 24,866 at the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Elliott</span> American racing driver and team owner (born 1955)

William Clyde Elliott Sr., also known as "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville", "Million Dollar Bill", or "Wild Bill" is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He last competed in the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience part-time in 2022. His accolades include the 1988 Winston Cup Championship and garnering 44 wins in that series, including two Daytona 500 victories in 1985 and 1987, three Southern 500 victories in 1985, 1988, and 1994, one Winston 500 victory in 1985, one Brickyard 400 victory in 2002, one "The Winston All-Star Race" win in 1986, and a record four consecutive wins at Michigan International Speedway between 1985 and 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Series</span> 1st season of NASCAR stock-car racing

The 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock season was the inaugural season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Charlotte Speedway on June 19, 1949, the season included eight races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the Wilkes 200 at North Wilkesboro Speedway on October 16. Raymond Parks won the Owners' Championship, while Red Byron won the Drivers' Championship with a 16th-place finish at the final race of the season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daytona Beach and Road Course</span> Motorsport track in the United States

The Daytona Beach and Road Course was a motorsport race track that was instrumental in the formation of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. It originally became famous as the location where 15 world land speed records were set.

Truman Fontell "Fonty" Flock was an American stock car racer.

Raymond Parks was an American stock car racing team owner. He was the owner of Red Byron's car which won the inaugural NASCAR Strictly Stock Series championship in 1949. Parks was announced as one of the members of the 2017 NASCAR Hall of Fame class.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmie Lewallen</span> American racing driver

Jimmie Lewallen was an American stock car racing driver from High Point, North Carolina, United States. He competed in NASCAR's Strictly Stock/Grand National division from its first race at Charlotte Speedway in 1949 until 1960.

Gober C. Sosebee was an American racecar driver. He won on the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1949, 1950, and 1951. He was born in Dawson County, Georgia, and began his career in 1940 at Atlanta's Lakewood Speedway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakewood Speedway</span> Defunct US raceway

Lakewood Speedway was a race track located south of Atlanta, Georgia, in Lakewood, just north of the eastern arm of Langford Parkway. The track held many kinds of races between 1919 and 1979, including events sanctioned by AAA/USAC, IMCA, and NASCAR. It was a one-mile (1.6 km) dirt track which was located adjacent to Lakewood Fairgrounds. Lakewood Speedway was considered the "Indianapolis of the South" as it was located in the largest city in the Southern United States and it held an annual race of the Indy cars.

Carl D. "Lightning" Lloyd Seay was an early stock car racing driver from Dawsonville Georgia. NASCAR founder Bill France Sr. described Seay as the "best pure race driver I ever saw". He was shot to death by his cousin Woodrow Anderson over a moonshine operation. His last name was pronounced as "See".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1950 Southern 500</span> Auto race held at Darlington Raceway in 1950

The inaugural Southern Five-Hundred was an automobile race held at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina on September 4, 1950, as part of the 1950 NASCAR Grand National. While the 1950 race was co-sanctioned by NASCAR and its rival Central States Racing Association, all subsequent Southern 500 races were hosted exclusively by NASCAR.

Roy Hall, known as "Rapid Roy" and "Reckless Roy", was a pioneering American stock car racing driver, who achieved success in the early days of the sport driving cars owned by Raymond Parks and prepared by Red Vogt. Hall was also involved in the moonshine trade in north Georgia in the 1930s and 1940s and would compete in three events in the NASCAR Strictly Stock Series shortly following its formation.

Ed Samples was a pioneering American stock car driver, who competed in NSCRA and NASCAR events in the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the winner of the 1946 stock car racing championship and later won the 1949 National Stock Car Racing Association championship.

David Sosebee is a retired NASCAR Winston Cup Series race car driver who competed from 1979 to 1988. He is the son of racer Gober Sosebee.

References

  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. "John Walden sworn in as Dawsonville's new mayor". www.dawsonnews.com. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  6. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 227. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  7. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  101.
  8. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Dawsonville city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved October 20, 2015.[ dead link ]
  9. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  12. "Welcome to Dawsonville Georgia".
  13. Mike Hembree (April 23, 2014). "Bill Elliott's son Chase making his own name in NASCAR". USA Today . Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  14. Georgia Board of Education [ permanent dead link ], Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  15. School Stats, Retrieved June 8, 2010.