Editing Guyton, Georgia

{{redirect|Guyton}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
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|official_name            = Guyton, Georgia
|other_name               = 
|native_name              = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|motto                    = "Working Together to Make a Difference"
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|image_map                = Effingham_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Guyton_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Effingham County, Georgia|Effingham County]] and the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
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|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Georgia (U.S. state)|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Effingham County, Georgia|Effingham]]
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|subdivision_name3        = 
|subdivision_type4        = 
|subdivision_name4        = <!-- Politics ----------------->
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|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Andy Harville
|leader_title1            = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
|leader_name1             = Andy Harville
|leader_title2            = City Manager
|leader_name2             = Meketa Brown
|established_title        = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = <!-- Area    --------------------->
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|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 8.34
|area_land_km2            = 8.31
|area_water_km2           = 0.04
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.22
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.21
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
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|area_blank1_sq_mi        = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
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|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 2289
|population_density_km2   = 275.59
|population_density_sq_mi = 713.75
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|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|20|11|N|81|23|38|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
|elevation_m              = 29
|elevation_ft             = 95
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 31312
|area_code                = [[Area code 912|912]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 13-35884<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0356129<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=2007-10-25}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.cityofguyton.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Guyton''' is a city in [[Effingham County, Georgia|Effingham County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 2,289 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], up from 1,684 in [[2010 United States Census|2010]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1335884| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Guyton city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| accessdate=January 26, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213083218/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1335884| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> Guyton is located {{convert|28|mi}} northwest of downtown [[Savannah, Georgia|Savannah]], and is part of the [[Savannah metropolitan area|Savannah metropolitan statistical area]].

==History==
While some of the early settlers came from the Savannah area, it seems that most came from [[North Carolina|North]] and [[South Carolina]]. In 1792 a tract of {{convert|250|acre|km2}} of land in the form of a land warrant from Effingham County was issued to Squire Zachariah White. The community became known as "Whitesville". The Squire was not married and left no heir when he died in 1838. White had granted a right-of-way to the new [[Central of Georgia Railway]] Co. prior to his death. He was buried on his own land, as was the custom then. His grave is in the rear of the present New Providence Church. Years later, a local controversy was started when some of this community tried to have Squire White's grave moved to the new local cemetery. It was never moved.

Shortly after White's death, the Effingham County Commissioners took over his land for unpaid taxes. They had a survey made, laid off lots and streets just as they still are today, and sold it all at [[public auction]] as payment of his taxes. Many lots were bought by affluent Savannah residents as a place for a summer home. At this time, the fever was very bad in Savannah.

When the Central of Georgia Railroad Company, having a charter to build and operate a railroad from Savannah to [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]] and on to Marthasville (now [[Atlanta]]), laid their track through Whitesville in 1837 or 1838, they referred to this place as Station Number 30. After a short time, locals asked the railroad company to give this place a name so they could request the federal government to place a post office here. Since there was another town in the state named Whitesville, Mr. W. W. Gordon, President of the Central Railroad, named this location "Guyton", after Archibald Guyton, a prominent local citizen. The U. S. Post Office established a post office at Guyton, Georgia, December 31, 1851.

Guyton was an affluent town by the time of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]]. During the Civil War, the [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] built a hospital in Guyton. There are 26 Confederate soldiers buried in the local cemetery. When [[Sherman's March to the Sea|General Sherman marched from Atlanta to Savannah]] on his burn and destroy mission, he came through Guyton with his main body of troops. It took five days for his army to pass through, with some of his troops looting, burning, and stealing. The depot and tracks were destroyed, which could explain why some records of this period are not complete.

In 1887, Guyton was incorporated and issued a town charter by the State of Georgia. The local member of the Georgia Legislature who had the bill introduced and passed was Colonel Clarance Guyton, a grandson of Archibald Guyton.

The Guyton City Hall has had many requests for information about the family of Guytons. However, little is known about their background. They were rumored to have come from England to North Carolina. Archibald Guyton came to this area from North Carolina in 1825. He was married twice. His first wife was the widow Tondee of Savannah. There is a Tondee farm or plantation listed in Effingham County near Guyton during this period, so she may have had connections there. The Georgia census of 1850 shows Archibald came to Georgia in 1825. He was in the timber business. His first wife, widow Tondee died (fever) and is buried in the old Providence Baptist Cemetery. His second wife was Harriet Patterson, of this area. Archibald had a son, Robert, by his first wife and a son, Charles, by his second wife. There were several girls also as are listed in his cemetery plot. Archibald's grandson, Clarance, was an attorney and maintained a law office in Savannah. Everyone called him Colonel Guyton. He was a member of the Georgia Legislature and was very prominent.

There are no families named Guyton living in the community today. The last Guyton family home, which was occupied by Clarance, his sister Belle Hendry, and also his sister Tallullah and her husband Fred Seckinger is still in excellent condition. It is located on Highway 17, just north of the Guyton city limits.

Every December, the spirit of Christmas is highlighted in Guyton with an annual tour of homes. This community-sponsored event will usually host around three to four thousand visitors every year. Visitors will usually tour about a dozen homes, and nearly all of the churches are open for the tour. Many homes in the historic district will have lighted doors. The festivities usually begin with a country supper and tour of the historical city. As visitors drive down main street in Guyton, they can view the lighted trees that line the old railroad median for {{convert|1|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}}. The Guyton Volunteer Fire Department usually illuminates the nearly 7,000 lights each year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving.

Today, Guyton is still a small town, but one with much history. As visitors drive through its narrow lanes and streets, particularly in December of each year, they see a Georgia town pretty much the way it was nearly a century ago.<ref>City of Guyton, Effingham Today, The website of Effingham County, Georgia. 8/19/2010. http://www.effga.com/guyton-history.htm</ref>

==Geography==

Guyton is located in west-central Effingham County at {{coord|32|20|11|N|81|23|38|W|type:city}} (32.336338, -81.393763).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> State Routes [[Georgia State Route 17|17]] and [[Georgia State Route 119|119]] cross in the southwest part of town. GA 17 leads northwest {{convert|15|mi}} to [[Oliver, Georgia|Oliver]] and south {{convert|16|mi}} to [[Bloomingdale, Georgia|Bloomingdale]], west of Savannah, while GA 119 leads northeast {{convert|5|mi|0}} to [[Springfield, Georgia|Springfield]], the Effingham County seat, and southwest {{convert|14|mi}} to [[Interstate 16]] in [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch County]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], Guyton has a total area of {{convert|8.3|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.04|km2|order=flip|2}}, or 0.48%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 541
|1900= 500
|1910= 545
|1920= 539
|1930= 583
|1940= 549
|1950= 633
|1960= 670
|1970= 742
|1980= 749
|1990= 740
|2000= 917
|2010= 1684
|2020= 2289
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 2925
| estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2020-2023/cities/totals/SUB-IP-EST2023-POP-13.xlsx |date=May 16, 2024|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=May 16, 2024}}</ref>
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Guyton racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1335884&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-15|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|1,440
|62.91%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|615
|26.87%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|8
|0.35%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|9
|0.39%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|124
|5.42%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|93
|4.06%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,289 people, 665 households, and 527 families residing in the city.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.cityofguyton.com City of Guyton official website]
*[http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/effingham/guyton-confederate-general-hospital Guyton Confederate General Hospital] historical marker

{{Effingham County, Georgia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Cities in Effingham County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Savannah metropolitan area]]