Editing Lavonia, Georgia

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| official_name      = Lavonia, Georgia
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname           = 
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| motto              = "Home to Land of Spirit",<br>"Big Time Small Town"
<!-- images and maps  ----------->| image_skyline      = Georgia - Lavonia - Main Street (34990261486).jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Main Street, Lavonia, Georgia, May 2017
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| image_map          = Franklin_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Lavonia_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location in [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin County]] and the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
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| pushpin_map        = <!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map -->
| pushpin_label_position = <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_map_caption = 
| pushpin_mapsize    = <!-- Location ------------------>
| 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)|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin]], [[Hart County, Georgia|Hart]]
| subdivision_type3  = 
| subdivision_name3  = 
| subdivision_type4  = 
| subdivision_name4  = <!-- Politics ----------------->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Charles L Cawthon
| leader_title1      = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
| leader_name1       = 
| leader_title2      = City Manager
| leader_name2       = 
| leader_title3      = 
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| leader_title4      = 
| leader_name4       = 
| established_title  = <!-- Settled -->
| established_date   = 
| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
| established_date3  = <!-- Area    --------------------->
| area_magnitude     = 
| 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     = 11.73
| area_land_km2      = 11.67
| area_water_km2     = 0.06
| area_total_sq_mi   = 4.53
| area_land_sq_mi    = 4.51
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
| area_water_percent = 
| area_urban_km2     = 
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| area_metro_km2     = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| area_blank1_title  = 
| area_blank1_km2    = 
| area_blank1_sq_mi  = <!-- Population   ----------------------->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_note    = 
| population_total   = 2143
| population_density_km2 = 183.61
| population_density_sq_mi = 475.59
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
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| population_density_urban_km2 = 
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| population_blank1_title = 
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| population_density_blank1_km2 = 
| population_density_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- General information  --------------->
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|34|26|10|N|83|6|23|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
| elevation_m        = 260
| elevation_ft       = 853
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 30553
| area_code          = [[Area code 706|706]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 13-45460<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        = 0316687<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.lavoniaga.gov}}
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
}}
'''Lavonia''' is a city in [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin]] and [[Hart County, Georgia|Hart]] Counties, [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 2,156 at the 2010 census,<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1345460| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Lavonia city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American FactFinder| accessdate=April 28, 2016| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213044150/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1345460| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> up from 1,827 at the 2000 census.

==Geography==

Lavonia is located in northeastern Franklin County at {{coord|34|26|10|N|83|6|23|W|type:city}} (34.436055, -83.106270).<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> A small portion of the town extends southeast into Hart County.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|11.9|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.06|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.53%, is covered by water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

The city lies along [[Interstate 85]], {{convert|53|mi}} southwest of [[Greenville, South Carolina]], and {{convert|94|mi}} northeast of [[Atlanta]].

== History ==
The [[Cherokee]] people were indigenous to the area in which Lavonia is located. A sophisticated tribe that typically dwelled in cabins by the 18th century, the Cherokee joined with the British during the [[American Revolution]]. When the American colonists prevailed, their land was issued as bounty land to those who had fought in the revolution. As a result, European Americans began to move into the Lavonia area during the 1780s.

The founding of the town of Lavonia came as the result of the expansion of the railroad in northeast Georgia. A railroad line known as the Elberton-Airline Railroad desired another station further to the north. In a move typical for the time, businessmen in the area determined to build a town around the new railroad station. Upon division of the area into town lots and completion of all necessary legal procedures, the town of Lavonia was incorporated in 1880.<ref>Marie H. Williams, ed. Lavonia: Gem of the Piedmont. Hartwell, GA: Hurley Printing, 1977.{{request quotation|date=February 2019}}</ref> The community was named after Lavonia Hammond Jones, the wife of a railroad official.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/l.pdf| title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=130 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[File:I-85.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 85 in Georgia|Interstate 85]]
* [[File:Georgia 17.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 17|State Route 17]]
* [[File:Georgia 59.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 59|State Route 59]]
* [[File:Georgia 77 Connector.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 77 Connector (Lavonia)|State Route 77 Connector]]
* [[File:Georgia 328.svg|25px]] [[Georgia State Route 328|State Route 328]]
* [[File:Georgia 403.svg|25px]] [[Georgia State Route 403|State Route 403]] (unsigned designation for I-85)
{{div col end}}

===Airports===
*[[Broad River Air Park]](3GE3), a private airport community featuring a 3000&nbsp;ft runway parallel to Interstate 85.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 72
|1890= 283
|1900= 699
|1910= 1712
|1920= 1644
|1930= 1511
|1940= 1667
|1950= 1766
|1960= 2088
|1970= 2044
|1980= 2024
|1990= 1840
|2000= 1827
|2010= 2156
|2020= 2143
|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>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Lavonia Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1345460&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-07|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|1,395
|65.1%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|492
|22.96%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|5
|0.23%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|10
|0.47%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|10
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|80
|3.73%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|161
|7.51%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 2,143 people, 1,029 households, and 676 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,827 people, 777 households, and 519 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|470.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 882 housing units at an average density of {{convert|226.9|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 69.24% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 28.95% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.11% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.11% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.38% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.20% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race constituted 0.88% of the population.

There were 777 households, out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.2 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $24,286, and the median income for a family was $28,464. Males had a median income of $29,250 versus $21,328 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,876.  About 28.1% of families and 29.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 42.6% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over. Lavonia was the main place for trains to stop.

== Library ==
The [[Lavonia Carnegie Library]] is located in the city of Lavonia and named after philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Established in 1911, the one-story Renaissance Revival-style building is important as a local landmark and has continued to be used as a library throughout its history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.athenslibrary.org/lavonia/local-information/history-of-the-library|title=History of the Library|website=www.athenslibrary.org|access-date=2017-03-31}}</ref> Lavonia is the smallest city in the entire United States with an original Carnegie Library building.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.qpublic.net/ga/franklin/|title=Franklin County Tax Assessor's Office|publisher=QPublic|accessdate=July 12, 2020}}</ref>

==Arts and culture==
===Sports===
Lavonia is home to [[Lavonia Speedway]], a 3/8-mile dirt oval.  It is home to several different annual races such as the Buck Simmons Memorial, Rusty Jordan Memorial, and Charlie Mize Memorial. It also played host to an annual event with the [[World of Outlaws Late Model Series]] every single year from the years 2018 to 2021 as well as a one-off event in 2014 however after the event was rained out in 2022 they did not pick the date back up for 2023 and nothing has been announced for the future.

==Notable people==
* [[FPS Russia]], [[YouTube]] personality
* [[Ernest Vandiver]], former mayor of Lavonia and [[governor of Georgia]] from 1959 to 1963 
* [[Omer Clyde Aderhold|Omer Clyde "O.C." Aderhold]], former president of the [[University of Georgia]] during racial integration<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.caes.uga.edu/alumni/recognitions/georgia-ag-hall-of-fame/portrait-gallery/omer-aderhold.html|title=Omer Clyde Aderhold|website=[[University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences]]|access-date=2023-01-10|quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=1961-01-20|title=Education: Shame in Georgia|url=https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,871979,00.html|work=[[Time (magazine)|TIME]]|access-date=2023-01-10}}</ref>

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.lavoniaga.gov City of Lavonia official website]

{{Franklin County, Georgia}}
{{Hart County, Georgia}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Cities in Franklin County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Cities in Hart County, Georgia]]