Grovetown, Georgia

Grovetown is a city in Columbia County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Augusta metropolitan area as well as the Central Savannah River Area. The 2019 population estimate was 15,152.<ref name=Census>Template:Cite web</ref> The mayor is Gary Jones.<ref name=Mayor>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Template:More citations needed section From the building of the Georgia Railroad, which travels through the city until at least the 1860s, the community was known as "Belair".<ref name="Georgia.gov">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Failed verification The city was chartered by the Georgia Legislature and officially incorporated on January 1, 1881.<ref name="Georgia.gov"/> The name of the small village purportedly came from the old Grove Baptist Church that was founded in 1808. A poet famous in the post-Civil War era, Paul Hamilton Hayne, moved to Copse Hill in the Parham Road area in the 1860s. He solicited the United States Postal Service to establish the Grovetown post office. The first U.S. mail service was inaugurated on September 28, 1877, with Charles Clifford as postmaster. Mr. Clifford was also the train depot agent and the owner of the corner store.<ref name="City of Grovetown">Template:Cite web</ref>

The first railroad depot was a small structure built in 1878–79. The last depot was an ornate structure built in 1891 at a cost of $5,041.74. It served the citizens of Grovetown until 1970, when passenger trains no longer traveled on the Augusta–Atlanta line. It was demolished in 1973.<ref name="City of Grovetown"/>

Many wealthy and influential Augusta residents had summer homes in Grovetown, escaping the heat and disease of the city. They commuted on the old "Picayune" train, relying on its frequent service. The Rosland Hotel, later known as the "Eagle", was built in the 1880s. Its huge rotunda was frequently used for church gatherings, suppers, parties, and dances. It later became a boarding house and burned in the 1970s. The Church of Christ is now located on the site.<ref name="City of Grovetown"/>

Several country stores were established on Old Wrightsboro Road near the railroad crossing. One was S. F. Poole's store, where the gazebo now stands at the corner with Robinson Avenue, with a "philosophers' bench"Template:Clarify by the door. During the early days, many famous residents lived in the Grovetown area: Hayne, the literary figure; Stewart Phinizy and James Tobin, cotton brokers; Charles Phinizy, banker and railroad president; Dr. H. H. Steiner, physician; and John Dodge, pharmacist and harness racing enthusiast. Dodge brought his stable from Ohio and built a large home and racetrack.<ref name="City of Grovetown"/>

With the construction of Camp Gordon in 1942, Grovetown experienced rapid growth; it was no longer a small agricultural town. Due to its close proximity to Fort Gordon (now Fort Eisenhower), Many military families looked to Grovetown for housing. Gradually, more and more retired military saw the benefits of living in the small town and population began to grow and stabilize.<ref name="City of Grovetown"/>

Annexation and multi-housing construction has increased the population of the formerly quiet town. Currently, Grovetown has a population of approximately 15,000,<ref name=Census/> up from the 1990 census figure of 3,596. A variety of stores, dining establishments, schools, and churches add to the town's culture. Services include recreational facilities, a public safety department, two fire stations, water and sewer services, a senior center, and museum.<ref name="City of Grovetown"/>

Geography

Grovetown is located in southern Columbia County. Downtown Augusta is Template:Convert east. The northern boundary of Fort Eisenhower is Template:Convert south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Grovetown has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert, or 0.23%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate and weather extremes

Grovetown has yet had some extreme weather. The strongest tornado was an EF2 on October 31, 2019. Hurricane Helene hit the town on September 27, 2024. The highest temperature was 108 °F both on August 10, 2007, and on August 21, 1983. The coldest temperature was −1 °F set on January 21, 1985.

Demographics

Grovetown racial composition as of 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	6,309	40.5%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	5,492	35.26%
Native American	36	0.23%
Asian	380	2.44%
Pacific Islander	42	0.27%
Other/Mixed	1,133	7.27%
Hispanic or Latino	2,185	14.03%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 15,577 people, 4,028 households, and 2,986 families residing in the city.

Parks and recreation

City parks include the Liberty Park Community Center,<ref name=Parks>Template:Cite web</ref> and Goodale Park,<ref name=Parks/> which is named after Joseph Daniel "Danny" Goodale Jr., a Vietnam veteran who died in 1969.<ref name="Goodale VVMF">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Goodale Chronicle">Template:Cite news</ref> The city has also added Kiddie Park, as well as Historical Park. Friendship Park is located at the Veterans wall on Robinson Ave and is referred to as Freedom Park. They also have a Wildflower Park at the corner of Robinson Ave. and Johns Street.

Education

Grovetown Middle School, Grovetown Elementary School, Grovetown Highschool, and Cedar Ridge Elementary School are located in the city limits of Grovetown.Columbia Middle School, Brookwood Elementary School, Euchee Creek Elementary School, and Baker Place Elementary School are located near the city.<ref name=Education>Template:Cite web</ref>

Infrastructure

Transportation

Grovetown is mainly served by Georgia State Route 223 (SR 223), locally known as Robinson Avenue from just northwest of Fort Eisenhower's Gate 2 to the intersection with Harlem–Grovetown Road and as Wrightsboro Road past this point. It is also served by SR 388 east of this intersection. Here, SR 388 takes on the Wrightsboro Road name until an intersection with Katherine Street. At this intersection, the state highway turns left onto Horizon South Parkway, while Wrightsboro Road continues toward Augusta. Harlem–Grovetown Road connects the city with Harlem.

There are railroad tracks of CSX Transportation that extend through Grovetown, used mostly by freight trains.

See also

• Central Savannah River Area

External links

• Template:Official website