Alpharetta, Georgia

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Alpharetta is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, Alpharetta's population was 65,818;<ref name="Census 2010">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in 2010, the population had been 57,551.

History

In the 1830s, the Cherokee people in Georgia and elsewhere in the South were forcibly relocated to the Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) under the Indian Removal Act. Pioneers and farmers later settled on the newly vacated land, situated along a former Cherokee trail stretching from the North Georgia mountains to the Chattahoochee River.<ref name="AlpharettaHistory">Template:Cite web</ref>

One of the area's first permanent landmarks was the New Prospect Camp Ground (also known as the Methodist Camp Ground), beside a natural spring near what is now downtown Alpharetta.<ref name="AlpharettaHistory" /> It later served as a trading post for the exchanging of goods among settlers.<ref name="AlpharettaHistory" />

Known as the town of Milton through July 1858, the city of Alpharetta was chartered on December 11, 1858, with boundaries extending in a Template:Convert radius from the city courthouse.<ref name="AlpharettaHistory" /> It served as the county seat of Milton County until 1931, when Milton County merged with Fulton County to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.<ref name="AlpharettaHistory" />

The city's name may be a variation of a fictional Indian girl, Alfarata, in the 19th-century song "The Blue Juniata"; it may also be derived from alpha, the first letter of the Greek alphabet.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Simeon and Jane Rucker Log House, built in 1833, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.<ref name="nris">Template:NRISref</ref>

The inhabitants of the area, primarily Methodists and Baptists, engaged in various occupations such as farming, blacksmithing, milling, merchandising, carpentry, and ditching. A number of them possessed a small number of slaves. Throughout the American Civil War (1861–65), local men participated in combat or served in the home guard; however, Union forces did not advance north of Roswell, which is situated roughly six miles to the southwest.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>

Geography

File:Downtown Alpharetta, Georgia.JPG

Downtown Alpharetta

Alpharetta is in northern Fulton County and is bordered to the southeast by Johns Creek, to the south and west by Roswell, to the north by Milton, and to the northeast by unincorporated land in Forsyth County. Downtown Alpharetta is Template:Convert north of downtown Atlanta.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Alpharetta has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert, or 1.37%, is water.<ref name="Census 2010"/>

Climate

Alpharetta has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfa) and is part of USDA hardiness zone 7b.

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Demographics

Template:US Census population

Alpharetta racial composition as of 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Template:Abbr	Template:Abbr
White (non-Hispanic)	36,473	55.41%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	6,667	10.13%
Native American	101	0.15%
Asian	13,181	20.03%
Pacific Islander	22	0.03%
Other/Mixed	3,254	4.94%
Hispanic or Latino	6,120	9.3%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 65,818 people, 25,391 households, and 18,167 families residing in the city.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the city's top private sector employers were:

#	Employer	# of employees
1	ADP, Inc.	2,231
2	Fiserv, Inc.	2,088
3	Equifax	1,669
4	LexisNexis	1,384
5	MCI Inc. (Verizon)	1,095
6	ET Securities, LLC	878
7	Ernst & Young	806
8	Hewlett Packard Enterprise	738
9	Synchrony Financial	600
10	LocumTenens.com	496

Retail and mixed-use complexes

Complexes in the area include:

North Point Mall, a traditional mall set for redevelopment
An Template:Convert mixed-use development, Avalon, opened in 2014.
The Halcyon mixed residential-retail-entertainment-dining complex opened in 2019 in nearby Forsyth County has an Alpharetta postal address, but is not within the city limits or in the same county.
The Maxwell, a 37,000-square-foot retail space in Downtown Alpharetta with a variety of entertainment, restaurants, and health and wellness companies. Downtown Alpharetta also consists of over 600 businesses including The Hamilton Alpharetta hotel, specialty boutiques, restaurants, fitness studios, and coffee shops.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Data centers

Alpharetta invested in optical fiber since the 1980s and hosts multiple data centers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2019, the fintech industry in the Atlanta area was a driver of data center expansion in Alpharetta.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

While supported by tax breaks from Fulton County authorities,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> data center expansion run into limitations from state regulations<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and local zoning authorities in 2024, as capacity in Atlanta tripled from 200 MW to over 700 MW in 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Tech Alpharetta

Tech Alpharetta (formerly known as the Alpharetta Technology Commission<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> or simply ATC) is an advisory organization established by the City of Alpharetta in 2012.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The organization is an independent, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization<ref name=":0" /> that aims to help Alpharetta lead in technology innovation.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Tech Alpharetta runs an advisory board of technology companies based in the city, holds monthly technology events for technology executives,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and operates the Tech Alpharetta Innovation Center, a technology startup incubator.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> As of early 2020 about ten companies have "graduated" from Tech Alpharetta's incubator and were hiring employees in the North Fulton County region.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Major companies

File:5995 Windward Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA March 2017.jpg

McKesson Corporation offices

File:1000 Windward Concourse, Alpharetta, Georgia March 2017.jpg

Travelers Insurance offices

Cynergy Data is headquartered in Alpharetta, as was NetBank when it existed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Attractions and events

File:Willspark00342.jpg

Wills Park

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park was established in September 2008 and includes 26 trees. A brochure about the arboretum guides readers through a walking tour of the trees and is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Cogburn Road Park was established in December 2008 and showcases seven trees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Alpharetta Farmers Market is a weekly farmers' market in the downtown area from April to October. The market was named "Best Saturday Morning Excursion" in 2007 by Atlanta magazine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Mansell House and Gardens is a 1912 Queen Anne style home that serves as a special event facility in Alpharetta. It is home to the Alpharetta Historical Society.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest is held the first Saturday in October in downtown Alpharetta.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre is a 12,000-capacity outdoor venue that serves as the summer home of the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and hosts acts like the Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart, Phish, Steve Miller Band and the Eagles.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway is a Template:Convert, Template:Convert concrete path that meanders through the woods along Big Creek, offering a place to walk, jog, inline skate and bike. The path includes additional mountain bike trails.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Taste of Alpharetta is an annual food festival featuring food from local restaurants, live music, and art exhibits during May.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Wire and Wood Alpharetta Songwriters Festival in downtown Alpharetta is held in October.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Exiles Rugby Football Club is based in Alpharetta. Exiles RFC Men's side compete in the Georgia Rugby Union. Having won the Union Championship's Redmond Cup in 2023 against the Gainesville Spartans Rugby Football Club in the state final. The Exiles RFC Women's side currently competes in Rugby Sevens tournaments across the southeastern United States. Both Exiles Men's and Women's sides have players who have been selected to compete on the Georgia Rugby Union's respective state representative Men's and Women's select sides of the Georgia Barbarians. Exiles Men's head coach, Richard Krueger, was selected and appointed as head coach of the Georgia Barbarians in 2023 by the Executive of the Georgia Rugby Union; to replace retiring Barbarians head coach Jesse Posnansky of High Country Rugby Football Club. In addition to adult rugby, the Exiles have a partnership with Rebels Rugby. Rebels Rugby are a local youth rugby club of U10 to U18 boys and girls sides who compete in both Rugby Sevens and Rugby XVs tournaments across the southeastern United States. The Exiles Rugby Football Club's training grounds are located at Innovation Academy in Alpharetta.

North Park, Wills Park, and Webb Bridge Park feature 15 lighted tennis courts along with 8 asphalt pickleball courts at North Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tennis lessons, clinics, camps, and leagues are available.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The city is served by Fulton County Schools.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Elementary schools

Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

Abbotts Hill Elementary School
Alpharetta Elementary School
Birmingham Falls Elementary School in Milton
Cogburn Woods Elementary School in Milton
Crabapple Crossing Elementary School in Milton
Creek View Elementary School
Dolvin Elementary School
F.A.S.T. k-8
Hembree Springs Elementary School in Roswell
Lake Windward Elementary School
Manning Oaks Elementary School
Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell
New Prospect Elementary School
Ocee Elementary School in Johns Creek
Summit Hill Elementary School in Milton

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Middle schools

Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col

Autrey Mill Middle School in Johns Creek
Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell
Haynes Bridge Middle School
Holcomb Bridge Middle School
Hopewell Middle School in Milton
Northwestern Middle School in Milton
Taylor Road Middle School in Johns Creek
Webb Bridge Middle School
Amana Academy,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> a public charter school in Alpharetta for students in Kindergarten to 8th grade<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Fulton Science Academy<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (FSA), a private school in Roswell for students in 6th to 8th grade<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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High schools

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Alpharetta High School serves most of Alpharetta
Cambridge High School in Milton
Centennial High School in Roswell
Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek
Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek
Milton High School in Milton
Northview High School
Roswell High School in Roswell
Independence High School, an alternative school on the old Milton High School campus.
Fulton Science Academy High School (formerly T. E. A. C. H.), a public charter school in Alpharetta for students in 9th to 12th grade.

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Private schools

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Atlanta operates Holy Redeemer Catholic School (K-8). Although it is in Johns Creek, the school's location is often stated to be in Alpharetta.<ref>Template:Cite web - "Holy Redeemer Catholic School" indicated on the map. The school's address may be stated as being in "Alpharetta, GA" but the school is not in the Alpharetta city limits.</ref>

Higher education

Perimeter College at Georgia State University, Gwinnett Technical College and Reinhardt University have campuses in Alpharetta.

Musical education

Alpharetta Symphony Youth orchestra (ASYO)

Public libraries

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Alpharetta Branch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

Alpharetta is governed by a city council composed of six members and a mayor. The mayor and council members serve staggered four-year terms:

City council<ref name="city-council">Template:Cite web</ref>
Post	Council member	Term	Notes
Post 1	Donald Mitchell	2022–2025
Post 2	Brian Will	2022–2025
Post 3	Douglas DeRito	2022–2025
Post 4	John Hipes	2024–2027
Post 5	Fergal Brady	2024–2027
Post 6	Dan Merkel	2024–2027	Mayor pro tem (2024)

Mayor

Template:See also

Jim Gilvin, 2018–present<ref name="ajc-northam-2018-05-23">Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

Major highways

Pedestrians and cycling

There are plans for the creation of the Alpha Loop. The multi-use path will serve to connect residents of Alpharetta to activity centers, parks, and jobs by a network of multi-use trails providing safe alternatives to driving and offering recreational benefit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Big Creek Greenway is a concrete multi-use trail that runs from Windward Parkway to Mansell Road. The concrete trail is approximately Template:Convert long and meanders along Big Creek parallel to North Point Parkway, from Windward Parkway at Marconi Drive on the north end to Mansell Road on the south end. A soft mulch trail encircles a large wetland between Haynes Bridge Road and Mansell Road. Wildlife such as blue heron, deer, ducks and Canada geese can be observed in this preserved water setting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Future plans are to connect the trail to Cumming.

Mass transit

Alpharetta is not directly served by MARTA trains, but is connected by multiple bus routes. Connecting Alpharetta to the rest of Metro Atlanta via heavy rail has been studied.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>