Preston, Georgia

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Preston is an unincorporated community in Webster County, Georgia, United States, located seventeen miles west of Americus. The population was 453 at the 2000 census. From 1857 to 2009, Preston was an incorporated municipality. The community is the county seat of Webster County.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Preston was founded in 1856 as the seat of Webster County. It was incorporated as a town in 1857 and as a city in 1977.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 2009, the city was disincorporated and became part of the Unified Government of Webster County.

Geography

Preston is located at Template:Coord (32.060789, -84.538287).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

U.S. Route 280, as well as Georgia State Routes 41 and 153, are the main highways through the community. U.S. Route 280 runs from east to west as Hamilton Street, leading east Template:Convert to Plains and west Template:Convert to Richland. GA-41 runs from south to north through the community and is briefly concurrent with U.S. 280 through the downtown area, leading north Template:Convert to Buena Vista and southwest Template:Convert to Weston. GA-153 begins just north of the community and leads northeast Template:Convert to Ellaville.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.

Demographics

As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 453 people, 190 households, and 129 families residing in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 205 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 67.77% White, 28.26% African American, 0.22% Native American, 3.53% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.75% of the population.

There were 190 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,750, and the median income for a family was $37,083. Males had a median income of $25,313 versus $19,464 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,779. About 19.6% of families and 24.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.3% of those under age 18 and 32.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Webster County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary-middle school and one high school.<ref>Georgia Board of EducationTemplate:Dead link, Retrieved June 30, 2010.</ref> The district has 23 full-time teachers and over 405 students.<ref>School Stats, Retrieved June 30, 2010.</ref>

• Webster County Elementary/Middle School
• Webster County High School

Notable person

• Walter F. George - 91st President pro tempore of the United States Senate, born on a nearby farm.

Gallery

• The Webster County courthouse was built in 1915 in the Neoclassical revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1980.
  The Webster County courthouse was built in 1915 in the Neoclassical revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1980.
• The Webster County Jails were added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 3, 2000.
  The Webster County Jails were added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 3, 2000.
• Post Office in Preston (ZIP code: 31824)
  Post Office in Preston (ZIP code: 31824)
• Webster County Board of Education
  Webster County Board of Education

External links

• Consolidated Government of Webster County Including the city of Preston, Weston, and Webster County
• Webster County Board of Education including the city of Preston and Weston
• Webster County Sheriff's Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the entire county, and is an integral part of the County's system of justice.