Stone Mountain, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Stone Mountain is a city in eastern DeKalb County, Georgia
, United States
. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area
.
. The mountain has contributed to the city's economy both through its continuing status as a tourist attraction and its former use as a granite
quarry. It is also the site of a famous giant carving commemorating the military leaders of the Confederacy
as well as a state park and museum, including a tourist railroad.
Stone Mountain is located at 33°48′19"N 84°10′17"W (33.805255, -84.171413).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which 0.62% is water.
While the city of Stone Mountain itself is in DeKalb County, some of the town's mailing addresses are in Gwinnett County
.
By 1839, a general store was added, and a village was established under the name New Gibraltar. The name was officially changed to Stone Mountain by the Georgia legislature in 1847. During the Civil War
, Stone Mountain village was destroyed by men under the command of General James B. McPherson
on July 19, 1864.
was revived in Stone Mountain in 1915, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
's I Have a Dream
speech consequently includes the line "let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia."
The 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis
, archery
and track cycling
tournaments were held in Stone Mountain Park.
Famous people from Stone Mountain include Donald Glover
, Noureen DeWulf
and Josh Wolff
. The fictional character Kenneth Parcell
(in the television series 30 Rock
) also hails from Stone Mountain and frequently refers to it. Pro wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts was billed "From Stone Mountain Georgia".
of 2000, there were 7,145 people, 2,499 households, and 1,759 families residing in the city. The population density
was 4,423.4 people per square mile (1,702.9/km²). There were 2,638 housing units at an average density of 1,633.2 per square mile (628.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 24.49% White, 69.21% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.54% from other races
, and 2.55% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.09% of the population.
There were 2,499 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples
living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,603, and the median income for a family was $40,888. Males had a median income of $28,302 versus $28,854 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,130. About 9.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. In the past decade there has been a significant change in demographics as Stone Mountain has experienced white flight
.
.
DeKalb County Public Library
operates the Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library.
DeKalb County, Georgia
DeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 5,802 at the 2010 census. It is an outer suburb of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area
Metro Atlanta
The Atlanta metropolitan area or metro Atlanta, officially designated by the US Census Bureau as the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ninth-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States...
.
Geography
The town is named for nearby Stone MountainStone Mountain
Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock in Stone Mountain, Georgia, United States. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet amsl and 825 feet above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain granite extends underground at its longest point into Gwinnett County...
. The mountain has contributed to the city's economy both through its continuing status as a tourist attraction and its former use as a granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
quarry. It is also the site of a famous giant carving commemorating the military leaders of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
as well as a state park and museum, including a tourist railroad.
Stone Mountain is located at 33°48′19"N 84°10′17"W (33.805255, -84.171413).
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²), of which 0.62% is water.
While the city of Stone Mountain itself is in DeKalb County, some of the town's mailing addresses are in Gwinnett County
Gwinnett County, Georgia
, Gwinnett County had a population of 805,321. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 53.3% white , 23.6% black , 2.7% Korean, 2.6% Asian Indian, 2.0% Vietnamese, 3.3% other Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.8% some other race and 3.1% from two or more races...
.
History
In 1822 the area that now makes up the city of Stone Mountain was made a part of the newly formed DeKalb County. A post office was created in 1834 on the old Augusta Road, and Andrew Johnson built a hotel along the road in 1836. At around the same time, Aaron Cloud built an observation tower at the summit of the mountain. Visitors to the mountain would travel to the area by rail and road, and then walk up the 1.1 miles (1.8 km) mountaintop trail to the top, where Cloud also had a restaurant and club.By 1839, a general store was added, and a village was established under the name New Gibraltar. The name was officially changed to Stone Mountain by the Georgia legislature in 1847. During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Stone Mountain village was destroyed by men under the command of General James B. McPherson
James B. McPherson
James Birdseye McPherson was a career United States Army officer who served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
on July 19, 1864.
Post-Civil War history
The Ku Klux KlanKu Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
was revived in Stone Mountain in 1915, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
's I Have a Dream
I Have a Dream
"I Have a Dream" is a 17-minute public speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered on August 28, 1963, in which he called for racial equality and an end to discrimination...
speech consequently includes the line "let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia."
The 1996 Summer Olympic Games tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
and track cycling
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
tournaments were held in Stone Mountain Park.
Famous people from Stone Mountain include Donald Glover
Donald Glover
Donald McKinley Glover is an American actor, writer, comedian, and musician. Glover first came to attention for his work in the sketch group Derrick Comedy, and is best known for his role as community college student Troy Barnes on the NBC comedy series Community...
, Noureen DeWulf
Noureen DeWulf
Noureen DeWulf is an Indian American actress. She is best known for her roles in films like West Bank Story, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and The Back-Up Plan.-Early life:...
and Josh Wolff
Josh Wolff
Joshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
. The fictional character Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Parcell
Kenneth Ellen Parcell is a fictional character in the comedy television series 30 Rock. He is portrayed by actor Jack McBrayer and first appeared on television in the 30 Rock episode "Pilot" on October 10, 2006...
(in the television series 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
) also hails from Stone Mountain and frequently refers to it. Pro wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts was billed "From Stone Mountain Georgia".
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,145 people, 2,499 households, and 1,759 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,423.4 people per square mile (1,702.9/km²). There were 2,638 housing units at an average density of 1,633.2 per square mile (628.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 24.49% White, 69.21% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.54% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.55% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.09% of the population.
There were 2,499 households out of which 41.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 25.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.36.
In the city the population was spread out with 32.2% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,603, and the median income for a family was $40,888. Males had a median income of $28,302 versus $28,854 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,130. About 9.3% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. In the past decade there has been a significant change in demographics as Stone Mountain has experienced white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
.
Education
Stone Mountain's schools are primarily served by DeKalb County Public Schools although certain areas are served by Gwinnett County Public SchoolsGwinnett County Public Schools
Gwinnett County Public Schools is a school district operating in Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA. GCPS is the largest school system in Georgia, with 123 schools and an estimated enrollment of 161,000 students for the 2010-2011 year. GCPS is estimated to be the 14th largest school district in the...
.
DeKalb County Public Library
DeKalb County Public Library
The DeKalb County Public Library is the public library system of DeKalb County, Georgia in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Its collection includes over 800,000 books; collections of over 400 magazines, academic and scientific journals, and newspapers; and audiovisual materials including videotapes,...
operates the Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library.
Notable residents
- Noureen DeWulfNoureen DeWulfNoureen DeWulf is an Indian American actress. She is best known for her roles in films like West Bank Story, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, and The Back-Up Plan.-Early life:...
, actress - Donald GloverDonald GloverDonald McKinley Glover is an American actor, writer, comedian, and musician. Glover first came to attention for his work in the sketch group Derrick Comedy, and is best known for his role as community college student Troy Barnes on the NBC comedy series Community...
, actor, comedian and rapper - Jim GoadJim GoadJim Goad is an American author and publisher. Goad co-authored and published the cult zine ANSWER Me! and The Redneck Manifesto. Known for his controversial political and socially charged viewpoints, Goad's work has been described as "compelling", "brutally honest" and "original" by author Chuck...
, author - Josh WolffJosh WolffJoshua David "Josh" Wolff is an American soccer player currently playing for D.C. United of Major League Soccer.-College:...
, Major League Soccer player