Watkinsville is a
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
in
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
, the town had a total
populationIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings. Individuals within a population share a factor may be reduced by statistical means, but such a generalization may be too vague to imply anything...
of 2,097. The city is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
. It was the seat of
Clarke CountyClarke County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 101,489. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 114,063. Its county seat is Athens, Georgia, with which it is a consolidated city-county...
until 1872 when the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of that county was moved to
AthensAthens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial creation of Athens and its subsequent growth...
, a move which ultimately led to the creation of
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
in 1875. The mayor is Jim Luken and the city is governed by a city council featuring five other posts. The Police Chief is Lee O'Dillon.
Watkinsville is located at (33.862818, -83.408094).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the town has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km²), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it is land and 0.31% is water.
As of the
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 2,097 people, 827 households, and 578 families residing in the town.
Watkinsville is a
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
in
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
, the town had a total
populationIn biology, a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular species; in sociology, a collection of human beings. Individuals within a population share a factor may be reduced by statistical means, but such a generalization may be too vague to imply anything...
of 2,097. The city is the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
. It was the seat of
Clarke CountyClarke County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 101,489. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 114,063. Its county seat is Athens, Georgia, with which it is a consolidated city-county...
until 1872 when the
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
of that county was moved to
AthensAthens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial creation of Athens and its subsequent growth...
, a move which ultimately led to the creation of
Oconee CountyOconee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on February 25, 1875. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,225. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 31,367...
in 1875. The mayor is Jim Luken and the city is governed by a city council featuring five other posts. The Police Chief is Lee O'Dillon.
Geography
Watkinsville is located at (33.862818, -83.408094).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe 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. As part of the United States Department of Commerce, the Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about...
, the town has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.4 km²), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it is land and 0.31% is water.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "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.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 2,097 people, 827 households, and 578 families residing in the town. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 650.6 people per square mile (251.4/km²). There were 862 housing units at an average density of 267.4/sq mi (103.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 89.08% White, 7.34% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.48% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , 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 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.96% of the population.
There were 827 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.6% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between individuals that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged by a variety of ways, depending on the culture or demographic...
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $45,729, and the median income for a family was $55,170. Males had a median income of $32,295 versus $26,168 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the town was $20,968. About 3.8% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
- Researchers for the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
discovered plasmodesmataPlasmodesmata are microscopic channels which traverse the cell walls of plant cells and some algal cells enabling transport and communication between them. Species that have plasmodesmata include members of the Charophyceae, Charales and Coleochaetales , as well as all embryophytes, better known...
in Watkinsville.
- Legend holds that the location of the Eagle Tavern (which is still standing and available for tours downtown) was the one of the reasons that the University of Georgia was located 10 miles away in Athens, over 220 years ago.
- Watkinsville celebrated its 200th birthday in 2006. The city celebrated at Eagle Tavern November 24, 2006 with a commemorative postal cancellation at a special substation and various re-enactment celebrations.
- Watkinsville is home to two or three weekly publications: The Oconee Enterprise was established in 1884 and The Oconee Leader was established recently. The Athens Banner-Herald newspaper publishes a weekly supplement called "Oconee Living" which was mailed to some homes.
- Watkinsville has officially adopted the slogan "The Artland of Georgia" and supports downtown business and the arts at OCAF (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) and Ashford Manor Bed and Breakfast. Many music and arts performances occur regularly at both locations.
- Watkinsville has undergone a recent downtown revitalization project and planted many trees around the city in commemoration of the recent bicentennial. The city maintains two parks including Harris Shoals and Rocket Field.
- The headquarters of chicken finger fast food Zaxby's
Zaxby's is a franchised chain of fast casual restaurants that operates primarily in the Southeastern United States. In this chain there are more than 483 locations. The first Zaxby's was opened in Statesboro, Georgia, near the Georgia Southern University campus, by Zach McLeroy and Tony Townley...
restaurants is located in Watkinsville and the founder Tony Townley grew up with a Watkinsville mailing address.
- Country Music Star John Berry (musician)
John Edward Berry is an American country music artist. Active as a recording artist since 1979, he has recorded more than fifteen studio albums, including one platinum album and two gold albums...
has a Watkinsville mailing address.
- University Of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning. Founded in 1785, UGA claims to be the oldest public university in the United States....
Head Football coach Mark RichtMark Richt is the current head coach of the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team. His previous affiliations include fourteen years at Florida State University, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and one year as offensive coordinator at East Carolina University...
has a Watkinsville mailing address and is an Oconee County resident.
External links