Quitman, Georgia

Quitman is a city in and the county seat of Brooks County, Georgia, United States.^[3] The population was 4,064 in 2020. The Quitman Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Quitman was the home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857), and uncle of American financier J.P. Morgan. Pierpont was an organist for the First Presbyterian Church.^[4] James' daughter, Lillie, was Quitman's first librarian in 1880.^[5]

A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.^[6]

It is called "Camellia City", as the tree grows in profusion around the area.

History

Quitman was designated the county seat of the newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904.^[7] As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.^[8]

Geography

Quitman is located in southern Georgia at 30.784677°N 83.560747°W.^[9] U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south 24 miles (39 km) to Greenville, Florida, and 26 miles (42 km) to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east 15 miles (24 km) to Interstate 75 and 17 miles (27 km) to Valdosta.^{[citation needed]}

According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of 4.1 sq mi (10.7 square kilometres), of which 0.019 sq mi (0.05 square kilometres), or .50%, is water.^[10]

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.^[11] As of 2023, Quitman is in USDA hardiness zone 9a.^[12]

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Quitman had a population of 4,064.^[13] The median age was 39.0 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males age 18 and over.^[14]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.^[15]

There were 1,637 households, including 836 families, in Quitman. Of all households, 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 25.3% were married-couple households, 18.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 48.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[14][13]

There were 1,881 housing units, of which 13.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%.^[14]

Industry

The prevalent industries in Quitman are farming and automotive.^{[citation needed]}

Education

Schools for Quitman are Quitman Elementary School, Brooks County Middle School, and Brooks County High School.^{[citation needed]}

Media

Radio station WGOV-FM 96.7 is licensed to broadcast from Quitman.^{[citation needed]} The Quitman Free Press, a weekly newspaper, is the official legal publication for Brooks County. It has been in operation since 1876.^{[citation needed]}

Notable people

• Nellie Weldon Cocroft - ragtime composer, born in Quitman
• Edna Cain Daniel, writer, journalist, long-time publisher of the Quitman Free Press
• Dana A. Dorsey - Banker, realtor, business executive, and philanthropist. Child of freed slaves.
• Henry L. Reaves - politician, farmer, and cattleman
• James Lord Pierpont - songwriter of Jingle Bells, church organist, taught at the Quitman Academy. Uncle of J.P. Morgan.

References

1. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
2. ^
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
4. ^ "Jingle Bell history page". Archived from the original on October 17, 2006. Retrieved October 21, 2006.
5. ^ Polling, Dean (December 23, 2021). "Dashing through Valdosta's 'Jingle Bells'". Valdosta Daily Times. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
6. ^ Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, Loony Laws & Silly Statutes, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1994. ISBN 0-8069-0472-0
7. ^ Paul T. Hellmann (1 November 2004). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Taylor & Francis. p. 243. ISBN 978-0-203-99700-0.
8. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins. Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 183. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
10. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Quitman city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
11. ^ Climate Summary for Quitman, Georgia
12. ^ "What Growing Zone Is Quitman, Georgia?". Plant Guide Online. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
13. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
14. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
15. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
16. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2021-12-09.