Smyrna, Georgia

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Smyrna, Georgia
—  City  —
Motto: "The jonquil city with beautiful Park's Thriving business' great location and bright plans for the future"
Location in Cobb County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°52′19″N 84°31′6″W / 33.87194°N 84.51833°W / 33.87194; -84.51833Coordinates: 33°52′19″N 84°31′6″W / 33.87194°N 84.51833°W / 33.87194; -84.51833
Country United States
State Georgia
County Cobb
Government
 • Mayor Max Bacon
Area
 • Total 16 sq mi (41.4 km2)
 • Land 16 sq mi (41.3 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 1,060 ft (323 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 51,271
 • Density Bad rounding here3,200/sq mi (Bad rounding here1,200/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 770
FIPS code 13-71492[1]
GNIS feature ID 0356541[2]
Website http://www.smyrnacity.com/

Smyrna is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 51,271. It is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA MSA, which is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL CSA.

Contents

History [edit]

Pioneers began settling the area in 1832. By the late 1830s, a religious encampment called Smyrna Camp Ground had become a popular travel destination and was well known throughout Georgia. After the completion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in 1842 the area began to grow. It was known by several names until 1872 – Varner’s Station, Ruff’s Siding, Neal Dow and Ruff’s Station. The city was incorporated with the name Smyrna in 1872.

Two Civil War battles occurred in the area, the Battle of Smyrna Camp Ground on July 3, 1864, and the Battle of Ruff’s Mill the next day. The area’s businesses, homes and 1849 covered bridge (since rebuilt and still in use today) were burned by Sherman’s troops.

Smyrna made history when it elected a woman mayor, Lorena Pace Pruitt, in 1946. The nearby Bell Bomber plant that produced B-29 bombers during World War II was reopened by Lockheed in 1951 and became a catalyst for growth. The city's population grew dramatically during the next two decades, from 2,005 in 1950 to almost 20,000 by 1970.

The restaurant scene in the film Joyful Noise was shot in the city in 2011.[3]

Geography [edit]

Street map of Smyrna.

Smyrna is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, located about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Atlanta, near the northern intersection of I-285 and I-75, which is the site of Cumberland and the Cobb Galleria. It is also near Vinings, Marietta, Mableton, Sandy Springs and the Buckhead district of Atlanta.

Smyrna is located at 33°52′19″N 84°31′06″W / 33.871854°N 84.518380°W / 33.871854; -84.518380.[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.9 square miles (36 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.14%, is water. The general terrain of the area is characteristic of the Piedmont region of Georgia, characterized by hills with broad ridges, sloping uplands, and relatively narrow valleys. Smyrna sits at an altitude of about 1,150 feet (350 m) above sea level.

Flora [edit]

The city's official symbol is the jonquil (a flower). Known as the "Jonquil City", it derives this name from the thousands of jonquils that flourish in gardens and along the streets in early spring.

Climate [edit]

Climate data for Smyrna, GA
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 79
(26)		 80
(27)		 89
(32)		 93
(34)		 97
(36)		 102
(39)		 105
(41)		 104
(40)		 102
(39)		 95
(35)		 84
(29)		 79
(26)		 105
(41)
Average high °F (°C) 52
(11)		 57
(14)		 65
(18)		 73
(23)		 80
(27)		 86
(30)		 89
(32)		 88
(31)		 82
(28)		 73
(23)		 64
(18)		 54
(12)		 71.9
(22.3)
Average low °F (°C) 34
(1)		 38
(3)		 44
(7)		 52
(11)		 60
(16)		 68
(20)		 71
(22)		 71
(22)		 65
(18)		 54
(12)		 45
(7)		 37
(3)		 53.3
(11.8)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)		 −9
(−23)		 10
(−12)		 25
(−4)		 37
(3)		 39
(4)		 53
(12)		 55
(13)		 36
(2)		 28
(−2)		 3
(−16)		 0
(−18)		 −9
(−23)
Precipitation inches (mm) 4.20
(106.7)		 4.83
(122.7)		 4.81
(122.2)		 3.36
(85.3)		 3.67
(93.2)		 3.95
(100.3)		 5.27
(133.9)		 3.90
(99.1)		 4.47
(113.5)		 3.41
(86.6)		 4.10
(104.1)		 3.90
(99.1)		 49.87
(1,266.7)
Source: [5]

Demographics [edit]

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1880 259
—
1890 416 60.6%
1900 238 −42.8%
1910 599 151.7%
1920 791 32.1%
1930 1,178 48.9%
1940 1,440 22.2%
1950 2,005 39.2%
1960 10,157 406.6%
1970 19,157 88.6%
1980 20,312 6.0%
1990 32,453 59.8%
2000 40,999 26.3%
2010 51,271 25.1%

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 40,999 people, 18,372 households, and 9,498 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,949.9 people per square mile (1,138.8/km²). There were 19,633 housing units at an average density of 1,412.6 per square mile (545.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.4% White, 27.2% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.9% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.6% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.8% of the population.

There were 18,372 households out of which 22.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.3% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.92.

The population was distributed by age as follows: 19.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 43.8% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

Government [edit]

Municipal [edit]

Max Bacon is the mayor of Smyrna.[6]

The city operates the Smyrna Public Library.

Elections [edit]

The city was a longtime stronghold for traditional, small-town, conservative Southern Democrats.[citation needed] It is now seen as a largely Republican district, located inside a strong Democratic enclave with a growing minority population (South Cobb), located in a predominantly Republican county (Cobb County).[citation needed] As a result, although local officials are nonpartisan, state and federal representation is fairly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.[citation needed]

Economy [edit]

Personal income [edit]

The median income for a household in the city was $47,572, and the median income for a family was $53,821. Males had a median income of $38,896 versus $35,465 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,637. About 6.7% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Industry [edit]

The Atlanta Bread Company has its headquarters in Smyrna.[7]

Companies with an office include Eaton Corporation and IBM. Smyrna was the site of the corporate offices of the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

Top employers [edit]

According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:[8]

# Employer # of Employees
1 UCB 575
2 IBM 566
3 United Distributors 550
4 Emory-Adventist Hospital at Smyrna 499
5 Ridgeview Institute 440
6 S.P. Richards 423
7 City of Smyrna 384
8 Bake One 350
9 Publix 210
10 Glock 209

Construction [edit]

Private projects [edit]

In 1991, the city began a community redevelopment project known as "Market Village," in order to create a well-defined downtown. Included were a community center and 28,000-square-foot (2,600 m2) public library. A mixed retail and residential district was modeled after an early 1900s city village, including a square with a fountain. This, and other expansions have revitalized the downtown area. Further redevelopment has occurred throughout the city—including thousands of new homes - mostly cluster homes, townhouse and condo communities replacing older neighborhoods.[9][10] The population has risen as a result of redevelopment, a few annexations, and Smyrna's location as a residential suburb in the Northwest center of metro Atlanta.[11][12]

There is additional mixed retail/residential/office redevelopments around the "Market Village". Ground was broken in Jonquil Village, a redevelopment of Jonquil Plaza at the corner of Spring and Atlanta Road across from "Market Village". However, this development stalled due to banks withdrawing funding during the nationwide real estate crash of 2007 and later re-sold to Branch Properties who developed West Village. In 2012 Branch submitted a new proposal for rezoning. It was rejected by the city because Branch wanted to re-zone the mixed-use development to be a strip mall with a Publix next to an apartment over the already-built parking garage. The city wanted to see more integrated development versus just a strip mall and apartment building, along with street-side shopping versus a typical strip mall development. They also were opposed to apartments in this area at such a key location in the city. Branch withdrew their plans without prejudice and it is currently unknown what changes they will make.[13][14][15]

Less than a .5 miles (0.80 km) down, the city intends to redevelop the Belmont Hills plaza, at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta Road in 2011. Both these villages, like "Market Village" in Smyrna, and "Market Square" in Vinings are designed to resemble a city village of yesteryear with fountains and antique street lamps. In 2011, Halpbern Enterprises, the developer, sold some land to the city of Smyrna for an elementary school called the New Smyrna Elementary, which is currently under construction.[16] In 2012, Halpbern rezoned the property but didn't change its intended use. It moved residential from a multi-story building in one section of the development to apartment residential by itself in a larger and previously empty section of the development (pod F) due to market constraints in the only slowly warming housing market, leaving the earlier section available for any use in the future.[17][18][19]

Belmont Hills lot plan
Belmont Hills pod F apartments

A Kroger plaza (Known as "The Crossings") has been built at the corner of Concord Road and South Cobb Drive with some planned two-story outparcels. This is actually a re-development of an older blighted strip-mall. The Kroger located there is one of the largest in the country, at 93,000 square feet (8,600 m2).[20][21][22]

Additional re-development is going on throughout the city, including the site at the corner of East-West Connector / Cumberland Parkway and South Cobb Drive. A retail development with roof-top or outdoor dining is planned by Columbia Properties. Two outparcels have already been developed.[23]

Public projects [edit]

Some additional work is being done in Smyrna are streetscape beautification projects, including a linear park on Concord Road along with new signage, lights, and a median on Atlanta Road.[24][25] Additional parkland projects are the 12-acre (4.9 ha) Taylor-Brawner Park, Riverview Road trail and Silver Comet Trail extensions in that area.

Education [edit]

Smyrna is served by Cobb County Public Schools. Campbell High School, a magnet school for the IB Program, is in the city.

Recreation [edit]

Some extensions of the Silver Comet Trail have been built further into Smyrna to expand access to the trail.[26][27]

"Market Village" in the city center often has open-air concerts and festivals. There are also various small parks throughout the city, including public pools, tennis courts and playgrounds and a linear park with walking trail along Spring Road.

Transportation [edit]

Several principal arterial roadways, such as I-285, Cobb Parkway (U.S. Highway 41), Atlanta Road (Old State Highway 3) and South Cobb Drive (State Highway 280), pass through the municipality.

Smyrna is served by Cobb Community Transit public buses.

Notables [edit]

Notables from the area include U.S. Representative Bob Barr, historian and author Jeff Clemmons, Atlanta Brave Ron Gant, and actress Julia Roberts.

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ [1]
  4. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  5. ^ "Monthly Averages for Smyrna, GA (30080)". Weather.com. Retrieved November 21, 2011. 
  6. ^ Untitled Document
  7. ^ "Atlanta Bread Company
  8. ^ City of Smyrna CAFR
  9. ^ [2]
  10. ^ [3]
  11. ^ [4]
  12. ^ [5]
  13. ^ [6]
  14. ^ [7]
  15. ^ [8]
  16. ^ [9]
  17. ^ [10]
  18. ^ [11]
  19. ^ [12]
  20. ^ [13]
  21. ^ [14]
  22. ^ [15]
  23. ^ [16]
  24. ^ [17]
  25. ^ [18]
  26. ^ Silver Comet Trail, Cobb County Information - Georgia
  27. ^ Silver Comet Trail and Heritage Park - Smyrna, GA

External links [edit]

Municipalities and communities of Cobb County, Georgia, United States
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Footnotes

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
 
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  1. ^ a b c Augusta, Columbus, and Athens are consolidated city-counties, but have independent municipalities within them, so the balance is used here.
(2010 U.S. Census Bureau)
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