Sylvania, Georgia

Sylvania, Georgia
City
Nickname(s): "The Welcome Station City"
Motto: "The Azalea & Dogwood City"
Location in Screven County and the state of Georgia Location in Screven County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Screven
Area
• Total	3.8 sq mi (9.8 km2)
• Land	3.8 sq mi (9.8 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	230 ft (70 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,956
• Density	703.9/sq mi (273/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	30467
Area code(s)	912
FIPS code	13-75160
GNIS feature ID	0323862
Website	City of Sylvania Georgia

Sylvania is a city in Screven County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,956 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Screven County.

History

The area was inhabited for thousands of years by various cultures of indigenous peoples. By the time of European encounter, it was occupied by Uchee (Yuchi) Indians, but some Creeks, the Uchee's allies, moved into the area during Colonial times.

The European-American town of Sylvania was founded in 1790 by settlers' migrating to the area after the American Revolutionary War. The town took its name from the Latin term for "place in the woods."

Sylvania was part of the Black Belt of Georgia, developed for cultivation after the cotton gin made it easier to handle short-fiber cotton. Cotton was the most important commodity crop until late in the 19th century. Planters imported many enslaved African Americans to cultivate the crops. By 1830 the county was filled with people. The county seat was moved from Jacksonborough to Sylvania in 1847.

Sherman's army moved through the area during the Civil War.

Sylvania calls itself the "Azalea and Dogwood City" and the "Welcome Station City."

Geography

Sylvania is located at .

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), all of it land. Sylvania's elevation is about 230 feet and is slightly higher than most of the land throughout Screven County.

The city's flora includes pine, oak, and most notably, dogwood, thus the slogan "The Dogwood City." Although spanish moss is not as prevalent as in nearby Savannah, it can still be seen in Sylvania and the surrounding countryside.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	314		—
1890	338		7.6%
1900	545		61.2%
1910	1,400		156.9%
1920	1,413		0.9%
1930	1,781		26.0%
1940	2,531		42.1%
1950	2,939		16.1%
1960	3,469		18.0%
1970	3,199		−7.8%
1980	3,352		4.8%
1990	2,871		−14.3%
2000	2,675		−6.8%
2010	2,956		10.5%
Est. 2014	2,539		−14.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,675 people, 1,088 households, and 683 families residing in the city. The population density was 705.5 people per square mile (272.5/km²). There were 1,285 housing units at an average density of 338.9 per square mile (130.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.42% White, 41.57% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 1,088 households out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 78.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,426, and the median income for a family was $38,355. Males had a median income of $40,590 versus $20,349 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,181. About 13.2% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Annual events

Sylvania hosts an Annual Livestock Festival in April, and an Annual Air Exposition in September through October.

Education

The Screven County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school and a high school. The district has 186 full-time teachers and over 3,130 students. Whitney Myers is the superintendent.

Notable people

Name	Notability	Reference
Lee "Rod" Berger	National Geographic explorer and paleoanthropologist; grew up in Sylvania and graduated from Screven County High School
Bucky Dent	Major League Baseball star who played as shortstop for the New York Yankees; spent his early years in Sylvania
Rick Kittles	geneticist known for his pioneering work in determining the ancestry of African Americans via DNA testing
Macay McBride	Major League Baseball star who played as pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and the Detroit Tigers; born, raised, and still residing in Sylvania
John R. McKinney	Medal of Honor recipient and Georgia's most decorated World War II hero
Dayshai Young	Poet who named Sylvania
Francys Johnson	Senior NAACP official and human rights activist

Further reading

• C. Dixon Hollingsworth, The History of Screven County Georgia (Curtis Media, 1989)

External links

• City of Sylvania Georgia Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
• City-Data.com Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Sylvania