Plains is a town in
Sumter County, Georgia
Sumter County is a county located in the west- central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, its population was 32,819. The county seat is Americus. The county was created on December 26, 1831.
Sumter County is part of ...
, United States. The population was 776 at the 2010 census. It is part of the
Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area. Plains is best known as the birthplace and home of
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
, the 39th
president of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
.
History
Originally inhabited by the
Muscogee people
The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southe ...
,
by the 1840s three small settlements existed nearby: Plains of Dura, Magnolia Springs, and Lebanon.
As
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
access expanded into the region in response to increased
cotton farming, these settlements coalesced closer to the new railway location.
As businesses rapidly developed, local businessmen successfully petitioned the
State Legislature to shorten Plains of Dura to Plains.
Plains was subsequently
incorporated in 1896.
Plains continued to experience growth fueled by cotton cultivation well into the early twentieth century. A substantial school and the pioneering
Wise Sanitarium
The Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center, formerly known as the Wise Sanitarium in Plains, Georgia, United States, was a hospital. Currently, it is a nursing care facility, but was the birthplace of former United States President James Earl Carter ...
were both built in the 1920s.
Despite differentiation into
peanut cultivation,
the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
deprived the community of much of its prosperity.
Plains remained a quiet Southern town until
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
rose to political prominence as
Governor of Georgia in the 1970s, eventually becoming President of the United States from 1977 to 1981.
During the 1976 presidential election and for many years afterwards, Plains saw a giant influx in tourism. Nearly ten thousand people would pour into the community daily.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , all land. The city's boundary is in the shape of a
circle
A circle is a shape consisting of all points in a plane that are at a given distance from a given point, the centre. Equivalently, it is the curve traced out by a point that moves in a plane so that its distance from a given point is const ...
. Plains has a center longitude/latitude point which is -83.0813/33.4553.
Points of interest
Andersonville National Historic Site and the
National Prisoner of War Museum are located in the vicinity of Plains.
Georgia Southwestern State University
Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) is a public university in Americus, Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia and offers bachelor's degree programs along with selected master's and specialist degree programs.
History
G ...
is located in the nearby town of
Americus.
Westville, a re-created town depicting the living history of mid-nineteenth century Georgia, is located in the nearby town of
Lumpkin in adjacent
Stewart County.
Climate
This area climate is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Plains has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 637 people, 215 households, and 136 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 244 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 38.62%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 59.81%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.26% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races.
Hispanic or Latino
''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...
of any race were 2.83% of the population. There were 215 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 69.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,719, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $16,406 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $11,602. About 22.2% of families and 25.6% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 47.2% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
![JimmyCarteronBicycle](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/JimmyCarteronBicycle.jpg)
Former President
Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he previously served as th ...
was born in Plains at the Wise Sanitarium (now renamed the
Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center, in honor of his mother). His wife
Rosalynn, their daughter
Amy, his younger brother
Billy, his younger sister,
Gloria Carter Spann
Gloria Carter Spann ('' née'' Carter; October 22, 1926 – March 5, 1990) was a motorcyclist and activist. Spann was a sister of former President Jimmy Carter. She was noted as one of the first women inducted into Harley-Davidson’s 100,000 Mi ...
, his youngest sister,
Ruth Carter Stapleton
Ruth Carter Stapleton ('' née'' Carter; August 7, 1929 – September 26, 1983) was an American Christian evangelist. She was the youngest sister of United States President Jimmy Carter.
Early life and family
Ruth Carter was born August 7, 192 ...
, and first cousin
Hugh Carter were also born in Plains. The former president and his wife returned to Plains when he left office, and continue to live there.
Gallery
File:PliansBaptistChurchGA-571492cr.jpg, Plains Baptist Church
File:CarterHQ.jpg, Carter campaign headquarters
File:17 02 044 carter.jpg, Carter's High School, now a visitor center and museum
File:Giant sized smiling peanut, looking north - Smiling Peanut, South Side of Highway 49, Plains, Sumter County, GA HABS GA,131-PLAIN.V,2-1 (CT).tif, Jimmy Carter Peanut Statue
References
External links
Official Page of the City of Plains, GeorgiaPortal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Plains
{{authority control
Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)
Cities in Sumter County, Georgia
Americus, Georgia micropolitan area