Tucker, Georgia
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Tucker is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
located in
DeKalb County DeKalb County may refer to one of several counties in the United States, all of which were named for Baron Johan DeKalb: * DeKalb County, Alabama * DeKalb County, Georgia * DeKalb County, Illinois * DeKalb County, Indiana * DeKalb County, Missour ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, United States, located near
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
and was originally settled in the 1820s, and later developed as a railroad community in 1892. According to the 2016 United States Census Bureau annual estimate of resident population, it has a population of 35,322. In a November 2015
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
, by a 3:1 margin (73.94%), voters approved incorporating Tucker into a city. In March 2016, Tucker residents elected the city's first
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
and
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
.City status officially started in around late August 2016 http://tuckerga.gov/


History


Settlers

The 1821 Georgia Land Lottery opened portions of state land for settlement between the
Flint Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
and Ocmulgee rivers, including present-day DeKalb County. The
Muscogee (Creek) Nation The Muscogee Nation, or Muscogee (Creek) Nation, is a federally recognized Native American tribe based in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The nation descends from the historic Muscogee Confederacy, a large group of indigenous peoples of the South ...
ceded the land to the United States in January of that year, and drawings for lots measuring each began in May in Milledgeville, the state capital until 1868. The land grant fee was $19.00. In 1821, the area that would become Tucker was in Militia District 572 in Henry County. The state created DeKalb County on December 9, 1822, and District 572 became DeKalb's 18th District, or the Brownings District, reportedly named for Andrew Browning. Among the thirty
cemeteries A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite or graveyard is a place where the remains of dead people are buried or otherwise interred. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek , "sleeping place") implies that the land is specifically designated as a buri ...
within a radius of Main Street, approximately 30
grave A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...
s belong to individuals born in the 18th century, four of whom are Revolutionary War soldiers. Twelve graves belong to
Confederate soldiers The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...
.


Civil War

In spite of DeKalb County delegates voting against secession from the United States, Georgia joined the Confederacy and seceded from the Union in 1861. The full reality of that decision marched into Tucker in July 1864.
Union soldiers During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
camped at Henderson's Mill, used the Brownings Court, one of the few buildings in the area they did not burn, dismantled the railroad to
Stone Mountain Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome Inselberg, monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park, east of Atlanta, Georgia. Outside the park is the small city of Stone Mountain, Georgia. The park is the most visited tourist site in the state o ...
, and formed the left wing of Sherman's advance to Atlanta.


Railroad

In 1886 the Georgia, Carolina and Northern Railway received a charter to build a new rail line between
Monroe, North Carolina Monroe is a city in and the county seat of Union County, North Carolina, United States. The population increased from 32,797 in 2010 to 34,551 in 2020. It is within the rapidly growing Charlotte metropolitan area. Monroe has a council-manager f ...
, and Atlanta. Prior to the project's completion, the company leased the road to the
Seaboard Air Line Railroad The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...
system, a collection of regional railroads headquartered in
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
eager to extend its reach to Atlanta. Seaboard built depots at a number of small villages, often little more than a crossroads, and named them for railroad company officials. The depot at Jug Tavern, for example, was named for Seaboard's general manager, John H. Winder. The stop at Bryan was named in honor of the system's general superintendent, Lilburn Meyers. Although the origin of the name is unknown, it is possible that the next stop, in the Brownings District, may have been named for Rufus S. Tucker, a director and major shareholder in several Seaboard system railroads. At the DeKalb County Centennial Celebration in 1922, Charles Murphey Candler stated that Tucker a “prosperous and promising village on the Seaboard Air Line Railway . . . was named in honor of Capt. Tucker, an official of the Seaboard Air Railway.” Some residents attribute the name to a local family with the surname Tucker. The first train steamed into the new Tucker station on Sunday, April 24, 1892. Originating in Elberton with a final destination of the Atlanta suburb of
Inman Park Inman Park is an intown neighborhood on the east side of Atlanta, Georgia, and its first planned suburb. It was named for Samuel M. Inman. History Today's neighborhood of Inman Park includes areas that were originally designated * Inman Park p ...
— a four-hour trip — the Seaboard train consisted of two cars carrying 150 passengers and a baggage car. Two months later the
US Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
appointed Alpheus G. Chewning first Postmaster of the Tucker Post office.
Rural Free Delivery Rural Free Delivery (RFD) was a program of the United States Post Office Department that began in the late 19th century to deliver mail directly to rural destinations. Previously, individuals living in remote homesteads had to pick up mail themsel ...
began on March 2, 1903. On Saturday, July 1, 1967, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad merged with the Atlantic Coast Line to form Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. In 1983 The line became Seaboard System and merged with the Chesapeake & Ohio, Baltimore & Ohio and the Western Maryland in 1986
Chessie System Chessie System, Inc. was a holding company that owned the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O), the Western Maryland Railway (WM), and Baltimore and Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad (B&OCT). Trains operated und ...
to form current railroad operator,
CSXT CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
. Although no longer a train stop for passengers, the Tucker depot is currently a CSX field office for track repair and signal maintenance. Tucker, at feet above sea level, is the highest point of elevation on the railroad line between Atlanta and
Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...
.


Twentieth century

Following
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, Tucker began a steady transition from an agricultural community to a mixed industrial, retail, and residential area. The strength of a county-wide
water system A water supply network or water supply system is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components that provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes the following: # A drainage basin (see water purification – source ...
extending into Tucker by the 1950s, and the post war establishment of nearby employers in other areas of the county including the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...
in 1947,
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
in
Doraville Doraville is a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States northeast of Atlanta. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,623. History Doraville was incorporated by an act of the Georgia General Assembly, approved December 15, 1 ...
,
Kraft Foods The second incarnation of Kraft Foods is an American food manufacturing and processing conglomerate, split from Kraft Foods Inc. in 2012 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It became part of Kraft Heinz in 2015. A merger with Heinz, arra ...
in Decatur, and the growth of
Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...
, brought new residents to Tucker from across the nation. Descendants of early settlers subdivided and sold family land for neighborhoods and shopping plazas. Local community leaders opened Tucker Federal Savings and Loan, created a youth football league, and by the 1960s newspapers identified Tucker as “DeKalb’s Area of Golden Opportunity.” The
post–World War II baby boom The middle of the 20th century was marked by a significant and persistent increase in fertility rates in many countries of the world, especially in the Western world. The term ''baby boom'' is often used to refer to this particular boom, generall ...
drove the growth of DeKalb County schools and with the affordability of the car, the expansion of the highway system, and inexpensive fuel, Tucker became an ideal location to call home.


Geography

Tucker is located in northeastern DeKalb County at (33.851736, -84.221524), approximately northeast of downtown Atlanta. 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 CDP has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.83%, is water. The
Eastern Continental Divide The Eastern Continental Divide, Eastern Divide or Appalachian Divide is a hydrographic divide in eastern North America that separates the easterly Atlantic Seaboard watershed from the westerly Gulf of Mexico watershed. The divide nearly span ...
cuts through Tucker, along Chamblee-Tucker Road to LaVista Road and continuing south towards Mountain Industrial Boulevard. Water falling to the west of this line flows towards the
Chattahoochee River The Chattahoochee River forms the southern half of the Alabama and Georgia border, as well as a portion of the Florida - Georgia border. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chatta ...
and the
Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. Water falling to the east of this line flows towards the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
through the
Ocmulgee River The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha. Tucker is in the state's
Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...
geologic region, composed of
igneous Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word ''ignis'' meaning fire), or magmatic rock, is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or ...
and
metamorphic Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock (protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, causin ...
rocks resulting from 300 to 600 million year old sediments that were subjected to high temperatures and pressures and re-exposed roughly 250 to 300 million years ago. Rocks typical of the region include
schist Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes o ...
,
amphibolite Amphibolite () is a metamorphic rock that contains amphibole, especially hornblende and actinolite, as well as plagioclase feldspar, but with little or no quartz. It is typically dark-colored and dense, with a weakly foliated or schistose (flaky ...
,
gneiss Gneiss ( ) is a common and widely distributed type of metamorphic rock. It is formed by high-temperature and high-pressure metamorphic processes acting on formations composed of igneous or sedimentary rocks. Gneiss forms at higher temperatures an ...
,
migmatite Migmatite is a composite rock found in medium and high-grade metamorphic environments, commonly within Precambrian cratonic blocks. It consists of two or more constituents often layered repetitively: one layer is an older metamorphic rock tha ...
, and
granite Granite () is a coarse-grained (phaneritic) intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly cools and solidifies undergro ...
. Over a dozen creeks originate in Tucker including Burnt Fork Creek, South Fork Peachtree Creek, Camp Creek, and Henderson Mill Creek. Prior to the widespread accessibility of electricity and indoor plumbing, several were used as
mill pond A mill pond (or millpond) is a body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill. Description Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam or weir (and mill stream) across a waterway. In many places, the com ...
s or dammed for
baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...
. From 1906 until its demise in the 1940s, Burnt Fort Creek was the primary tributary for the Decatur Waterworks.


Surrounding municipalities


Climate

Tucker's climate, typical of 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° ...
, features mild winters and hot summers. In spite of moderate conditions compared to communities in many other states, Tucker has occasional extreme weather. The record high is , recorded on July 8, 1927, and the record low, January 21, 1985, .


Transportation


Rapid-transit

MARTA, the Metro Atlanta Rapid Trans Authority, has six daily bus routes traversing Tucker; 75 Tucker, 120 E. Ponce de Leon Ave/Tucker, 124 Pleasantdale Road, 125 Clarkston/Northlake, and 126 Northlake/Chamblee.


Interstate highways

* Interstate 285 *
Interstate 85 Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, n ...


U.S. highways

*
U.S. Route 29 U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington me ...
*
U.S. Route 78 U.S. Route 78 (US 78) is an east–west United States highway that runs for 715 miles (1,151 km) from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charleston, South Carolina. From Byhalia, Mississippi to Birmingham, Alabama, US 78 is concurrent with Interstate 2 ...


State routes

* State Route 8 * State Route 236 * State Route 407 * State Route 410


Pedestrians and cycling

* Stone Mountain Trail


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 37,005 people, 14,479 households, and 8,753 families residing in the city.


2010 census

According to the 2010 census, the Tucker
Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...
(CDP) had a population of 27,581, and the racial and ethnic composition of the CDP was as follows: * White : 63.0% (
Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Amer ...
: 57.8%) * Black or African American : 22.3% * Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 10.6% * Asian: 7.4% * American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.4% * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1% * Multiracial : 2.7% As of 2012, the median income per household was $64,388, and the per capita income was $33,552. 11.4% of the population is below the poverty line, 5.6% lower that the state average. Of the 11,894 housing units identified in 2012, the home ownership rate is 70.7% and the median value of owner occupied housing units, $233,700. Multi-unit structures ( apartment complexes, condominiums) represent 22% of all housing.


Culture and contemporary life

Tucker primarily consists of 1960s and 1970s-era
ranch A ranch (from es, rancho/Mexican Spanish) is an area of land, including various structures, given primarily to ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle and sheep. It is a subtype of a farm. These terms are most often ...
and
split-level A split-level home (also called a bi-level home or tri-level home) is a style of house in which the floor levels are staggered. There are typically two short sets of stairs, one running upward to a bedroom level, and one going downward toward ...
homes, and 1970s and 1980s-era multi-story homes. The latter two often feature daylight basements. Various neighborhoods are typically groups by geographic association with elementary schools and other centers of community life such as parks.


Community organizations

The desire for community involvement continues to foster growth in various Tucker groups and associations. Some of the more significant include; the Tucker Business Association, Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District, Tucker Civic Association, Tucker Historical Society, Main Street Theatre, Friends of Henderson Park, Friends of Johns Homestead, Friends of Kelley C. Cofer Park, Main Street Tucker Alliance, Friends of the Tucker Nature Preserve, Old Town Tucker Merchants Association, Tucker Parent Council, and Smoke Rise Community Association. With the exception of sports organizations, involving residents in multiple counties, most of these groups are predominantly led by and serve residents within the Tucker area. Tucker includes multiple
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
,
Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
,
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
,
Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement
, and
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
churches;
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
,
Mormon Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the movement split into several ...
, and over a dozen non-denomination Christian churches, some holding services in Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. Several churches including Rehoboth Baptist, established in 1854, and First Baptist of Tucker, established in 1893, maintain large youth athletic programs. In the 1970s,
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...
built a regional welfare and emergency response center in Royal Atlanta Business Park.


Outdoor events

Outdoor events held on Main Street are a central part of the community for numerous residents and organizations. The Tucker Day celebration, first held in the 1950s, is an annual event typically including a parade, that runs the length of Main Street with food vendors, artist, musicians, and merchants. Other annual events on Main Street include the Taste of Tucker and Tucker Chili Cook-Off. The street is also closed for the Tucker Cruise-In held monthly between April and September. The Farmers Market on Main Street has recently moved from its position in Downtown Tucker, to a venue just outside Downtown at a church on LaVista Rd. The Tucker Civic Association, Friends of Henderson Park, Friends of the Tucker Nature Preserve, Friends of Kelley C. Cofer Park, and neighborhood groups regularly organize park and roadside cleanup efforts. The Tucker Historical Society hosts the annual Brownings Courthouse Day and the annual Garden Tour. The Tucker High School varsity
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team, the Tucker Tigers, is a large seasonal draw for former and current Tucker alumni and residents. Like most high schools in DeKalb County, Tucker does not have a local football stadium, thus home games are technically away games.


Amateur sports

Tucker Football League (TFL) and Triumph Youth Soccer Association (TYSA), formerly the Tucker Youth Soccer Association, are the two largest independent youth sports organizations in the community. TYSA is the largest in DeKalb County, and the fourth largest youth soccer association in Georgia. The TFL holds games and practices at the privately owned Fitzgerald Field. TYSA uses county fields at Henderson Park and the privately owned Granite – Patillo Field. Adult sports include
road bicycle racing Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional sport, professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and ...
. The weekly Tucker Ride and Baby Tucker. According to ''Southeastern Cycling'', "This is where the big boys and racers show up to play." The Tucker ride maintains speeds over per hour. The Baby Tucker is slightly less strenuous at per hour.


Economy

According to data from 2007, the Tucker CDP had 3,709 businesses, and the ethnic composition of the owners was as follows: *
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or African -owned: 18.3% * Asian-owned: 10.3% * Indian and Alaska Native-owned: (Not available) * Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander-owned: (Fewer than 25 firms) * White (Non-Hispanic): 71.3% More demographic figures: *
Hispanics The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties former ...
(of any race) were 4.7% of the owners * Women were 28.8% of the owners Tucker serves as corporate headquarters for several nationally recognized companies including;
Oglethorpe Power Oglethorpe Power Corporation is a medium-sized electric utility in Georgia, United States. Formed in 1974, Oglethorpe is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by the 38 electric membership corporations that it serves. The utility's headquarters are i ...
,
YP Holdings YP Holdings, now a wholly owned subsidiary of DexYP, is the American parent company for YP LLC. Its products include printed telephone directory, telephone directories, yp.com and YP app. YP offers local search, display ads and direct marketin ...
(Publisher of ‘’The Real Yellow Pages’’), Primo Grills and Smokers, and Inland Seafood. Tucker is also home of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association the
Emory University Orthopaedics and Spine Hospital The Emory University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital is part of the Emory Healthcare system. The hospital is situated in a six-story building at the intersection of Interstate 285 and Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker, Georgia, United States, and is ...
, the Montreal Industrial district, a portion of the Northlake retail area, and Royal Atlanta Business Park. Just Bakery of Atlanta also has a storefront in Tucker.


Community Improvement Districts

In February 2013, DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved the formation of the Tucker Community Improvement District (CID). In August 2014 the Tucker CID changed its name to Tucker-Northlake CID to reflect expansion into the Northlake business district. Tucker is also home to the Stone Mountain CID along Mountain Industrial Boulevard. Commercial property owners in both districts vote on a self-imposed millage rate increase and use the funds for community improvements. The tax and millage rate increase applies to commercial property only and not residential. Under Georgia law CID funds may be used for street and road construction and maintenance, parks and recreation area, public transportation, and other services. CID investments are often leveraged through state and local grants increasing return on investment.


Government

Tucker is in Georgia's 4th and 6th Congressional Districts;
Georgia State Senate The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Legal provisions The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, with the lower house being the Georgia ...
Districts 40 and 41; and
Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. T ...
House Districts 81, 86, 87, and 88. Tucker is in DeKalb County Commission Districts 1 and 4 and Super Commission District 7. In a November 2015 referendum, 74% of voters approved incorporating Tucker into a city. In March 2016, residents elected Frank Auman the city's first mayor, and Honey VanDeKreke, Matt Robbins, Michelle Penkava, William Rosenfield, Noelle Monferdini, and Anne Lerner its inaugural city council.


Education

In the Tucker CDP, 91.4% of adults have graduated high school, 7% higher than the state average, and 46.8% of adults age 25 or older have a bachelor's degree or higher, 19% higher than the state average.


Primary and secondary education

All public schools in Tucker operate under the jurisdiction
DeKalb County School District The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is a school district headquartered at 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, near Stone Mountain and in the Atlanta metropolitan area. DCSD operates ...
. The DeKalb County School District's Sam A. Moss Service Center is also located in Tucker.


Elementary schools

* Evansdale Elementary School * Brockett Elementary School * Idlewood Elementary School * Livsey Elementary School * Midvale Elementary School * (Gwinnett Portion of Tucker) Nesbit Elementary School * Smoke Rise Charter Elementary School


Middle school

* Henderson Middle School * Stone Mountain Middle School * Tucker Middle School


High school

*
Tucker High School Tucker High School is the only public high school in Tucker, a city in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. It is operated by the DeKalb County School District. Its student body consists of over 1,800 students from many different cultures. ...
* (Gwinnett portion of Tucker) Parkview High school * (Gwinnett portion of Tucker)
Meadowcreek High School Meadowcreek High School is a public high school located in Norcross, Georgia, United States, off I-85 and led by principal Kevin Wood. The school is part of the Gwinnett County Public Schools system. Meadowcreek High School is the most diverse sec ...
* (Gwinnett portion of Tucker)
McClure Health Science High School McClure may refer to: * McClure (surname) * ''McClure's Magazine'', a popular United States illustrated monthly magazine at the turn of the 20th century * McClure (crater), an impact crater on the Moon In geography: * McClure, Illinois, USA * Mc ...
*new 2019


Infrastructure

Tucker owes the origins of its infrastructure in large measure to the efforts of former DeKalb County Commissioner, Scott Candler Sr. In the 1940s and 50s Candler brought resources typically reserved for cities to rural communities. Road improvements, public safety, water, and library resources were pushed to the far ends of the County under his administration. Tucker residents continued the tradition of expansion by maintaining and improving these resources throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Local businesses like Cofer Brothers, a lumber and supply company, thrived under the mid-century housing boom. DeKalb County continues to acquire green space in Tucker, invest in road improvement projects, and work with local committees and organizations to improve the area.


Livable Centers Initiative

In 2000, the Tucker Civic Association adopted
Neighborhood Strategic Plan
created to assist in identifying goals and policies from the 1996 DeKalb County Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and to make recommendations for strategic planning and development of the Tucker neighborhood identity. In 2005, the
Atlanta Regional Commission The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) is the regional planning and intergovernmental coordination agency for the metro Atlanta, Georgia, USA region, defined as the 11-county area of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, F ...
issued Tucker a grant for the development of a Livable Cities Initiative (LCI). The LCI study focused to reestablishing Main Street as a central point for the greater Tucker community, create a more pedestrian-friendly and interconnected town center by encouraging walking and other modes of transportation to and around the commercial core. In 2008 the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved the Tucker Overlay District enabling local business to improve the downtown area.


Police, fire and rescue

In 2006 the DeKalb County Police Department headquarters relocated to Tucker off Northlake Parkway. The Tucker Precinct is located next to the Cofer Crossing Shopping Center. Tucker is also home to DeKalb County Fire and Rescue Department's Station 5 on Lawrenceville Hwy, and Station 22 on Montreal Road. The portion of Tucker in Gwinnett County is serviced by Gwinnett Police Department, North and South Precincts, and by Gwinnett County Fire Department Station 2 on Harmony Grove Road.


Parks and recreation

The Tucker zip code is home to over of DeKalb County parks and recreation areas including lakes, creeks, trails, tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, a swimming pool, and playgrounds. * Henderson Park * Johns' Homestead (Undeveloped) * Kelley C. Cofer Park * Montreal Park * Peters Park * Smoke Rise Park * Tucker Nature Preserve * Tucker Recreational Center (Formerly Tucker Elementary School)


Public libraries

The
DeKalb County Public Library The DeKalb County Public Library (DCPL) is the public library system of DeKalb County, Georgia in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The library system headquarters are at the Darro C. Willey Administrative Offices in Decatur. Its collection incl ...
operates two branches in Tucker. The Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library, and the Northlake-Barbara Loar Library. The Tucker-Reid H. Cofer area branch open on Church Street in 1965. In 2010, the library moved to a 25,000 square foot facility at the intersection of LaVista Road and Lawrenceville Highway. The new facility received LEED Gold Certification from the
U.S. Green Building Council The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), co-founded by Mike Italiano, David Gottfried and Rick Fedrizzi in 1993, is a private 501(c)3, membership-based non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in building design, construction, and op ...
. In 1991, the county built a second library on LaVista Road in Tucker, the Northlake Barbara-Loar community branch, approximately 3.4 miles west of the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer branch. In 2009, the library expanded from 10,000 square feet to 15,000 square feet.


Notable people

* Ryan Sieg,
NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...
driver *
Shane Sieg Rodney Shane Sieg (August 23, 1982 – August 19, 2017) was an American professional stock car racing driver. He last drove the No. 93 S&W Services Chevrolet for RSS Racing. He was the older brother of Xfinity Series driver Ryan Sieg. Racing ca ...
, former NASCAR driver * Asher Allen, former NFL player *
Patrick Pass Patrick Pass (born December 31, 1977) is an American football coach and former fullback, who is currently the director of football personnel development for the Massachusetts Pirates of the Indoor Football League. He was drafted by the New Eng ...
, former NFL player * A. J. Bouye, cornerback for the Denver Broncos * Steve Walsh, keyboardist and vocalist for American rock band
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
, lives in Tucker. * Seantavius Jones, a professional football player *
Andy Stanley Charles Andrew Stanley (born May 16, 1958), known as Andy Stanley, is an American who is the founder and senior pastor of North Point Ministries, a nondenominational evangelical Christian church with several campuses across the north metro Atlant ...
, founder and preacher Of Northpoint Church and satellite churches * Stephen Hill, former NFL player


References


External links


City of Tucker

Tucker Historical Society

Tucker-Northlake Community Improvement District (CID)

Stone Mountain Community Improvement District (CID)

Old Town Tucker Merchants Association

Main Street Theatre Tucker

Tucker Business Association

Tucker Civic Association

Tucker Cruise-In

Tucker Day

Friends of Henderson Park
{{authority control Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in DeKalb County, Georgia Former census-designated places in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area Populated places established in 2015