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Valdosta is a city in and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of Lowndes County,
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. As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. Valdosta is the principal city of the
Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area The Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of four counties – Brooks, Echols, Lanier, and Lowndes – in south-central Georgia, anchored by the city of Valdosta. A ...
, which in 2021 had a population of 149,590. It includes Brooks County to the west. Valdosta is the home of
Valdosta State University Valdosta State University (VSU or Valdosta State) is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia. It is one of the four comprehensive universities in the University System of Georgia. , VSU had over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. VSU a ...
, a regional university in the
University System of Georgia The University System of Georgia (USG) is the government agency that includes 26 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The system is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general ...
with over 12,000 students. The football team at
Valdosta High School Valdosta High School is a public high school located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. School Valdosta High School serves grades 9-12 in the Valdosta City School District. Valdosta High School is a public school located in VALDOSTA, GA. It ha ...
has more wins than any other American high school, and is second in overall wins in the country after University of Michigan. Valdosta is called the Azalea City, as the plant grows in profusion there. The city hosts an annual
Azalea Azaleas are flowering shrubs in the genus ''Rhododendron'', particularly the former sections ''Tsutsusi'' (evergreen) and '' Pentanthera'' (deciduous). Azaleas bloom in the spring (April and May in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, and Octob ...
Festival in March.


History


Establishment

Valdosta was incorporated on December 7, 1860, when it was designated by the state legislature as the new county seat, formerly at nearby Troupville. The railroad was built to Valdosta that year, rather than Troupville, stimulating development in the new county seat. Many citizens of Troupville had already relocated to Valdosta when the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad was built away. The engine known as Satilla No. 3 pulled the first train into Valdosta on the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad on either July 4, 1860 or on July 20, 1860. Valdosta is located on the
Gulf Coastal Plain The Gulf Coastal Plain extends around the Gulf of Mexico in the Southern United States and eastern Mexico. This coastal plain reaches from the Florida Panhandle, southwest Georgia, the southern two-thirds of Alabama, over most of Mississippi, wes ...
of
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 ...
and has a virtually flat landscape. It was once the center of long-staple
cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
growing in the United States, a lucrative crop both before and after the Civil War. The county had a majority-white population well before the war with a substantial black population, as the cotton plantations were dependent on masses of enslaved field laborers. The of railway between Valdosta and Waycross were once the longest straight stretch of railroad in the world. Today, highways stretch through the county for miles with hardly a curve, rise, or fall. After being bypassed by the railroad and losing the county seat, Troupville was virtually abandoned. It had been named after Governor
George Troup George McIntosh Troup (September 8, 1780 – April 26, 1856) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. He served in the Georgia General Assembly, U.S. House of Representatives, and U.S. Senate before becoming the 32nd Governor ...
, for whom
Troup County, Georgia Troup County (pronounced ) is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 69,426.US Census Bureau, 2020 Report, Troup County, Georgia The county seat is LaGrange. Troup ...
, was also named. Valdosta was named after Troup's
plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
, Valdosta (occasionally the "Val d'Osta" spelling was used for the plantation). Troup had named it after the
Aosta Valley , Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = Official languages , population_blank1 = Italian French ...
( pms, Val d'Osta) in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. The name
Aosta Aosta (, , ; french: Aoste , formerly ; frp, Aoûta , ''Veulla'' or ''Ouhta'' ; lat, Augusta Praetoria Salassorum; wae, Augschtal; pms, Osta) is the principal city of Aosta Valley, a bilingual region in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of ...
(
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: ''Augusta''), refers to Emperor
Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
. A long-standing rumor held that the city's name meant "vale of beauty."


1861 to 1899

The
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
erupted just months after the establishment of Valdosta. During the war, Valdosta was far away from battles and became a refuge for those fleeing areas of Georgia where the war was being actively fought. After the Civil War, during the
Reconstruction era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...
, more than 100
freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...
, families of farmers, craftsmen, and laborers, emigrated from Lowndes County to
Arthington, Liberia Arthington is a small town in Montserrado County, Liberia, located along the Saint Paul River northeast of the capital city of Monrovia. It is mainly known as the hometown of former President Charles Taylor, the country's 22nd president. Histor ...
, in 1871 and 1872, looking for a better life. Since before the war, the
American Colonization Society The American Colonization Society (ACS), initially the Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America until 1837, was an American organization founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to encourage and support the migration of freebor ...
had supported the relocation of free blacks to Liberia, an American colony in West Africa established for this purpose. The first group from Lowndes County left in 1871, and were led by Jefferson Bracewell; the second group was led in 1872 by Aaron Miller. Many freedmen ended up working as sharecroppers and tenant farmers on area plantations in Lowndes County, as cotton agriculture continued well into the 20th century. One notable event during Reconstruction was at a political meeting in front of the courthouse. A
carpetbagger In the history of the United States, carpetbagger is a largely historical term used by Southerners to describe opportunistic Northerners who came to the Southern states after the American Civil War, who were perceived to be exploiting the lo ...
named J. W. Clift was running for Congress and was looking for support from former slaves. During Clift's speech he verbally attacked whites of Valdosta. In response five men planted explosives at the courthouse, planning on setting them off at Clift's next political rally. When other whites arrived at the courthouse unaware of the explosives the five men decided to stop the explosives but some still managed to go off. The explosion was small and no injuries occurred. The five men were arrested and were going to go on trial, but federal soldiers took them to
Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...
for trial, which was seen by residents as an overreach of authority and an endangerment for self-government. As mechanization was introduced, the number of agricultural jobs decreased and Valdosta became more industrialized by the 20th century. The world's second
Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
bottling plant began bottling Coca-Cola in Valdosta in 1897. In 1899, the
cotton mill A cotton mill is a building that houses spinning (textiles), spinning or weaving machinery for the production of yarn or cloth from cotton, an important product during the Industrial Revolution in the development of the factory system. Althou ...
town of Remerton was established from the center of Valdosta. It has since become an
enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...
to the growth of Valdosta around Remerton.


First half of the 20th century

A new courthouse was planned in 1900 to replace the smaller courthouse. Construction began in 1904 for around $75,000. The old courthouse was torn down in March 1904. The new courthouse was completed in 1904, and on April 14, 1905, the first session of court took place in the new courthouse. In November 1902, the Harris Nickel-Plate Circus' prize elephant, Gypsy, went on a rampage and killed her trainer James O'Rourke. After terrorizing the town for a couple of hours, she ran off to Cherry Creek, north of Valdosta. Gypsy was chased by Police Chief Calvin Dampier and a posse. Gypsy was shot and killed and buried on site. James O'Rourke was buried in Sunset Hill Cemetery in Valdosta. On July 28, 1907, Valdosta voted to become a dry city; a record $10,000 worth of whiskey was sold on the last day. The city had been wet since its founding. In 1910, cotton was still important to the economy, and ''Fortune'' magazine ranked Valdosta as the richest city in America by per capita income. Soon after that, the
boll weevil The boll weevil (''Anthonomus grandis'') is a beetle that feeds on cotton buds and flowers. Thought to be native to Central Mexico, it migrated into the United States from Mexico in the late 19th century and had infested all U.S. cotton-growing ...
invaded the South, moving east through the states and killing much of the cotton crop in this area in 1917. Agriculture in this area turned to
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
and
pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
. In January 1913, the South Georgia State Normal College opened in Valdosta on the edge of town. Over the course of the following century, it evolved into
Valdosta State University Valdosta State University (VSU or Valdosta State) is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia. It is one of the four comprehensive universities in the University System of Georgia. , VSU had over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. VSU a ...
. The school gradually became a regional center of higher education that has drawn many to the city. On May 16, 1918, a white planter named Hampton Smith was shot and killed at his house near
Morven, Georgia Morven is a city in Brooks County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after a mountain in Scotland. The population was 565 at the 2010 census. It was formerly known as Shar ...
, by a black farm worker named Sidney Johnson who was routinely mistreated by Smith. Johnson also shot Smith's wife but she later recovered. Johnson hid for several days in Valdosta without discovery. Lynch mobs formed in Valdosta ransacking Lowndes and Brooks counties for a week looking for Johnson and his alleged accomplices. These mobs lynched at least 13 African Americans, among them Mary Turner and her unborn eight-month-old baby who was cut from her body and murdered. Mary Turner's husband Hazel Turner was also lynched the day before. Sidney Johnson was turned in by an acquaintance, and on May 22 Police Chief Calvin Dampier led a shootout at the Valdosta house where he was hiding. Following his death, a crowd of more than 700 castrated Johnson's body, then dragged it behind a vehicle down Patterson Street and all the way to
Morven, Georgia Morven is a city in Brooks County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Valdosta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was named after a mountain in Scotland. The population was 565 at the 2010 census. It was formerly known as Shar ...
, near the site of Smith's murder. There the body of Johnson was hanged and burned on a tree. That afternoon, Governor
Hugh Dorsey Hugh Manson Dorsey (July 10, 1871 – June 11, 1948) was an American lawyer who was notable as the prosecuting attorney in the Leo Frank prosecution of 1913, that subsequently led to a lynching after Frank's death sentence was reduced to life ...
ordered the state militia to be dispatched to Valdosta to halt the lynch mobs, but they arrived too late for many victims. Dorsey later denounced the lynchings, but none of the participants were ever prosecuted. Following the violence, more than 500 African Americans fled from Lowndes and Brooks counties to escape such oppressive conditions and violence. From 1880 to 1930, Brooks County had the highest number of lynchings in the state of Georgia. By 1922 local chapters of the
Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...
, which had been revived starting in 1915, were holding rallies openly in Valdosta.


Second half of the 20th century

On June 26, 1941, Moody Army Airfield opened northeast of town as part of the United States' preparation for the country's potential involvement in
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 ...
. Moody Air Force Base's role in World War II and the postwar era has influenced the growth of Valdosta. The local economy received an important boost in the mid-20th century when
Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
was routed and built through the area. Many vacationers on their way to
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
found Valdosta a convenient "last stop" on their way to
Walt Disney World The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
and the
Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
area. The Interstate's route to the west of the city has contributed to its commercial district shifting from the historic downtown area to near the Interstate.
Valdosta State College Valdosta State University (VSU or Valdosta State) is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia. It is one of the four comprehensive universities in the University System of Georgia. , VSU had over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. VSU a ...
was integrated in September 1963. In 1969,
Valdosta High School Valdosta High School is a public high school located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. School Valdosta High School serves grades 9-12 in the Valdosta City School District. Valdosta High School is a public school located in VALDOSTA, GA. It ha ...
(the formerly all-white school) and Pinevale High School (the formerly all-black school) were merged into one system. Integration had begun at Valdosta High School about 1966. During the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, future president
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
entered the
National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...
, receiving flight training at Valdosta's
Moody Air Force Base Moody Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation near Valdosta, Georgia. Geography The base is in northeastern Lowndes County, Georgia, with the eastern border of the base following the Lanier County line. Georgia State Rout ...
in November 1968. In 1994 Kent and Dawn Buescher opened Liberty Farms Animal Park with a playground, entertainment venue and a collection of animals. An amusement park was added, and in 1996 Liberty Farms Animal Park was renamed
Wild Adventures Wild Adventures (known previously as Liberty Farms) is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia, which is located south of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and has been managed by Jon Vigue ...
. Wild Adventures expanded with Splash Island Water Park in 2002. The Buescher family purchased a botanical garden and theme park called
Cypress Gardens Cypress Gardens was a botanical garden and theme park near Winter Haven, Florida that operated from 1936 to 2009. As of 2011, the botanical garden portion had been preserved inside the newly formed Legoland Florida. History Billed as Florida' ...
in 2004. Due to damage from three hurricanes and a financial struggle in repairing Cypress Gardens the Buescher family were forced to sell
Wild Adventures Wild Adventures (known previously as Liberty Farms) is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia, which is located south of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and has been managed by Jon Vigue ...
to
Herschend Family Entertainment Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States, and as of 2021, one aquarium in Vancouver, Canada. Founded by Jack and P ...
in 2007. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as a principal agency of t ...
' ''
Monthly Labor Review The ''Monthly Labor Review'' (''MLR'') is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Issues often focus on a particular topic. Most articles are by BLS staff. Annually since 1969, the Lawrence R. Klein Award has been awarded to autho ...
'', the first
automated teller machine An automated teller machine (ATM) or cash machine (in British English) is an electronic telecommunications device that enables customers of financial institutions to perform financial transactions, such as cash withdrawals, deposits, fun ...
(ATM) was installed at a C&S Bank in Valdosta in 1971. That ATM was preceded by one installed in
Rockville Centre, New York Rockville Centre, commonly abbreviated as RVC, is an incorporated village located in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 24,023 at the 2010 census. Histo ...
, in 1969.


21st century

Valdosta was named as one of 2003's "Top 100 U.S. Small Towns" by ''
Site Selection The award-winning ''Site Selection'' magazine, published by Conway Data, Inc., is the official publication of thIndustrial Asset Management Council(IAMC). The magazine delivers expansion planning information to over 44,000 readers including corpora ...
'' magazine. In 2010 Valdosta was named one of the "Best Small Places For Business and Careers" by ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
''.


Geography

Valdosta is located in central Lowndes County at (30.846661, -83.283101), north of the
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
state line. It is about south of
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 ...
, east of
Dothan, Alabama Dothan () is a city in Dale, Henry, and Houston counties and the Houston county seat in the U.S. state of Alabama. It is Alabama's eighth-largest city, with a population of 71,072 at the 2020 census. It is near the state's southeastern corner, ...
, and northwest of
Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the seat of Duval County, with which the ...
. 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 , of which are land and , or 1.26%, are water. The Withlacoochee River, a tributary of the
Suwannee River The Suwannee River (also spelled Suwanee River) is a river that runs through south Georgia southward into Florida in the southern United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset hig ...
, runs along part of the western edge of the city, while the eastern side of the city drains to Mud Creek, flowing southeast to the
Alapahoochee River The Alapahoochee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 18, 2011 tributary of the Alapaha River in Georgia and Florida in the United States. Via the Alapaha a ...
, also part of the Suwannee River watershed.


Climate

Valdosta 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° ...
(
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 ...
: ''Cfa''), with mild, dry/wet winters and hot, humid summers. Temperatures frequently go over , but in extreme heatwaves, temperatures occasionally go over . Snowfall is rare but not unknown. Snow fell in Valdosta most recently on January 3, 2018, but the last significant snowfall happened in 1989. However, light frosts regularly occur between December and February. Valdosta can experience
Indian summer An Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Several sources describe a true Indian summer as not occurring until after the first frost, or more s ...
s in the winter, where temperatures can get quite warm. Very rarely do winter lows go below .


Demographics


MSA

According to the Bureau of Census, the Valdosta, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
(MSA) had an estimated population of 135,804 and ranked #281 in the U.S. in 2009. (The MSA consists of Lowndes,
Brooks Brooks may refer to: Places ;Antarctica *Cape Brooks ;Canada *Brooks, Alberta ;United States * Brooks, Alabama * Brooks, Arkansas *Brooks, California *Brooks, Georgia * Brooks, Iowa * Brooks, Kentucky * Brooks, Maine * Brooks Township, Michigan ...
, Lanier and
Echols Echols may refer to: *Echols (surname) *Echols County, Georgia, a county in Georgia *Echols, Kentucky, a community *Echols, Minnesota, a community {{Disambiguation, geo ...
counties.)


City


2010 census

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 2010 and estimates from 2005 to 2009, there were 54,518 people, 20,280 households, and 11,876 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 22,709 housing units available in Valdosta. The racial makeup of the city was 51.2%
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 ...
, 41.5%
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 ...
, 0.3% Native American, 1.7%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.2% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.9% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 4.0% of the population. According to 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 the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Valdosta were: · Black or African American - 51% · English - 9% · Irish - 7% · German - 6% · Scotch-Irish - 2% · Italian - 2% There were 20,280 households, out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 35.5% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 19.3% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 41.4% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30% 19 years of age and younger, 19.3% from 20 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.5 years. 53.1% of the population of Valdosta was female and 46.9% was male. Females 18 and over made up 54.4% of the population compared to 45.6% male. The median income for a household in the city was $31,940, and the median income for a family was $39,295. Males had a median income of $33,230 versus $25,689 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 $19,003. About 20.3% of families and 28.2% 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 34.3% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.


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 55,378 people, 21,153 households, and 11,224 families residing in the city.


Economy

Located in the far southern portion of the state, near the
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
line along the
Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
corridor, it is a commercial center of South Georgia with numerous manufacturing plants. The surrounding area produces
tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
,
naval stores Naval stores are all liquid products derived from conifers. These materials include rosin, tall oil, pine oil, and terpentine. The term ''naval stores'' originally applied to the organic compounds used in building and maintaining wooden sailing ...
, particularly
turpentine Turpentine (which is also called spirit of turpentine, oil of turpentine, terebenthene, terebinthine and (colloquially) turps) is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin harvested from living trees, mainly pines. Mainly used as a special ...
, as well as
pine A pine is any conifer tree or shrub in the genus ''Pinus'' () of the family Pinaceae. ''Pinus'' is the sole genus in the subfamily Pinoideae. The World Flora Online created by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden accep ...
lumber Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
and
pulpwood Pulpwood is timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production. Applications * Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 15% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more gener ...
. According to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Valdosta is called the "Naval Stores Capital of the World" because it supplies 80% of the world demand for naval stores. In the retailing field, Valdosta has one major regional mall,
Valdosta Mall Valdosta Mall is an enclosed shopping mall located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is composed of more than 70 stores and restaurants in of gross leasable area. Belk, and JCPenney, are the mall's anchor stores. The wing featuring JC ...
, which features national chain anchor stores like
JCPenney Penney OpCo LLC, doing business as JCPenney and often abbreviated JCP, is a midscale American department store chain operating 667 stores across 49 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Departments inside JCPenney stores include Mens, Womens, Boys, Gir ...
,
Bed, Bath & Beyond Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. is an American chain of domestic merchandise retail stores. The chain operates many stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Bed Bath & Beyond was founded in 1971. It is counted among the Fortune ...
,
Buckle The buckle or clasp is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other held by a catch in a secure but adjustable manner. Often taken for granted, the invention of the buckle was indispensable in securing tw ...
,
PetSmart PetSmart is a privately held American chain of pet superstores, which sell pet products, services, and small pets. It is the leading North American pet company, and its direct competitor is Petco. Its indirect competitors are Amazon, Walmart, ...
,
Belk Belk, Inc. is an American department store chain founded in 1888 by William Henry Belk in Monroe, North Carolina, with nearly 300 locations in 16 states. Belk stores and Belk.com offer apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings, ...
,
Old Navy Old Navy is an American clothing and accessories retailing company owned by multinational corporation Gap Inc. It has corporate operations in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The largest of the Old Navy stores are its ...
, and
Ross Stores Ross Stores, Inc., operating under the brand name Ross Dress for Less, is an American chain of discount department stores headquartered in Dublin, California. It is the largest off-price retailer in the U.S.; as of 2018, Ross operates 1,483 stor ...
. Several large stores surround the mall or are near the mall, including
Best Buy Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
,
Home Depot The Home Depot, Inc., is an American multinational corporation, multinational home improvement retail corporation that sells tools, construction products, appliances, and services, including fuel and transportation rentals. Home Depot is the l ...
,
Kohl's Kohl's (stylized in all caps) is an American department store retail chain, operated by Kohl's Corporation. it is the largest department store chain in the United States, with 1,165 locations, operating stores in every U.S. state except Hawai ...
,
Lowe's Lowe's Companies, Inc. (), often shortened to Lowe's, is an American retail company specializing in home improvement. Headquartered in Mooresville, North Carolina, the company operates a chain of retail stores in the United States and Canada. A ...
,
Office Max OfficeMax is an American office supplies retailer founded in 1988. It is now a subsidiary of The ODP Corporation, which is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. As of December 2012, OfficeMax operated 941 stores in 47 states, Puerto Rico, the U. ...
,
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
, and
Publix Publix Super Markets, Inc., commonly known as Publix, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and ...
. Valdosta has other notable shopping areas such as the Historic Downtown area with many local businesses, and the Five Points area which has a
Big Lots Big Lots Stores, Inc. (stylized as Big Lots!) is an American retail company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio with over 1,400 stores in 47 states. History The Big Lots chain traces its history back to 1967 when Consolidated Stores Corporation w ...
, Winn-Dixie, and numerous national franchise and local restaurants.
Moody Air Force Base Moody Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force installation near Valdosta, Georgia. Geography The base is in northeastern Lowndes County, Georgia, with the eastern border of the base following the Lanier County line. Georgia State Rout ...
is located about northeast of Valdosta in northern Lowndes County.
Wild Adventures Wild Adventures (known previously as Liberty Farms) is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia, which is located south of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and has been managed by Jon Vigue ...
, a
theme Theme or themes may refer to: * Theme (arts), the unifying subject or idea of the type of visual work * Theme (Byzantine district), an administrative district in the Byzantine Empire governed by a Strategos * Theme (computing), a custom graphical ...
and
water park A water park (or waterpark, water world) is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, water playgrounds, and lazy rivers, as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other baref ...
, is located south of the center of Valdosta in rural Lowndes County. Wild Adventures is owned by
Herschend Family Entertainment Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) is a privately owned themed-entertainment company that operates several theme parks and tourist attractions within the United States, and as of 2021, one aquarium in Vancouver, Canada. Founded by Jack and P ...
.


Arts and culture


Public libraries

The
South Georgia Regional Library The South Georgia Regional Library (SGRL) is a public library system consisting of six branches across the counties of Lowndes, Echols, and Lanier, Georgia. The headquarters library is the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library located in Valdosta, Geo ...
operates two libraries in Valdosta: Valdosta Lowndes County Library and Mae Wisenbaker McMullen Memorial Southside Library. Valdosta Lowndes County Library, with over of space, houses the administrative offices of the library system. Built for $450,000, it first opened in 1968. The Mae Wisenbaker McMullen Memorial Southside Library opened on May 31, 1992. An area businessperson, J.C. McMullen, donated the land used for the Southside Library, which was built as part of a larger library construction program; it was named after Mae Wisenbaker McMullen, the mother of J.C. McMullen.McMullen Southside Library
"
South Georgia Regional Library The South Georgia Regional Library (SGRL) is a public library system consisting of six branches across the counties of Lowndes, Echols, and Lanier, Georgia. The headquarters library is the Valdosta-Lowndes County Library located in Valdosta, Geo ...
. Retrieved on May 14, 2017.
The first library for African-Americans in Lowndes County began operations in the Walton Building on January 21, 1935, closed in February 1939, and reopened in 1955. In 1963 all libraries became available to patrons of all races.


Museum

The Lowndes County Historical Society & Museum is located at the
Carnegie Library of Valdosta The Carnegie Library of Valdosta is a Carnegie library building in Valdosta, Georgia. It was constructed in 1913 for $40,000, with help from a $15,000 Carnegie grant. It was the first building designed by local architect Lloyd V. Greer. It opened ...
, a National Register of Historic Places listed building and Carnegie library, one of 24 Carnegie libraries in Georgia.


Civic center

The Lowndes County Civic Center is a 120-seat multi-purpose arena that can be rented by the public and is often used to host community sporting events. The arena was also an occasional venue for
Southern Championship Wrestling Southern Championship Wrestling (SCW) was a professional wrestling promotion that held events in the Southeastern United States, especially in eastern and central North Carolina, from November 1994 to November 2004, when it was run by Greg Mosorja ...
and Spinebusters Championship Wrestling.


LGBTQ community

The South Georgia
Pride Festival A pride parade (also known as pride march, pride event, or pride festival) is an outdoor event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) social and self-acceptance, achievements, legal rights, and pride. The events ...
is held every third Saturday in September. The first festival was held in 2008 on the front lawn of Valdosta State University. In 2009, the festival became South Georgia Pride and held its festival at the John W. Saunders Park in Valdosta in 2010. Valdosta Mayor John J. Fretti proclaimed September 17, 2011, as South Georgia Pride Day. Since 2010, the festival has grown to over 3,000 people attending. In July 2012, Mayor John Gayle refused to give a proclamation to South Georgia Pride, the only one he has refused.


Sports


Minor league baseball

Valdosta hosted several different minor league baseball teams during the twentieth century, and was one of six cities in the
Georgia State League The Georgia State League was an American Class D minor league in professional baseball that existed in 1906, 1914, 1920–1921 and 1948–1956. During its last incarnation, it existed alongside two nearby Class D circuits, the Georgia–Florida Le ...
which began play in 1906, with the team known as the Valdosta Stars. From 1946 to 1958, the
Valdosta Tigers The Valdosta Tigers were a "Class-D" minor league baseball team, based in Valdosta, Georgia, that operated in the Georgia–Florida League, from to . The club played its home games at Pendleton Park, which was located on the current site of Sou ...
were a "Class-D" minor league team. Valdosta was also home to the Valdosta Trojans which was a "farm" team for the Brooklyn Dodgers.


ESPN's Titletown, USA

TitleTown USA was a month-long segment on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
that started in the spring of 2008 and continued through July. Fans nominated towns and cities across the country based on their championship pedigree. A panel reviewed the nominees, and fan voting in May determined the 20th finalist.
SportsCenter ''SportsCenter'' (SC) is a daily sports news television show, television program that serves as the flagship program and brand of United States, American cable television, cable and satellite television television network, network ESPN. The show ...
visited each city in July, and fan voting July 23–27 determined the winner. Due to the Valdosta High School football team's record as well as multiple championships in many sports by Valdosta State University, Lowndes High School, Valwood School, Georgia Christian School, and other academic institutions in the town, Valdosta was nominated as a finalist in 2008 for ESPN's "Titletown USA" contest. On July 28, 2008, with 29.2% of fan votes on ESPN's website poll, Valdosta was named TitleTown USA.


Education


Public schools

The
Valdosta City School District The Valdosta City School District is a public school district in Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, based in Valdosta, Georgia, Valdosta. It serves the city of Valdosta and the surrounding comm ...
holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, consisting of five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school. The school district serves the city of Valdosta and the surrounding communities of Lowndes County. the district has 447 full-time teachers and over 7,178 students. The Lowndes County School District serves communities of Lowndes County outside of the Valdosta city limits. Scintilla Charter Academy is a free public school of choice open to any student who resides in Lowndes county or the city of Valdosta. SCA holds grades kindergarten to grade Seven.


Private schools

Valwood School Valwood School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory segregation academy located outside of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It offers programs from pre-kindergarten through high school. There were 511 students enrolled in the 2 ...
is an independent college preparatory school north of Valdosta enrolling students in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Several Christian schools offering grades K-12 also operate in and near Valdosta, including Crossroads Baptist School, Georgia Christian School, Lighthouse Christian School, Open Bible Christian School, Highland Christian Academy, St. John Catholic School, and Victory Christian School.


Higher education

Valdosta is the home of
Valdosta State University Valdosta State University (VSU or Valdosta State) is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia. It is one of the four comprehensive universities in the University System of Georgia. , VSU had over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. VSU a ...
(VSU), founded in 1906 as
South Georgia State Normal College for Women Valdosta State University (VSU or Valdosta State) is a public university in Valdosta, Georgia. It is one of the four comprehensive universities in the University System of Georgia. , VSU had over 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students. VSU a ...
. It became part of the
University System of Georgia The University System of Georgia (USG) is the government agency that includes 26 public institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Georgia. The system is governed by the Georgia Board of Regents. It sets goals and dictates general ...
in 1950 as Valdosta State College. It achieved university status and became VSU in 1993 and is one of two regional universities in Georgia. An extension of
Georgia Military College Georgia Military College (GMC) is a public military junior college in Milledgeville, Georgia. It is divided into the junior college, a military junior college program, high school, middle school, and elementary school. It was originally known as M ...
is in the city limits, and
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Wiregrass Georgia Technical College (WGTC) is a public community college in Valdosta, Georgia. It is part of the Technical College System of Georgia and provides education for an eleven-county service area in south-central Georgia. The school's ...
is located a mile outside of the city limits off
Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
. Also located in Valdosta is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Worldwide: Moody Campus.


Media


Newspaper

*''
The Valdosta Daily Times ''The Valdosta Daily Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is the highest-circulation property operated by South Georgia Media Group, a division of Community Newspaper Holdings Inc. CNHI acquired the paper ...
''


Radio

AM: *
WJEM WJEM (1150 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. As of 2019, Val ...
1150 AM; 5 kW Gospel *
WVLD WVLD (1450 AM) better known as "WVLD Rock 93.3" is a radio station broadcasting a mainstream rock format. Licensed to Valdosta, Georgia, United States, the station serves the Valdosta area. The station is currently owned by Black Crow Media. As ...
1450 AM; 1 kW Rock (Rock 106.9) *
WGUN WGUN (950 AM) is a radio station broadcasting an Urban Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Valdosta, Georgia, United States, the station is currently owned by Magic 95 Entertainment. It is the oldest station in the city. Although the orig ...
950 AM; 4 kW Adult Urban Contemporary *
WRFV WRFV (910 AM) was an American radio station licensed to Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. As of 2019, Valdosta had an estimated population of 56,457. Valdosta is the prin ...
910 AM; 50 kW FM: *
WDDQ WDDQ (92.1 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk format. Licensed to Adel, Georgia, United States, the station serves the Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County, Georgia (U. ...
TALK 92.1 FM Talk radio * WAYT 88.1 FM Christian Contemporary (licensed to Thomasville) * WVVS 90.9 FM VSU station * WWET 91.7 FM (Georgia Public Broadcasting) * WAAC 92.9 FM Country * WJYF 95.3 FM Christian Contemporary *
WQPW WQPW (95.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an adult contemporary format. Licensed to Valdosta, Georgia, United States, the station is currently owned by Blackcrow Media. History The station went on the air as WLGA-FM in September 1977, as a ...
95.7 FM Adult Contemporary *WJEM 96.1 (repeater of 1150 AM) *
WGOV-FM WGOV-FM (96.7 FM broadcasting, FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Mainstream Urban format. Licensed to Valdosta, Georgia, United States, the station is currently owned by Magic 95 Entertainment. History The station went on the air as WZLS in 19 ...
96.7 FM Urban * WAFT 101.1 FM Christian *
WXHT WXHT (102.7 FM), better known as "Hot 102.7", is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format. Licensed to Madison, Florida, United States, the station is currently owned by Black Crow Media and features programming from Premiere ...
102.7 FM Pop Hits (Broadcast from Valdosta but licensed to Madison, Florida) *
WSTI WSTI-FM (105.3 FM) better known as "Star 105.3" is a radio station broadcasting an Urban Contemporary format. Licensed to Quitman, Georgia, United States, the station is currently owned by Black Crow Media and features programming from ABC Radi ...
105.3 FM Classic Soul and R&B (Broadcast from Valdosta but licensed to Quitman) * W295AO 106.9 Rock (repeater of WVLD 1450AM) * WWRQ 107.9 FM The Beat


Television

Valdosta and Lowndes County is part of the
Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In ...
, television market and receives most channels from that city; it also receives some channels from the neighboring Albany market. See :Template:Tallahassee TV and :Template:Albany GA TV. * WSWG channel 44 is the local
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
affiliate licensed to Valdosta and based in Moultrie. The station serves the Valdosta and Albany areas, and includes subchannels offering programming from
MyNetworkTV MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
and
Me-TV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television program ...
. * WXGA-TV channel 8 is the local GPB outlet, licensed to Waycross.


Infrastructure


Transportation


Major highways

*
Interstate 75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
(State Route 401) runs north to south through a western section of Valdosta, with access from Exits 11 through 22. I-75 leads north to Tifton and southeast to
Lake City, Florida Lake City is a city in northern Florida. It is the county seat of Columbia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 12,329. It is the principal city of the Lake City Micropolitan Statistical Area, which ...
. * U.S. Highway 41 (
State Route 7 The following highways are numbered 7. For roads numbered A7, see list of A7 roads. Route 7, or Highway 7, may refer to: International * AH7, Asian Highway 7 * European route E07 * European route E007 Afghanistan *Kunduz-Khomri Highway (A7) ...
) runs north to south entering the city at the Withlacoochee River being known as North Valdosta Road, and continuing south on North Ashley Street. It branches into two sections at Five Points, US 41 Business / SR 7 Business traveling south down North Ashley Street, US 41 Alternate / SR 7 Alternate traveling south down Patterson Street. At the overpass over the CSX railroad, they join to become US 41 Business / SR 7 Business following South Patterson Street. * U.S. Highway 84 (Wiregrass Georgia Parkway) is colocated with State Route 38 and runs west to east bisecting the city and is known as Hill Avenue through the city limits. US 84 leads northeast to Waycross and west to Thomasville. * U.S. Highway 221 follows US 84 and SR 38 west of Valdosta and State Route 31 northeast of Valdosta. US 221 leads west with US 84 to Quitman and northeast to Lakeland.


Other transportation

* The
Valdosta Regional Airport Valdosta Regional Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) south of the central business district of Valdosta, a city in Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is owned by the Valdosta-Lowndes County Airport ...
, south of the center of Valdosta, is served by
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. One of the List of airlines by foundation date, world's oldest airlines in operation, Delta is headquartered in Atla ...
to
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , also known as Atlanta Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport, Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield, Hartsfield–Jackson and, formerly, as the Atlanta Municipal Airport, is the primary internatio ...
and by
Atlantic Southeast Airlines Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) was a regional U.S. airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia, flying to 144 destinations as a Delta Connection carrier on behalf of Delta Air Lines via a code sharing agreement and, as of ...
as a
Delta Connection Delta Connection is a regional airline brand name for Delta Air Lines, under which a number of individually owned regional airlines primarily operate short- and medium-haul routes. Mainline major air carriers often use regional airlines to ope ...
. There is also a
Greyhound The English Greyhound, or simply the Greyhound, is a breed of dog, a sighthound which has been bred for coursing, greyhound racing and hunting. Since the rise in large-scale adoption of retired racing Greyhounds, the breed has seen a resurge ...
bus station.


Pedestrians and cycling

* Azalea City Trail * VSU Walking Trail System


Streetcar

* In 1898, the Valdosta Street Railway Company secured the right to operate streetcars on Patterson, Ashley, Toombs, Lee, Hill, Central, Crane and Gordon streets. Valdosta was one of the smallest cities in America to have a street railway system. The streetcar operated in the downtown area between 1899 and 1924. The abandoned tracks were removed in the 1940s to be used as scrap metal for the war effort.


Intercity rail

For several decades the Atlantic Coast Line and the Southern Railway ran regular passenger trains on a
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
to Florida circuit, making stops in Valdosta, albeit at different stations. The Atlantic Coast Line ran the ''
South Wind A south wind is a wind that originates in the south and blows in a northward direction. Words used in English to describe the south wind are auster, buster (a violent south gale), föhn/foehn (alps), ghibli (Libya with various spellings), friage ...
'' through Valdosta, and the Southern operated the ''
Ponce de Leon Ponce may refer to: *Ponce (surname) * *Ponce, Puerto Rico, a city in Puerto Rico ** Ponce High School ** Ponce massacre, 1937 * USS ''Ponce'', several ships of the US Navy *Manuel Ponce, a Mexican composer active in the 20th century * British sla ...
'' and the ''
Royal Palm ''Roystonea regia'', commonly known as the Cuban royal palm or Florida royal palm, is a species of palm that is native to Mexico, parts of Central America and the Caribbean, and southern Florida. A large and attractive palm, it has been planted ...
'' through the town. After
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
assumed passenger rail operations in the United States in 1971 it operated the '' Floridian'' from Chicago to
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
and
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
. In a group of several train disestablishments in 1979, Amtrak discontinued the ''Floridian'', thus marking the last time that passenger trains served south Georgia (excepting the New York-Florida service in eastern Georgia).


Notable people

*
Michelle Anderson Michelle J. Anderson (born January 30, 1967) is the 10th President of Brooklyn College, and a leading scholar on rape law. Education Anderson graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Community ...
, president of
Brooklyn College Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls about 15,000 undergraduate and 2,800 graduate students on a 35-acre campus. Being New York City's first publ ...
and a scholar on rape law *
Alex W. Bealer Alexander Winkler Bealer, III, known as Alex W. Bealer (March 6, 1921 – March 17, 1980), was an old-time Master craftsman, craftsman of woodworking and blacksmithing from Atlanta, Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. He authored ' ...
, Atlanta blacksmith and author; born in Valdosta in 1921 *
Alfred Corn Alfred Corn (born August 14, 1943) is an American poet and essayist. Early life Alfred Corn was born in Bainbridge, Georgia in 1943 and raised in Valdosta, Georgia. Corn graduated from Emory University in 1965 with a B.A. in French literature ...
, poet and essayist; raised in Valdosta *
Doc Holliday John Henry Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887), better known as Doc Holliday, was an American gambler, gunfighter, and dentist. A close friend and associate of lawman Wyatt Earp, Holliday is best known for his role in the event ...
, Western dentist, gunfighter and gambler; spent his youth in Valdosta *
Louis Lomax Louis Emanuel Lomax (August 16, 1922 – July 30, 1970) was an African-American journalist and author. He was also the first African-American television journalist. Early years Lomax was born in Valdosta, Georgia. His parents were Emanuel C. Smi ...
, African-American journalist and the son of a leading local educator *
James Lord Pierpont James Lord Pierpont (April 25, 1822 – August 5, 1893)Lewis, DaveJames Pierpont Biography, AllMusic, retrieved December 16, 2011 was an American songwriter , arranger, organist, Confederate States soldier, and composer, best known for writing ...
, composer of "
Jingle Bells "Jingle Bells" is one of the best-known and most commonly sung American songs in the world. It was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and published under the title "The One Horse Open Sleigh" in September 1857. It has been claimed th ...
"; lived many years in Valdosta, where he taught music *
Elsie Quarterman Elsie Quarterman (November 28, 1910 – June 9, 2014) was a prominent plant ecologist. She was a Professor Emerita at Vanderbilt University. Quarterman was born on November 28, 1910 in Valdosta, Georgia. She earned a B.A. from Georgia State Wome ...
, plant biologist and professor of biology at
Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...
; born in Valdosta in 1910 * Mary Turner, African-American lynching victim


Entertainment

*
Rhett Akins Thomas Rhett Akins Sr. (born October 13, 1969) is an American singer and songwriter. Signed to Decca Records between 1994 and 1997, he released two albums for that label (1995's '' A Thousand Memories'' and 1996's '' Somebody New''), followed by ...
, country artist, two-time Songwriter of the Year, member of the Peach Pickers writing trio and his son,
Thomas Rhett Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...
, country music artist * Don Fleming, indie rock musician and producer *
From First to Last From First to Last is an American post-hardcore band based in the Los Angeles Area and Tampa, Florida. Formed by Matt Good, Scott Oord, and Parker Nelms in November 1999, the current line-up consists of Matt Good (lead guitar, vocals), Sonny M ...
(Matt Good, Derek Bloom and Travis Richer),
post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. It was initially inspired by post-punk and noise rock. Like post-punk, the term has been ...
band *
Ben Hayslip Ben Hayslip (born March 11, 1970 in Evans, Georgia) is an American country music songwriter. Early life Hayslip first attended Valdosta High School in Valdosta GA where he was a freshman quarterback for the 1984 State and National champion Val ...
, two-time Country Music Songwriter of the Year. Member of The Peach Pickers along with Valdosta native Rhett Akins *
Bill Hicks William Melvin Hicks (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994) was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, and musician. His material—encompassing a wide range of social issues including religion, politics, and philosophy—wa ...
, comedian; born in Valdosta * NewSong, Christian band * Margaret Pardee, violinist and violin teacher *
Pauley Perrette Pauley Perrette (born March 27, 1969) is an American retired actress and singer. She played Abby Sciuto in the television series '' NCIS'' from 2003 to 2018. Early life Perrette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised throughout the so ...
, actress best known for ''NCIS''; attended Valdosta State University *
Billy Joe Royal Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American country soul singer. His most successful record was " Down in the Boondocks" in 1965. Life and career Born in Valdosta, Georgia, to Clarence and Mary Sue Smith Royal, and rai ...
, country music and pop artist; born in Valdosta *
Sonny Shroyer Otis Burt "Sonny" Shroyer Jr. (born August 28, 1935) is an American actor and singer who has appeared in various television and movie roles. He is known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Enos Strate in the television series ''The Dukes of Hazzard''. ...
, actor best known for role as
Enos Strate ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television serie ...
on ''
The Dukes of Hazzard ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...
''; born in Valdosta *
Domonique Simone Domonique Simone (born June 18, 1971, in Valdosta, Georgia) is an African American, African-American pornography, adult actress. At the age of 17, Simone won a scholarship to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. At the age of 18, i ...
, adult film star *
Demond Wilson Grady Demond Wilson (born October 13, 1946) is an American actor and author. He portrayed Lamont Sanford, the son of Fred Sanford (played by Redd Foxx) in the NBC sitcom ''Sanford and Son'' (1972–77), and Oscar Madison in ''The New Odd Coupl ...
, minister and TV actor best known for playing Lamont on ''
Sanford and Son ''Sanford and Son'' is an American sitcom television series that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977. It was based on the British sitcom ''Steptoe and Son'', which initially aired on BBC One in the United ...
'' * William Workman, opera singer


Sports

*
Briny Baird Michael Jancey "Briny" Baird (born May 11, 1972) is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Buy.com Tour. Early life Baird was born in Miami Beach, Florida, the son of professional golfer Butch Baird. He played varsity ...
, professional
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
er on
PGA Tour The PGA Tour (stylized in all capital letters as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also k ...
and
Nationwide Tour The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental golf tour, tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either not yet reached the PGA Tour, or who have done so but then failed to win enough FedEx Cup points to stay at tha ...
*
Buck Belue Benjamin Franklin "Buck" Belue played American football and baseball at the University of Georgia from 1978 to 1981. He was the quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs in 1980, when the team went 12–0, and, after beating Notre Dame in the Sugar ...
, former Valdosta High School standout and quarterback of the
University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...
's 1980 national championship team, now a radio talk show host *
Dusty Bonner Dusty Bonner (born October 27, 1978) is a former American football quarterback. He was a standout Harlon Hill Trophy winner in 2000 and 2001 while playing for Valdosta State University, and was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2002 by the A ...
, VSU quarterback, later played for Kentucky, NFL's
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...
and arena football league *
Dana Brinson Dana Brinson (born April 10, 1965) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the eighth round of the 1989 NFL Draft. He played ...
, former NFL player * Vincent Burns, NFL
defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...
(
Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
) *
Lorenzo Cain Lorenzo Lamar Cain (born April 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball center fielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals. The Brewers drafted him in the ...
, MLB center fielder *
Ellis Clary Ellis Clary (September 11, 1916 – June 2, 2000), nicknamed "Cat", was an American professional baseball player, coach and scout. Born in Valdosta, Georgia, he threw and batted right-handed, stood tall, and weighed 160 pounds (73 kg). He ...
, former
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) player, coach, and scout *
Buck Coats Buck Coats (born June 9, 1982) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder. Career Coats was drafted in the 18th round (523rd overall) of the 2000 MLB Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Coats made his Major League debut for the Cubs on August 22, ...
, former MLB player * Pepper Daniels, baseball player in the
Negro leagues The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...
*
William "Red" Dawson William Alfred "Red" Dawson (born December 4, 1942) is a former American football player and assistant coach for Marshall University. He was nicknamed "Red" for his red hair. Playing career The Valdosta, Georgia native attended Florida State ...
, only surviving coach of the 1970 Marshall tragedy, chronicled in the movie '' We Are Marshall'' *
Harris English Harris English (born July 23, 1989) is an American professional golfer and currently a member of the PGA Tour. Amateur career Born in Valdosta, Georgia, English attended The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for high school, graduating ...
, professional golfer on the PGA Tour *
Dot Fulghum James Lavoisier "Dot" Fulghum (July 4, 1900 – November 2, 1947) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in two games with the 1921 Philadelphia Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). Listed at and , he batted and threw rig ...
, played in MLB for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1921 * Willie Gary (American football), Willie Gary, NFL, St. Louis Rams, played in Super Bowl XXXVI * Randall Godfrey, NFL linebacker, Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and San Diego Chargers * DL Hall, MLB prospect and former first-round pick * Brice Hunter, NFL wide receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers * Sean Kazmar Jr., former MLB player * Malcolm Mitchell, NFL wide receiver, New England Patriots * Kenny Moore (American football), Kenny Moore, NFL player * Todd Peterson, former NFL player * Jay Ratliff, NFL nose tackle, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears * Greg Reid, former Florida State and Valdosta State football player, now plays for Arena Football League team, Tampa Bay Storm * Desi Relaford, Desmond (Desi) Relaford, MLB infielder * Stan Rome, NFL player, Kansas City Chiefs (1979–1982) * Coleman Rudolph, football player, Georgia Tech and NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets, Jets * Glenn Schumann, football coach who is currently the co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the Georgia Bulldogs football, Georgia Bulldogs * Telvin Smith, NFL linebacker, played for Florida State Football, before being drafted to the Jacksonville Jaguars


Politics

* Allen Boyd, served as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat in the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives from Florida from 1997 to 2011 * Charlie Norwood, served as a Republican Party (United States), Republican congressman from Georgia from 1995 to 2007 * Melvin E. Thompson, the 71st governor of Georgia, retired and died in Valdosta


Valdosta in fiction

*Parts of Fannie Flagg's novel ''Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe'' and the Fried Green Tomatoes, 1991 film based upon the novel are set in Valdosta. *In Allen Steele's science fiction novel ''Coyote Frontier'', Valdosta in the year 2070 is the site of Camp Buchanan, an internment camp for dissident liberal intellectuals. *Scenes from ''Ernest in the Army'' take place in Valdosta, even though the entire film was shot in South Africa. *Scenes from the film ''Zombieland'', starring Woody Harrelson, were shot on Valdosta streets and at nearby
Wild Adventures Wild Adventures (known previously as Liberty Farms) is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia, which is located south of Valdosta, Georgia, United States. It is owned by Herschend Family Entertainment and has been managed by Jon Vigue ...
theme park. *In ''Cotton Patch Gospel'', Joe moves Jesus and the rest of the family to Valdosta when Herod dies. *The Lady Chablis performed in Valdosta in the novel ''Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil'' by John Berendt. *The 1986 movie ''As Summers Die'' starring Bette Davis and Jamie Lee Curtis was filmed in Valdosta. *In John Steinbeck's novel ''East of Eden (novel), East of Eden'', Adam Trask stops in Valdosta to steal supplies and request money from his brother Charles after escaping from a Florida chain gang on his way back to Connecticut. *In the movie ''The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck'', the title character claims that they are heading towards "the roughest country this side of Valdosta, Georgia". *One of the opening sketches of the second episode of the first season of the sketch comedy series ''Mr. Show with Bob and David'' features a Dixiecrat senator, played by Bob Odenkirk, attending a folk festival in Valdosta and ordering it shut down when he decides the featured exhibits are too suggestive.


References


External links


City of Valdosta official websiteValdosta
at New Georgia Encyclopedia
South Georgia Historic Newspapers Archive
Digital Library of Georgia
{{authority control Valdosta, Georgia, Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in Lowndes County, Georgia County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in the Valdosta metropolitan area, *