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, Missouri
...
,
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. The population was 2,960 at the 2010 census. It is part of the
Atlanta metropolitan area
Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the ...
In the 1890s, lots were sold in the area, which was known as Ingleside.
Avondale Estates was founded in 1924 by
George Francis Willis
George Francis Willis (1880, Waynesville, North Carolina - July 20, 1932) was an American millionaire who made his fortunes with patent medicines.
Biography
Willis attended Bingham Military School in Asheville, North Carolina, and later moved ...
, a patent medicine magnate, who purchased the entire village of Ingleside to create a
planned community
A planned community, planned city, planned town, or planned settlement is any community that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed on previously undeveloped land. This contrasts with settlements that evolve ...
. The city was named after
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon (), commonly known as just Stratford, is a market town and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district, in the county of Warwickshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It is situated on the River Avon, north-we ...
, England, birthplace of
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
. Downtown buildings were designed in a
Tudor style
Tudor Revival architecture (also known as mock Tudor in the UK) first manifested itself in domestic architecture in the United Kingdom in the latter half of the 19th century. Based on revival of aspects that were perceived as Tudor architecture ...
to reinforce this image, as were many of the houses in the city. The city incorporated in 1927.
Geography
Avondale Estates is entirely underlain by
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 ...
, and clay-rich soil developed on it. Some of this granite can be seen outcropped along the shore of Lake Avondale.
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 0.88% is water.
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 3,567 people, 1,422 households, and 865 families residing in the city.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, Avondale Estates had a population of 2,960. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 80.9% white, 14.5% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% reporting some other race and 2.0% reporting two or more races. 2.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.
Arts and culture
The mostly Tudor-style downtown area of Avondale Estates, known as the commercial district, is home to a variety of businesses including consignment stores. Pizza, southern comfort food, and Chicago style hot dogs are some of the restaurant fare options within the city limits. The city is the location of the first Waffle House restaurant which opened on
Labor Day
Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...
weekend in 1955 having been converted into a museum, along with an existing operational full-time Waffle House nearby, with numerous others in the Decatur, Georgia area as well. The Avondale Salad, featured on certain Waffle House lunch menus, derives its name from the city.
A selection of art galleries and studios are located in an area of the city known as the Rail Arts District. Little Tree Art Studios located on Franklin Street, is a warehouse that includes multiple artist studios and a music rehearsal space.
The movie, ''
Instant Family
''Instant Family'' is a 2018 American family comedy-drama film starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as parents who adopt three siblings, played by Isabela Moner, Gustavo Quiroz, and Julianna Gamiz. Also starring Margo Martindale, Julie Hagerty, ...
'' (2018), starring
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three ...
, was filmed in Avondale Estates.
Government
The city is governed by a mayor and a board of commissioners. Avondale Estates also has a city manager and other administrative positions. The city uses the DeKalb County Fire Service for fire and EMS calls, but provides its own police service.
The Avondale Estates Police Department (AEPD) has approximately 15 members providing around the clock coverage. Officers drive Dodge Chargers equipped with PIT bumpers, LED lights, in-car computers with e-tickets, and digital video cameras. City Court is held multiple times a month.
The
Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) is a state agency of Georgia, United States, headquartered in Avondale Estates, near Decatur and in Greater Atlanta. The agency operates juvenile correctional facilities.
The department was under ...
has its headquarters in Avondale Estates.
The
United States 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 ...
operates the Avondale Estates Post Office.
Education
Avondale Estates is served by the
DeKalb County School System
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 ...
.
Avondale Elementary School is in the city limits. Druid Hills Middle School, and
Druid Hills High School
Druid Hills High School is a high school operated by the DeKalb County School District. It is located at 1798 Haygood Drive, in the Druid Hills CDP in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States.Avondale High School, formerly adjacent to the city limits and serving the city, closed at the end of May 2011, and the students were distributed to neighboring schools. The campus is now used exclusively by the
magnet school
In the U.S. education system, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities (usually school boards) as school ...
DeKalb School of the Arts
DeKalb School of the Arts (DSA) is a public performing arts magnet school in DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, east of the city of Atlanta. It is a part of the DeKalb County School District, as well as a member of the Arts Schools Network.
D ...
.
In 2008, local parents began organizing formal efforts through the Avondale Education Association, a local grass-roots non-profit organization that was founded in October 2003, to create a charter school that would achieve the standards required by law, while establishing an elementary school that reflected the values of the community. Their proposal was initially rejected by the Dekalb County School Board, but it was subsequently selected by the Georgia Charter Schools Commission as one of a small number of schools to be chartered directly by the State of Georgia. The school, Museum School of Avondale Estates, opened in 2010, and Avondale Estates therefore lies within its attendance zone.
The Museum School admissions are accepted through a lottery.