Forsyth 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 ...

Monroe County Monroe County may refer to seventeen counties in the United States, all named for James Monroe: *Monroe County, Alabama * Monroe County, Arkansas * Monroe County, Florida *Monroe County, Georgia * Monroe County, Illinois * Monroe County, Indi ...

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.Forsyth
Georgia.gov The population was 3,788 at the 2010 census. Forsyth is part of the Macon

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 as a city or tow ...

. The Forsyth Commercial Historic District is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

and is a tourist attraction. It includes the Monroe County Courthouse and Courthouse Square as well as the surrounding area, including several examples of 19th-century architecture. Forsyth is also home to the Confederate Cemetery,

Tift College Tift College was a private liberal arts women's college located in Forsyth, Georgia. Founded in 1849, the college ceased operations in 1987, after being merged with Mercer University in nearby Macon, Georgia. The campus facilities have been ad ...

, and Rum Creek Wildlife Management Area.

History

Forsyth was established in 1823. That same year, the seat of Monroe County was transferred to Forsyth from Johnstonville. Forsyth, Georgia, was named for John Forsyth, governor of Georgia from 1827 to 1829 and Secretary of State under Presidents

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

and Martin Van Buren.

Geography

Forsyth is located at . The city is located along Interstate 75 and

U.S. Route 41 U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...

northwest of Macon. I-75 runs southeast to northwest through the eastern part of town, with access from exits 185 through 188. The interstate leads southeast 24 mi (39 km) to downtown Macon and northwest 61 mi (98 km) to

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 498,7 ...

. US 41 runs through the downtown area from east to west, leading east to Macon and west 13 mi (21 km) to Barnesville. Other highways that run through the city include Georgia State Routes 18, 42, and 83. 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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

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 off ...

, there were 4,384 people, 1,687 households, and 883 families residing in the city.

2000 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 inc ...

of 2000, there were 3,776 people, 1,457 households, and 1,027 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,560 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 40.3%

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 ...

, 57.6%

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 ...

, 0.7% Native American, and 0.90% from two or more races.

Hispanic 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population. There were 1,457 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% 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 ...

living together, 26.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.10. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $30,523, and the median income for a family was $35,405. Males had a median income of $25,600 versus $17,536 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 $19,097. About 14.9% of families and 18.5% 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 ...

, including 29.1% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The

Georgia Department of Corrections The Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) is an agency of the U.S. state of Georgia operating state prisons. The agency is headquartered in Forsyth, on the former campus of Tift College. Headquarters The GDC has its offices in Gibson Hall, ...

has moved into the former

site in 2010. Burruss Correctional Training Center is located in Forsyth next to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center. Forsyth's first African American mayor, John Howard, served from 2011 to 2015. City Councilman Eric Wilson became mayor in 2015.

Monroe County School District

The Monroe County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of three elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. The district has 225 full-time teachers and over 3,872 students.School Stats
Retrieved June 24, 2010. *Samuel E. Hubbard Elementary School *Katherine B. Sutton Elementary School *T.G. Scott Elementary School *Banks Stephens Middle School *William M. Hubbard Middle School * Mary Persons High School

Higher education

was located in Forsyth.

Notable people

* Harold G. Clarke, jurist and legislator * 7 Little Johnstons, reality TV personality family * Eugene Talmadge, 67th Governor of Georgia 1933–1937, 1941-1943 * Shelby Myrick, prominent Savannah lawyer and state legislator

References

External links

City of Forsyth, Georgia
{{authority control Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in Monroe County, Georgia County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) Macon metropolitan area, Georgia