Hawkinsville is a city in Middle Georgia and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

Pulaski County, Georgia Pulaski County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,855. The county seat is Hawkinsville. History Pulaski County was created by an act of the Georgia General A ...

, United States. As of 2020, it has a population of 3,980. The city is known as the "Harness Horse Capital of Georgia" and holds an annual Harness Horse Festival to celebrate its connections to the sport. Hawkinsville is also known as the "Highway Hub," with seven major highways running through the city.

History

Hawkinsville was founded in 1830, and in 1836, it replaced Hartford as the county seat of Pulaski County. The city was named after Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, a Senator and Delegate to the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...

from North Carolina. After the war ended, he was appointed

Indian agent In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with American Indian tribes on behalf of the U.S. government. Agents established in Nonintercourse Act of 1793 The federal regulation of Indian affairs in the Un ...

in charge of affairs south of the Ohio River by

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

. Well before the city's formal establishment, Hawkinsville was a key center for regional trade and travel. It was situated along the Slosheye Trail, a trading route dating back to around 1750 that connected the area to

Drayton, Georgia Drayton is an unincorporated community in Dooly County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. History The community was named after William Drayton (1776–1846), an American congressman. A post office called Drayton was established in 1836, and remaine ...

. This trail was used by Native Americans and early European traders throughout the area. The traffic on the trail continued to grow, and it was eventually turned into a road. Its location is marked on what is now Commerce Street in Downtown Hawkinsville. In 1818

General Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before Presidency of Andrew Jackson, his presidency, he rose to fame as a general in the U.S. Army and served in both houses ...

is believed to have passed through the city while travelling to Florida during the

First Seminole War The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were a series of three military conflicts between the United States and the Seminoles that took place in Florida between about 1816 and 1858. The Seminoles are a Native American nation which co ...

. The trail is designated by the Andrew Jackson Trail historical marker in the city. Hawkinsville is known as the "Harness Horse Capital of Georgia." Since 1894, the city has hosted

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

events. Beginning in the 1920s, harness horses have travelled from colder climates to train Hawkinsville due to its Hawkinsville's mild winters. The city holds an annual Harness Festival on the first Saturday in April to celebrate the legacy of harness racing in Hawkinsville.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (1.57%) is water.

Climate

Hawkinsville has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

''Cfa''), with mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,980 people and 1,449 households in the city.

Economy

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, ...

operates the

Pulaski State Prison Pulaski State Prison (PSP) is a Georgia Department of Corrections prison for women located in Hawkinsville, Georgia. It has thirteen buildings with forty eight double bunk rooms. The facility opened in 1994. History Around the period 2005– ...

in Hawkinsville. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...

operates the Hawkinsville Post Office.

Arts and culture

National Register of Historic Places

* Hawkinsville Opera House, constructed in 1907, has served as an entertainment venue, religious gathering place, and government center. * Hawkinsville Public School, constructed between 1936 and 1969. * Merritt-Ragan House, a Queen-Anne style home built in 1840. * Pulaski County Courthouse, constructed in 1874. *

Taylor Hall Taylor Hall (born November 14, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NHL entry draft selected by the Edmonton Oilers. ...

, moved to Hawkinsville in 1836. * St. Thomas African Methodist Episcopal Church, constructed between 1908 and 1912. * R.J. Taylor Memorial Hospital, which operated from 1938 to 1976. * Hawkinsville Commercial and Industrial Historic District.

Education

Pulaski County School District

The Pulaski County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve. It consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 95.70 full-time teachers and 1,341 students. *Pulaski County Elementary School *Pulaski County Middle School * Hawkinsville High School

Central Georgia Technical College

Central Georgia Technical College Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC) is a unit of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) and provides education for an eleven-county service area in central Georgia. The school's service area includes Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Dooly, ...

operates the Sam Way, Sr. Hawkinsville Workforce Development Center. The Center offers an array of educational opportunities, including adult education, dual enrollment courses, and continuing education.

Infrastructure

Highways include: *

U.S. Route 129 U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an Auxiliary U.S. Route, auxiliary route of U.S. Route 29, US 29, which it Intersection (road), intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with U.S. Route 19 in Florid ...

* U.S. Route 341 *

Georgia State Route 26 State Route 26 (SR 26) is a State highway (US), state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Chattahoochee County, Georgia, Chattahoochee, Marion County, Georgia, Marion, Schley County, Georgia, Schley, Macon County, G ...

Georgia State Route 27 State Route 27 (SR 27) is a state highway that travels west-to-east through portions of Quitman, Stewart, Webster, Sumter, Dooly, Pulaski, Dodge, Telfair, Jeff Davis, Appling, Wayne, and Glynn counties in the southern par ...

Georgia State Route 257 State Route 257 (SR 257) is a southwest–to–northeast state highway located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels from Cordele to Dublin, via Hawkinsville. Its routing is located within portions of Crisp, ...

Georgia State Route 230 State Route 230 (SR 230) is a west–east state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It travels in a northern arc through portions of Dooly, Pulaski, and Dodge counties. Route description SR 230 begins a ...

Notable people

* ''

Exxon Valdez ''Exxon Valdez'' was an oil tanker that gained notoriety after running aground in Prince William Sound, spilling her cargo of crude oil into the sea. On 24 March 1989, while owned by the former Exxon Shipping Company, captained by Joseph Haz ...

'' Captain

Joseph Hazelwood Joseph Jeffrey Hazelwood (September 24, 1946 – ) was an American sailor. He was the Captain (nautical), captain of ''Exxon Valdez'' during her Exxon Valdez oil spill, 1989 oil spill. He was accused of being intoxicated which contributed to the ...

was born in Hawkinsville. * Charles Johnson, former defensive end for the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

, was born in Hawkinsville. *

Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for ...

(musician and businessman) was born in Columbia, South Carolina but was raised in Hawkinsville. * Eva C. Mitchell, professor of education at

Hampton University Hampton University is a private, historically black, research university in Hampton, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1868 as Hampton Agricultural and Industrial School, it was established by Black and White leaders of the American Missiona ...

from 1930 to 1960, born in Hawkinsville. * Robert Henry Scarborough Jr. (former Vice Admiral of the United States Coast Guard) was born and raised in Hawkinsville. * Tom Forkner, co-founder of

Waffle House Waffle House, Inc. is an American restaurant chain with over 2,000 locations in 25 states in the United States. The bulk of the locations are in the Midwest and the South, where the chain is a regional cultural icon. The menu consists mainly o ...

, was born in Hawkinsville. * Inez Tannenbaum, former

South Carolina Superintendent of Education The South Carolina superintendent of education is the executive of the South Carolina Department of Education. The superintendent is responsible for overseeing the 1.5 billion dollar budget of the department and ensuring that schools and schools d ...

and chairperson of

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC, CPSC, or commission) is an independent agency of the United States government. The CPSC seeks to promote the safety of consumer products by addressing "unreasonable risks" of injury ...

was born in Hawkinsville.

References

External links

Hawkinsville Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Cities in Pulaski County, Georgia County seats in Georgia (U.S. state) 1830 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)