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Plains, Georgia

Coordinates: 32°2′1″N 84°23′36″W / 32.03361°N 84.39333°W / 32.03361; -84.39333
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Plains
City
Stores in Plains
Stores in Plains
Official seal of Plains
Seal
Motto: 
"Home of the 39th President of the United States”[1]
Location in Sumter County, Georgia
Location in Sumter County, Georgia
Plains is located in Georgia
Plains
Plains
Location of Plains
Plains is located in the United States
Plains
Plains
Plains (the United States)
Coordinates: 32°2′1″N 84°23′36″W / 32.03361°N 84.39333°W / 32.03361; -84.39333
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountySumter
Area
[2]
 • Total0.81 sq mi (2.11 km2)
 • Land0.81 sq mi (2.11 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
499 ft (152 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total573
 • Density703.93/sq mi (271.76/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
31780
Area code229
FIPS code13-61628[3]
GNIS feature ID0356474[4]
Websiteplainsgeorgia.org
[5]

Plains is a city in Sumter County, Georgia, United States. The population was 776 at the 2010 census.[6] It is part of the Americus Micropolitan Statistical Area. Plains is best known as the birthplace and home of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States.

History

Originally inhabited by the Muscogee people,[7] by the 1840s three small settlements existed nearby: Plains of Dura, Magnolia Springs, and Lebanon.[8] As railway access expanded into the region in response to increased cotton farming, these settlements coalesced closer to the new railway location.[9] As businesses rapidly developed, local businessmen successfully petitioned the State Legislature to shorten Plains of Dura to Plains.[7] Plains was subsequently incorporated in 1896.[9] Plains continued to experience growth fueled by cotton cultivation well into the early twentieth century. A substantial school and the pioneering Wise Sanitarium were both built in the 1920s.[9] Despite differentiation into peanut cultivation,[9] the Great Depression deprived the community of much of its prosperity.[8] Plains remained a quiet Southern town until Jimmy Carter rose to political prominence as Governor of Georgia in the 1970s, eventually becoming President of the United States from 1977 to 1981.[9]

During the 1976 presidential election and for many years afterwards, Plains saw a giant influx in tourism. Nearly ten thousand people would pour into the community daily.[10]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km2), all land. The city's boundary is in the shape of a circle.[11][12] Plains has a center longitude/latitude point which is -83.0813/33.4553. Plains is located in west-south-western Georgia, 120 miles due south of Atlanta.

Points of interest

Many of the town’s attractions are related to the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Carter’s high school, birthplace, campaign headquarters, former site of family business, and his brother Billy’s service station are all within a close vicinity of one another in the center of town. The iconic Smiling Peanut Statue, a gift to Carter from supporters in Evansville, Indiana, lies on the outskirts of town. His boyhood home is in nearby Archery.

Andersonville National Historic Site and the National Prisoner of War Museum are located in the vicinity of Plains. Georgia Southwestern State University is located in the nearby town of Americus. Westville, a re-created town depicting the living history of mid-nineteenth century Georgia, is located in the nearby town of Lumpkin in adjacent Stewart County.

Climate

This area climate is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Plains has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[13]

Climate data for Plains, Georgia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 57
(14) 		61
(16) 		68
(20) 		77
(25) 		84
(29) 		89
(32) 		91
(33) 		90
(32) 		86
(30) 		78
(26) 		69
(21) 		60
(16) 		76
(24)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 35
(2) 		37
(3) 		44
(7) 		51
(11) 		60
(16) 		67
(19) 		69
(21) 		69
(21) 		64
(18) 		53
(12) 		44
(7) 		37
(3) 		52
(11)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 4.9
(120) 		4.6
(120) 		5.2
(130) 		3.5
(89) 		3.3
(84) 		4.7
(120) 		5.2
(130) 		4.5
(110) 		3.5
(89) 		2.4
(61) 		3.3
(84) 		4.2
(110) 		49.4
(1,250)
Source: Weatherbase[14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1870374—
188045922.7%
189051011.1%
1900290−43.1%
191040740.3%
192047917.7%
1930406−15.2%
1940364−10.3%
1950359−1.4%
1960273−24.0%
1970236−13.6%
1980231−2.1%
199028623.8%
2000283−1.0%
2010776174.2%
2020573−26.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 637 people, 215 households, and 136 families residing in the city. The population density was 780.0 inhabitants per square mile (301.2/km2). There were 244 housing units at an average density of 298.8 per square mile (115.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 38.62% White, 59.81% African American, 1.26% from other races, and 0.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population. There were 215 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.7% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 16.5% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 69.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 58.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,719, and the median income for a family was $29,375. Males had a median income of $24,375 versus $16,406 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,602. About 22.2% of families and 25.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.2% of those under age 18 and 17.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Jimmy Carter riding his bicycle in his hometown of Plains (2008)

Former President Jimmy Carter was born in Plains at the Wise Sanitarium (now renamed the Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center, in honor of his mother). His wife Rosalynn, their daughter Amy, his younger brother Billy, his younger sister, Gloria Carter Spann, his youngest sister, Ruth Carter Stapleton, and first cousin Hugh Carter were also born in Plains. The former president and his wife returned to Plains when he left office, and continue to live there.

References

  1. ^ "Official Page of the City of Plains, Georgia". Official Page of the City of Plains, Georgia. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Plains city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Official Page of the City of Plains ::". www.plainsgeorgia.org.
  8. ^ a b "Plains Historic District - Jimmy Carter National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Plains". New Georgia Encyclopedia.
  10. ^ Buccellato, Robert (2016). Jimmy Carter in Plains: The Presidential Hometown. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1467115414.
  11. ^ "Map of Plains, Georgia". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
  12. ^ "Enigma, Georgia: Mystery of the South's Circular Towns". Big Think. May 2014. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "Plains, Georgia Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)". Weatherbase.
  14. ^ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on October 16, 2013.
  15. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
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