Quitman, Georgia
Quitman was the home of James Pierpont, author of the song "Jingle Bells" (1857), and uncle of American financier J.P. Morgan. Pierpont was an organist for the First Presbyterian Church. James' daughter, Lillie, was Quitman's first librarian in 1880.
A local Quitman ordinance prohibits chickens from crossing the road.
It is called "Camellia City", as the tree grows in profusion around the area.
History
Quitman was designated the county seat of the newly formed Brooks County in 1858. It was incorporated as a town in 1859 and as a city in 1904. As the county seat, it was the center of trading in the county, which was devoted to cotton plantations before and after the American Civil War. The community was named for John A. Quitman, a hero of the Mexican–American War.
Geography
Quitman is located in southern Georgia at 30°47′05″N 83°33′39″W / 30.784677°N 83.560747°W. U.S. Routes 84 and 221 pass through the center of the city. US 84 leads west 121 miles to Dothan, Alabama, while US 221 leads south 24 miles (39 km) to Greenville, Florida, and 26 miles (42 km) to Interstate 10. US 84 and US 221 together lead east 15 miles (24 km) to Interstate 75 and 17 miles (27 km) to Valdosta.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Quitman has a total area of 4.1 square miles (10.7 km), of which 0.019 square miles (0.05 km), or .50%, is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification System, Quitman has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
| Climate data for Quitman, Georgia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18 (64) |
19 (67) |
23 (73) |
27 (80) |
31 (87) |
33 (91) |
33 (92) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
27 (81) |
23 (73) |
18 (65) |
26 (79) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4 (40) |
6 (42) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
16 (61) |
20 (68) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
13 (56) |
8 (46) |
4 (40) |
13 (55) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 100 (4.1) |
110 (4.4) |
120 (4.6) |
91 (3.6) |
89 (3.5) |
140 (5.7) |
180 (6.9) |
150 (6) |
120 (4.6) |
64 (2.5) |
64 (2.5) |
94 (3.7) |
1,320 (51.9) |
| Source: Weatherbase | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 784 | — | |
| 1880 | 1,400 | 78.6% | |
| 1890 | 1,868 | 33.4% | |
| 1900 | 2,281 | 22.1% | |
| 1910 | 3,915 | 71.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,393 | 12.2% | |
| 1930 | 4,149 | −5.6% | |
| 1940 | 4,450 | 7.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,769 | 7.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,071 | 6.3% | |
| 1970 | 4,818 | −5.0% | |
| 1980 | 5,188 | 7.7% | |
| 1990 | 5,292 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 4,638 | −12.4% | |
| 2010 | 3,850 | −17.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,064 | 5.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 983 | 24.19% |
| Black or African American | 2,805 | 69.02% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.07% |
| Asian | 30 | 0.74% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 113 | 2.78% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 128 | 3.15% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,064 people, 1,476 households, and 836 families residing in the city.
Industry
The prevalent industries in Quitman are farming and automotive.
Education
Schools for Quitman are Quitman Elementary School, Brooks County Middle School, and Brooks County High School.
Media
Radio station WGOV-FM 96.7 is licensed to broadcast from Quitman. The Quitman Free Press, a weekly newspaper, is the official legal publication for Brooks County. It has been in operation since 1876.
Notable people
- Nellie Weldon Cocroft - ragtime composer, born in Quitman
- Edna Cain Daniel, writer, journalist, long-time publisher of the Quitman Free Press
- Dana A. Dorsey - Banker, realtor, business executive, and philanthropist. Child of freed slaves.
- Henry L. Reaves - politician, farmer, and cattleman
- James Lord Pierpont - songwriter of Jingle Bells, church organist, taught at the Quitman Academy. Uncle of J.P. Morgan.