Albany, Georgia

Albany, Georgia
City
City of Albany
The Albany Government Center
Seal
Nickname(s): The Good Life City, The Artesian City, Egypt Of America
Motto: "There's only one Albany, Georgia"
Location in Dougherty County and the state of Georgia
Albany, Georgia Location in the United States
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Dougherty
Incorporated (city)	December 27, 1838
Government
• Mayor	Dorothy Hubbard (D)
Area
• City	55.9 sq mi (144.7 km2)
• Land	55.5 sq mi (144.8 km2)
• Water	0.3 sq mi (0.9 km2)
Elevation	203 ft (62 m)
Population (2010)
• Density	1,385.5/sq mi (535.0/km2)
• Urban	77,434
• Metro	157,308 (US: 258th)
Demonym(s)	Albanian
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code(s)	31701, 31705, 31707, 31721, 31763
Area code(s)	229
FIPS code	13-01052
GNIS feature ID	0310424
Website	http://www.albany.ga.us

Albany is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia and the seat of Dougherty County. Located in southwest Georgia, it is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the eighth-largest city in Georgia.

History

The area where Albany is located was formerly inhabited by the Creek Indians, who called it Thronateeska after their word for "flint" because of the mineral flint that was found near the river. The Creeks used this flintstone to make tools and weapons such as arrowheads.

File:Nelson Tift.jpg

Nelson Tift (1810-1891), the founder of Albany, Georgia

American settlement began with Nelson Tift, a businessman from Connecticut, who took land along the Flint River in October 1836 after Indian removal. The Creek were forced to relocate to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. Tift named his new town Albany after the capital of New York; both were located at the navigable heads of rivers. Alexander Shotwell laid out the town in 1836. It was incorporated as a city by an act of the General Assembly of Georgia on December 27, 1838.

Tift for decades was its leading entrepreneur. An ardent booster, he promoted education, business, and railroad construction. During the Civil War he provided naval supplies and helped build two ships. He opposed Radical Reconstruction inside the state and in Congress and was scornful of the Yankee carpetbaggers who came in. Fair concludes that Tift became "more Southern than many natives." His pro-slavery attitudes before the war and his support for segregation afterward made him compatible with Georgia's white elite.

The area was developed by planters using slave labor for clearing land and cotton cultivation. By 1840, Dougherty County's majority population was black, composed overwhelmingly of slaves. The market center for cotton plantations, Albany was in a prime location for shipping cotton to markets by steamboats on the river. In 1858, Tift hired Horace King, a former slave and bridge builder, to construct a toll bridge over the river. King's bridge toll house still stands.

Nicknames for Albany include: The Artesian City The Good Life City The Pecan Capital of the World The Quail Hunting Capital of the World

Already important as a shipping port, Albany later became an important railroad hub in southwestern Georgia. Seven lines were constructed to the town. An exhibit on trains is located at the Thronateeska Heritage Center in the former railroad station.

While integral to the economic life of the town, the Flint River has flooded regularly. There was extensive property damage in 1841 and 1925. Late twentieth-century floods have been extreme. In 1994, a severe flood was caused by rainfall from Tropical Storm Alberto; it killed 14 people and displaced 22,000. The state supported a $150 million renovation of the Albany State University campus to repair storm damage and accomplish upgrades. In addition, new housing was built on the south side of town to replace what had been destroyed. In 1998, the Flint River crested at 35 feet (11 m) above its bed and flooded parts of the city.

Because of flooding, the city has decided against redeveloping areas along the riverfront floodplain for commercial or residential purposes. It is being improved for other uses, with a riverfront walkway and a new aquarium built over a tributary creek.

On February 10, 1940, a severe tornado hit Albany, killing eighteen people and causing large-scale damage.

Albany, Texas, was named in 1873 by county clerk William Cruger after his former home of Albany, Georgia.

On April 11, 1906, the Carnegie Library, created by matching funds from the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, was opened downtown. Originally a segregated facility under Jim Crow laws, it was not open to African Americans until after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It functioned as a library through 1985. In 1992, after renovation, the building was reopened as the headquarters of the Albany Area Arts Council.

In 1912, the downtown U.S. Post Office and Courthouse building opened. Other federal projects have been important to the city and region. In 1937, Chehaw Park was constructed as a part of a New Deal program under the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression.

W. E. B. Du Bois wrote about Albany in his book, The Souls of Black Folk (1903). He described it as a typical African-American majority-populated rural town in the Deep South. Du Bois discussed the culture, agribusiness, and economy of the region. Du Bois described Albany as a small town where local sharecroppers lived. Much of the soil had been depleted of nutrients because of intensive cotton cultivation, and people found it hard to make a living. Once a bustling small city with an economy dependent on cotton, it had numerous cotton gins. The planters were dependent on slave labor and Albany had declined steadily in the late 19th century. After the disruption of the Civil War and poor economy of the late nineteenth century, the local agricultural economy suffered. Du Bois wrote that Dougherty County had many decaying one-room slave cabins and unfenced fields. Despite the problems, local folklore, customs, and culture made Albany a notable small city in the South. The city founded the Albany Museum of Art, which has one of the best African and African-American art collections in the Southeast.

Major changes came with the expansion of military facilities in the city. A U.S. Army Air Corps training base was built near Albany on land owned by the city and leased to the Air Corps for $1 a year. Construction of the base and airfield by the Army Corps of Engineers began on March 25, 1941. The airfield was temporarily deactivated after World War II between August 15, 1946, and September 1, 1947.

After the beginning of the Cold War and the founding of the U.S. Air Force in late 1947, the airfield was reactivated and upgraded with runways for a U.S. Air Force base. It was named Turner Air Force Base. The Air Force used this base for heavy bomber jets, such as the B-52 Stratofortress. A number of other Air Force units were also housed at this Air Force Base. as the base was renamed. Among them were the 1370th Photomapping Group, and refueling and maintenance functions.

In 1951, the U.S. Marine Corps established a logistics base on the eastern outskirts of Albany. During the 1950s and 1960s, so many white servicemen and associated workers arrived that the town briefly became majority white for the first time since 1870. In 1960, the population of Albany reached 50,000 people.

In 1961–1962, African Americans in Albany played a prominent role in the Civil Rights Movement (see the Albany Movement). They led protests and non-violent demonstrations to end segregation of public facilities, gain the ability to vote, and restore their dignity. Assisted by activists from SCLC, CORE, SNCC, and the NAACP, African Americans and supporters took a stand to fight segregation through nonviolence. The city repealed its Jim Crow laws in 1963, but it took federal legislation to secure the franchise.

In 1967, the Air Force closed all its operations at the base, which was transferred to the U.S. Navy and renamed Naval Air Station Albany. NAS Albany was used as the shore base of nearly all the Navy's RA-5C Vigilante twin-jet, carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft. The base was closed and the property was returned to the city in 1974.

In 1979, the Miller Brewing Company purchased part of the old naval base's property to build a new brewery.

The decline in military bases and railroad restructuring led to job losses. Much of the remaining white population moved to suburbs and newer housing out of the city, which became majority African American in the 1970s. Struggling with a poor economy, in 1988, Albany made national headlines as the "Murder Capital of America," with the highest murder rate per capita in the United States. Other cities have since taken that title.

In 2011, Albany made headlines when Tom Knighton, owner of Knighton Media, Inc, announced that his company was purchasing The Albany Journal. Knighton Media was formed to managed Knighton's blog, Laws-n-Sausages, and this was the first known time that a blog had purchased a newspaper anywhere in the world. However, The Albany Journal's print edition was short-lived. Because of high costs and declining subscriptions, the paper announced in August 2012, that it would cease its print edition and be an online-only paper. Knighton said in August: "Our advertising revenue took a big hit after I took over the paper. We kept going for as long as we could, but we finally reached a point where we had two choices: We could go to online only, or we could shut the doors forever.”

Geography

Albany is located at (31.582273, −84.165557). It lies in a belt of historically rich farmland in the East Gulf coastal plain, on the banks of the Flint River.

Topography

Albany lies in the Upper Coastal Plain of Georgia.

Location

Albany is located in southwestern Georgia, 78 mi (126 km) southeast of Columbus, 151 mi (243 km) south of Atlanta, 93 mi (150 km) southwest of Macon, 39 mi (63 km) west of Tifton, and 73 mi (117 km) northwest of Valdosta.

Tree Canopy

As of 2010, the City of Albany had been a member of The Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA Program for 23 years. Tree-lined streets are common, with large, mature oaks and other native trees. The City has a Tree Ordinance and a Certified Arborist on staff.

Parks, Gardens, Trails

Parks

The new archway over Oglethorpe Boulevard at Front Street welcomes visitors to downtown Albany.

The City of Albany's Recreation and Parks Department provides a diverse and comprehensive system of 77 park facilities throughout the City of Albany. Including the following:

• Community Centers
  • Bill Miller Community Center
  • Carver Community Center
  • Carver Gymnasium
  • Henderson Community Center
  • Jackson Heights Fitness and Wellness Center
  • Lockett Station Community Center
  • Thornton Community Center
  • Turner Gymnasium
  • Community Open Air Art Gallery
  • Flint RiverQuarium
• Pools
  • Carver Pool
  • Tift Pool
• Athletic Complexes
  • Gordon Sports Complex
  • Carver Sports Complex
  • Highland Sports Complex
  • Eames Sports Complex
  • Ken Gardens Sports Complex
• Public Golf Course
  • Flint River Golf Course

Gardens

Albany's Garden Club was established in 1996 and is located on the northeast side of Hillsman Park in the Palmyra Heights Neighborhood.

Trails

Albany's Riverfront Trail is a 3.1-mile (5.0 km) paved trail along the Flint River that connects Riverfront Park in Downtown Albany to the Cox Landing Boat Ramp in Northeast Albany, near Chehaw Park. The Oxford Environmental Park Nature Trail is an offshoot of the trail, which provides information about the ecological features of the area.

Shopping

Albany Mall opened in 1976.

Transportation

U.S. Route 19 and U.S. Route 82 are the two major thoroughfares through the city. The two join together north of the city for a short freeway known as the Liberty Expressway. Other major highways that run through the city include Georgia State Route 91, Georgia State Route 133, Georgia State Route 234, and Georgia State Route 520.

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, Albany has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. Albany receives well above the national average amount of precipitation. Much of this comes in the form of heavy showers and thunderstorms. According to 'Cities Ranked and Rated' (Bert Sperling and Peter Sander), Albany reports thunder on 86 days per year. This is more than twice the national average.

Climate data for Albany, Georgia
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	83 (28)	86 (30)	93 (34)	97 (36)	102 (39)	106 (41)	107 (42)	104 (40)	106 (41)	99 (37)	97 (36)	85 (29)	107 (42)
Average high °F (°C)	60 (16)	65 (18)	72 (22)	78 (26)	85 (29)	90 (32)	93 (34)	92 (33)	88 (31)	80 (27)	71 (22)	63 (17)	78.1 (25.6)
Average low °F (°C)	35 (2)	38 (3)	45 (7)	50 (10)	59 (15)	67 (19)	70 (21)	70 (21)	65 (18)	52 (11)	44 (7)	38 (3)	52.8 (11.4)
Record low °F (°C)	1 (−17)	11 (−12)	10 (−12)	27 (−3)	39 (4)	46 (8)	57 (14)	56 (13)	37 (3)	28 (−2)	14 (−10)	6 (−14)	1 (−17)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	6.12 (155.4)	4.78 (121.4)	5.71 (145)	3.54 (89.9)	3.86 (98)	4.88 (124)	6.32 (160.5)	4.38 (111.3)	3.77 (95.8)	2.46 (62.5)	3.78 (96)	3.80 (96.5)	53.4 (1,356.4)
Source:

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,618		—
1870	2,101		29.9%
1880	3,216		53.1%
1890	4,008		24.6%
1900	4,606		14.9%
1910	8,190		77.8%
1920	11,555		41.1%
1930	14,507		25.5%
1940	19,055		31.4%
1950	31,155		63.5%
1960	55,890		79.4%
1970	72,623		29.9%
1980	74,425		2.5%
1990	78,122		5.0%
2000	76,939		−1.5%
2010	77,434		0.6%
Est. 2014	75,769		−2.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

MSA

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had an estimated population of 157,308 and ranked 252nd in the U.S. in 2010. The MSA consists of Dougherty, Terrell, Lee, Worth, and Baker Counties.

City

The postmodern Albany Government Center downtown

As of the census of 2010, there were 77,434 people, 29,781 households, and 18,515 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,385.5 people per square mile (535.0/km²). There were 33,436 housing units at an average density of 577.3 per square mile (222.9/km²).

The racial makeup of the city was 71.6% African American and Black, 25.2% White, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population.

Of the 29,781 total households, 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.7% were married couples living together, 27.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. Households of individuals living alone made up 31.8% of the total, and 9.4% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 13.0% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31.4 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 males age 18 and over, there were 116.7 females.

The median household income in the city was $25,191, and the median income for a family was $35,067. Males had a median income of $31,104 versus $27,407 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,117. About 31.9% of families and 39.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 55.4% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those persons age 65 and over.

Economy

An M88 Recovery Vehicle at the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany undergoes depot maintenance in 2005.

Today, although the city is surrounded by pecan groves, pine trees, farms and plantations, almost none of the population is employed in agriculture. It is heavily mechanized. The city itself however is surrounded by a river which separates the two divisions of Albany.

Health care, education and the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany are the largest employers. Manufacturing, transportation, and retail trade are also important foundations of Albany's economy and the city acts as a hub for commerce in southwest Georgia. On December 17, 2008, Cooper Tire and Rubber, one of Albany's largest employers, announced plans to close the local manufacturing facility. Approximately 1,400 employees at the plant were projected to lose their jobs.

Business environment

As a result of the recent economic downturn, unemployment remains higher in Albany than the country average. Albany continues to add more new jobs while other portions of the state are trying to stem the tide of joblessness.

Albany does provide opportunities to new businesses by providing a skilled workforce, continual upgrades to its infrastructure, improvements in public safety, such as its ISO fire rating of 2, and numerous economic development initiatives, such as its Opportunity Zone which offers a $3,500 tax credit per job created.

Top eight non-governmental employers in Dougherty County

(excludes the City of Albany, Dougherty County, and the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany)

• Albany State University
• AT&T
• Coats and Clark, Inc.
• Miller Brewing Company
• Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
• Procter & Gamble
• Pfizer Inc.
• Teleperformance USA
• United Parcel Service

Companies

• Georgia Pacific Corp.
• Kendrick Brothers Productions
• Mars, Incorporated
• Mediacom
• Nilo Pecans
• Sherwood Pictures
• Thrush Aircraft
• Procter & Gamble
• Miller Brewery
• Pfizer Inc.
• Nazilandia Inc.

Arts and culture

In 1972 the manager of a local theater, Mr. Jenkins, was convicted of "distributing obscene material" for showing the film Carnal Knowledge, in Jenkins v. Georgia.

Museums and the arts

Albany Municipal Auditorium

File:RayCharlesStatue.jpg

Ray Charles statue, centerpiece of Ray Charles Plaza

File:RayCharlesPlaza1.JPG

Ray Charles Plaza in Downtown Albany

New Albany Hotel

• Albany Area Arts Council
• The Albany Chorale
• Albany Civic Center
• The Albany Concert Association
• Albany Civil Rights Institute
• Albany Municipal Auditorium
• Albany Museum of Art
• Ballet Theatre South
• The Albany Symphony Orchestra
• Flint RiverQuarium
• The Parks at Chehaw has one of two accredited zoos in the State of Georgia
• RiverQuarium Imagination Theater
• Theatre Albany
• Thronateeska Heritage Center
• Weatherbee Planetarium
• Art Park on Pine

Registered historic places

• Albany District Pecan Growers' Exchange
• Albany Housefurnishing Company
• Albany Municipal Auditorium
• Albany Railroad Depot Historic District
• Bridge House (Albany, Georgia)
• Carnegie Library of Albany
• Davis-Exchange Bank Building
• John A. Davis House
• Mount Zion Baptist Church
• New Albany Hotel
• Old St. Teresa's Catholic Church
• Rosenberg Brothers Department Store
• Samuel Farkas House
• St. Nicholas Hotel
• Tift Park
• U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
• Union Station Depot
• W. E. Smith House

Sports

Club	Sport	League	Venue
Georgia Firebirds	Indoor Football	American Indoor Football	Albany James H. Gray, Sr. Civic Center

• Albany was home to the South Georgia Peanuts who played in the South Coast League. They won the South Coast League championships in the league's inaugural season (2007) and were managed by former MLB shortstop, Wally Backman. The league folded after that season.
• The Albany Panthers were an indoor football team based in Albany, Georgia. The team joined the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) during their inugural season in 2010. When the SIFL folded, the team joined the Professional Indoor Football League (PIFL) in 2012. The Panthers' home games were played at the James H. Gray Civic Center until 2014.^[1]

Memorials and sights

Astronauts Memorial, Albany

Amphitheater in Veterans Park, Albany

• Albany Civil Rights Memorial
• Albany Railroad Depot Historic District
• Astronauts Memorial
• Confederate Memorial Park
• The Flint Riverquarium
• Freedom Flame
• Freedom Walk
• The Guardian
• Radium Springs – one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia
• RiverFront Park
• Ray Charles Plaza
• Royal Air Force Memorial
• Veterans Park

Festivals and events

Albany marathon and 1/2 marathon

The races include a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) full marathon or a 13.1-mile (21.1 km) half marathon, and is ranked as one of the top Boston qualifiers in the country, with almost 20% of all marathon finishers qualifying.

Mardi Gras Street Festival This annual music festival takes place in Downtown Albany the first weekend of March. Starting at noon and running until midnight, the festival coincides with the Albany Marathon and 1/2 Marathon.

Government

The new federal Courthouse in downtown Albany is dedicated in honor of the civil rights attorney C.B. King of Georgia.

Elected officials include a mayor and six city commissioners, each of whom serves a four-year term. The commissioners represent the wards from which they are elected. There is also an appointed city manager who acts as the chief administrative officer. The city has been governed by a city commission and city manager since January 14, 1924.

City departments include:

• Airport
• Albany Fire Department
• Albany Police Department
• Albany Transit System
• Central Services
• City Attorney
• Civic Center
• Code Enforcement
• Community and Economic Development
• Engineering
• Equal Employment Office (EEO)
• Finance Department
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful
• Municipal Court
• Planning and Development
• Public Works
• Recreation and Parks Department

Education

Private schools

Several private schools provide primary and secondary education including:

• Byne Memorial Baptist School
• Deerfield-Windsor School
• Far Horizons Montessori School
• Life Christian School
• New Beginning Christian School (NBCS)
• St. Teresa's Catholic School
• Sherwood Christian Academy
• The Vertical High School Academy
• Young Unlimited Minds Institute (YUMI)

Public schools

The Dougherty County School System operates a system of five learning centers, sixteen public elementary schools, six public middle schools, and four public high schools. All schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC). The system had an enrollment in 2009–2010 of 15,838 students being taught by 1,070 teachers and 198 support and administrative per:-Osonnel.

The following schools have the following distinctions:

• Alice Coachman Elementary School: 2009 National Blue Ribbon School, 2009 "No Excuses School" (Georgia Public Policy Foundation)
• Lincoln Elementary Magnet School: 2009–2010 Governor's Office of Students Achievement Bronze Award for Highest Percentage of Students Meeting & Exceeding Standards on the CRCT
• International Studies Elementary Charter School: Title 1 Distinguished School (10 consecutive years making AYP)
• Robert A. Cross Middle Magnet School: 2009–2010 Governor's Office of Students Achievement Gold Award for Highest Percentage of Students Meeting & Exceeding Standards on the CRCT

Higher education

Albany State University

Albany is the location of the historically black Albany State University, founded as a pre-collegiate school in 1903, as part of the drive for the education of African-Americans. Albany State is notable as one of the few historically black colleges to be part of the University System of Georgia.

Darton State College

Albany is also home to Darton State College, a two-year college which, in 2011, was granted permission from the Georgia Board of Regents to begin offering a limited number of four-year degrees.

Albany Technical College

Albany Technical College is part of the Technical College System of Georgia and teaches post-secondary vocational and occupational training subjects.

Media

The Rosenberg Brothers Department Store, now headquarters of The Albany Herald.

Newspapers

• The Albany Herald
• The Albany Southwest Georgian, historically black newspaper founded by A.C. Searles
• The Albany Journal, published since 1939; Tom Knighton is current editor and publisher.
• The Metro Gazette offers positive news about the community. Founded in 2010 by Judith Hampton-Thompson, graduate of the Ohio State University Journalism School.

Television stations

• Channel 10 WALB (NBC)
• Channel 10.2 WALB-DT2 (ABC)
• Channel 14 WABW (PBS-GPB) (Pelham, Georgia)
• Channel 25 WACS (PBS-GPB) (Dawson, Georgia)
• Channel 31 WFXL (FOX)
• Channel 44 WSWG (CBS)
• Channel 44.2 WSWG-DT2 (MyNet)
• Channel 44.3 WSWG-DT3 (CW)
• Channel 55 WSST (Independent)

FM radio stations

• 88.5 W203AT (religious; translator for KEAR)
• 89.3 WBJY (religious)
• 90.3 WAEF (religious)
• 90.7 WWXC (religious, bluegrass)
• 91.7 WUNV (NPR – news, classical)
• 92.7 WASU (Albany State University – college, jazz, urban)
• 93.1 WSRD (religious, talk)
• 96.3 WJIZ (urban)
• 97.3 WRAK "973 Hit Music Now" (Top 40)
• 98.1 WMRZ "Kiss" (adult urban)
• 100.3 WOBB "B-100"(country)
• 101.7 WQVE "V101.7"(R&B & Classic Soul)
• 102.1 WNUQ "Q102" (Top 40)
• 102.5 W273AE (religious; translator for WYFK)
• 103.5 WJAD "Rock 103" (classic and mainstream rock) (Leesburg, Georgia)
• 104.5 WKAK "Nash FM" (country) (formerly K-Country 104.5 as of June 2013)
• 105.5 WZBN "Power 105...The King" (Holy Hip Hop and Contemporary Gospel)
• 106.1 KLOV (Christian Contemporary)
• 107.7 WEGC "Mix 107.7" (adult contemporary)

AM radio stations

• 960 WJYZ (gospel)
• 1250 WSRA (ESPN sports)
• 1450 WGPC (sports)
• 1590 WALG (news, talk)

Infrastructure

Transportation

Air

Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (ABY) is a non-hub commercial service airport with service to Atlanta by ExpressJet, a regional carrier for Delta. Both UPS and DHL use the airport as a sorting facility. In 2010, a master plan was completed. It recommended moving forward with the Replacement Terminal Project.

Rail

Freight rail service is provided by Georgia Southwestern Railroad, Georgia and Florida Railway/Omnitrax, and Norfolk Southern Railway. Georgia and Florida Railway has its headquarters in Albany.

Bus

There is a Greyhound bus station in downtown Albany. Albany Transit System (ATS) has been operated by the city since 1974 and provides fixed-route and para-transit services in Albany and Dougherty County, including service to the airport. All buses are wheelchair accessible and are equipped with bicycle racks. The main transfer station is in downtown Albany at the corner of Oglethorpe and Jackson.

Roads

Albany is located on Georgia State Route 300 (Georgia-Florida Parkway) which provides easy access to Cordele, Georgia, and Interstate 75 to the northeast and south to Camilla, Georgia, and Thomasville, Georgia. The Liberty Expressway spans 10 miles (16 km) serves as a bypass on Albany's north and east sides. Other highways that pass through Albany include: US 19, US 82, and State Routes 3, 62, 91, 133, 234, & 520.

Bridges

Albany's historic Broad Avenue Memorial bridge was constructed in 1920 and comprises three open spandrel concrete deck arch main spans and eight closed spandrel deck arch spans. Deconstruction of the bridge was started in early 2013.

In the early 1970s, construction of the Liberty bypass bridges began. Construction of the bridges over the Flint River were completed far prior to the highway itself and effectively known as the bridges to nowhere.

Interesting facts

The intersection of Lonesome and Hardup was named the fourth wackiest street intersection name, according to a 2006 poll by Car Connection website.

Energy Infrastructure

Georgia Power

Portions of Albany are serviced by Georgia Power, which operates two electrical power plants within Dougherty County: coal-fired Plant Mitchell and the hydroelectric dam at Lake Worth, also known as Lake Chehaw.

Water Management Infrastructure

The Albany Water, Gas & Light Commission (WG&L) is a municipally-owned and operated utility system furnishing water, gas, and electricity to its broad–based customers. Albany WG&L, was founded in 1892 as the Albany Water Works, as the largest municipal user in Georgia.

The public water supply source for Albany-Dougherty County is groundwater obtained from four aquifers:

• Upper Floridan (locally called the Ocala) Aquifer
• Claiborne (formerly Tallahatta) Aquifer
• Clayton Formation
• Providence Aquifer

The water quality is considered to be excellent, needing only chlorination and fluoridation treatment.

Communications infrastructure

Both WG&L and AT&T offer communications infrastructure within the City of Albany.

Solid waste management

Albany is served by the Dougherty County Landfill located at 900 Gaissert Road, approximately 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of the City of Albany.

Health care

Albany is the home of a not-for-profit regional health system with a 26-county cachement area with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital at its hub.

Public safety

Law enforcement

Albany is serviced by the Albany Police Department (APD) which is divided into three districts, each having its own police center. Additionally, the Dougherty County Police Department is responsible for the unincorporated area of Dougherty County. Lastly, the Dougherty County Sheriff's Department is a law-enforcement agency under the direction of the County Sheriff, an elected official.

Fire protection

The Albany Fire Department consists of more than 150 assigned personnel operating 11 fire stations in Dougherty County, seven of which are within the city limits.

EMS/EMT service

Dougherty County EMS has over 60 employees and services the county through one headquarters and five satellite stations.

Notable people

Composer, pianist, and singer Ray Charles

Natives:

Name	Notability	Reference
John Bahnsen	United States Army Brigadier General and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War
Deion Branch	Super Bowl MVP football player
Ray Charles Robinson	Pianist, songwriter and soul singer
Alice Coachman	Olympic gold medal high jumper
William L. Dawson	U.S. Representative from Illinois
Paula Deen	Celebrity Chef
Leroy Gilbert	Chaplain of the United States Coast Guard
Reginald D. Hunter	Stand-up comedian
Harry James	Big Band leader and jazz trumpeter
Alexander Johnson	professional basketball player
Hamilton Jordan	former White House Chief of Staff
Ray Knight	World Series MVP, also managed the Cincinnati Reds
Ricardo Lockette	Super Bowl XLIX football player
Russell Malone	jazz guitarist
Phillip Phillips	American Idol winner, Season 11 singer
Merritt Ranew	Milwaukee Braves baseball player
Wallingford Riegger	Conductor and composer
Bobby Rush	U.S. Representative from Illinois
Daryl Smith	professional football player
Harry Spilman	professional baseball player
Montavious Stanley	professional football player
Ray Stevens	country music singer
Jodie Whire	NFL player

Residents:

Name	Notability	Reference
Nellie Brimberry	became the first Postmistress of a major U.S. Post Office in 1910
Mary Francis Hill Coley	midwife in Albany 1930–1966, inducted into Georgia Women of Achievement 2011
Paula Deen	chef and host of Paula's Home Cooking on the Television Food Network
Jim Fowler	animal expert and host of the television show, Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
Lee James	Olympic silver medalist weightlifter attended Westover High School in Albany
Lionel James	Played N.F.L. San Diego Chargers 1985 broke record for all purpose yardage.
Wadsworth Jarrell	artist
Rob Jones	2010 Grammy Award Winning Designer
Alex Kendrick Stephen Kendrick,	filmmakers and authors, reside in Albany
Haley Kilpatrick	the founder of Girl Talk Inc.
Nancy Lopez	Professional Golfer
Kregg Lumpkin	professional football player
Field Mob	rap duo signed to Disturbing Tha Peace Records
Jo Marie Payton	actress of Family Matters and The Proud Family
D. A. Powell	American poet, author of Chronic and Cocktails, born in Albany
Travis Richter	Record producer, Dubstep producer Modified Noise, guitarist and screamer/singer for From First To Last, now lead singer of The Human Abstract
Stephen Tanner	bassist for the band Harvey Milk
Angelo Taylor	Olympic gold medal hurdler
Mark Taylor	Former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia

East Albany

East Albany District, Albany, Ga East Albany
District
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Dougherty
Elevation	203 ft (62 m)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	31705
Area code(s)	229

East Albany is a district of Albany.

Geography

East Albany is located in a triangle between the Flint River, The Liberty Express Way, and Oglethorpe Blvd. Its main road is East Broad Avenue.

District statistics

It is segregated from the rest of the city by the Flint River and the large highways that surround it. The area has little economic activity, thus poverty is widespread. As of 2000, the poverty rate is at 45.3%, and the median household income is at $19,601.00. The population 10,547 people with 90.9% African Americans. 33.9% of persons are under the age of 18, and 40.9% of these people belong to single parent households. The district supports 1.1% persons born outside of the U.S. Education rate is low with 41.0% of adults without a high school diploma. Only 5.8% of people have a college degree. Unemployment is at 18.6%. Home ownership rate is at 36.7%.

Subdivisions

East Albany's subdivisions include:

• Colonial Village Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• East Towne Subdivision, Albany, Georgia]
• Elon Village Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• Isabella Heights Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• Jackson Heights Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• Mulberry Heights Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• Northend Subdivision, Albany, Georgia
• Woodland Acres Subdivision, Albany, Georgia

Further reading

• Carolyn Clive, Frances Davis, and Tom Liner, eds., Glancing Backward: Albany, Georgia, 1836–1986 (Albany, Ga.: Dougherty County School System and Sesquicentennial Publication Committee, 1986).
• Lee W. Formwalt, "A Garden of Irony and Diversity," in The New Georgia Guide (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1996).
• Joseph Winthrop Holley, You Can't Build a Chimney from the Top: The South through the Life of a Negro Educator (New York: William-Frederick Press, 1948).
• Thronateeska Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, History and Reminiscences of Dougherty County, Georgia (1924; reprint, Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Co., 1978).
• Works Progress Administration, Historical Background of Dougherty County, 1836–1940 (Atlanta: Cherokee, 1981).

External links

• South Georgia Historic Newspapers Archive Digital Library of Georgia
• Old U.S. Post Office and Courthouse
• Texts on Wikisource: