Hephzibah (/ˈhɛpzɪbə/) is a city in southern Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta metropolitan area. The population was 4,011 at the 2010 census,[2] and 3,830 in 2020. Hephzibah is a poetic name used in the Book of Isaiah (62:4) to refer to Jerusalem, meaning "My delight is in Her."
Hephzibah, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Location in Richmond County and the state of Georgia | |
  Hephzibah Location within the state of Georgia  Hephzibah Hephzibah (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 33°18′15″N 82°5′53″W / 33.30417°N 82.09806°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| County | Richmond |
| Area | |
| • Total | 19.56 sq mi (50.65 km2) |
| • Land | 19.49 sq mi (50.47 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.18 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 3,830 |
| • Density | 196.54/sq mi (75.89/km2) |
| ZIP code | 30815 |
| FIPS code | 13-38040 |
History
editHephzibah was originally named Brothersville, in honor of three brothers who settled near one another. In October 1860, a Baptist seminary was established in Brothersville by a group of Appling residents.[citation needed] They established the Hephzibah Baptist Church in 1862. The prominence of these new religious institutions in the area swayed the state of Georgia to rename the town Hephzibah in 1870.[3] In 1909, Walter A. Clark published a book of local history, named A Lost Arcadia - The Story of My Old Community, detailing the earliest days of Hephzibah.[4]
In 1996 the governments of the city of Augusta and Richmond County combined to form a consolidated government. The residents of Hephzibah and nearby Blythe voted to maintain their separate city governments prior to this action. Some municipal services in Hephzibah are provided by the consolidated Augusta-Richmond County, while water, fire, and police services are maintained by the city.
Geography
editHephzibah is located at 33°18′15″N 82°5′53″W / 33.30417°N 82.09806°W (33.304126, -82.097923).[5] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.4 square miles (50.2 km2), of which 0.07 square miles (0.17 km2), or 0.34%, is water.[6]
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 541 | — | |
| 1910 | 656 | 21.3% | |
| 1920 | 650 | −0.9% | |
| 1930 | 646 | −0.6% | |
| 1940 | 516 | −20.1% | |
| 1950 | 525 | 1.7% | |
| 1960 | 676 | 28.8% | |
| 1970 | 987 | 46.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,452 | 47.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,466 | 69.8% | |
| 2000 | 3,880 | 57.3% | |
| 2010 | 4,011 | 3.4% | |
| 2020 | 3,830 | −4.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,168 | 56.61% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,319 | 34.44% |
| Native American | 23 | 0.6% |
| Asian | 9 | 0.23% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.13% |
| Other/Mixed | 190 | 4.96% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 116 | 3.03% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,830 people, 1,424 households, and 1,022 families residing in the city.
Education
editRichmond County School System, which covers all of Richmond County,[9] operates public schools, including Hephzibah Elementary School,[10] McBean Elementary, Hephzibah Middle School, Pine Hill Middle School, and Hephzibah High School.
There is also a charter school, Georgia School of Innovation and the Classics (GSIC).[11]
Highways
editNotable people
editThis list includes people who were born in Hephzibah or who spent a significant amount of time living in the town.
| Name | Date of Birth | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darrell Blocker, nicknamed "The Spy Whisperer" | CIA agent | [12] | |
| Wendell Chavous | 1985 | NASCAR driver | |
| John Wesley Gilbert | 1863 | First student and black professor of Paine College, one of the first black American archaeologists | [13] |
| George Kitchens | 1983 | Track and field athlete | |
| Arthur Marshall | 1969 | former NFL wide receiver. | |
| Marlon Riggs | 1957 | Filmmaker and educator | [14] |
| Vaughn Taylor | 1976 | PGA Tour golfer | [15] |
| Itoro Umoh-Coleman | 1977 | WNBA basketball player and Clemson assistant coach | |
| Ben Chestnut | 1973/1974 | Founder and CEO of Mailchimp | [16] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Hephzibah city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
- ^ "Hephzibah proud of separate identity". The Augusta Chronicle.
- ^ Walter A. Clark (1909). "A Lost Arcadia" (PDF). University System of Georgia.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Hephzibah city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Richmond County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved October 25, 2024. - Text list
- ^ Home. Hephzibah Elementary School. Retrieved on September 12, 2018.
- ^ Home. Georgia School of Innovation and the Classics. Retrieved on September 12, 2018. "5073 Storey Mill Road Hephzibah, GA 30815"
- ^ Kampeas, Ron (December 10, 2020). "Darrell Blocker, the Black, Jewish 'spy whisperer' who could lead Biden's CIA". The Times of Israel.
- ^ Johnny Edwards, MCG plans memorial to Gilbert Manor namesake, Augusta Chronicle, January 29, 2009. Retrieved 01-29-2009.
- ^ Porter, Lavelle (July 30, 2019). "Black or Gay: Meditations on Marlon Riggs's Tongues Untied at 30". AAIHS. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ "Vaughn Taylor". Web.com Tour. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
- ^ "Want Proof That Patience Pays Off? Ask the Founders of This 17-Year-Old $525 Million Email Empire". Inc.com. December 11, 2017.