Griffin, Georgia


Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 23,643.
Griffin was founded in 1840 and named for landowner Col. Lewis Lawrence Griffin. Several notable people are from Griffin and the city has been filmed for several notable shows and movies.
Griffin Technical College was located in Griffin from 1963 and a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The Griffin Synodical Female College was established by Presbyterians but closed. The University of Georgia maintains a branch campus in Griffin.

History

The Macon and Western Railroad was extended to a new station in Griffin in 1842.
In 1938, Alma Lovell had been distributing religious Bible tracts as a Jehovah's Witness but was arrested for violating a city ordinance requiring prior permission for distributing literature. In Lovell v. City of Griffin, the U.S. Supreme Court found that the city had violated her First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights.
The Griffin Commercial Historic District
is generally bounded by Central Alley, Sixth Street, Taylor Street and Eighth Street. The district includes the Griffin Grocery Company Building, now the Griffin Regional Welcome Center.

Geography

Griffin is located at .
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,451 people, 8,876 households, and 5,955 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,615.0 people per square mile. There were 9,636 housing units at an average density of 663.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 49.88% African American, 46.98% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.99% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.22% of the population.
There were 8,876 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.1% were married couples living together, 24.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,088, and the median income for a family was $33,963. Males had a median income of $30,488 versus $21,352 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,563. About 17.7% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.4% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those ages of 65 or over.

Education

The Griffin-Spalding County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve and consists of eleven elementary schools, four middle schools, and three high schools. The district has 661 full-time teachers and over 10,648 students.
Griffin Technical College was located in Griffin from 1963 and, following a merger, a branch of Southern Crescent Technical College is in Griffin. The Griffin Synodical Female College was established by Presbyterians but closed.
The University of Georgia maintains a branch campus in Griffin.
Griffin Region College and Career Academy located within the City limits GRCCA preparing students for college and careers through actual college courses for both high school and college credits.
Very popular Civil Air Patrol awarding-winning aerospace education program promotes aerospace, aviation and STEM-related careers with engaging, standards-based, hands-on curriculum and activities. It shapes the experiences and aspirations of youth both in and outside of CAP’s cadet program.

Sports and recreation

The Griffin Warriors, a World Basketball Association team, played at the high school in 2006.
Griffin, during the “golden ages” of baseball hosted several minor league class D teams
Griffin Lightfoots, Georgia-Alabama League
Griffin Griffs, Georgia-Alabama League
Griffin, Georgia State League
Griffin, Georgia State League
Griffin Pimientos, Georgia-Alabama League
Griffin Tigers, Georgia-Alabama League

Media

The Griffin Daily News is a local paper, founded in 1872. WMVV is a local Christian station, WHIE AM broadcasts country music, while WKEU broadcasts oldies. WYFK, a Christian station, has their W290AG translator in Griffin.

Notable people

The Griffin Ballet Theatre was founded in 1994.
Main Street Players Professional Theater was founded in 2001, it is located 115 N Hill St, Griffin, GA 30223
Griffin Museum The Griffin Museum is located upstairs in the Welcome Center and contains an impressive array of Griffin artifacts and memorabilia dating from as far back as the mid-1800s.
Griffin Choral Arts was founded in 2007. Griffin Choral Arts is a 50-voice auditioned regional community chorus performs four major concerts each season.
The Griffin Chamber Music Society was founded in 2017.
Griffin/Spalding Art Association was founded in 1969.
Griffin music club was founded in 1942 Affiliated with the National Federation of Music Clubs.
Griffin Area Concert Association was founded in 1969. The Griffin Area Concert Association has worked to build and maintain, through a non-profit plan, a permanent arts audience in Griffin, Spalding County and its environs by offering memberships at a reasonable cost for a wide variety of quality live entertainment presented by national and international performing artists featuring dance, musical theater, solo instrumentalists, vocal, string or brass ensembles and other performing arts.
Griffin Spalding Historical Society was founded in 1969. It is located in The Bailey Tebault House houses. The Historical Society provides tours of our headquarters, the Bailey Tebault House, located at 633 Meriwether Street Griffin, Georgia. To schedule a tour, please call at 770.239.2432.
The Griffin-Spalding Athletic Hall of Fame is located at 841 Memorial Drive, Griffin, GA 30224.
Since 1962 early Christmas Parade parade getting the whole community in the holiday mood, with floats and marching bands. Presented by the Southside Riders.
Kiwanis of Griffin Founded in 1940, has become one of the largest community service organizations in Spalding County.
In downtown Griffin is located one of the best haunted houses in Georgia Sinister Suites Haunted Hotel. Hotel Built in 1910, the Sinister Suites was the place to stay. Closed in the 1970s. Now the hotel is open to the public as a haunted attraction during October. This is a really unique attraction because it is a haunted hotel with a gruesome and dark past. There is features a five-story, 60,000-square foot walk through the hotel. Enter at your own risk!

Fiction