Country United States County Jenkins (since 1905) Incorporated 1881 Elevation 51 m Zip code 30442 Local time Wednesday 2:07 PM | State Georgia Settled 1835 Named for McPherson B. Millen Area 9.3 km² Population 3,063 (2013) Area code 478 | |
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Weather 24°C, Wind NE at 11 km/h, 51% Humidity | ||
Millen is a city in and the county seat of rural Jenkins County, in eastern Georgia, United States. The population was 3,492 at the 2000 census, a decline of 8.3% since 1990, during a decade in which the state's population grew overall by 26.4%.
Contents
- Map of Millen GA 30442 USA
- History
- Geography
- Demographics
- Jenkins County School District
- Notable people
- References
Map of Millen, GA 30442, USA
The city is intersected by U.S. Route 25 and State Route 17 and the proposed Interstate 3 will pass nearby.
History
Millen was first settled in 1835 along the border of what was then Burke and Screven counties. It was originally named "79" due to its approximate distance from the coastal city of Savannah, Georgia. Planters cultivated cotton as a commodity crop with the use of enslaved laborers.
In 1854 the Central of Georgia Railway and the Georgia Railroad connected at 79. The town became known as Millen's Junction after McPherson B. Millen, the superintendent of the Central of Georgia Railway.
During the Civil War, a site for a prison camp to house Union soldiers was chosen just outside Millen's Junction. Camp Lawton—also referred to as Fort Lawton—was built in what is today Magnolia Springs State Park; the location was favorable because the springs provided potable water and because of its proximity to the Augusta and Savannah Railroad. On December 3, 1864, Sherman's March to the Sea passed through Millen. Prior to the arrival of Union forces, Confederate soldiers evacuated the Camp Lawton prisoners to Savannah. The Union soldiers destroyed Millen's Junction after finding the prison camp and to avoid use of the railway junction.
The town was rebuilt after the war. In 1881 the city of Millen was incorporated by an act of the Georgia State Legislature, becoming the county seat of the newly created Jenkins County in 1905.
The Downtown Millen Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The county is largely rural and agricultural.
Geography
Millen is located at 32°48′N 81°57′W (32.8055, -81.9422), on the Ogeechee River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,492 people, 1,321 households, and 854 families residing in the city. The population density was 966.9 people per square mile (373.5/km²). There were 1,567 housing units at an average density of 433.9 per square mile (167.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.31% African American, 37.92% White, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 0.06% Native American, 1.35% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.86% of the population.
There were 1,321 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples living together, 27.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city, the population was spread out with 28.4% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $18,701, and the median income for a family was $23,423. Males had a median income of $25,792 versus $17,330 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,851, placing Millen among the poorest locations in the state. About 30.0% of families and 35.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.2% of those under age 18 and 28.2% of those age 65 or over.
Jenkins County School District
The Jenkins County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The district has 119 full-time teachers and over 1,754 students.