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Rome, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Rome, Georgia, USA | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Floyd |
| Government | |
| - City Manager | John Bennett |
| Area | |
| - Total | 29.8 sq mi (77.3 km²) |
| - Land | 29.4 sq mi (76.1 km²) |
| - Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.2 km²) |
| Elevation | 614 ft (187 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 31,980 |
| - Density | 1,190.5/sq mi (459.7/km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Area code(s) | 706 |
| FIPS code | 13-66668GR2 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0356504GR3 |
| Website: http://www.romega.us/ | |
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 31,980, and is the largest city in Northwest Georgia.
Though no Interstate highway passes through Rome, it is the largest city in the triangular area defined by the Interstate highways between Atlanta, Birmingham, and Chattanooga, which contributes to its importance as a regional center in several areas, such as medical care and education.
The name for the town is a commemoration of the Italian city of Rome. Rome, Georgia, was built on seven hills, a feature that was an inspiration for the name. This connection is emphasized by a replica of the statue of Romulus and Remus nursing from a mother wolf, a symbol of the original Rome, which was a 1929 gift from the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.[1]
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Rome is located at 34°15'36" North, 85°11'6" West (34.259893, -85.185037)GR1 in Floyd County. The city is at the confluence of the Etowah River and the Oostanaula River — the rivers form the Coosa River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.8 square miles (77.3 km²), of which, 29.4 square miles (76.1 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.2 km²) of it is water. The total area is 1.54% water.
There is some debate over whether Hernando de Soto was the first Spanish conquistador to encounter Native Americans in the area now known as Rome, but it is usually agreed that he passed through the region with his expedition in 1540. In 1560, Tristán de Luna sent a detachment of 140 soldiers and two Dominican friars north along de Soto's route, and it is this group that established true relations with the Coosa chiefdom as they assisted the Coosa in a raid against the rebellious province of Napochín, in what is now known as Tennessee. Exposed to unfamiliar European diseases, within 20 years the Mound Builders were gone, replaced by the Creek and eventually the Cherokee.
The Ulibahalis, who were ancestors of the Abihka tribe of the Upper Creeks lived in the area of Rome before they migrated westerward into Alabama in the general region of Gadsden.[2]
A few settlers had already been accepted by the Cherokee in the early 1800s, and these were later joined by missionaries. The area became home to a several Cherokee leaders, including Cherokee Chief John Ross and Major Ridge. Ridge's home is known as Chieftains House (Now Chieftains Museum) located in Rome where he and his family used to live before they left.
Rome was officially settled after the forced removal of the Cherokee Indians in 1838, on the Trail of Tears. The five founders each placed a name in a hat, and Rome was the name drawn. Daniel R. Mitchell put the name Rome in the hat because of the seven hills and several rivers. During its early years, the city served agrarian needs and the cotton trade, and gained a rail spur to Kingston, Georgia.
During the Civil War, the city was defended by Nathan Bedford Forrest in Abel Streight's raid from the area east of modern day Cedar Bluff, Alabama. Union General Jefferson C. Davis captured Rome--a major target during the Atlanta campaign--as the outflanked Confederate army retreated (under command of Major General Samuel Gibbs French[3]).
Rome's Clock Tower, constructed in 1871 as a water tank on a hill overlooking downtown, serves as the town's iconic landmark, appearing in the city's crest and local business logos. Rome has many historic homes, and the traditional marquees of Broad Street are reminiscent of many years of downtown growth.
| Site[4] | Year Built | Address | Year Registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Robert Battey House | 725 East 2nd Ave. | 1982 | |
| Berry Schools | North of Rome on U.S. Hwy 27 | 1978 | |
| Between the Rivers Historic District | Roughly bounded by the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers, 7th Ave., and West 4th St. | 1983 Ext. 1989 |
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| Chieftains | ~1792 | 80 Chatillon Rd. | 1971 |
| Double-Cola Bottling Company | 419 East Second Ave. | 2006 | |
| East Rome Historic District | Roughly bounded by Walnut Ave., McCall Blvd., East 8th and 10th Sts. | 1985 | |
| Etowah Indian Mounds | North bank of Etowah River | 1966 | |
| Floyd County Courthouse | 5th Ave. and Tribune St. | 1980 | |
| Jackson Hill Historic District | Jackson Hill, between GA Hwy 53 and the Oostanaula River | 1997 | |
| Lower Avenue A Historic District | Avenue A between North 5th St. and Turner-McCall Blvd. | 1983 | |
| Main High School | 41 Washington Dr. | 2002 | |
| Mayo's Bar Lock and Dam | On the Coosa River, 8 miles SW of Rome | 1989 | |
| Mt. Aventine Historic District | Address Restricted | 1983 | |
| Myrtle Hill Cemetery | Bounded by S. Broad, and Myrtle Sts., Pennington, and Branham Aves. | 1983 | |
| Oakdene Place | Roughly bounded by the Etowah River, Queen, and East 6th Sts. | 1983 | |
| Rome Clock Tower | Corner of East 2nd Street and East 5th Avenue | 1980 | |
| South Broad Street Historic District | South Broad St. and Etowah Terrace | 1983 | |
| Sullivan--Hillyer House | 309 East 2nd Ave. | 2002 | |
| Thankful Baptist Church | 935 Spiderwebb Dr. | 1985 | |
| U.S. Post Office and Courthouse | West 4th Ave. and East 1st St. | 1975 | |
| Upper Avenue A Historic District | Roughly bounded by Oostanaula River, Turner-McCall Blvd., Avenue B and W. 11th St. | 1983 |
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 34,980 people, 13,320 households, and 8,431 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,190.5 people per square mile (459.7/km²). There were 14,508 housing units at an average density of 493.7/sq mi (190.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 63.12% White, 27.66% African American, 1.42% Asian, 0.39% Native American, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 5.61% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.35% of the population.
There were 13,320 households of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 41.2% were married couples living together, 17.0% had a female householder with no husband present, wend 36.7% are non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% have someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.2 males.
The median income of a household in the city was $30,930, and the median income of a family was $37,775. Males had a median income of $30,179 versus $22,421 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,327. About 15.3% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under the age of 18 and 16.3% of those 65 and older.
Reflecting its function as a regional center, Rome is home to four colleges:
| College | Public/ Private |
Type | Notes |
| Berry College | Private | Liberal Arts | |
| Coosa Valley Technical College | Public | Technical | |
| Georgia Highlands College | Public | GA Community College | Formerly Floyd Junior College |
| Shorter College | Private | Liberal Arts |
Rome has always had the strength of economic diversity,[5] and recent additions to Rome's industries include Brugg Cable and Telecom,[6] Suzuki Manufacturing of America,[7] and automobile-parts makers Neaton Rome[8] and F+G Georgia.[9] The most prominent of the new additions is the North American headquarters of Pirelli Tire.[10]
In the world of professional sports, the city is home to the Rome Braves baseball club of the South Atlantic League and the Rome Gladiators of the World Basketball Association.
Rome is also well known in the region for its medical facilities, particularly Floyd Medical Center[11], Redmond Regional Medical Center[12], and the Harbin Clinic[13].
In the 1960s, the Rome Plow Company produced the Rome plows (large, armored vehicles used by the U.S. Military to clear jungles during the Vietnam War), and a General Electric plant was established to build medium transformers.
Also in the later part of the 20th century, many carpet mills prospered in the Rome area.
- Rome News Tribune
- The Periscope, Shorter College
- The Campus Carrier, Berry College
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| By FM frequency | WMBW - 88.9 · WCCV - 91.7 · WSRM - 95.3 · WATG - 95.7 · WGPB - 97.7 · WQTU - 102.3 · WTSH - 107.1 |
| By AM frequency | WROM - 710 · WQRX - 870 · WGTA - 950 · WEBS - 1030 · WZQZ - 1180 · WGJK - 1360 · WLAQ - 1410 · WRGA - 1470 |
| Call Letters | Frequency | Nickname | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| WGBP | 97.7 FM | NPR | National Public Radio |
| WLAQ | 1410 AM | n/a | Talk |
| WQTU | 102.3 FM | Q102 | Top 40 |
| WRGA | 1470 AM | n/a | Talk |
| WROM | 710 AM | n/a | Gospel Music |
| WTSH | 107.1 FM | South 107 | Country |
- Arn Anderson, professional wrestler
- Bill Arp, Rome mayor and 19th century writer
- Martha Berry, educator
- Ray Donaldson, American footbal player
- Charles H. Fahy, U.S. Solicitor General and Navy Cross recipient
- Homer V. M. Miller, U.S. Senator, senior Confederate medical officer
- Dan Reeves, American football player and head coach
- Major Ridge Cherokee Indian leader who signed the Treaty of New Echota
- John H. Towers, U.S. Navy admiral and pioneer naval aviator
- Stand Watie, Cherokee leader and Confederate general
- Calder Willingham, screenplay writer and novelist
- Ellen Axson Wilson, First Lady of the United States and first wife of President Woodrow Wilson
 Downtown Rome, with the Courthouse in the background. |
 The landmark Clock Tower on one of Rome's hills. |
 Historic Floyd County Courthouse. |
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 Rome City Hall and Auditorium. The statue of wolf, Romulus and Remus in front of the building. |
 The waterwheel of the Berry Schools' Old Mill. |
- ^ UGA article on statue of Romulus and Remus
- ^ Waselkov, Gregory A. and Marvin T. Smith "Upper Creek Archaeology" in McEwan, Bonnie G., ed. Indians of the Greater Southeast: Historical Archaeology and Ethnohistory (Gainsville: University of Florida Press, 2000) p. 244-245
- ^ FindAGrave entry for General French
- ^ National Register of Historic Places National Park Service
- ^ New Georgia Encyclopedia article
- ^ Brugg Cable & Telecom
- ^ Suzuki Manufacturing
- ^ Neaton Manufacturing
- ^ F+G Manufacturing
- ^ Pirelli Tire Manufacturing
- ^ Floyd Medical Center
- ^ Redmond Regional Medical Center
- ^ The Harbin Clinic
- Rome Chamber of Commerce web site
- City of Rome web site
- Chieftan Museum web site
- Rome Area History Museum web site
- Rome Area Council for the Arts web site
- Rome International Film Festival web site
- New Georgia Encyclopedia entry
- Rome, Georgia is at coordinates Coordinates:
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Floyd County, Georgia |
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| County seat: Rome | ||
| Cities |
Cave Spring | Rome |
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| CDP | ||
| Communities | ||
