Whigham, Georgia

Whigham is a city in Grady County, Georgia, United States. The population was 428 in 2020.

Whigham, Georgia
City
Whigham City Hall
Seal
Location in Grady County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 30°53′3″N 84°19′30″W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Grady
Government
• Mayor	Trey Gainous
Area [1]
• Total	1.19 sq mi (3.07 km2)
• Land	1.17 sq mi (3.04 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	282 ft (86 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	428
• Density	364.88/sq mi (140.83/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	31797, 39897
Area code	229
FIPS code	13-82412[2]
GNIS feature ID	0333406[3]
Website	cityofwhigham.net

History

The community was named after Robert Whigham, a local merchant.^[4] The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Whigham as a town in 1896.^[5] It was incorporated again as a city in 1970.^[6]

Geography

Whigham is located in western Grady County at 30°53′3″N 84°19′30″W (30.884219, -84.324927).^[7] U.S. Route 84 passes through the center of town as Broad Avenue; it leads east 8 miles (13 km) to Cairo, the county seat, and west 15 miles (24 km) to Bainbridge. Valdosta is 67 miles (108 km) to the east, and Dothan, Alabama, is 70 miles (110 km) to the west. Whigham is located halfway between Memphis, Tennessee, and Miami, Florida.^{[citation needed]}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), of which 0.01 square miles (0.03 km²), or 0.98%, is water.^[8]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	144		—
1890	264		83.3%
1900	392		48.5%
1910	627		59.9%
1920	662		5.6%
1930	442		−33.2%
1940	533		20.6%
1950	471		−11.6%
1960	463		−1.7%
1970	381		−17.7%
1980	507		33.1%
1990	605		19.3%
2000	631		4.3%
2010	471		−25.4%
2020	428		−9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 631 people, 179 households, and 134 families residing in the city. In 2020, its population declined to 428.

Education

Grady County School System operates area public schools. Whigham School, a K-8 school, is in Whigham.^[10] Cairo High School in Cairo serves Whigham.^[11]

Notable people

The electric blues guitarist, songwriter, and singer Johnnie Marshall was born in Whigham in 1961.^[12]

Ernest Riles, former infielder for the San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Brewers lived here during his time with the Giants.

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 251. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
5. Georgia (1907). Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. Clark & Hines, State Printers. p. 970.
6. "Whigham". GeorgiaGov. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Whigham city, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 23, 2016.^{[dead link‍]}
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. "Whigham Elementary School." Grady County Schools. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
11. "Schools." Grady County Schools. Retrieved on April 9, 2009.
12. Bob L. Eagle; Eric S. LeBlanc (May 2013). Blues: A Regional Experience. ABC-CLIO. p. 106. ISBN 978-0-313-34424-4.