Conyers is a city in Rockdale County, Georgia, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,689. Census estimates of 2005 indicate a population
of 12,205. The city is the county seat of Rockdale County 6. It has become an important suburb of
Atlanta.
Olde Town Conyers, Georgia
History
Before European settlement, the area which is now Conyers, along with the surrounding county of Rockdale, was occupied by
mound building Native Americans. As time progressed, the Muscogee (or Creek) Natives and the Cherokee Natives shared a common
border here. This border was known as the "Great Indian Road," and is known now as the "Hightower Trail". This trail was used by
white settlers following the American Revolution.
Rockdale County Courthouse
Between 1816 and 1821, the area known as Rockdale was open for
settling. John Holcomb, a blacksmith, was the first settler in what is now Conyers. He
settled where the current Rockdale County Courthouse is, in the middle of Conyers on Main Street.
Eventually, there was pressure for a railroad to cross Georgia. Ideally the railroad would go from Augusta, Georgia, through neighboring Covington, Georgia to
Marthasville, Georgia (now known as Atlanta). John Holcomb was against the railroad and
refused to sell his land. He threatened to shoot anyone from the railroad who came onto his property.
Dr. W. D. Conyers, a banker from Covington, eventually talked John Holcomb into selling his
land for $700. Dr. Conyers then sold the land to railroad interests. What is now Conyers began as a watering post along this
line, named after Dr. Conyers. By 1845, the railroad was in full operation. By 1854, nearly 400 residents lived around the watering post, and Conyers was incorporated.
Conyers has been nearly destroyed several times by fire. It is said that it survived Sherman's March to the Sea thanks to a
friend of Sherman's who lived in the area between Conyers and Covington. The story goes that the houses were spared because
Sherman was uncertain where his friend lived.
In 1870, the surrounding area was incorporated into Rockdale County out of Newton County, Georgia, and Conyers became the county seat.
Over the next decade, Conyers grew into a wild town. It had twelve saloons and
five brothels. The more reputable side of the town had 40 stores, Conyers College, a hotel, a carriage manufacturer and good schools.
Conyers was also home to "sidewalk churches". Along Main Street grew First Methodist, First Presbyterian, and First Baptist.
It is said that at some point the congregants persuaded the brothels and saloons to close shop and leave Conyers for Covington,
having persuaded them with a mob. This rose out of revivals began in 1878 with the Methodist
and Presbyterian churches. First Baptist Church of Conyers moved out of
downtown in late 2000, moving 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the Georgia International Horse Park to their current location.
A 1905 Rogers Steam Locomotive, named "Dinky," on display in Conyers. The engine carried freight between Conyers and Milstead
until 1961.
Tightly connected to Conyers is Milstead, a milltown now incorporated into Conyers. At its
peak, Milstead and Conyers had a private railroad which delivered products, such as cotton, from the mill to Conyers for shipping
to the textile mills. In the 1960s, the mill closed.
In 1944, a Trappist monastery, Abbey of the Holy Spirit, was established south
of the city by Dom Frederic Dunne. The protestant community of Rockdale County helped with the completing of the current
structure. M. Basil Pennington, one of the founders of the Centering Prayer movement, was abbot of the monastery from 2000 to 2002.
In the 1950s, Conyers had a Coca-Cola Bottling facility.
In the 1960s, Interstate 20 was built through the county. Several leading people in the
county, Gus Barksdale and Clarence Vaughn, Roland Reagan, and Harry Downs helped establish the community for the future by
pushing for business expansion.
In the 1980s, Conyers became known for "White Road". A resident, Nancy Fowler, claimed to have
appartitions of The Virgin Mary. Throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s,
Conyers played host to pilgrims.
In 1996 Conyers hosted the equestrian and
mountain biking events for the 1996 Olympic
Games held in Atlanta. For this, Conyers built the Georgia
International Horse Park.
Geography
Conyers is located at 33°39′59″N, 84°0′27″W (33.666360,
-84.007574)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 30.9 km² (11.9 mi²). 30.5 km² (11.8 mi²) of it
is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.17%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 10,689 people, 3,910 households, and 2,557 families residing
in the city. The population density was 350.3/km² (907.3/mi²). There were 4,183
housing units at an average density of 137.1/km² (355.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.29% White, 33.42% African American, 0.32% Native American, 2.60% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.78% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.79% of the population.
There were 3,910 households out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were
non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or
older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 12.6% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from
45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,789, and the median income for a family was $38,255. Males had a median
income of $29,991 versus $24,879 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$15,805. About 13.7% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Famous Conyers residents
- Jill Arrington, ESPN former college football
reporter
- Jerome Boger, NFL referee*
- Wayne Bunting, Local Weatherman famous for his saying "It's gonna Wayne!!" and friend of
Mat Laskey, famous missionary in Maui, Hawaii
- Kyle Burger, Television Sports Anchor
- Cartel's Will Pugh, Joseph
Pepper, Jeff Lett, Nic Hudson, &
Kevin Sanders - Rock Band
- David Elder, professional baseball player
- Dakota Fanning, actress
- Elle Fanning, actress
- Felicia Freeman-Little, Author
- Jessica Foster, Television Meteorologist
- Matthew Hilger, professional poker player
- Holly Hunter, actress
- John Mark Karr, who wrongly confessed to the murder of JonBenet Ramsey
- Brenda Lee, American teen idol, country singer
- Dean Lorey, writer, director, producer, actor
- Mario Maraczi, Professional Wrestler
- Clint Mathis, World Cup soccer player
- Jack McBrayer, actor
- James C. Miller III, former U.S.
government official and economist
- Andy Mitchell, professional baseball player
- Marcus Printup, jazz trumpeter
- Reginald Thomas, Professional Wrestler & Rapper
External links
Coordinates:
33.66636° N 84.007574°
W
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