Lavonia, Georgia | |
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City | |
Motto: "Home to Land of Spirit", "Big Time Small Town" |
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Location in Franklin County and the state of Georgia |
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Coordinates: 34°26′10″N 83°6′23″W / 34.43611°N 83.10639°WCoordinates: 34°26′10″N 83°6′23″W / 34.43611°N 83.10639°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Georgia |
County | Franklin |
Area | |
• Total | 4.59 sq mi (11.89 km2) |
• Land | 4.56 sq mi (11.82 km2) |
• Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2) |
Elevation | 853 ft (260 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 2,156 |
• Density | 472/sq mi (182.3/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 30553 |
Area code(s) | 706 |
FIPS code | 13-45460 |
GNIS feature ID | 0316687 |
Website | www |
Lavonia is a city in Franklin County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,156 at the 2010 census, up from 1,827 at the 2000 census.
Lavonia is located in northeastern Franklin County at 34°26′10″N 83°6′23″W / 34.43611°N 83.10639°W (34.436055, -83.106270).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2), or 0.53%, is water.
The city lies along Interstate 85, 53 miles (85 km) southwest of Greenville, South Carolina, and 94 miles (151 km) northeast of Atlanta.
The Cherokee people were indigenous to the area in which Lavonia is located. A sophisticated tribe that typically dwelled in cabins by the 18th century, the Cherokee joined with the British during the American Revolution. When the American colonists prevailed, their land was issued as bounty land to those that had fought in the revolution. As a result, people of European ancestry began to move into the Lavonia area during the 1780s.
The founding of the town of Lavonia came as the result of the expansion of the railroad in northeast Georgia. A railroad line known as the Elberton-Airline Railroad desired another station further to the north. In a move typical for the time, businessmen in the area determined to build a town around the new railroad station. Upon division of the area into town lots and completion of all necessary legal procedures, the town of Lavonia was incorporated in 1880.
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,827 people, 777 households, and 519 families residing in the city. The population density was 470.0 people per square mile (181.3/km²). There were 882 housing units at an average density of 226.9 per square mile (87.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.24% White, 28.95% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.