Millen, Georgia
| Millen, Georgia | |
|---|---|
| City | |
 Location in Jenkins County and the state of Georgia |
|
| Coordinates: 32°48′N 81°57′W / 32.800°N 81.950°WCoordinates: 32°48′N 81°57′W / 32.800°N 81.950°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Jenkins (since 1905) |
| Settled | 1835 |
| Incorporated | 1881 |
| Named for | McPherson B. Millen |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.6 sq mi (9.4 km2) |
| • Land | 3.6 sq mi (9.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 167 ft (51 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 3,492 |
| • Density | 970/sq mi (371.5/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 30442 |
| Area code(s) | 478 |
| FIPS code | 13-51520 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0356393 |
Millen is a city in, and the county seat of, rural Jenkins County, 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%.
The city is intersected by U.S. Route 25 and State Route 17 and the proposed Interstate 3 will pass nearby.
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.
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