Rincon, Georgia
| Rincon, Georgia | |
|---|---|
| Town | |
| Motto: "Just around the corner from everywhere you want to be" | |
 Location in Effingham County and the state of Georgia |
|
| Coordinates: 32°17′36″N 81°14′3″W / 32.29333°N 81.23417°WCoordinates: 32°17′36″N 81°14′3″W / 32.29333°N 81.23417°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Effingham |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ken Lee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.86 sq mi (22.95 km2) |
| • Land | 8.86 sq mi (22.95 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 72 ft (22 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 8,836 |
| • Density | 997/sq mi (385.0/km2) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 31326 |
| Area code(s) | 912 |
| FIPS code | 13-65296 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0332857 |
| Website | www |
Rincon is a town in Effingham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 8,836 at the 2010 census, up from 4,376 in 2000. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Rincon, in the southeast area of Effingham County, Georgia, was incorporated as a city in 1927. While the earliest settlers came to the area in 1751, the area had little development until the late 19th century.
During the American Civil War, when forces of the Union Army penetrated the South, thousands of slaves escaped from plantations to go to their lines. Many fell in with the forces of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman and followed his March to the Sea. Hundreds of fugitive African-Americans drowned during the campaign while trying to cross Ebenezer Creek near the site of present-day Rincon, outside of Savannah. In 2010 the Georgia Historical Society erected a historical marker about this event, as part of a major project to memorialize little-known events from the Civil War era and recognize African-American sacrifices for freedom.
Rincon's development was catalyzed by the coming of the railroad in the 1890s. A rail line was built from the Carolinas across the state line at the Savannah River and southward to Savannah. The name of the city is believed to have been adopted from the Spanish or Mexican name Rincón, after a small but prosperous town in Mexico. (Rincón means "corner.")
Once the railroad and depot were built at Rincon, a telegraph operator or agent was on duty as early as about 1895. This opened up the area to long-distance communication. In addition to the railroad, a "dirt" road (now improved as State Highway 21) was built northwest from Savannah to Rincon and beyond, and other country roads were developed in the area. Rincon became a small hive of trading activity. The surrounding farmers, sawmill operators and the like, who had taken their products of cotton and lumber to Savannah, could "wagon" to Rincon to ship by rail. They also could receive shipments there and travel as rail passengers.
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