Kennesaw | |
|---|---|
| City of Kennesaw | |
 Kennesaw City Hall | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Show Kennesaw Show Cobb County Show Georgia Show the United States | |
| Coordinates:34°1′24″N84°36′55″W / 34.02333°N 84.61528°W /34.02333; -84.61528 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Cobb |
| Incorporated | September 21, 1887 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Derek Easterling (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.82 sq mi (25.43 km2) |
| • Land | 9.71 sq mi (25.16 km2) |
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,089 ft (332 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 33,036 |
| • Density | 3,400.3/sq mi (1,312.88/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 30144 and 30152 |
| Area codes | |
| FIPS code | 13-43192[2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0316387[3] |
| Website | kennesaw-ga.gov |
Kennesaw is a suburban city northwest ofAtlanta inCobb County,Georgia, United States, located within the greaterAtlanta metropolitan area. Known from its original settlement in the 1830s until 1887 asBig Shanty, it became Kennesaw under an 1887 charter. According to the 2020 census, Kennesaw had a population of 33,036, a 10.9% increase in population over the preceding decade.[4] Kennesaw has an important place in railroad history. During theCivil War, Kennesaw was the staging ground for theGreat Locomotive Chase on April 12, 1862. Kennesaw is home toKennesaw State University, an R2 research institution and the third-largest public university in the state of Georgia.
The name "Kennesaw" is derived from theCherokee wordGanisahv (Cherokee spelling: ᎦᏂᏌᎲ), meaning 'cemetery' or 'burial ground'.[5]
As theWestern and Atlantic Railroad was being built in the late 1830s,shanty towns arose to house the workers. These were near a big spring. A grade up from theEtowah River became known as "the big grade to the shanties", then "Big Shanty Grade", and finally "Big Shanty". It was officially incorporated as the city of Kennsaw in 1887.[6]
Camp MacDonald, atraining camp, was located there from 1861 to 1863.[7]
During theCivil War, Big Shanty was the site of major fighting in theBattle of Kennesaw Mountain, part of the largerAtlanta campaign.Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park,[8] located southeast of the city limits, now contains many of these historic areas. Much of the surrounding land has beendeveloped, and many of the buriedartifacts have been searched for and taken by people withmetal detectors.[9] Some artifacts of the Civil War are still on display in the visitor center of Kennesaw Mountain.[10]
L. C. Chalker purchased a 1.25-acre (0.51 ha) tract of land adjacent to the Kennesaw Cemetery from J.W. Ellis in 1934, which was sold for burial purposes. Chalker purchased another 1 acre (0.40 ha) adjacent to the first parcel in 1948, which was also to be used for a cemetery. The Chalker family managed these portions of the cemetery until they were sold to the City of Kennesaw in the mid-1950s. The earliest known burial is the infant Lucius B. Summers, who was interred in 1863. Othergrave markers date as far back as the 1860s to the 1890s. Civil War veterans are buried here. The Kennesaw Cemetery is still in use.[11]
In March 2004, First LadyLaura Bush designated Kennesaw aPreserve America Community.[12]
Kennesaw is located in northwestern Cobb County, bordered by the city ofAcworth to the northwest.Kennesaw Mountain is located southeast of the city limits in the battlefield park. Itssummit is the highest point in theAtlanta metro area, at an elevation of 1,808 feet (551 m)above sea level. The city was renamed for the mountain.
U.S. Route 41 andState Route 3 pass through the city as Cobb Parkway, leading southeast 7 miles (11 km) toMarietta and northwest 17 miles (27 km) toCartersville.Interstate 75 passes just northeast of the city limits, with access from exits 269, 271, and 273. Via I-75, downtownAtlanta is 27 miles (43 km) to the southeast, andChattanooga,Tennessee, is 94 miles (151 km) northwest.
The iconic peaks of Kennesaw Mountain are visible from the bridge over Interstate 75 that crosses over the city limits of Kennesaw.[13]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, Kennesaw has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.7 km2), of which 9.4 square miles (24.4 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 1.08%, is water.[14]
Kennesaw has ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification:Cfa). OnNovember 22, 1992, an F-4 tornado caused 34 injuries.[citation needed]
| Climate data for Kennesaw, Georgia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 81 (27) | 89 (32) | 93 (34) | 96 (36) | 101 (38) | 104 (40) | 104 (40) | 99 (37) | 92 (33) | 86 (30) | 80 (27) | 104 (40) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 52 (11) | 56 (13) | 64 (18) | 73 (23) | 80 (27) | 87 (31) | 89 (32) | 88 (31) | 83 (28) | 73 (23) | 64 (18) | 54 (12) | 72 (22) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30 (−1) | 33 (1) | 39 (4) | 46 (8) | 55 (13) | 64 (18) | 68 (20) | 67 (19) | 60 (16) | 48 (9) | 39 (4) | 32 (0) | 48 (9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −12 (−24) | −2 (−19) | 7 (−14) | 21 (−6) | 32 (0) | 40 (4) | 50 (10) | 48 (9) | 30 (−1) | 22 (−6) | 9 (−13) | −4 (−20) | −12 (−24) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.86 (123) | 5.36 (136) | 5.07 (129) | 3.93 (100) | 4.12 (105) | 4.07 (103) | 5.10 (130) | 4.35 (110) | 4.10 (104) | 3.42 (87) | 4.30 (109) | 4.49 (114) | 54.63 (1,388) |
| Source:[15] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 244 | — | |
| 1890 | 168 | −31.1% | |
| 1900 | 320 | 90.5% | |
| 1910 | 573 | 79.1% | |
| 1920 | 467 | −18.5% | |
| 1930 | 426 | −8.8% | |
| 1940 | 436 | 2.3% | |
| 1950 | 564 | 29.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,507 | 167.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,548 | 135.4% | |
| 1980 | 5,095 | 43.6% | |
| 1990 | 8,936 | 75.4% | |
| 2000 | 21,675 | 142.6% | |
| 2010 | 29,783 | 37.4% | |
| 2020 | 33,036 | 10.9% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 37,740 | 14.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[16] 1850-1870[17] 1870-1880[18] 1890-1910[19] 1920-1930[20] 1940[21] 1950[22] 1960[23] 1970[24] 1980[25] 1990[26] 2000[27] 2010[28] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 17,102 | 51.77% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 7,848 | 23.76% |
| Native American | 67 | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1,626 | 4.92% |
| Pacific Islander | 17 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,119 | 6.41% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 4,257 | 12.89% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 33,036 people, 12,803 households, and 8,250 families residing in the city.
As of thecensus[2] of 2010, there were 29,783 people, 11,413 households, and 7,375 families residing in the city. There were 12,328 housing units at an average density of 1,027.3 per square mile (396.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 58.9% White, 22.3% Black, 10.8%Hispanic orLatino of any race, 5.3%Asian, 0.4%Native American, 0.02%Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 4.7% of other races, and 3.0% non-Hispanic mixed of two or more races.
There were 11,413 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 26.8% were made up of individuals, and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $61,355 and the median income for a family was $75,465. Males had a median income of $46,953, versus $42,809 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $27,165. About 8.2% of families and 11.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 13.1% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Several festivals are held annually. Every April the annual Big Shanty Festival displays over 200 arts and crafts booths along with 20 food booths downtown featuring several local businesses and entrepreneurs. Over 60,000 people from around North Georgia attend the festival. The festival begins with a parade through downtown.[30]
Thecity hall[31] is located downtown, just off Main Street (oldU.S. 41 andState Route 3, laterState Route 293). It contains the offices ofmayor andcity council, a basement jail, a municipal9-1-1 call center and other offices. It is thepublic-safety answering point for the city of Kennesaw and the neighboring city ofAcworth, anddispatches the separatepolice departments of both cities. Calls for fire services are relayed to and dispatched from Cobb County's 911 center,[32] and serviced by the Cobb County Fire Department, as neither city has its ownfire department.
In 2008, the city of Kennesaw awarded a bid toDigitel Wireless for the implementation of citywireless Internet. In March 2008, the city of Kennesaw announced the grand opening of four new wireless areas: Swift-Cantrell Park and Adams Park, and the train depot area across from theSouthern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. The city has also providedWi-Fi in the Ben Robertson Community Center.[33]
In 2001,violent crime rates were about 60% below national and state rates. Property crime rates were from 46 to 56% below national and state rates. From 1999 to 2011, Kennesaw crime statistics reported that both property and violent crimes had decreased, though from 2003 to 2008 the trend in both violent and property crime rates slightly increased.[34] The increase in crime rate overall is attributed to the population growth rate of 37.41%. The population growth rate is much higher than the state average rate of 18.34% and is much higher than the national average rate of 9.71%.[35]
TheCobb County Public Library System operates a Kennesaw branch library. The Cobb County Police Department serves unincorporated areas, including theTown Center Area Community Improvement District andKennesaw State University (in addition to KSU's own police).
Kennesaw is noted for its uniquefirearms legislation, passed in response toa handgun ban inMorton Grove, Illinois. In 1982 the city passed an ordinance[Sec 34-21]:[36]
(a) In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore.
(b) Exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who suffer a physical or mental disability which would prohibit them from using such a firearm. Further exempt from the effect of this section are those heads of households who arepaupers or who conscientiously oppose maintaining firearms as a result of beliefs or religious doctrine, or persons convicted of a felony.
A similar law was passed in 2000 in the city ofVirgin, Utah, making it the second city in the United States to require residents to own guns.[37]Nelson, Georgia;Nucla, Colorado; andGun Barrel City, Texas, also followed suit.[38]
Public schools are operated by theCobb County School District.
Elementary schools include Big Shanty Intermediate,[41] Bullard,[42] Chalker,[43] Hayes,[44] Kennesaw,[45] and Lewis.[46]
Middle schools include Awtrey,[47] Lost Mountain,[48] McClure,[49] Palmer,[50] and Pine Mountain.[51]
High schools includeHarrison High School,[52]Kennesaw Mountain,[53]North Cobb,[54] and Kennesaw Charter Science & Math Academy.[55]
Private schools include Sunbrook Academy at Legacy Park,[56] Sunbrook Academy at Stilesboro, andMount Paran Christian School.
Kennesaw State University is located near the city and is part of theUniversity System of Georgia.
In2016, theAtlanta Blaze ofMajor League Lacrosse spent their first year of play as an expansion franchise with home games atFifth Third Bank Stadium on the campus of Kennesaw State University.[57] The team relocated in 2019.
Municipalities and communities ofCobb County, Georgia,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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