Bainbridge, Georgia
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Bainbridge City Hall
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Flag 
Seal | |
| Motto:
"Georgia's First Inland Port"[1]
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Location in Decatur County and the state of Georgia
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| Coordinates: 30°54′17″N 84°34′16″W / 30.90472°N 84.57111°W / 30.90472; -84.57111 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Decatur |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Edward Reynolds |
| Area | |
| • City | 21.00 sq mi (54.40 km2) |
| • Land | 19.78 sq mi (51.22 km2) |
| • Water | 1.23 sq mi (3.18 km2) |
| Elevation | 121 ft (37 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • City | 14,468 |
| • Density | 731.59/sq mi (282.47/km2) |
| • Metro | 27,842 |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
39817, 39819
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| Area code | 229 |
| FIPS code | 13-04896[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0354431[4] |
| Website | bainbridgecity |
Bainbridge is a city in Decatur County, Georgia, United States. The city is the county seat of Decatur County.[6] As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 14,468, up from 12,697 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Bainbridge, Georgia Micropolitan Statistical Area and a principal city in the Tallahassee—Bainbridge, FL-GA Combined Statistical Area.
The first European settlement in what is today Bainbridge was a trading post set up by James Burges in the late 18th century. From him comes the name Burges's Bluff.[7]: 120 The town was named after U.S. Navy Commodore William Bainbridge,[8] commander of the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"), and was incorporated on December 22, 1829.[5]
In 1824, Bainbridge was designated seat of the newly formed Decatur County.[9]
On October 10, 2018, Bainbridge fell victim to Hurricane Michael. The storm left widespread damage through the city limits, including downed trees, power lines, and structural damage. Many residents affected suffered severe damage to their homes.
Bainbridge is located in the center of Decatur County. The city is in southwestern Georgia along U.S. Routes 27 and 84, which form a bypass around the southern part of the city. U.S. Route 27 leads southeast 42 miles (68 km) to Tallahassee, Florida, and north 128 miles (206 km) to Columbus. U.S. Route 84 leads east 38 miles (61 km) to Thomasville and northwest 54 miles (87 km) to Dothan, Alabama. Other highways which run through the city include Georgia State Routes 97, 253, 309, and 311.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 20.1 square miles (52.0 km2), of which 18.8 square miles (48.7 km2) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.3 km2), or 6.40%, is water.[10]
Bainbridge is located on the Flint River, which flows southwest to meet the Chattahoochee. Together they form the Apalachicola River which flows to the Gulf of Mexico. At the junction of the two rivers, the Jim Woodruff Dam forms Lake Seminole. A system of locks at the dam allows barge traffic to travel between the inland port at Bainbridge and the Gulf of Mexico.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 1,869 | — | |
| 1870 | 1,351 | −27.7% | |
| 1880 | 1,436 | 6.3% | |
| 1890 | 1,668 | 16.2% | |
| 1900 | 2,641 | 58.3% | |
| 1910 | 4,217 | 59.7% | |
| 1920 | 4,792 | 13.6% | |
| 1930 | 6,141 | 28.2% | |
| 1940 | 6,352 | 3.4% | |
| 1950 | 7,562 | 19.0% | |
| 1960 | 12,714 | 68.1% | |
| 1970 | 10,887 | −14.4% | |
| 1980 | 10,553 | −3.1% | |
| 1990 | 10,712 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 11,722 | 9.4% | |
| 2010 | 12,697 | 8.3% | |
| 2020 | 14,468 | 13.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,106 | 35.29% |
| Black or African American | 8,106 | 56.03% |
| Native American | 31 | 0.21% |
| Asian | 117 | 0.81% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 336 | 2.32% |
| HispanicorLatino | 768 | 5.31% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,468 people, 4,471 households, and 3,111 families residing in the city.
It was announced in December 2019 that Brazil-based gun manufacturer Taurus had been granted a $39 million tax-incentive package to move from the Miami, Florida area to Bainbridge in return for creating 300 jobs. The package includes $20 million for construction, $7.9 million in tax credits, $4.5 million for infrastructure, $4.3 million in property-tax abatements, and $3 million for equipment, in addition to a land lease arrangement of $1/year for 73 acres (20 hectares) of land. The subsidy totals $130,000 per job.[13]
In December 2023 it was announced that significant tax breaks for a large primate breeding operation were approved by the Bainbridge City Council despite a lack of transparency to local residents who have since expressed outrage and strong opposition to the project. The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has highlighted several dangerous aspects of this project that threaten the health and well-being of local human and wildlife populations. Examples include the spread of numerous exotic diseases from animals imported from foreign countries through the international primate trade, and the disposal of millions of gallons of toxic animal waste that will be generated from the project and dumped in to the local ecosystem. PETA has also noted that officials representing the newly formed company spearheading the Bainbridge primate project were recent high-level employees of companies currently under investigation for an alleged illegal primate import scheme.
River Town Days is held each year the second weekend of March.
The Swine Time Festival and Decatur County Fall Festival and Fair are annual events.[5]
The Decatur County Courthouse was constructed in 1902, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5] Also listed on the Register is the First African Missionary Baptist Church.[14]
The Decatur County Gilbert H. Gragg Library is located in Bainbridge. The library serves the population of Decatur County and acts as the headquarters for the Southwest Georgia Regional Library.[15]
The Decatur County School District holds pre-school to grade 12, and consists of two primary schools, one elementary school, one middle school, and a high school.[16] The district has 384 full-time teachers and over 5,782 students.[17]
Schools include:[18]
The Bainbridge-Decatur County YMCA opened on September 15, 1986. Its building had a cost of $1,000,000.[19]
The city is a seaport linked to the Gulf of Mexico via Florida's Apalachicola River. Officially known as Port Bainbridge, these facilities are managed entirely by the Georgia Ports Authority.
The Decatur County Industrial Air Park, located 6 miles (10 km) northwest of the city, provides general aviation service to the community.
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Municipalities and communities of Decatur County, Georgia, United States
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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