Dawson (Georgia)
Terrell County
13-21912
Dawson is a city in the central south-west of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is located in Terrell County, and since its founding in 1856, its administrative seat. The town was named after William C. Dawson, a former congressman and U.S. senator, and in 1857 a town.
Geography
Dawson is centrally located in Terrell County. The nearby towns are Parrott, Brownwood, Sasser and Shellman. The nearest major town, West Dougherty is about 35 kilometers away. Albany is located about 37 kilometers southwest of the capital of Georgia, Atlanta, about 270 kilometers north. The city covers an area of 9.5 km ².
Population
The population according to the census in 2000 is 5,058, of which 45.4 % men and 54.6 % women. The average age of the citizens of Dawson is 33.1 years. In 1999, the average annual income was $ 24,149 per household with far below the U.S. average ( $ 46,994 ). 77.3 % of residents are African American, 21.2% White and 0.9 % Hispanics. About 31.6 % of families and 36.3 % of the population live below the poverty line. Thus, the share of the poor is much higher than the U.S. average.
Public institutions
Dawson has three public schools that Cooper Primary, Carver Elementary and Terrell County Middle & High School. Furthermore, the Terrell Academy is, an entity created in 1970 private high school in the city. The nearest secondary schools are located in the city Albany: Darton College, Albany State University, Albany Technical College.
Attractions
The courthouse was built in 1892 in Victorian style, is listed along with Dawson in the Woman's Club House and the Dawson Historict District, a historic district in the cultural monument list of the U.S. federal government. The Chickasawhatchee Primitive Baptist Church is the oldest surviving church in Terrell County.
Personalities
Walter Washington, the first elected mayor of Washington, DC was born on 15 April 1915 in Dawson. Other prominent sons of the city are the diplomat Lucius D. Battle and soul singer Otis Redding.