Ringgold, Georgia
Ringgold, Georgia | ||
---|---|---|
FIPS code 13-65324[2] | | |
GNIS feature ID | 0329441[3] | |
Website | www |
Ringgold is a city in and the county seat of Catoosa County, Georgia, United States.[4] Its population was 3,414 at the 2020 census.[5] It is part of the Chattanooga, Tennessee–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Ringgold was founded in 1846 and incorporated as a city in 1847.[6] It was named after Samuel Ringgold, a hero of the Battle of Palo Alto in the Mexican–American War.[7]
Ringgold is where The General locomotive stopped during the Great Locomotive Chase on April 12, 1862. Ringgold is also home to the historic Ringgold Depot, which still contains bullet marks from the Civil War.
The Battle of Ringgold Gap took place on November 27, 1863. Confederate Major General Patrick Cleburne with 4,100 men used the mountain pass known as the Ringgold Gap to stall the advance of Union Major General Joseph Hooker and his troops. Hooker's troops were over 12,000 strong. It was a Confederate victory because it allowed Confederate artillery and wagon trains to move safely through the Ringgold Gap unharmed while inflicting high Union casualties.
The Whitman-Anderson House is located in Ringgold and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). From their house, the Whitman family watched the Battle of Ringgold Gap, during which William Whitman's general store was destroyed. After the Confederates evacuated Ringgold, General Grant requisitioned the Whitman's house as his headquarters. After General Grant moved on, General Sherman ordered the burning of the town of Ringgold, but spared the Whitman house, which remained in the Whitman family until 1902.[8][9][10]
On March 14, 2002, a sudden heavy fog played havoc with morning traffic and contributed to one of the worst traffic pileups in history; 125 vehicles crashed on Interstate 75 North and four people died.[11]
Tornado
On April 27, 2011, an EF4[12] tornado touched down in Ringgold and Catoosa County, leaving a path of destruction. The tornado killed twenty people along a 48 miles (77 km) path across Catoosa County and over the state line in Hamilton and Bradley counties. Eight died in Ringgold, including an entire family of four,[13] and at least thirty others were injured. Many homes, businesses, and schools were damaged or destroyed.[14]
Geography
Ringgold is located near the center of Catoosa County at 34°55′2″N 85°6′57″W / 34.91722°N 85.11583°W (34.917170, -85.115698).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.3 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.11%, is water.[5]
Topography
Ringgold is situated in the
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 316 | — | |
1880 | 436 | 38.0% | |
1890 | 465 | 6.7% | |
1900 | 437 | −6.0% | |
1910 | 398 | −8.9% | |
1920 | 472 | 18.6% | |
1930 | 684 | 44.9% | |
1940 | 882 | 28.9% | |
1950 | 1,192 | 35.1% | |
1960 | 1,311 | 10.0% | |
1970 | 1,381 | 5.3% | |
1980 | 1,882 | 36.3% | |
1990 | 1,675 | −11.0% | |
2000 | 2,422 | 44.6% | |
2010 | 3,580 | 47.8% | |
2020 | 3,414 | −4.6% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[18] |
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic)
|
2,799 | 81.99% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
|
177 | 5.18% |
Native American
|
14 | 0.41% |
Asian
|
56 | 1.64% |
Pacific Islander
|
6 | 0.18% |
Other/Mixed
|
211 | 6.18% |
Latino
|
151 | 4.42% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,414 people, 1,565 households, and 878 families residing in the city.
2000 census
At the 2000
There were 1,033 households, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 17.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.
23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.
The
Education
Catoosa County Public Schools
The Catoosa County Public Schools educates students from pre-school to grade twelve. In the district, there are ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and three high schools.[20] The district has 606 full-time teachers and over 9,809 students.[21]
In 1954 the Ringgold Elementary School was destroyed in a fire.[22]
Notable people
- Logan Baldwin, professional baseball player
- Edgar William Brown, Sr. (1859–1917) physician turned successful businessman in Texas lumber and oil industry, born in Ringgold
- Austin Davis, professional football player, coach, born in Ringgold
- David Dreyer, American politician
- Stacey Evans, American politician
- Randall Franks American film and TV actor, entertainer, author[23][24][25]
- Roy Hawes (1926-2017), professional baseball player, died in Ringgold
- Dewayne Hill, American politician
- Hugh Hill, (1879–1958), professional baseball player, born in Ringgold
- Barbara Leigh (born 1946), actress, born in Ringgold
- O. Wayne Rollins (1912-1991), co-founder of Rollins, Inc.[26]
- Cole Wilcox, professional baseball player, Heritage High School alumnus
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ a b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Ringgold city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
- ^ Sarge, Andy (February 14, 2020). "Forgotten Georgia: The Whitman-Anderson House in Ringgold".
- ^ "Whitman-Anderson House, Ringgold, Georgia". rs.locationshub.com.
- ^ "The Whitman House Historical Marker, Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia"; erected 1955 by Georgia Histocial Commission (Marker Number 023-10)
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ March 14, 2002 pileup on I-75
- ^ Ringgold, GA Tornado Confirmed as an EF-4 Tornado, The OKCStormWatcher Weather Blog, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ Ringgold residents return to 'utter devastation' from tornadoes Archived 2013-01-01 at archive.today, WXIA-TV, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ Ringgold devastated after tornado touchdown, Dalton Daily Citizen, April 29, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Valley and Ridge geologic province, New Georgia Encyclopedia, retrieved Nov. 8, 2011.
- ^ Climate Summary for Ringgold, Georgia
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ Georgia Board of Education[permanent dead link], Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- ^ School Stats, Retrieved June 2, 2010.
- Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Local entertainer reunites with "In the Heat of the Night" cast for homecoming". Northwest Georgia News. October 25, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "Ringgold's Randall Franks inducted into America's Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame". Northwest Georgia News. October 14, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "American Actor/Entertainer Randall Franks enjoys keeping cameras rolling in his home state". December 18, 2019. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ISBN 978-0-87413-744-6. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
External links
- City of Ringgold official website
- "Ringgold Gap; A Civil War Battle", at About North Georgia website