Rockmart, Georgia

The City of Rockmart
City
Rockmart Downtown Historic District
Motto: "Where Past & Present Stroll Side by Side"[1]
Location in Polk County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 34°0′14″N 85°2′57″W / 34.00389°N 85.04917°W / 34.00389; -85.04917Coordinates: 34°0′14″N 85°2′57″W / 34.00389°N 85.04917°W / 34.00389; -85.04917
Country	United States of America
State	Georgia
County	Polk
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Stephen Miller [2]
• City Manager	Jeff L. Ellis
• City Clerk	Pam Herring
Area
• Total	4.3 sq mi (11.3 km2)
• Land	4.3 sq mi (11.2 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation	781 ft (238 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	4,199
• Density	900/sq mi (342.5/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	30153
Area code(s)	770/678/470
FIPS code	13-66276[3]
GNIS feature ID	0356502[4]
Website	City of Rockmart, Georgia Official Website

Rockmart was named for its economic position as a major quarry and rock market.

Rockmart is a city in Polk County, Georgia. The population was 4,199 according to a 2010 census. Rockmart developed as a railroad depot town when the Southern Railway built a station in the area.^[1] The community was incorporated in 1872, and was named from abundant deposits of slate in the area.^[5][6] The Rockmart Downtown Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Rockmart is located at 34°00′14″N 85°02′57″W / 34.003952°N 85.049202°W / 34.003952; -85.049202.^[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.4 square miles (11 km²), of which 4.3 square miles (11 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) (0.69%) is water. The majority of the city of Rockmart is located in Polk County, GA; however, parts of Rockmart stretch into Paulding County, Georgia as well.

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 3,870 people, 1,541 households, and 1,027 families residing in the city. The population density was 892.0 people per square mile (344.3/km²). There were 1,681 housing units at an average density of 387.5 per square mile (149.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.82% White, 18.48% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.39% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50% of the population.

There were 1,541 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,171, and the median income for a family was $36,906. Males had a median income of $31,714 versus $22,381 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,272. About 12.8% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Beginning in the mid-1990s, Rockmart experienced a period of economic expansion. Growth in the form of new restaurants and casual dining, as well as retail shopping, came about as residential building increased. A Walmart Supercenter store was opened in the city in 2007.

Culture

Rockmart Art Center Theatre

Arts and theater

The Drama Department at Rockmart High School is known for its involvement with the community and every spring the advanced acting class performs at a GHSA One-act play competition. When the new Rockmart High School was constructed, performance space was not included. Instead, the Rockmart Thespians use the historic Rockmart Art Center Theatre for their productions. The department has produced many theatrical feats such as "Seussical," "Grease (musical)," and most recently "Hairspray (musical)." In October 2008, the Rockmart High School Thespians placed first at the Region AA One Act Competition with their performance of Godspell. The RHS Thespians then took the show to the State AA One Act Competition and placed 3rd out of four schools.^[10] In 2013, Rockmart Thespians placed first in the State AAA One Act Competition with a riveting production of the thriller When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?. Starring Brent Costin, Isaac Huskins, Rachel Reid, Brandon McNabb, Morgan Oldham, Hunter Albea, and Hannah Scoggins.

Music

Another important addition to the performing arts in Rockmart is the Rockmart High Marching Yellow Jackets. The band won a best in show at the 2006 and 2008 Golden River Marching Festival. In those competitions, both band and auxiliary sections (such as the drumline, tubas, colorguard and danceline) were regarded as being among the best in Northwest Georgia.

Parks and recreation

Parks and recreation areas in Rockmart include the Nathan Dean Complex, the Silver Comet Trail & Riverwalk Park,^[11] as well as Rockmart City Parks.^[12]

Government

Rockmart operates under a council-manager form of government. The city is divided into five council wards, each electing one member to the council. The city's mayor serves as chairman of the council, and is its sixth member. The mayor and council, together, appoint the city manager. Other appointed positions include the city clerk, city attorney, city auditor, and city court judge.

Education

The city of Rockmart is a part of the Polk County School District.^[13] It has one high school, Rockmart High School; one middle school, Rockmart Middle School; and two elementary schools, Eastside Elementary and Van Wert Elementary. Rockmart High School is the only high school in the city of Rockmart and not only serves the population of Rockmart, but also the Aragon, Georgia community. As of the 2011/12 school year, the school had an enrollment of 837 students and 50.10 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 16.71.

In 1912, the Georgia Legislature created the public school system in the state of Georgia. That year, the city of Rockmart began the Rockmart School System in the building vacated by the Piedmont Institution (established in 1889 by the Methodist North Georgia Annual Conference). It had closed after a 23-year existence in 1912 after it was purchased by the Rockmart School Board of trustees. Rockmart High School was in the building for 3 years until the building burned down in 1915. The building was later rebuilt until the building burned down again in 1940. The current lot is now the Rockmart Governmental Complex. Prior to the Polk County School System of Georgia, RHS had its own city school system and rival school Cedartown High School also had its own city school system in Cedartown, Georgia.

The Polk County campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College is also located in Rockmart.

Racial integration

Prior to the racial integration of the Polk County School System, two high schools existed in Rockmart—Rockmart High School and Elm Street High School—which served the African American community of Rockmart. The integration of the school system began in the year 1964 when some African American students began attending Rockmart High School until total integration was achieved in 1965 with the closing of Elm Street High School.

Notable people

• Nathan Dean, former Georgia State Senator from the 31st District^[14]
• Danny Ware, former running back for the New York Giants
• Bill Calhoun, former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Boston Braves
• Danny Roberts, actor for the MTV reality series The Real World: New Orleans.

See also

• Polk County, Georgia
• Rockmart High School

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rockmart, Georgia.

• Official Website
• Rockmart Police Department
• Rockmart Fire Department
• Rockmart Cultural Arts Center

Municipalities and communities of Polk County, Georgia, United States
County seat: Cedartown
Cities	Aragon Braswell‡ Cedartown Rockmart
Town	Taylorsville‡
Unincorporated communities	Antioch Benedict Esom Hill Etna Fish Creek Portland Van Wert
Footnotes	‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties