Rincon, Georgia

Rincon, Georgia
Town
Motto: "Just around the corner from everywhere you want to be"[1]
Location in Effingham County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 32°17′36″N 81°14′3″W / 32.29333°N 81.23417°WCoordinates: 32°17′36″N 81°14′3″W / 32.29333°N 81.23417°W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Effingham
Government
• Mayor	Ken Lee
Area
• Total	8.86 sq mi (22.95 km^2)
• Land	8.86 sq mi (22.95 km^2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km^2)
Elevation	72 ft (22 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	8,836
• Density	997/sq mi (385.0/km^2)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	31326
Area code(s)	912
FIPS code	13-65296[2]
GNIS feature ID	0332857[3]
Website	www.cityofrincon.com

Rincon is a town in Effingham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 8,836 at the 2010 census,^[4] up from 4376 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Rincon, in the southeast area of Effingham County, was incorporated as a city as recently as 1927. While the earliest settlers came to the area in 1751, its existence as a full-fledged community with families and businesses dates back to the late 19th century. The origin and development of Rincon really got its start with the coming of the railroad. Around the time of the turn of the 20th century a rail line was built from the Carolinas across the state line at the Savannah River and southward to Savannah. The name of the city is believed to have had its origin from the Spanish or Mexican name "Rincón", after a small but prosperous town in Mexico. (Rincón means "corner.")^[5]

Once the railroad and depot were built, a telegraph operator or agent is known to have been on duty as early as about 1895. This opened up the area to communication. With the coming of the railroad and service to Rincon and the combined availability of the "dirt" road (now State Highway 21) between Savannah and Rincon and beyond, and other country roads between farms and the town and outlying other towns, Rincon became a small hive of activity. The surrounding farmers, sawmill operators and the like, who "wagoned" their products, cotton and lumber, to Savannah, now could "wagon" to the Rincon railhead for shipment. They also could receive shipments and travel as rail passengers.

About the time of World War I there was a spurt of local activity. Some men were absent in military services, and many locals in and around Rincon commuted daily to work in shipbuilding and other war-related plants in Port Wentworth and Savannah. Soon after the war, new homes were built or completed by new residents and old.

Concerning Rincon's early schools there was a grade school that began about 1900 in an old two-story building opposite the Lutheran church. A few years later the school was moved further north between 4th and 5th streets into a new two-story building that had a steeple belltower and bell to signal recess and lunch periods and the opening and closing of school for the day. That building stood and was used for at least 40 years for both grade school and high school. It was originally known as the Effingham Institute. Its name was changed in the early 1920s to Rincon High School.

Although Rincon was first incorporated in 1927, by 1929 the corporate government had become inactive. This was partially due to the small population. Sometime later, however, the population began to increase, first gradually and then rapidly. By 1950 the population was 454. By 1955 it was 650 and by 1960 it was 1,057. Times and circumstances having changed, Rincon was reincorporated and organized as the Town of Rincon around the end of 1954. The incorporated limits of Rincon originally formed a circle having a diameter of 2.5 miles (4.0 km), with the center at the site of the old (now gone) railroad depot, but recent annexations of land have started to obscure the circular shape.

In approximately 1934, Georgia State Route 21 was paved from the Chatham County line in the south, northward through Rincon and Springfield and beyond. In about 1939, electric lines were installed, and electric power from the Savannah Electric and Power Company came to Rincon, replacing private individual small plants. In late 1955, Rincon installed its own city pump, tank, lines and water system, enabling "running water" throughout for the first time. In 1956, a volunteer fire department was organized. Also beginning in that year, many arterials and streets were paved.

As suburban development has expanded outward from Savannah, the population of Rincon has grown rapidly in the last three decades, rising from 2,697 in 1990 to an estimated 9,638 in 2014.^[6]

Geography

Rincon is located in southeastern Effingham County at 32°17′36″N 81°14′3″W / 32.29333°N 81.23417°W (32.293258, -81.234171).^[7] Georgia State Route 21 passes through the town, leading northwest 7 miles (11 km) to Springfield, the county seat, and south 18 miles (29 km) to Savannah.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23.0 km²), all of it land.^[8]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	317		—
1940	285		−10.1%
1950	424		48.8%
1960	1,057		149.3%
1970	1,854		75.4%
1980	1,988		7.2%
1990	2,697		35.7%
2000	4,376		62.3%
2010	8,836		101.9%
Est. 2014	9,638	[6]	9.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 4,376 people, 1,681 households, and 1,222 families residing in the town. The population density was 651.9 people per square mile (251.8/km²). There were 1,892 housing units at an average density of 281.9 per square mile (108.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 76.37% White, 19.13% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 1.69% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% of the population.

There were 1,681 households out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $40,903, and the median income for a family was $46,607. Males had a median income of $42,443 versus $25,449 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,023. About 8.0% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

• Billy Currington, country music artist; raised in Rincon^[10]

References

1. "City of Rincon, Georgia". City of Rincon, Georgia. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
2. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
3. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
4. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/1365296.html
5. "Profile for Rincon, Georgia, GA". ePodunk. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
8. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Rincon town, Georgia". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
10. "Billy Currington Walks a Little Straighter With Debut Hit". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 4, 2012.

External links

• City of Rincon official website