Cordele, Georgia

City in Georgia, United States

Cordele, Georgia

City

Cordele City Hall

Flag

Logo

Nickname:

Watermelon Capital of the World

Motto:

Gateway to South Georgia[1]

Location of Cordele in Georgia (left) and in Crisp County, Georgia (right)

Coordinates: 31°57′51″N 83°46′38″W﻿ / ﻿31.96417°N 83.77722°W﻿ / 31.96417; -83.77722
Country| United States
State| Georgia
County| Crisp
Area

[2]

• Total

| 10.51 sq mi (27.21 km2)
• Land| 10.42 sq mi (26.99 km2)
• Water| 0.08 sq mi (0.22 km2)
Elevation

| 315 ft (96 m)
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 10,220
• Density| 980.62/sq mi (378.61/km2)
Time zone| UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)| UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes|

31010, 31015

Area code| 229
FIPS code| 13-19616[3]
GNIS feature ID| 0312971[4]
Website| www.cityofcordele.com

Cordele is a city in and the county seat of Crisp County, Georgia.[6] The population was 11,165 at the 2010 census,[7] and 10,220 in 2020.

Cordele calls itself the watermelon capital of the world.[8]

## History

[edit]

### 19th century

[edit]

Cordele was incorporated on January 1, 1888,[5] and named for Cordelia Hawkins, eldest daughter of Colonel Samuel Hawkins, the president of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railway.[9]

In November 1864, the area that is now Cordele served as the temporary capital of Georgia. During the last days of the Confederacy, Georgia's war governor Joseph E. Brown used his rural farmhouse to escape Sherman's March to the Sea. During that time, the farmhouse, which Brown called "Dooly County Place," served as the official capital for only a few days. It was replaced in 1890 by the Suwanee Hotel, located in what became downtown Cordele. The hotel was destroyed by a fire in late 1994 and was rebuilt.

Cordele was founded in 1888 by J.E.D. Shipp of Americus. The town was located at the junction of two major railroads – the Savannah, Americus & Montgomery line, and the Georgia Southern & Florida. As the railroads brought more people and business to the newly settled territory, Cordele experienced phenomenal growth. Before 1905 Cordele was located in southern Dooly County, 9 miles (14 km) from the county seat in Vienna.

### 20th century

[edit]

With Cordele's continued progress, many in the community felt the need for a seat of government to be closer than Vienna. Crisp County was formed in 1905 by taking a portion of southern Dooly County, and Cordele became its county seat.

By 1915, Cordele was home to several industries including an ice-making plant, mills for processing cotton products into cloth and oil, a fertilizer factory, and other small manufacturing outfits.[10]

By August 1930, Cordele housed the Crisp County Hydroelectric System, the first county-owned electric system. Located on the Flint River, the hydroelectric plant continues to operate, and the resulting Lake Blackshear has attracted residents to its waterfront properties.

On April 2, 1936, a tornado struck Cordele, killing 23 people.

## Geography

[edit]

Cordele is located north of the center of Crisp County at 31°57′51″N 83°46′38″W﻿ / ﻿31.96417°N 83.77722°W﻿ / 31.96417; -83.77722 (31.964178, -83.777277).[11] U.S. Route 41 passes through the city as Seventh Street and leads north 9 miles (14 km) to Vienna and south 20 miles (32 km) to Ashburn. U.S. Route 280 (16th Avenue) crosses US 41 in the center of the city and leads east 29 miles (47 km) to Abbeville and west 31 miles (50 km) to Americus. Interstate 75 passes through the east side of the city, with access from exits 99, 101, and 102, and leads 65 miles (105 km) north to Macon and 103 miles (166 km) south to the Florida state line. State Route 300 leads from the south side of the city 37 miles (60 km) southwest to Albany.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Cordele has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.5 km2), of which 10.2 square miles (26.3 km2) is land and 0.077 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.82%, is water.[7]

### Climate

[edit]

Cordele has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa), with mild winters and hot, humid summers.

Climate data for Cordele, Georgia (1991-2020 normals, extremes 1892–present)

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 84
(29)  | 85
(29)  | 90
(32)  | 96
(36)  | 100
(38)  | 106
(41)  | 104
(40)  | 104
(40)  | 101
(38)  | 99
(37)  | 89
(32)  | 83
(28)  | 106
(41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)  | 59.1
(15.1)  | 63.3
(17.4)  | 70.7
(21.5)  | 78.4
(25.8)  | 85.9
(29.9)  | 90.8
(32.7)  | 93.0
(33.9)  | 91.6
(33.1)  | 87.0
(30.6)  | 78.6
(25.9)  | 68.6
(20.3)  | 60.7
(15.9)  | 77.3
(25.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)  | 36.5
(2.5)  | 39.5
(4.2)  | 45.6
(7.6)  | 53.0
(11.7)  | 61.7
(16.5)  | 69.2
(20.7)  | 71.7
(22.1)  | 70.9
(21.6)  | 65.6
(18.7)  | 54.5
(12.5)  | 43.8
(6.6)  | 38.7
(3.7)  | 54.2
(12.4)
Record low °F (°C)  | −3
(−19)  | 9
(−13)  | 15
(−9)  | 30
(−1)  | 36
(2)  | 45
(7)  | 57
(14)  | 56
(13)  | 37
(3)  | 27
(−3)  | 9
(−13)  | 8
(−13)  | −3
(−19)
Average rainfall inches (mm)  | 4.67
(119)  | 4.33
(110)  | 4.88
(124)  | 4.39
(112)  | 2.98
(76)  | 4.86
(123)  | 4.54
(115)  | 4.09
(104)  | 4.54
(115)  | 2.61
(66)  | 3.20
(81)  | 5.04
(128)  | 50.13
(1,273)
Source: NOAA[12]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 1,578| | —
1900| 3,473| | 120.1%
1910| 5,883| | 69.4%
1920| 6,538| | 11.1%
1930| 6,880| | 5.2%
1940| 7,929| | 15.2%
1950| 9,462| | 19.3%
1960| 10,609| | 12.1%
1970| 10,733| | 1.2%
1980| 11,184| | 4.2%
1990| 10,321| | −7.7%
2000| 11,608| | 12.5%
2010| 11,147| | −4.0%
2020| 10,220| | −8.3%
2023 (est.)| 9,868| [13]| −3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1850-1870[15] 1870-1880[16]
1890-1910[17] 1920-1930[18]
1940[19] 1950[20] 1960[21]
1970[22] 1980[23] 1990[24]
2000[25] 2010[26]
Cordele racial composition as of 2020[27] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (non-Hispanic)  | 2,601  | 25.45%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)  | 6,816  | 66.69%
Native American | 6  | 0.06%
Asian | 156  | 1.53%
Pacific Islander | 4  | 0.04%
Other/Mixed | 304  | 2.97%
Hispanic or Latino | 333  | 3.26%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,220 people, 3,874 households, and 2,453 families residing in the city.

## Crime

[edit]

Cordele has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the highest rated cities or towns with regards to crime, with a Total Crime Index of 1, making it safer than only 1% of US cities.[28] One's chance of becoming a victim of any crime here is one in fifteen in any given year.[citation needed]

## Cordele City Commissioners

[edit]

Five citizens of Cordele are elected to serve as the City Commissioners.

The current Cordele City Commissioners are: Jeanie Bartee, Wesley Rainey, Royce Reeves, Vesta Beal Shephard, and Chairman John Wiggins[29]

## Representation in the Georgia State Legislature

[edit]

In the Georgia State Senate, the City of Cordele is represented by Sen. Carden Summers.[30] In the Georgia House of Representatives, the City of Cordele is represented by Rep. Noel Williams Jr.

## Representation in the United States House of Representatives

[edit]

In the United States House of Representatives, the City of Cordele is represented by Rep. Sanford Bishop.

## Georgia Veterans State Park

[edit]

Main article: Georgia Veterans State Park

Boeing B-29 Superfortress exhibited at Georgia Veterans State Park

To the west of Cordele town centre and located on Route 280 is the large Georgia Veterans State Park, which lies on the eastern edge of Lake Blackshear. This facility includes campgrounds, a resort hotel, and a golf course. There are also interesting displays of preserved military aircraft and helicopters and army tanks and other fighting vehicles. These displays are open to public viewing during daylight hours [31]

## Arts and culture

[edit]

Cordele was featured in the eighteenth episode of the Small Town News Podcast, an improv comedy podcast that takes listeners on a fun and silly virtual trip to a small town in America each week, in which the hosts improvise scenes inspired by local newspaper stories.[32]

### Annual cultural events

[edit]

Cordele hosts an annual Watermelon Festival each June.[33]

### Museums and other points of interest

[edit]

Titan I

In 1968 a Titan I missile was erected by the Rotary Club of Cordele at the intersection of I-75 and U.S. 280 East.[34]

### Sports

[edit]

Cordele is home to Cordele Motor Speedway formerly known as Crisp Motorsports Park, a 3/8-mile asphalt oval. It is home to the race series known as Speed Fest, which is sanctioned by the UARA National Tour. The series features four 125-lap races for the UARA National Tour. The track also hosts the World Crown 300 for UARA.

## Education

[edit]

### Crisp County School District

[edit]

The Crisp County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of four elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.[35] The district has 266 full-time teachers and over 4,337 students.[36]

* Crisp County Primary
* Crisp County pre-k
* Crisp County Elementary School
* Crisp County Middle School
* Crisp County High School

## Infrastructure

[edit]

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 75 / SR 401
* U.S. Route 41 /  State Route 7
* U.S. Route 280 /  State Route 30
* State Route 33
* State Route 90
* State Route 257
* State Route 300 (Georgia-Florida Parkway)

The Cordele Inland Port is operated by a private company, Cordele Intermodal Services, which offers rail service via the Heart of Georgia Railroad and Georgia Central Railroad, from their rail ramp in Cordele to the Georgia Ports Authority in Savannah. Two class I railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern pass through Cordele. Shortline Railroad, Heart of Georgia currently interchanges with CSX in downtown Cordele.

## Notable people

[edit]

* Buster Brown, blues and R&B singer born in Cordele[37]
* Preston Dennard, former wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams
* Janie Lou Gibbs, serial killer who poisoned her husband, three sons, and grandson. She was convicted in 1967.
* Devokeyous Keyshawn Hamilton, rapper, singer, and songwriter known professionally as Lazer Dim 700; born in Cordele[38]
* Mac Hyman, fiction writer known for his best-selling novel No Time for Sergeants and Take Now Thy Son; born in Cordele and a lifelong resident[39]
* T. J. Jackson, Olympian and NFL wide receiver
* Marcus Lamb, president of international Christian TV network Daystar
* Arthur Lucas, convicted murderer and one of the last two people to be executed in Canada
* Deworski Odom, sprinter; born in Cordele
* Jody Powell, served as the White House Press Secretary under President Jimmy Carter; born in Cordele
* Andre Ramsey, offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills
* Tree Rollins, former NBA basketball player and Cordele native who attended Crisp County High School
* Ken Spikes, racing driver
* Quay Walker, linebacker for the Green Bay Packers
* Joe Williams, jazz singer and Cosby Show grandfather; born in Cordele[40]
* Noel Williams Jr. \- Insurance agent and politician.[41][42]
* Jammie Robinson, safety for the Arizona Cardinals

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Ogden, Bob. Aviation Museums and Collections of North America. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. Tonbridge, Kent. 2007. ISBN 0-85130-385-4.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "City of Cordele Georgia Website". City of Cordele Georgia Website. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. ^ a b "Cordele". Georgia Gov. Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
6. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
7. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Cordele city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
8. ^ "City of Cordele in Cordele, Ga". Cityofcordele.com. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
9. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 51\. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
10. ^ https://pubs.usgs.gov/wsp/0341/report.pdf Underground Waters of the Coastal Plain of Georgia. Stephenson, Veatch and Dole, 1915, p. 213
11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. ^ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
13. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
14. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
15. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1870.
16. ^ "1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
17. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
18. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930. pp. 251–256.
19. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
20. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
21. ^ "1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1960.
22. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1970.
23. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
24. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1990.
25. ^ "2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
26. ^ "2010 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2010.
27. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
28. ^ "The Safest and Most Dangerous Places in Cordele, GA: Crime Maps and Statistics". Crimegrade.org. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
29. ^ "City Commissioners". Cityofcordele.com. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
30. ^ "Georgia General Assembly". Senate.ga.gov.
31. ^ Ogden, p. 221-222
32. ^ "Small Town News". Buzzsprout.com.
33. ^ "Watermelon Days Festival | Cordele, Georgia". Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
34. ^ "History of the Cordele, Georgia Missile Tourist Attraction". Archived from the original on August 10, 2006. Retrieved July 26, 2006.
35. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
36. ^ [2] [dead link]
37. ^ "Buster Brown". AllMusic. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
38. ^ "Rap Blog: Lazer Dim 700 raps in the prophetic perfect tense". The FADER. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
39. ^ "Mac Hyman (1923-1963)". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
40. ^ "Joe Williams". all about jazz. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
41. ^ "Noel Williams, Jr.'s Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
42. ^ O'Neal, Erica (May 2, 2018). "House of Representatives Candidate: Noel Williams Jr". cordeledispatch.com. Retrieved March 10, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

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* City of Cordele official website
* Cordele Dispatch, local newspaper
* O'Neal Historic District
* Cordele, Georgia, at City-Data.com

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