Lithonia, Georgia

Lithonia is located in southeastern DeKalb County at {{Coord|33|42|46|N|84|6|21|W|type:city}} (33.712658, -84.105897).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} Interstate 20 passes just south of the community, with access from Exits 74 and 75. Lithonia is {{convert|18|mi}} east of the center of Atlanta. Some areas in extreme southern Gwinnett County use a Lithonia postal address near the county line.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|2.3|km2|order=flip}}, all land.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1346860| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Lithonia city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 21, 2015}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

File:Railroad in Lithonia, GA in May, 2023.jpg area.]] File:Lithonia Municipal Complex.jpg

In 1805, Lithonia began as a small crossroads settlement of farmers. The town grew with the coming of the Atlanta Augusta Railroad in 1845, which allowed the granite quarrying industry in the area to flourish.{{cite web|url=http://www.georgiashpo.org/sites/uploads/hpd/pdf/Lithonia_Summary.pdf | url-status=usurped | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416181600/https://georgiashpo.org/sites/uploads/hpd/pdf/Lithonia_Summary.pdf| archive-date=April 16, 2015 | title=SUMMARY OF PROPOSED NATIONAL REGISTER/GEORGIA REGISTER NOMINATION | publisher=Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division | date=January 2014 }}

Lithonia is the birthplace of the Lithonia Lighting company, one of North America's largest manufacturers of commercial, institutional, industrial and residential light fixtures,{{citation needed|date=January 2016}} which was founded in the city in 1946 but moved to nearby Conyers in the 1950s.

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, a megachurch which is known{{by whom|date=May 2013}} for many high-profile funerals, is located in Stonecrest, GA, near Lithonia.

File:The Seminary Lithonia Georgia Front Veranda.jpg

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Lithonia Historic District

| nrhp_type = hd

| image =

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| location =

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| built =

| architecture =

| added = September 19, 2016

| area = {{convert|441|acre|ha}}

| refnum = 16000639{{NRISref|version=2013a}}

}}

The Lithonia Historic District consists of a commercial core surrounded by residential areas, with a period of significance spanning from 1845 to 1964. Stylistic influences in the district include Second Empire, Queen Anne, Folk Victorian, Neoclassical Revival, English Vernacular Revival, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival. The district is bisected by the Georgia/CSX Railroad, which runs perpendicular to the historic commercial core's primary thoroughfare, Main Street. The commercial area extends south from the intersection of Main Street and the railroad, covering a two-block area. The commercial buildings are primarily brick and local granite masonry, with little decorative detailing. Commercial styles include single retail, multiple retail, and retail and office types. Within the historic district, there is some non-historic infill construction such as the 1968 Lithonia Plaza shopping center.

File:Downtown Lithonia, GA.jpg

The residential areas consist architecture typical of late 19th- to mid 20th-century types and styles. Residential neighborhoods also feature locally quarried granite and gneiss. House types and styles include the central hall Georgian cottage, gabled-wing cottage, Queen Anne cottage, New South cottage, pyramid cottage, bungalow, Ranch house, I-House and Queen Anne house.

Landmark properties include the Masonic Lodge (1916), The Lithonia Women's Club (1928), the Lithonia First United Methodist Church (1910), Antioch Baptist Church (1911), Lithonia Presbyterian Church, The Union Missionary Church (1911), the Bruce Street equalization school (c.1953), and The Seminary (1895). Contributing sites in the district include two cemeteries, two parks, the former Georgia Railroad Quarry, and the ruins of the Bruce Street School for African-Americans (1938).

The district is significant under National Register criterion A (association with historic events) and C (architecture), with areas of significance in Architecture, Black and European Ethnic Heritage, Community Planning and Development, Industry, and Transportation.

{{US Census population

|1880= 266

|1890= 1182

|1900= 1208

|1910= 1428

|1920= 1269

|1930= 1457

|1940= 1554

|1950= 1538

|1960= 1667

|1970= 2270

|1980= 2637

|1990= 2448

|2000= 2187

|2010= 1924

|2020= 2662

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}
1850-1870{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1870|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}} 1870-1880{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-09.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}
1890-1910{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1910|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}} 1920-1930{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|pages=251–256}}
1940{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}} 1950{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1950|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}} 1960{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1960|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-12-c.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}
1970{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1970|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ga-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}} 1980{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}} 1990{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 1990|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-5/cph-5-12.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}
2000{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}} 2010{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 2010 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia |publisher=United States Census Bureau|date= 2010|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/2010/cph-2/cph-2-12.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,662 people, 938 households, and 524 families residing in the city.

Lithonia is near to a super-regional shopping center, the Mall at Stonecrest (also known as Stonecrest Mall), and serves as the northernmost point on the Arabia Mountain Path.{{cite web|url=http://arabiaalliance.org/amp/|title=Arabia Mountain PATH - Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area|website=arabiaalliance.org}} Much of the mall's available property has yet to be developed.

The three main health facilities in Lithonia are:

• Emory Hillandale Hospital is the newest hospital in DeKalb.
• Kaiser Permanente runs two community health clinics in Lithonia: Panola Road Clinic, and the Stonecrest Clinic.
• East DeKalb Health Center

DeKalb County Public Schools operates public schools."[http://gslf.info/CityOfLithonia1/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Exhibit-B-Official-Zoning-Map.pdf Official Zoning Map]." City of Lithonia. Adopted July 6, 2015. Retrieved on June 1, 2017. Lithonia Middle School is the only school located in the city limits of Lithonia.{{cite web|url=https://www.lithoniams.dekalb.k12.ga.us/|title=Home|publisher=Lithonia Middle School|accessdate=2023-02-19|quote=2451 Randall Avenue Lithonia, GA 30058}} - No other school resolves to within the Lithonia city limits.

The schools that serve the city limits of Lithonia are: Stoneview Elementary School in Stonecrest,"[http://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/documents/planning/maps/es-attendance-areas.pdf Elementary School Attendance Areas 2018 - 2019 School Year]." DeKalb County School System. Retrieved on February 19, 2023. Lithonia Middle School,"[http://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/documents/planning/maps/ms-attendance-areas.pdf Middle School Attendance Areas 2018 - 2019 School Year]." DeKalb County School System. Retrieved on February 19, 2023. and Lithonia High School in Stonecrest (formerly Redan CDP)."[http://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/documents/planning/maps/hs-attendance-areas.pdf High School Attendance Areas 2018 - 2019 School Year]." DeKalb County School System. Retrieved on February 19, 2023.

Elementary schools in the wider surrounding area:

• Edward L. Bouie Sr. Elementary
• Marbut Elementary
• Shadow Rock Elementary
• Rock Chapel Elementary
• Princeton Elementary
• Redan Elementary
• Flat Rock Elementary
• Fairington Elementary
• Stoneview Elementary
• Panola Way Elementary
• Murphy Candler Elementary
• Browns Mill Elementary
• Wynbrooke Traditional Theme School

Middle schools in the surrounding area:

• Lithonia Middle School
• Redan Middle School
• Salem Middle School
• Miller Grove Middle School
• DeKalb Academy of Technology and Environment

High schools in the surrounding area:

• Lithonia High School (Primary Zoned High School)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. High School (Secondary Zoned High School){{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
• Miller Grove High School (Relief High School){{citation needed|date=June 2017}}
• Arabia Mountain High School (Magnet High School)

• Luther Rice University of Theological Studies
• Strayer University

DeKalb County Public Library operates the Lithonia-Davidson Library the main library source in Lithonia, which was once privately owned until being incorporated into the DeKalb County Public Library system in 1947.

Other libraries in the Lithonia area include:

• Salem- Panola Branch
• Redan- Trotti Branch
• Stonecrest- Klondike Branch

• Browns Mill/Recreation Center
• Bruce Street Park
• Davidson-Arabia Mountain/Preserve
• Fairington Park
• Lithonia Park
• Mystery Valley Golf Course
• Redan Park (included Disc Golf, Tennis course, baseball and football fields, pavilion and family kids play areas)
• Southeast Athletic Complex
• Rock Chapel Park
• Salem Park

Lithonia's main post office is located on Stone Mountain Street in the heart of Lithonia. Many drop boxes and postal services storefronts are located throughout the communities of Lithonia.

Redan post office located directly outside the city limits of Lithonia provides an alternative to postal drop off and pickup service.

United Parcel Service (UPS) and FedEx also provide alternative postal service to Lithonia.

MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) provides connecting bus service to and from Lithonia, and GRTA Xpress (Georgia Rapid Transit Authority) provides commuter bus service to downtown Atlanta from a community park and ride lot.

The city was the title subject of the 2024 Childish Gambino song of the same name, Lithonia.

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.lithoniacity.org/ City of Lithonia official website]

{{DeKalb County, Georgia}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Cities in DeKalb County, Georgia

Category:Cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area