Nelson, Georgia

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Nelson, Georgia

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|settlement_type = City

|motto =

|image_skyline = Nelson Georgia city hall.jpg

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|image_caption = Nelson city hall

|image_flag =

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|image_seal = Seal of Nelson, Georgia.png

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|image_blank_emblem = Logo of Nelson, Georgia.png

|blank_emblem_type = Logo

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|image_map = Pickens_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Nelson_Highlighted.svg

|mapsize = 250px

|map_caption = Location in Pickens County and the state of Georgia

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|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = United States

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = Georgia

|subdivision_type2 = Counties

|subdivision_name2 = Pickens, Cherokee

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|unit_pref = Imperial

|area_footnotes = {{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}

|area_total_km2 = 3.97

|area_land_km2 = 3.95

|area_water_km2 = 0.02

|area_total_sq_mi = 1.53

|area_land_sq_mi = 1.52

|area_water_sq_mi = 0.01

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|population_as_of = 2020

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|population_total = 1145

|population_density_km2 = 290.11

|population_density_sq_mi = 751.31

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|timezone = Eastern (EST)

|utc_offset = -5

|timezone_DST = EDT

|utc_offset_DST = -4

|coordinates = {{coord|34|22|54|N|84|22|17|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}

|elevation_footnotes =

|elevation_m = 377

|elevation_ft = 1237

|postal_code_type = ZIP code

|postal_code = 30151

|area_code = 770

|blank_name = FIPS code

|blank_info = 13-54572{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}

|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID

|blank1_info = 0319244{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|accessdate=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25}}

|website = {{URL|https://nelsongeorgia.com}}

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Nelson is a city in Pickens and Cherokee Counties, Georgia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 1,145. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

History

The city is named for John Nelson, an early landowner, farmer, and rifle maker.{{gnis|319244}} The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Nelson as a town in 1891.{{cite book|title=Acts Passed by the General Assembly of Georgia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mRE4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA742|year=1892|publisher=J. Johnston|page=742}}

The area possesses substantial deposits of marble. The railway construction in 1883 made the development of large-scale quarries possible. The quality of the marble has made it favored for federal monuments.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nelsongeorgia.com/about-nelson|title=About Nelson - Welcome to Nelson, Georgia|website=www.nelsongeorgia.com|access-date=2017-03-17}}

On April 1, 2013, the city council unanimously approved the "Family Protection Ordinance". Every head of household must own a gun and ammunition to "provide for the emergency management of the city" and to "provide for and protect the safety, security, and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants." Residents are not required to buy one if they do not have one, and the ordinance does not penalize anyone who does not comply. Convicted felons are exempt.{{cite web| title=GA. City Council Votes to Require Gun Ownership| url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ga-city-looks-make-gun-ownership-mandatory-0| publisher=AP| accessdate=2 April 2013}}

Geography

Nelson is located on the border of Pickens and Cherokee Counties at {{coord|34|22|54|N|84|22|17|W|type:city}} (34.381562, -84.371303).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} The original city center is located in Pickens County, but the city limits have recently expanded southward so that more of the city is now located in Cherokee County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|3.8|km2|disp=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.02|sqkm|disp=flip|3}}, or 0.56%, is covered by water.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1354572| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212182507/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1354572| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Nelson city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| accessdate=July 24, 2014}}

Nelson is served through its downtown by the Georgia Northeastern Railroad, and by Canton Road, the town's main street and the former route of Georgia State Route 5. South on old 5 is Ball Ground, and north is Tate. The north end of Interstate 575 and south end of State Route 515 are at the county line just to the west of Nelson. I-575 leads south {{convert|52|mi}} to Atlanta, and SR 515 leads north {{convert|26|mi}} to Ellijay.

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1890= 266

|1900= 254

|1910= 550

|1920= 511

|1930= 798

|1940= 679

|1950= 645

|1960= 658

|1970= 613

|1980= 562

|1990= 486

|2000= 626

|2010= 1314

|2020= 1145

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}

}}

class="wikitable"

|+Nelson racial composition as of 2020{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1354572&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-14|website=data.census.gov}}

!Race

!Num.

!Perc.

White (non-Hispanic)

|1,018

|88.91%

Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

|28

|2.45%

Native American

|3

|0.26%