Smyrna, Georgia

Cherokee Indians live in the area.{{Cite web | title=History & Points of Interest {{!}} City of Smyrna, GA | url=https://www.smyrnaga.gov/your-city/history-points-of-interest | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903225422/https://www.smyrnaga.gov/your-city/history-points-of-interest | access-date=2024-12-26 | archive-date=2022-09-03}}

Pioneers began settling the area in 1832. By the late 1830s, a religious encampment called Smyrna Camp Ground had become a popular travel destination and was well known throughout Georgia. It is a Greek name for the Biblical city of Smyrna, modern day İzmir in Turkey, the home of the Christian martyr Polycarp. After the completion of the Western and Atlantic Railroad in 1842, the area began to grow. It was known by several names until 1872—Varner's Station, Ruff's Siding, Neal Dow, and Ruff's Station. The city was incorporated with the name Smyrna in 1872.{{cite news |last1=Cauley |first1=H.M. |title=Insider's guide to Smyrna |url=https://www.ajc.com/entertainment/attractions/insider-guide-smyrna/XbACsTeqsTz0Sll1eSN2CI/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=6 January 2022}}

Two Civil War battles occurred in the area, the Battle of Smyrna Camp Ground and the Battle of Ruff's Mill, both on July 4, 1864.{{cite web|url=http://georgiahistory.com/ghmi_marker_updated/battle-of-smyrna/|title=Georgia Historical Society: Battle of Smyrna|access-date=July 4, 2016}} The area's businesses, homes, and 1849 covered bridge (since rebuilt and still in use today) were burned by Sherman's troops.

The nearby Bell Bomber plant that produced B-29 bombers during World War II was reopened by Lockheed in 1951, and became a catalyst for growth. The city's population grew during the next two decades, from 2,005 in 1950 to almost 20,000 by 1970.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

Smyrna is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, located about {{convert|1|mi}} northwest of the Atlanta city limits, and with Smyrna's downtown approximately {{convert|16|mi|km}} from downtown Atlanta. Smyrna is located just west of the northern intersection of I-285 and I-75, which is the site of the edge city Cumberland and the Cobb Galleria.

Smyrna is bordered by Vinings to the east, Marietta to the north and west, and Mableton to the south and southwest. The city of Sandy Springs and the affluent Atlanta neighborhoods of Paces and Buckhead are approximately within 10 miles of Smyrna's center.

{{Further|topic=the neighborhood of|Smyrna Heights}}

The center of Smyrna is located at {{Coord|33.871854|-84.518380|type:city_region:US-GA|format=dms|display=inline}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|39.9|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|39.8|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.23%, is water.{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1371492| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212180235/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1371492| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Smyrna city, Georgia| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=July 29, 2014}} The general terrain of the area is characteristic of the Piedmont region of Georgia, characterized by hills with broad ridges, sloping uplands, and relatively narrow valleys.

The city's official symbol is the jonquil (a flower). Known as the "Jonquil City", it derives this name from the thousands of jonquils that flourish in gardens and along the streets in early spring.

{{Weather box

|location = Smyrna, GA

|single line = Y

|Jan record high F = 79

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|Dec record high F = 79

|year record high F = 105

|Jan high F = 52

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|Apr high F = 73

|May high F = 80

|Jun high F = 86

|Jul high F = 89

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|Nov high F = 64

|Dec high F = 54

|Jan low F = 34

|Feb low F = 38

|Mar low F = 44

|Apr low F = 52

|May low F = 60

|Jun low F = 68

|Jul low F = 71

|Aug low F = 71

|Sep low F = 65

|Oct low F = 54

|Nov low F = 45

|Dec low F = 37

|Jan record low F = −8

|Feb record low F = −9

|Mar record low F = 10

|Apr record low F = 25

|May record low F = 37

|Jun record low F = 39

|Jul record low F = 53

|Aug record low F = 55

|Sep record low F = 36

|Oct record low F = 28

|Nov record low F = 3

|Dec record low F = 0

|year record low F = −9

|Jan precipitation inch = 4.20

|Feb precipitation inch = 4.83

|Mar precipitation inch = 4.81

|Apr precipitation inch = 3.36

|May precipitation inch = 3.67

|Jun precipitation inch = 3.95

|Jul precipitation inch = 5.27

|Aug precipitation inch = 3.90

|Sep precipitation inch = 4.47

|Oct precipitation inch = 3.41

|Nov precipitation inch = 4.10

|Dec precipitation inch = 3.90

|precipitation colour = green

|source 1 = {{cite web

|url= http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/wxclimatology/monthly/30080

|title=Monthly Averages for Smyrna, GA (30080) |website=Weather.com |access-date=November 21, 2011}}

|date=November 2011

}}

{{US Census population

|1880= 259

|1890= 416

|1900= 238

|1910= 599

|1920= 791

|1930= 1178

|1940= 1440

|1950= 2005

|1960= 10157

|1970= 19157

|1980= 20312

|1990= 30981

|2000= 40999

|2010= 51265

|2020= 55663

|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=}} 2020

}}

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 55,663 people, 24,736 households, and 13,669 families residing in the city.

At the 2018 census, there were 56,271 people, with 35% growth since 2000. There were 23,002 households. The population density was {{convert|3,300|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. The racial make-up of the city was 29.3% African American, 46% White, 0.4% Native American, 7.71% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander and 3.1% from two or more races. 14.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The population was distributed by age as follows: 22.6% under the age of 18, 18.8% from 18 to 29, 20% from 30 to 39, 14.9% from 40 to 49, 14.2% from 50 to 64, and 9.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males.

52.6% of Smyrna residents lived in families with an average of 2.2 people per household.

In 2012, 52.2% of Smyrna residents had a college degree and 91.3% of residents had a high school diploma. This is one of the highest rates in the state of Georgia.{{cite web|url=http://www.smyrnacity.com/index.aspx?page=596|title=City of Smyrna : Community Profile|website=Smyrnacity.com|access-date=February 7, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924102954/http://www.smyrnacity.com/index.aspx?page=596|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}

{{see also|List of mayors of Smyrna, Georgia}}

The city is governed by a seven-member council, elected by wards, and a mayor elected at-large.{{cite news |last1=Bruce |first1=Matt |title=Key city elections to watch in Cobb County |url=https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/cobb/key-city-elections-to-watch-in-cobb-county/ES4EBDZOR5FHRJWSQAINTLEN5E/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=6 January 2022}} Max Bacon served as the mayor of Smyrna starting in 1985; in July 2019 he announced his retirement from city politics.{{cite web |last1=Willis |first1=Haisten |title=Bacon bows out of reelection bid |url=https://cobbcountycourier.com/2019/07/bacon-bows-out/ |website=Cobb County Courier |date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=6 January 2022}} The current mayor is Derek Norton, who took office January 6, 2020. Norton previously served on the City Council since 2015.{{cite news |last1=Dixon |first1=Kristal |title=Smyrna's new mayor to advocate for a 'refresh' of downtown |url=https://www.ajc.com/news/smyrna-new-mayor-takes-office/XVfO5QtugzxTe8SFLv94rK/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |access-date=5 January 2022}}

The city operates the Smyrna Public Library, the only library in the county which is not a part of the Cobb County Public Library System.

The median household income in 2018 was $73,788. The per capita income was $44,823, a 24.7% increase from 2000.

In 2018, the place with the highest median household income in Smyrna was census tract 312.09, with a value of $143,443, followed by census tracts 311.12 and 311.17, with respective values of $108,229 and $89,769.

The Atlanta Bread Company has its headquarters in Smyrna.{{cite web |url=http://www.atlantabread.com/home.php |title=Bread. The man, not the band. |publisher=Atlanta Bread |access-date=September 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918235436/http://atlantabread.com/home.php |archive-date=September 18, 2009 }}

Companies with an office include Eaton Corporation and IBM. Smyrna was the site of the corporate offices of the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling.

According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:{{cite web|url=https://www.smyrnaga.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/12988/638107723107100000 |title=City of Smyrna ACFR|website=smyrnacity.com|access-date=August 24, 2023}}

On October 31, 2014, Emory Healthcare closed the Emory Adventist Hospital at Smyrna. They have since announced plans to renovate and reopen the hospital.{{Cite web|url=https://spectrummagazine.org/article/2016/02/29/emory-healthcare-will-renovate-and-reopen-shuttered-emory-adventist-hospital|title = Emory Healthcare Will Renovate and Reopen Shuttered Emory-Adventist Hospital| date=February 29, 2016 }}

File:Smyrna Georgia Market Village.JPG

In 1991, the city began a community redevelopment project known as "Market Village," in order to create a well-defined downtown. Included were a community center and {{convert|28000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} public library. A mixed retail and residential district was modeled after an early 1900s city village, including a square with a fountain. This, and other expansions have revitalized the downtown area. Further redevelopment has occurred throughout the city—including thousands of new homes – mostly cluster homes, townhouse and condo communities replacing older neighborhoods.{{cite web|url=http://www.smyrnavinings.com/smyrna-market-village-shopping/|title=Smyrna Market Village|website=SmyrnaVinings.com|date=December 5, 2007 |access-date=February 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.trulia.com/GA/Smyrna/|title=Smyrna Real Estate & Smyrna Homes For Sale |website=Trulia.com|access-date=February 7, 2015}} The population has risen as a result of redevelopment, a few annexations, and Smyrna's location as a residential suburb in the Northwest center of metro Atlanta.{{cite web|url=http://www.newcomeratlanta.com/articles/2011/atlanta-top-100-neighborhoods.html|title=Top 100 Neighborhoods in Metro Atlanta|website=newcomeratlanta.com|access-date=February 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=kf7tgg1uo9ude_&met_y=population&idim=place:1371492&dl=en&hl=en&q=smyrna,+ga+population|title=Population in the U.S. – Google Public Data Explorer|website=Google.ca|access-date=February 7, 2015}}

There are additional mixed retail/residential/office redevelopments near the city center, including Jonquil Plaza, Belmont Hills plaza, and The Crossings.

In September 2019, the James M. Cox Foundation gave $6 million to the PATH Foundation, which will connect the Silver Comet Trail terminus in Smyrna to the Atlanta Beltline. It is expected to be completed by 2022. The combined length of the Silver Comet and the Beltline will make it the longest paved trail surface in the U.S., totaling approximately {{convert|300|mi|km|abbr=off|sp=us}}; one could travel from Atlanta to Anniston, Alabama via the trail alone.{{Cite news|last1=Lutz|first1=Meris|last2=Journal-Constitution|first2=The Atlanta|title=Cox gives $6 million to connect Silver Comet to Atlanta|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/local-govt--politics/cox-gives-million-connect-silver-comet-atlanta/pKMbgS1tDhORwX182Mt3II/|access-date=2020-09-14|newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|language=en}}

Smyrna and Vinings' community newspaper is The Bright Side. It is dedicated to publishing positive events that occur in Cobb County.{{cite web|url=http://brightsidecobb.com/|title=The Bright Side Community Newspaper – Smyrna, GA|website=Bright Side Cobb|access-date=May 18, 2016}}

Public schooling in Smyrna falls under the jurisdiction of the Cobb County School District. The city's students are served by 12 of the district's schools. The largest schools by enrollment are:{{cite web |title=School List |url=https://www.greatschools.org/georgia/smyrna/schools/?gradeLevels%5B%5D=p&gradeLevels%5B%5D=e&gradeLevels%5B%5D=m&gradeLevels%5B%5D=h&st%5B%5D=public_charter&st%5B%5D=public&view=table |website=Great!Schools.org |access-date=6 January 2022}}

• Campbell High School
• Campbell Middle School
• Nickajack Elementary School

Several private schools are inside Smyrna's city limits, including St. Benedict's Episcopal School,{{Cite web |title=Independent School Preschool - 8th Grade {{!}} St. Benedict's {{!}} United States |url=https://www.stbs.org/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=St. Benedict's |language=en}} Covenant Christian School, Whitefield Academy,{{cite web |last1=Nouryeh-Clay |first1=Elizabeth |title='Others ahead of self' Whitefield Academy students volunteer with more than 30 nonprofits for Great Day of Service |url=https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/northside_sandy_springs/whitefield-academy-students-volunteer-with-more-than-30-nonprofits-for-great-day-of-service/article_c2f67b36-1000-11ec-adf6-9357c9ed5112.html |website=Northside Neighbor |date=September 7, 2021 |access-date=6 January 2022}} and a satellite campus of Buckhead Preparatory Academy.

File:Jonquil Park in Smyrna, GA.jpg

Market Village in the city center often has open-air concerts and festivals. There are also various small parks such as Cobb Park, public pools such as Aline Wolfe Center for the elderly and Tolleson park pool for all ages, tennis courts and playgrounds and a linear park with walking trail along Spring Road.

The Smyrna Art Council is an organization established to promote the arts within the community. Lectures, art exhibits and other activities are part of their calendar. {{Cite web |url=https://smyrnaartscouncil.com/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=smyrnaartscouncil.com}}

The Smyrna Historical Society (SHS) was born from a shared vision of preserving the rich history of Smyrna and its surrounding communities.{{Cite web |title=The Smyrna Historical Society |url=https://smyrnahistoricalsociety.org/ |access-date=2025-04-21 |language=en-US}}

Several major roadways, such as I-285, Cobb Parkway (U.S. Route 41), Atlanta Road (Old State Route 3), and South Cobb Drive (State Route 280), pass through the municipality.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Smyrna is served by CobbLinc and MARTA public buses.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

• Chan Marshall, singer-songwriter, musician, better known as Cat Power{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}
• U.S. Representative Bob Barr{{cite web|title=Bob Barr Biography|url=http://www.biography.com/people/bob-barr-377166f|website=Biography.com|access-date=January 19, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• Julia Roberts, Oscar-winning actress{{cite web|title=Julia Robert|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000210/|website=IMDb.com|access-date=January 19, 2016}}
• Gerald Perry and Ron Gant, baseball stars who both played for the Atlanta Braves{{cite web|title=The Comebacks Kid: Ron Gant Has Already Won the Award Once, but a Year After Motorcycle Accident, Reds' All-Star Is Almost a Lock|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-09-sp-22082-story.html|website=Articles.latimes.com|date=July 9, 1995 |access-date=January 19, 2016}}
• Daniel Palka, baseball player with the Algodoneros de Unión Laguna of the Mexican league
• John Brebbia, baseball player with the Atlanta Braves
• Kyle Fowler, racing driver
• Louie Giglio, Passion City Church Senior Pastor/Passion Conferences and sixstepsrecords founder
• Tay Glover-Wright, American football player
• C. Martin Croker, voice-over actor and animator was born in Smyrna. He is best known for his work on the cult classic show Space Ghost Coast to Coast
• Kelly Nelon Clark, recording artist and actress, was a long time resident and calls Smyrna her hometown
• Benn Jordan, recording artist and composer, owns a home and recording studio in Smyrna.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/bennjordan|title=Benn Jordan (@bennjordan) – Twitter|website=Twitter|access-date=October 15, 2017}}
• Eschel Rhoodie, the South African Secretary of the Department of Information from 1972 to 1977, resided in Smyrna after emigrating to the United States.{{cite news|last1=Saxon|first1=Wolfgang|title=Eschel Rhoodie, a South African At Center of Scandal, Dies at 60|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/21/obituaries/eschel-rhoodie-a-south-african-at-center-of-scandal-dies-at-60.html|access-date=February 18, 2018|work=The New York Times|date=July 21, 1993}}
• 645AR, rapper, raised partly in Smyrna{{Cite news |last=Moon |first=Jacorey |date=August 4, 2020 |title=645AR: The Squeak Heard Around the World |work=Office |url=http://officemagazine.net/645ar-squeak-heard-around-world |access-date=January 18, 2023}}

The restaurant scene in the film Joyful Noise was shot at Howard's Restaurant in Smyrna in 2011.{{cite web|title=Hollywood Food Fight Makes A "Joyful Noise'' At Howard's|url=http://smyrna.patch.com/articles/hollywood-food-fight-makes-a-joyful-noise-at-howards|access-date=February 7, 2015|work=Smyrna-vinings, Georgia Patch|date=March 7, 2011}}

{{Portal|United States}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Smyrna, Georgia}}

• [https://www.smyrnaga.gov/ City of Smyrna official website]
• [http://smyrnahistory.org/_history_ofsmyrna.htm Comprehensive History of Smyrna, Georgia (1832–present)] from the Smyrna Historical and Genealogical Society

{{Cobb County, Georgia}}

{{Atlanta Metro}}

{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Cobb County, Georgia

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

Category:Cities in the Atlanta metropolitan area

Category:Populated places established in 1872

Category:1832 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:1872 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)