Alpharetta

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Alpharetta is a city in north Fulton County, Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. According to the 2010 census, Alpharetta’s population is 57,551.

History

From the North Georgia Mountains to the Chattahoochee River along a Cherokee Indian trail, a tiny village named New Prospect Camp Ground was formed. This village, made up of tents, a log school, and arbor became a trading post where Indians and white settlers exchanged their goods. The surrounding countryside provided rich farming land, especially for cotton. On December 11, 1858, the town was chartered and became the county seat of Milton County. Alpharetta’s city website states the name is a combination of the Greek words for “first” and “town”, however “town” in Greek is “Poli” or “Polis” and “Retta” is not even a Greek word. Officially chartered on December 11 of that year, Alpharetta served as the county seat of Milton County until the end of 1931 when Milton was merged with Fulton County to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.

Government

Alpharetta is governed by a city council composed of six members and a mayor. The mayor and council members serve staggered four-year terms.

Mayors:

  • David Belle Isle 2012–Present
  • Arthur Letchas 2001–2011
  • Chuck Martin 1995 – 2002
  • Jimmy Phillips 1979 – 1994

 

Geography

Alpharetta is located at 34°4′24″N 84°16′52″W (34.073318, -84.281086).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 55.4 km² (21.4 sq mi). 21.4 square miles (55 km2) of it is land and 0.05{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} is water.

Major highways

  • Georgia 9.svg State Route 9
  • Georgia 120.svg State Route 120
  • Georgia 400.svg State Route 400

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 34,854 people, 13,911 households, and 8,916 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,631.6 people per square mile (630.0/km²). There were 14,670 housing units at an average density of 686.7 per square mile (265.2/km²). The population has been gradually increasing over the last decade. During the workday, the city swells to more than 120,000 residents, workers, and visitors, due to the more than 3,600 businesses that are located in the city.

According to the census of 2000, there were 13,911 households out of which 36.2{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.1{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} were married couples living together, 7.3{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} were non-families. 27.7{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the city, 27.0{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of the population was under the age of 18, 7.2{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} from 18 to 24, 40.5{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} from 25 to 44, 19.4{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} from 45 to 64, and 5.8{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $95,888, and the median income for a family was $111,918. The per capita income for the city was $42,431. Males had a median income of $79,275 versus $59,935 for females. About 2.9{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of families and 1.2{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of the population were below the poverty line, including .3{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of those under age 18 and .6{55c62a160aea5bee5d76a19365e3361029a738c4d965c149016a5c45fc39a61f} of those age 65 or over.

Top employers

According to the City’s 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 ADP 2,000
2 McKesson 1,905
3 LexisNexis 1,076
4 Hewlett-Packard 953
5 Verizon Wireless 3,475
6 AT&T Mobility 751
7 Comcast 729
8 Cox Communications 676
9 Equifax 675
10 E-Trade 587

Retail

Major retail complexes include North Point Mall. A 86-acre (35 ha) mixed-use development, Avalon, is planned to open in 2014.

Attractions

Wills Park

The Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center is located at 178 South Main Street and has more than 200 complimentary brochures providing information on the surrounding area. The Center is open Monday — Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Alpharetta Arboretum at Wills Park was established in September 2008 and includes 26 trees. A brochure about the arboretum guides readers through a walking tour of the trees and is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center. Additionally, theAlpharetta Arboretum at Cogburn Road Park was established in December 2008 and showcases seven trees. A complimentary brochure for the arboretum is available at the Downtown Alpharetta Welcome Center and provides a starting point for a self-guided walking tour.

The Alpharetta Farmers Market is a weekly farmers market in the downtown area that opens every Saturday from 8 AM to 12:30 PM from April to October, and features farmers and gardeners from the surrounding area selling fresh vegetables, flowers, and edible goods such as jam. Named “Best Saturday Morning Excursion” in 2007 by Atlanta Magazine.

The Downtown Alpharetta Historic District is located in the center of Alpharetta at the convergence of North Main Street, South Main Street, Milton Avenue, and Academy Street. Around this area are several historic buildings dating from the late 19th century and older. The downtown area has been restored, replacing more modern buildings with period structures, and includes dining, shopping, and widened brick sidewalks.

The Mansell House and Gardens is a 1912 Queen Anne-style home that serves as a special event facility in Alpharetta. It also serves as home to the Alpharetta Historical Society.

The Milton Log Cabin was built by Future Farmers of America students during the 1934-35 school year and resembles life during the late 19th century. The Cabin is available for tours by appointment.

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park is a 12,000-capacity outdoor venue that serves as the summer home to the Grammy Award-winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and plays host to acts like Dave Matthews Band, Rod Stewart and the Eagles.

The Walk of Memories is located at American Legion Post 201 and pays tribute to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, community and friends, through a brick walk inscribed with the names of all Georgia residents killed in service including and following WWII. A separate section is reserved for those who served in the military and survived. A tank and helicopter are on display.

The Alpharetta Big Creek Greenway is a 6.1-mile-long (9.8 km), 12-foot-wide (3.7 m) concrete path that meanders through the woods along Big Creek, offering a place to walk, jog, inline skate and bike. The path includes additional mountain bike trails.

Newtown Park is a park located on Old Alabama Road with various areas to play recreational sports. The park includes baseball fields, a lacrosse field, a playground, a basketball court, and a lake with a gazebo. The entire park is enclosed within a concrete running path approximately a mile long.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

The city is served by Fulton County Schools.

Elementary Schools (Grades K-5)

  • Alpharetta Elementary School
  • Cogburn Woods Elementary School in Milton
  • Crabapple Crossing Elementary School in Milton
  • Creek View Elementary School
  • Hembree Springs Elementary School in Roswell
  • Lake Windward Elementary School
  • Manning Oaks Elementary School
  • Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell
  • New Prospect Elementary School
  • Ocee Elementary School in Johns Creek
  • Summit Hill Elementary School in Milton

Middle Schools (Grades 6-8)

  • Autrey Mill Middle School in Johns Creek
  • Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell
  • Haynes Bridge Middle School
  • Holcomb Bridge Middle School
  • Hopewell Middle School in Milton
  • Northwestern Middle School in Milton
  • Taylor Road Middle School in Johns Creek
  • Webb Bridge Middle School
  • Amana Academy, a public charter school in Alpharetta for students in Kindergarten to 8th grade
  • Fulton Science Academy (FSA), a public charter school in Roswell for students in 6th to 8th grade

High Schools (Grades 9-12)

  • Alpharetta High School serves most of Alpharetta
  • Centennial High School in Roswell
  • Chattahoochee High School in Johns Creek
  • Johns Creek High School in Johns Creek
  • Milton High School in Milton
  • Northview High School
  • Roswell High School in Roswell
  • South Forsyth High School in Cumming
  • Independence High School, an alternative school located on the old Milton High School campus.

Private schools

  • The Lionheart School

Higher education

Both Georgia State University and Reinhardt University have satellite campuses located in Alpharetta. Also Georgia Perimeter College has a satellite campus off of Old Milton Parkway.