Rome

Rome is the largest city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, it is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia metropolitan statistical area. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 37,713. It is the 26th-largest city in the state. It developed on former indigenous territory at the confluence of the Etowah and the Oostanaula rivers, which together form the Coosa River. Later the Cherokee people expanded into this area from their traditional homelands to the east and northeast. The city has developed on seven hills with the rivers running between them, a feature that inspired the early European-American settlers to name it for Rome. The American Rome developed in the antebellum period as a market and trading city due to its advantageous location on the rivers. It shipped the rich regional cotton commodity crop downriver to markets on the Gulf Coast and export overseas. It has developed as a regional center for the fields of medical care and education. In addition to its public-school system, it has several private schools, including private Berry College and Shorter University, and the public Georgia Northwestern Technical College and Georgia Highlands College. In the 20th century, Ridge's home here was preserved as Chieftain's House. It's used to interpret the history of the Cherokee in this area, especially Major Ridge and John Ross, who lived here before Indian Removal in 1838.

History

The Abihka tribe of Creek in the area of Rome later became part of the Upper Creek people. A Cherokee village named Etowah (Cherokee:, romanized: Etowa), which means "Head of Coosa", was settled in this area during the late 18th century. Several Cherokee national leaders settled here and developed their own cotton plantations, including chiefs Major Ridge and John Ross. In 1829, European Americans discovered gold near Dahlonega, Georgia, starting the first gold rush in the United States. Congressional passage of the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which fulfilled the Compact of 1802, was related to that gold discovery and the desire of Whites to settle the land, as well as President Andrew Jackson's commitment to removal of Native Americans to enable development by the whites. Rome was founded in 1834 as European Americans increasingly settled in Georgia. The name of the new city came from Col. Daniel R. Mitchell, Col. Zacharia Hargrove, Maj. Philip Hemphill, William Smith, and John Lumpkin (nephew of Governor Lumpkin); most were veterans of the War of 1812. They held a drawing at Alhambra to determine the name, with Col. Mitchell submitting the name of Rome because of the area's hills and rivers. The county seat was moved east from the village of Livingston to Rome in 1835, with the entire area still occupied by Cherokee, primarily by Cherokee. The city developed to serve the new agrarian needs of the cotton-based economy of the Low Country.

Geography

Rome is located at the confluence of the Etowah and the Oostanaula rivers, which form the Coosa River. The seven hills that inspired the name of Rome are known as Blossom, Jackson, Lumpkin, Mount Aventine, Myrtle, Old Shorter, and Neely Hills. According to the Köppen climate classification, Rome has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps. The city has a total area of 31.6 square miles (81.9 km²), of which 30.9square miles (80.1 km²) are land and 0.73square miles of land (1.9km²) is covered by water. The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. It was designated as the county seat of Floyd County, Alabama, in 1855. It is located on the banks of the River Coosa, which is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It has a population of 1,715, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The town was named after the seven hills, some of which have been partially graded since Rome was founded. The name "Rome" means "the city of the hills" or "the hill" in English. It also means "to the city of Rome" in Spanish, meaning "the place where the hills meet the river" and "the town of the same name".

Demographics

As of the 2020 U.S. census, there were 37,713 people, 14,169 households, and 8,870 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 63.12% White, 27.66% African American, 1.42% Asian, 0.39% Native American, 5.61% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.35% of the population. The median household income was $30,930, and the median family incomes was $37,775. About 15.3% of families and 20.3%. of the residents were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under the age of 18 and 16.3. of those 65 and older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.07. The age distribution was 24.2% under the Age of 18, 12.1%. For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.2 males. The city has a population density of 1,190.5 inhabitants per square mile (459.7/km²). The 14,508 housing units averaged 493.7 per squaremile (190.7 /km²) The median age was 35.2 years old. The per capita income for the city is $17,327. For every100 females, there are 90.2. males.

Economy

Rome has long had a history of manufacturing. The city is also well known for its medical facilities. In the 1960s, General Electric established a factory in Rome to make plows for the U.S. military. Today, the city is home to the University of Rome and a number of other businesses. It is also the home of the Italian Air Force, the Italian Navy, and the Italian Army Corps of Engineers, which built the Rome Air Force Base in the 1950s and 1960s. It also has its own hospital, the Stromboli Medical Center, which was built in the 1970s to provide medical care for the troops in the Vietnam War. It was also the site of the first air force base in Italy, which opened in 1968. It has since been home to many other companies, including the Italian National Bank and the Bank of Italy, as well as the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which is based in Rome. The town is also home to a large number of universities, many of which are based in the city, and many of them are located in the region of Rome. It's also the location of the European Union's second-largest city, Rome, which has a population of more than 1.2 million people. The region is also known as the "Heart of Italy" because of its proximity to the Italian mainland. The area is also famous for its many hospitals, which have been built in recent years, and for their ability to provide health care services.

Arts and culture

Sites include: Martha Berry Museum, a museum honoring Martha Berry, the founder of Berry College. Chieftains Museum (Major Ridge Home), a museum of Cherokee history, honoring chief Major Ridge and other leaders. Clock Tower, a clock tower museum. Rome Symphony Orchestra, oldest symphony orchestra in the Southern United States. Rome Area History Museum, the oldest museum of its kind in the United States, is located in the city's downtown area. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Floyd County, Georgia: "Rome Area History and Art Museum" The site also has a museum on the U.S. National Register of Historic Landmarks listings in the county: "Museum on the National Register of Historic Places  listings in Floyd County Georgia: "Museum on the National  Register of Historical Landmark Places and Sites on the N  Register for Florence County Georgia and the State Reconstructive Museums List in the county of Floyd County of Georgia:  "Muse on-the-N Register-of-Historic-Landmarks Listing in Floyd Counties-Floyd County, Georgia-Georgia - "Muses on the N Register of Historic Plaques and Plaque and Statues".

Sports

Sports tourism is a major industry in Rome and Floyd County. In 2010, sport events netted over $10 million to the local economy. Since 2003, Rome has been the home of the Rome Braves, the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Georgia Fire was an indoor football team that played in Rome as a member of the Professional Indoor Football League. Rome has hosted stages of the Tour de Georgia in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. In June 2021, Rome hosted the USATF outdoor track and field championships, which was held at Barron Stadium. The Rome Braves compete in the high-A East division of the Major League Baseball. The Atlanta Braves play in the Low-A division and the Gwinnett Braves are in the low-A Midwest division. In 2013, the Braves won their first-ever World Series title, beating the New York Yankees in the final game of the season. The Braves also won the World Series in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. In 2008, the Georgia Bulldogs won the NAIA Football National Championship for the first time in their history. The team won the title in 2007, 2008, and 2009. In 2009, the team won its second-ever National Championship. In 2011, the Atlanta Falcons won their third-straight World Series, defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the semi-finals. In 2012, the Cardinals won their fourth consecutive World Series. In 2014, the Nationals won their fifth title.

Government

In 1970, the city had a population of 30,759, with an ethnic composition of 76.6% White and 23.4% Black. White Americans made up 63.12% of the population in the 2000 census. African American made up 27.66% of city's population, and other minorities comprised the remainder. The nine-member commission elects a mayor and vice mayor from among its members for specific terms. In addition, the commission hires a city manager for daily operations. The city was divided into nine wards, with one city commissioner from each ward to be chosen in the citywide election. There was no residency requirement for Board of Education candidates. In 1966, after the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the city amended its charter with approval by the state legislature, reducing the number of wards from nine to three, with commission members to be elected by at-large voting to numbered positions, three for each ward, with three wards in total. A majority vote was required to win, with runoff procedures to apply to the top two candidates if no majority was achieved. In City of Rome v. United States, 446 U.S. 156 (1980), the US Supreme Court ruled that the attorney general had acted incorrectly in failing to approve the city's changes to its election system and its annexations. The court upheld the constitutionality of the act, including the prohibition of unintentional discrimination to mitigate the potential that a jurisdiction may engage in intentional discrimination. Because of these findings, the court affirmed the lower court ruling.

Education

The Rome City School District has 323 full-time teachers and more than 5,395 students. The Floyd County School District is for families outside the city limits. Rome has several private schools: Darlington School, Unity Christian School, St. Mary's Catholic School, Montessori School of Rome and Providence Preparatory Academy. The city is home to four colleges: Tuskegee University, Tusculum University, Marietta College and the University of Rome-Rome. It is also the site of the National Junior College of the United States, which was founded in 1913. The University of Alabama at Rome is a member of the Association of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (U.S.C.I.A.) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NAICW). It was the first college in the state to admit women in the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded by the U.S., the first female president of a major college, and the first African-American female president. It opened its doors in 1988. It has been the home of the Tusque College of Technology and the Tusco College of Arts and Sciences since the 1990s. The university was established in 1903 and is one of the nation's oldest colleges. It offers a variety of programs for women, men and children, including a women's studies program, a business program, and a social studies program. It also offers a bachelor's and master's degree program.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia = 30.7. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 74. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 91. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Rome = 5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 37,713 individuals with a median age of 35.2 age the population grows by 1.88% in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,190.40 residents per square mile of area (459.61/km²). There are average 2.53 people per household in the 13,162 households with an average household income of $37,118 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 12.60% of the available work force and has dropped -4.30% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 18.80%. The number of physicians in Rome per 100,000 population = 318.1.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Rome = 54.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 1.8 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 116. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 213. 90 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 31.3 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 36, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Rome, Floyd County, Georgia which are owned by the occupant = 47.80%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 43 years with median home cost = $94,450 and home appreciation of -4.29%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $8.38 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,440 per student. There are 14.3 students for each teacher in the school, 319 students for each Librarian and 379 students for each Counselor. 3.61% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 11.12% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 7.99% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).