Gay, Georgia

Town in Georgia, United States

33°5′38″N 84°34′26″W / 33.09389°N 84.57389°W / 33.09389; -84.57389CountryUnited StatesStateGeorgiaCountyMeriwetherGovernment

• MayorChristopher J. Walker^[1]Area

^[2]

• Total0.86 sq mi (2.24 km²) • Land0.86 sq mi (2.24 km²) • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)Elevation

840 ft (256 m)Population

(2020)^[3]

• Total110 • Density127.31/sq mi (49.15/km²)Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)ZIP code

30218

Area code706FIPS code13-32384^[4]GNIS feature ID0355988^[5]Websitegayga.gov

Gay is a town in Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 110 in 2020.

History

An early variant name was "Sasserville".^[6] A post office called Gay has been in operation since 1886.^[7] The present name is after William F. Gay, an early postmaster.^[8] The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the Town of Gay in 1907.^[9]

Geography

Gay is located in northeastern Meriwether County at 33°5′38″N 84°34′26″W / 33.09389°N 84.57389°W / 33.09389; -84.57389 (33.093797, −84.573924).^[10] State Routes 74 and 85 run concurrently through the town, leading north 16 miles (26 km) to Senoia and south 8 miles (13 km) to Woodbury. State Route 109 Spur leads southwest from Gay 9 miles (14 km) to Greenville, the Meriwether county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), of which 0.001 square miles (0.6 acres), or 0.12%, are water.^[2] The Flint River passes 3 miles (5 km) to the east of the town.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1910	210	—
1920	290	38.1%
1930	251	−13.4%
1940	262	4.4%
1950	241	−8.0%
1960	194	−19.5%
1970	200	3.1%
1980	175	−12.5%
1990	133	−24.0%
2000	149	12.0%
2010	89	−40.3%
2020	110	23.6%
U.S. Decennial Census^[11]

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 149 people, 61 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The population was 110 in 2020.

Arts and culture

The town of Gay hosts a "Cotton Pickin' Fair" on the first weekend of every May and October.^[12]

The town was featured in Season 2, Episode 1 of Queer Eye on Netflix.

The Netflix show Barbecue Showdown Season 3 was filmed in Gay.^[13]

References

^ Town of Gay. "Town Officials". Town of Gay, Georgia. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^ "P1. Race – Gay town, Georgia: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^ ^a ^b "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 91. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
^ "Meriwether County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved October 4, 2014.
^ Moyer, Armond; Moyer, Winifred (1958). The origins of unusual place-names. Keystone Pub. Associates. p. 56.
^ Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia. Clark & Hines, State Printers. 1907. p. 669.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
^ "The Cotton Pickin' Fair".
^ Shrestha, Naman (July 4, 2024). "Where Was Barbecue Showdown Season 3 Filmed?". The Cinemaholic. Retrieved July 4, 2024.