Oglethorpe is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 995 at the 2020 census, down from 1,328 in 2010. The city is the county seat of Macon County. It was named for Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe.

History

Oglethorpe was founded in 1838. It was located in the Black Belt of Georgia, where slaves outnumbered whites and did the work to support cultivation of cotton as a commodity crop. Oglethorpe was incorporated as a town in 1849 and as a city in 1852. In 1857, the seat of Macon County was transferred to Oglethorpe from Lanier. Oglethorpe was once one of the largest cities in southwestern Georgia. Epidemics of malaria and smallpox caused high fatalities in the early 1860s; the remaining residents in Oglethorpe fled south to Americus to escape more disease.

Geography

Oglethorpe is located in south-central Macon County at 32.29333°N, -84.0625°W (32.293328, -84.062616). It sits on high ground west of the Flint River, which forms the boundary between Oglethorpe and the larger city of Montezuma. Georgia State Route 49 passes through the center of town as Chatham Street. It leads east into Montezuma and northeast 15 mi to Marshallville, while to the southwest it leads 20 mi to Americus. State Route 90 enters from the north on North Randolph Street and Sumter Street and leaves to the east on Chatham Street. It connects Oglethorpe with Rupert 18 mi to the northwest and with Vienna 23 mi to the southeast. State Route 128 leaves Oglethorpe to the north with SR 90 but leads 19 mi to Reynolds. State Route 26 (Riverview Drive) passes through the south side of Oglethorpe, leading east through Montezuma 36 mi to Hawkinsville and west 17 mi to Ellaville. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Oglethorpe has a total area of 2.1 sqmi, of which 0.05 sqmi, or 2.34%, are water.

Demographics

Oglethorpe first appeared in the 1850 U.S. census. As of the 2020 United States census, there were 995 people, 561 households, and 351 families residing in the city.

Education

Macon County School District

The Macon County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 129 full-time teachers and over 2,200 students.