Gay, Georgia

Gay, Georgia
Town
Gay in 2013
Logo
Location in Meriwether County and the state of Georgia
Coordinates: 33°5′38″N 84°34′26″W
Country	United States
State	Georgia
County	Meriwether
Government
• Type	Mayor-council government
• Mayor	Christopher J. Walker[1]
• Gay Town Council	Members Jaime Askvig Sallie Keith Tracy Watts Susan Pritchett
Area [2]
• Total	0.86 sq mi (2.24 km^2)
• Land	0.86 sq mi (2.24 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	840 ft (256 m)
Population  (2020)[3]
• Total	110
• Density	127.31/sq mi (49.15/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	30218
Area code	706
FIPS code	13-32384[4]
GNIS feature ID	0355988[5]
Website	gayga.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 (33.093797, −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.	Note	%±
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

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