Butler, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox settlement  |official_name = Butler, Georgia |other_name = |native_name =  |nickname = |settlement_type = City |motto =  |image_skyline = Butler Municipal Building.JPG |imagesize = |image_caption = Butler Municipal Building (aka City Hall) |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = Taylor_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Butler_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location in Taylor County and the state of Georgia |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map =  |pushpin_label_position =  |pushpin_map_caption = |pushpin_mapsize =  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = United States |subdivision_type1 = State |subdivision_name1 = Georgia |subdivision_type2 = County |subdivision_name2 = Taylor |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title =  |established_date = |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref = Imperial |area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_13.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> |area_total_km2 = 8.45 |area_land_km2 = 8.41 |area_water_km2 = 0.04 |area_total_sq_mi = 3.26 |area_land_sq_mi = 3.25 |area_water_sq_mi = 0.02 |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi =  |population_as_of = 2020 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 1881 |population_density_km2 = 223.73 |population_density_sq_mi = 579.48 |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title = |population_blank1 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = Eastern (EST) |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |coordinates = {{coord|32|33|N|84|14|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = 191 |elevation_ft = 628  |postal_code_type = ZIP code |postal_code = 31006 |area_code = 478 |blank_name = FIPS code |blank_info = 13-12120<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> |blank1_name = GNIS feature ID |blank1_info = 0312093<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|312093|Butler|2026-01-18}}</ref> |website = {{URL|https://www.cityofbutlerga.com/}} |footnotes = |pop_est_as_of = |pop_est_footnotes = |population_est = }} '''Butler''' is the county seat of Taylor County, Georgia, United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |accessdate=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archivedate=2011-05-31 }}</ref> Its population was 1,972 at the 2010 census,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=U.S. Census website |accessdate=2016-06-13 }}</ref> and 1,881 in 2020.

==History== The Central of Georgia Railway was built through the present area of Butler about 1850.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA221 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | accessdate=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=221| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> The line is currently owned by Norfolk Southern and hosts three to four trains per day.

Butler was incorporated on February 8, 1854, but the charter was not received until 1870. Taylor County was carved from the Creek Indian territory which had in earlier years become the counties of Marion, Talbot, and Macon.

The chosen location of Butler was known as the "Fifty Mile Station" on the railroad because it was the geographical center of the railroad between Macon and Columbus, Georgia. Each town is approximately {{convert|50|mi|km|0}} in either direction of Butler.

The city of Butler, Georgia, was named for General William Orlando Butler, a distinguished soldier of the Mexican–American War and a candidate for Vice President on the ticket with General Lewis Cass of Michigan.<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=29 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

In late 2016, a 1070-acre 103 megawatt solar panel facility was completed. The Butler Solar Facility is owned by First Solar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.powermag.com/largest-solar-plant-in-southeast-will-be-built-in-georgia/|title = Largest Solar Plant in Southeast Will be Built in Georgia|date = 22 February 2018}}</ref>

==Geography== Butler is located at {{coord|32|33|N|84|14|W|type:city}} (32.557, -84.239).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

The city is located along U.S. Route 19, which is the main route through the city. U.S. 19 leads north 28 mi (45 km) to Thomaston and south 24 mi (39 km) to Ellaville. The Fall Line Freeway (GA-540) runs from west to east through the southern part of the city, concurrent with Georgia State Route 96. GA-540 and GA-96 lead east 9 mi (14 km) to Reynolds and west 14 mi (23 km) to Junction City. Georgia State Route 137 also runs through the city, leading northeast 20 mi (32 km) to Roberta and southwest 25 mi (40 km) to Buena Vista.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|3.2|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|3.2|sqmi|km2}} is land and 0.31% is water.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1890= 712 |1900= 707 |1910= 705 |1920= 758 |1930= 857 |1940= 1093 |1950= 1182 |1960= 1346 |1970= 1589 |1980= 1959 |1990= 1673 |2000= 1907 |2010= 1972 |2020= 1881 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}

===2020 census=== As of the 2020 census, Butler had a population of 1,881, with 756 households and 447 families residing in the city.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=place%3A12120&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 30, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref><ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=place%3A12120&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=April 30, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

The median age was 43.3 years. 23.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.8% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 80.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.2 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=place%3A12120&in=state%3A13|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=April 30, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

Of households in Butler, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 29.0% were married-couple households, 17.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 47.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 870 housing units, of which 13.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+Butler racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US1312120&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-18|website=data.census.gov}}</ref> !Race !Num. !Perc. |- |White (non-Hispanic) |810 |43.06% |- |Black or African American (non-Hispanic) |986 |52.42% |- |Native American |6 |0.32% |- |Asian |4 |0.21% |- |Pacific Islander |1 |0.05% |- |Other/mixed |50 |2.66% |- |Hispanic or Latino |24 |1.28% |} ==Education== ===Taylor County School District=== The Taylor County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school.<ref>[http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&PID=62&PTID=69&CountyId=733&T=0&FY=2009 Georgia Board of Education]{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Retrieved June 27, 2010.</ref> The district has 101 full-time teachers and over 1,735 students.<ref>[http://www.school-stats.com/GA/TAYLOR/TAYLOR_COUNTY.html School Stats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405184218/http://www.school-stats.com/GA/TAYLOR/TAYLOR_COUNTY.html |date=April 5, 2012 }}, Retrieved June 27, 2010.</ref> *Taylor County Primary School *Taylor County Upper Elementary *Taylor County Middle School *Taylor County High School

The Taylor County Girls' basketball team (1967–1972) holds the record for the nation's longest girl's high school basketball winning streak by winning 132 consecutive games, going undefeated for five years and winning five back-to-back state championships.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}

==Notable people== * Ella Little-Collins, civil rights activist

==Gallery== <gallery> File:Taylor County, GA Courthouse.JPG|Taylor County Courthouse was built in Butler in 1935. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 1995. File:Taylor County, GA Government Complex.JPG|Taylor County Government Complex<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.taylorga.us/ |title=Taylor County Government Complex |access-date=May 31, 2012 |archive-date=July 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728004535/http://www.taylorga.us/page45.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> File:Butler, GA Post Office (31006).JPG|Butler Post Office (ZIP code: 31006) File:Taylor County, GA School District.JPG|Taylor County Board of Education File:Union Methodist Church Cemetery-Hays Campground Cemetery;.JPG|Located just north of Butler, the Union Methodist Church and cemetery were added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 6, 2001. File:Taylor County, GA Sheriff's Office.JPG|Taylor County Sheriff's Office<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120728004535/http://www.taylorga.us/page45.php Taylor County Sheriff's Office]</ref> </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Cities in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Cities in Taylor County, Georgia Category:County seats in Georgia (U.S. state)