Gay, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{pp-pc|small=yes}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Gay, Georgia | other_name = | native_name =  | nickname = | settlement_type = Town | motto =  | image_skyline = GAY, GA.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Gay in 2013 | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = GayGeorgiaLogo.png | blank_emblem_type = Logo | blank_emblem_size = 95px | image_map = Meriwether_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Gay_Highlighted.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location in Meriwether 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 = Meriwether | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = Mayor-council government | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Christopher J. Walker<ref>{{Cite web |last=Town of Gay |title=Town Officials |url=https://gayga.gov/town-officals |access-date=March 4, 2024 |website=Town of Gay, Georgia |language=en-US}}</ref> | leader_title1 = Gay Town Council | leader_name1 = {{Collapsible list | title = Members | title_style = | frame_style = border:none; padding: 0; | list_style = text-align:left;display:none; | 1 = Jaime Askvig | 2 = Sallie Keith | 3 = Tracy Watts | 4 = Susan Pritchett | 5 = }} | 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="CenPopGazetteer2022">{{cite web |title=2022 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Georgia |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2022_Gazetteer/2022_gaz_place_13.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 26, 2023}}</ref> | area_total_km2 = 2.24 | area_land_km2 = 2.24 | area_water_km2 = 0.00 | area_total_sq_mi = 0.86 | area_land_sq_mi = 0.86 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.00 | 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 = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US1332384&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Gay town, Georgia: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=January 26, 2023}}</ref> | population_note = | population_total = 110 | pop_est_as_of = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_est = | population_density_km2 = 49.15 | population_density_sq_mi = 127.31 | 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|33|5|38|N|84|34|26|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m = 256 | elevation_ft = 840 | postal_code_type = ZIP code | postal_code = 30218 | area_code = 706 | blank_name = FIPS code | blank_info = 13-32384<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> | blank1_name = GNIS feature ID | blank1_info = 0355988<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|355988|Gay|2026-04-01}}</ref> | website = {{URL|gayga.gov}} | footnotes = }} '''Gay''' is a town in Meriwether County, Georgia, United States. The population was 110 in 2020.

==History== An early variant name was "Sasserville".<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/g.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=91 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> A post office called Gay has been in operation since 1886.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.postalhistory.com/postoffices.asp?task=display&state=PA&county=Chester&searchtext=&pagenum=4 | title=Meriwether County | publisher=Jim Forte Postal History | access-date=October 4, 2014}}</ref> The present name is after William F. Gay, an early postmaster.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moyer|first1=Armond|last2=Moyer|first2=Winifred|title=The origins of unusual place-names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89058322223;view=1up;seq=60|year=1958|publisher=Keystone Pub. Associates|page=56}}</ref> The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the Town of Gay in 1907.<ref>{{cite book|title=Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FWp-89AXKDUC&pg=PA669|year=1907|publisher=Clark & Hines, State Printers|page=669}}</ref>

==Geography== Gay is located in northeastern Meriwether County at {{coord|33|5|38|N|84|34|26|W|type:city}} (33.093797, −84.573924).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> State Routes 74 and 85 run concurrently through the town, leading north {{convert|16|mi}} to Senoia and south {{convert|8|mi|0}} to Woodbury. State Route 109 Spur leads southwest from Gay {{convert|9|mi|0}} to Greenville, the Meriwether county seat.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|0.9|sqmi|1}}, of which {{convert|0.001|sqmi|acre|1}}, or 0.12%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2022"/> The Flint River passes {{convert|3|mi|0}} to the east of the town.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1910= 210 |1920= 290 |1930= 251 |1940= 262 |1950= 241 |1960= 194 |1970= 200 |1980= 175 |1990= 133 |2000= 149 |2010= 89 |2020= 110 |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|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref> }}

As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> 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 Cotton Fair, founded in 1972 and formerly called the "Cotton Pickin’ Fair", is held in Gay, Georgia each May and October. The name was changed during a rebranding intended to preserve the fair’s legacy and avoid terminology with painful historical connotations.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thecottonfair.com/cotton-fair-faq | title=The Cotton Fair FAQs}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shrestha |first=Naman |date=2024-07-04 |title=Where Was Barbecue Showdown Season 3 Filmed? |url=https://thecinemaholic.com/where-barbecue-showdown-season-3-filmed/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=The Cinemaholic |language=en-US}}</ref>

In the movie ''Till'', the scene with Emmett Till speaking to and whistling at Carolyn Bryant at Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market was filmed at Gay.<ref>youtube.com/watch?v=WKt2jwhMev8</ref>

==References== {{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

Category:Towns in Meriwether County, Georgia Category:Towns in Georgia (U.S. state)