Toomsboro, Georgia

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox settlement  |official_name = Toomsboro, Georgia |other_name = |native_name =  |nickname = |settlement_type = [[Town]] |motto =  |image_skyline = |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = Wilkinson_County_Georgia_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Toomsboro_Highlighted.svg |mapsize = 250px |map_caption = Location in [[Wilkinson County, Georgia|Wilkinson County]] and the state of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|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 = [[U.S. state|State]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Georgia (U.S. state)|County]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Wilkinson County, Georgia|Wilkinson]] |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|access-date=December 18, 2021}}</ref> |area_total_km2 = 4.82 |area_land_km2 = 4.82 |area_water_km2 = 0.00 |area_total_sq_mi = 1.86 |area_land_sq_mi = 1.86 |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 United States census|2020]] |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 383 |population_density_km2 = 79.43 |population_density_sq_mi = 205.69 |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 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] |utc_offset = -5 |timezone_DST = EDT |utc_offset_DST = -4 |coordinates = {{coord|32|49|32|N|83|5|0|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = 71 |elevation_ft = 233  |postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]] |postal_code = 31090 |area_code = [[Area code 478|478]] |blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] |blank_info = 13-76952<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 = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID |blank1_info = 0324226<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|324226|Toomsboro|2026-03-02}}</ref> |website = https://townoftoomsboro.org/ |footnotes = |pop_est_as_of = |pop_est_footnotes = |population_est = }} '''Toomsboro''' is a town in [[Wilkinson County, Georgia|Wilkinson County]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], United States. The population was 383 in 2020.

==History== Toomsboro was founded when the [[Central of Georgia Railway]] was extended to that point. Its railroad terminal was built in 1869.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EGyf7XQeWEIC&pg=PA71 | title=The Courthouse and the Depot: The Architecture of Hope in an Age of Despair | publisher=Mercer University Press | author=Caldwell, Wilber W. | year=2001 | pages=71| isbn=9780865547483 }}</ref>

On August 30, 1871, Matthew Deason, a white man, and an African American woman who was possibly his wife, Serena Dul Cat C. Johnson (Georgia Marriages 1699–1944 in Wilkinson County Georgia) were lynched in Toomsboro by members of the [[Ku Klux Klan]]. Deason, a former Confederate soldier, was the elected sheriff of Wilkinson County. It was the first documented lynching of a black woman in Georgia after the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<ref>Feimster, Crystal N. ''Southern Horrors: Women and the Politics of Rape and Lynching.'' (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2009). page 160.</ref><ref>Editors (September 15, 1871) Untitled. ''Wisconsin State Journal.''</ref>

The [[Georgia General Assembly]] incorporated Toomsboro as a town in 1904.<ref>{{cite book|title=Acts and Resolutions of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JJdCAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA674|year=1904|publisher=State printer|page=674}}</ref> The community is named for 18th-century Georgia politician [[Robert Toombs]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/t.pdf| title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=229 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref>

===Freedom, Georgia===

David Bumgardner, a developer who bought properties at auction, intended to turn the property he owned into a quaint tourist destination. In April 2012, Bumgardner and Bill Lucado, who also owned property, announced they were seeking a buyer for the properties by advertising "Toomsboro for sale" although the existing community of Toomsboro maintains its own identity.<ref name="Pat 2020-09-15">{{Cite news|last=Arnold|first=Jeff|date=September 15, 2020|title=Black-Owned Town Named Freedom Could Be Reality TV Series|url=https://patch.com/georgia/atlanta/black-owned-town-named-freedom-could-be-reality-tv-series|access-date=September 17, 2020|work=Atlanta, GA Patch|language=en}}</ref> They suggested a movie production company might be interested in using Toomsboro as a film set.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/developer-looking-to-sell-1428052.html|agency=Associated Press. |date= April 30, 2012|title=Developer looking to sell Georgia town |work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> In September 2018, 36 pieces of property over {{cvt|40 |acres}} went up for sale for an asking price of $1.7 million, with an eye toward a preservation-minded buyer "who appreciates its history".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ajc.com/news/national/georgia-town-for-sale-for-the-cost-nyc-luxury-apartment/YrLnonGNqgYteyoMc8qnhJ/|title=Georgia town for sale for the cost of a NYC luxury apartment|first1=Natalie|last1=Dreier|agency=Cox Media Group National Content Desk|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution}}</ref> In the aftermath of the [[murder of Ahmaud Arbery]] in 2020, 19 families cooperatively bought {{cvt|96.71 |acres}} of land in Toomsboro to establish a [[African Americans|Black]] community "where all Black people feel safe without fear of being murdered for who they are".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.becauseofthemwecan.com/blogs/culture/19-families-purchased-96-71-acres-of-land-in-georgia-to-create-a-city-safe-for-black-people|title=19 Families Purchased Over 90 Acres of Land In GA To Create A City Safe For Black People|website=BOTWC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Kirkland|first=Pamela|date=September 12, 2020|title=19 families buy nearly 97 acres of land in Georgia to create a city safe for Black people|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/12/us/freedom-black-cooperative-toomsboro/index.html|access-date=September 12, 2020|work=CNN}}</ref> The Freedom Georgia Initiative promotes the new community as [[Freedom, Georgia]].{{r|Pat 2020-09-15}}

==Geography==

Toomsboro is located at {{coord|32|49|32|N|83|5|0|W|type:city}} (32.825423, -83.083196).<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> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.9|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1880= 183 |1900= 50 |1910= 404 |1920= 420 |1930= 665 |1940= 593 |1950= 711 |1960= 764 |1970= 682 |1980= 673 |1990= 617 |2000= 622 |2010= 472 |2020= 383 |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref> 1850-1870<ref name=1870CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1870|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1870/population/1870a-13.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1870-1880<ref name=1880CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-09.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1890-1910<ref name=1910CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1920-1930<ref name=1930CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|pages=251–256}}</ref> 1940<ref name=1940CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1950<ref name=1950CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1960<ref name=1960CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1960|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1960/population-volume-1/vol-01-12-c.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1970<ref name=1970CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1970|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1970a_ga-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1980<ref name=1980CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1990<ref name=1990CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 1990|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cph-5/cph-5-12.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2000<ref name=2000CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink= |title= 2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia |website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/> }}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Toomsboro, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Toomsboro town, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=160XX00US1376952|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Toomsboro city, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1376952&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref> !{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Toomsboro city, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1376952&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref> !% 2000 !% 2010 !{{partial|2020}} |- |[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH) |280 |233 |style='background: #ffffe6; |208 |45.02% |49.36% |style='background: #ffffe6; |54.31% |- |[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH) |334 |223 |style='background: #ffffe6; |145 |53.70% |47.25% |style='background: #ffffe6; |37.86% |- |[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH) |0 |1 |style='background: #ffffe6; |3 |0.00% |0.21% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.78% |- |[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH) |0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |0 |0.00% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |- |[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH) |0 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |0 |0.00% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |- |[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH) |1 |0 |style='background: #ffffe6; |0 |0.16% |0.00% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00% |- |[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH) |2 |10 |style='background: #ffffe6; |14 |0.32% |2.12% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.66% |- |[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race) |5 |5 |style='background: #ffffe6; |13 |0.80% |1.06% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.39% |- |'''Total''' |'''622''' |'''472''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''383''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%''' |}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 622 people, 209 households, and 146 families residing in the town. In 2020, its population was 383.

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Towns in Wilkinson County, Georgia]] [[Category:Towns in Georgia (U.S. state)]]