Harlem, Georgia

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Harlem
City
Map
Harlem highlighted in red
Coordinates: 33°25′1″N 82°18′50″W / 33.41694°N 82.31389°W / 33.41694; -82.31389
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyColumbia, McDuffie
Area
[1]
 • Total
6.60 sq mi (17.11 km2)
 • Land6.59 sq mi (17.06 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2)
Elevation
554 ft (169 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
3,571
 • Density542.05/sq mi (209.28/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
30814
Area code706
FIPS code13-36696[2]
GNIS feature ID0331913[3]
Websiteharlemga.org

Harlem is a city in Columbia and McDuffie counties, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta metropolitan area. The population was 2,666 at the 2010 census,[4] up from 1,814 in 2000. This city was named after the neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan.[5] Harlem is the birthplace of comedian Oliver Hardy; the annual Harlem Oliver Hardy Festival is held on the first Saturday each October on Main Street in his honor.

History

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From the building of the Georgia Railroad which passes through town until at least the 1860s, Harlem was known as Saw Dust. The town is twinned with Ulverston in England, the birthplace of Stan Laurel, comedy partner of Oliver Hardy.

Geography

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Harlem is located primarily in southern Columbia County at 33°25′1″N 82°18′50″W / 33.41694°N 82.31389°W / 33.41694; -82.31389 (33.416822, -82.313762),[6] with its western boundary following the McDuffie County line. U.S. Routes 78 and 278 pass through the center of town, leading east 23 miles (37 km) to downtown Augusta and west 12 miles (19 km) to Thomson. U.S. Route 221 crosses US 78/278 in the center of town, leading north 5 miles (8 km) to Interstate 20 and 21 miles (34 km) to the South Carolina border, and south 16 miles (26 km) to Wrens.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Harlem has a total area of 4.5 square miles (11.7 km2), of which 0.02 square miles (0.04 km2), or 0.36%, is water.[4]

Neighborhoods

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880292—
1890647121.6%
1900527−18.5%
191073639.7%
19207988.4%
1930784−1.8%
1940736−6.1%
19501,03340.4%
19601,42337.8%
19701,5408.2%
19801,485−3.6%
19902,19948.1%
20001,814−17.5%
20102,66647.0%
20203,57133.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
Harlem racial composition as of 2020[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,408 67.43%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 754 21.11%
Native American 12 0.34%
Asian 24 0.67%
Pacific Islander 11 0.31%
Other/Mixed 198 5.54%
Hispanic or Latino 164 4.59%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,571 people, 1,021 households, and 645 families residing in the city.

Culture and Institutions

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Laurel and Hardy Museum

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The Harlem Museum and Welcome Center, also known as the Laurel and Hardy Museum, preserves memorabilia, screens Laurel and Hardy films, and receives thousands of visitors annually.[12][13]

Columbia Theatre

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Originally opened in 1949 as Harlem's first movie theatre, the Columbia Theatre is undergoing redevelopment as part of downtown cultural revitalization.[14][15]

Harlem High School

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Established in 1871, Harlem High School serves over 1,200 students.[16]

Local Business Support

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The Harlem Merchants Association fosters local economic growth through events, workshops, and community initiatives aimed at supporting small businesses in the city.[17] The Harlem Merchants Association supports local entrepreneurs through networking, events, and community initiatives.[18]

Notable persons

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  • Oliver Hardy – famed comedian, one-half of Laurel and Hardy; annual Laurel and Hardy Festival held in Harlem.

Culture & Events

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Oliver Hardy Festival

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The Oliver Hardy Festival is a free community celebration held annually on the first Saturday in October in downtown Harlem to honor local native and comedy legend Oliver Hardy. Established in 1988, the festival draws 20,000–35,000 attendees, according to estimates from the Harlem Museum and Welcome Center and local businesses—many times larger than the town's population—providing a significant boost to small-town tourism and generating an important yearly economic impact.[19][20][21]

Media

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WGAC‑FM (95.1 MHz) is a news/talk radio station licensed to Harlem, broadcasting to the Augusta metropolitan area via simulcast with WGAC 580. It operates under the Beasley Broadcast Group and began under its current format in 2011.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  3. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Harlem city, Georgia". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  5. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 103. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Sawdust". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  8. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 200. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  9. ^ "Post Offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  10. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  12. ^ "Area Attractions & Amenities". Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  13. ^ "Harlem Museum and Welcome Center". Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  14. ^ "Harlem, Georgia". Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  15. ^ "Day Trip: Harlem, Georgia". Augusta Magazine. June 23, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  16. ^ "Harlem High School (Georgia)". Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  17. ^ "Harlem Merchants Association". Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  18. ^ "About". Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  19. ^ "Oliver Hardy Festival". Harlem Museum and Welcome Center. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  20. ^ "Oliver Hardy". Hometowns to Hollywood. August 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  21. ^ "Oliver Hardy Festival". City of Harlem. Retrieved July 3, 2025.
  22. ^ "WGAC‑FM". Retrieved July 4, 2025.
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