Garden City, Georgia

Garden City is a city in Chatham County, Georgia, United States, located just northwest of Savannah. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 10,289. Part industrial and part residential, the city is home to much of the heavy industry in Chatham County. It hosts the largest and busiest ocean terminal of the Port of Savannah, the flagship operation of the Georgia Ports Authority.

Garden City was created in 1939 as Industrial City Gardens, a community intended to house the large workforce required by the new factories and chemical plants just west of downtown Savannah. Garden City is part of the Savannah metropolitan statistical area.

Geography
Garden City is located northwest of the center of Chatham County at 32.10028°N, -81.165°W (32.100372, −81.164965). It is bordered to the southeast by the city of Savannah, to the west by the city of Pooler, and to the north by the city of Port Wentworth. To the northeast in unincorporated land is the Port of Savannah and the Savannah River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Garden City has a total area of 37.1 km2, of which 35.5 km2 is land and 1.6 sqkm, or 4.35%, is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 10,289 people, 3,221 households, and 1,734 families residing in the city.

Agriculture
Located at 701 West U.S. Highway 80, the State Farmers Market is a farmers' market run by the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

Business
Commercial activities are traditionally concentrated near the junction of U.S. Highway 80, U.S. Highway 17 and State Highway 21 (an area once known as Traffic Circle), as well as along Augusta Road (Highway 21), where several long-term-stay hotels, franchise and independently owned fast food restaurants, financial institutions, pawn shops, strip shopping malls, gas stations, car repair shops and automotive retail stores are located.

Industry
Garden City's industry is located primarily on its waterfront, as is the case for surrounding communities. The Georgia Ports Authority operates a terminal, located at 2 Main Street. Garden City is also home to numerous trucking and railway companies. Other industries are:

Municipal
Garden City operated under a mayor–council form of government until 2009. It has adopted a council-administrator style, and by 2011 it will replace its seven at-large council members by one at-large and five district-elected ones.

For a list of past and present mayors and council members of Garden City, see List of mayors of Garden City, Georgia.

As of 2010, Garden City has never collected property taxes.

Other levels of government
Garden City is represented by:


 * the 7th and the 8th districts on the boards of the Chatham County Commission and the Savannah Chatham County Public School System
 * the 162nd district in the State House
 * the 2nd district in the State Senate
 * the 1st congressional district in Congress

In the last three decades, the area's county commissioners have been:

Color code:

State representation
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Coastal State Prison near Garden City.

Public education
Three public schools can be found within Garden City limits. They are managed by the Savannah Chatham County Public School System.

Groves High School - Long known as "the pride of the Westside", Groves High School has a rich community tradition that dates back to its founding in 1958. Established to serve the young people and families of West Chatham County, the school is named for Robert W. Groves, a prominent business and civic leader in the county. Besides his role in business and his many commercial and community activities, Groves took particular concern for the youth of the area and their educational needs.

Groves High School is home of the Fighting Scottish Rebels football and basketball teams. Campus points of interest include the Woodville-Tompkins Annex, where the automotive and construction programs are offered, and the Cumming Field, named to honor Second Lieutenant Britt C. Cumming, a World War II veteran who was killed in action.

Mercer Middle School serves grades six through eight and is a part of the Savannah Chatham County School System (SCCPSS). Originally called Mercer Junior High School, Mercer Middle School first opened on September 4, 1962, and was the first climate-controlled school in Georgia. Mercer was named for George Anderson Mercer, an attorney who served as the president of the Board of Education from 1883 until his death in 1907.

Garden City Elementary School was built to serve the consolidated student population of the former Benjamin Sprague and Martin G. Haynes elementary schools.

Parks and recreation
Services to the citizens of Garden City include:

Other landmarks
Other landmarks located in Garden City include:


 * The Air National Guard facility at 1401 Robert B. Miller Jr. Road
 * Coastal State Prison, located at 200 Gulfstream Road and dedicated on May 12, 1981; it replaced the Chatham Correctional Institution as the local-based state-run correctional facility
 * The Dotson House (the oldest residence in Garden City), built in 1850 and moved from the surroundings of George A. Mercer School to the site of the current town center
 * Fire Department Station No. 1, 160 Main Street
 * Fire Department Station No. 2, 2406 U.S. Highway 80 West
 * The Order of the Eastern Star's local branch, located at 131 Rommel Avenue
 * Hillcrest Abby West Cemetery, located on Dean Forest Road