McRae-Helena is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, formed on January 1, 2015, by the merger of the two cities of McRae and Helena. McRae-Helena is the county seat of Telfair County.
It is largest city in Telfair County, with an estimated population of 8,745 in 2015. This includes the population held as inmates at McRae Correctional Institution. In downtown McRae-Helena is a small replica of the Statue of Liberty, a small replica of the Liberty Bell, and a marble memorial to Telfair County residents who died in military service.
Video McRae-Helena, Georgia
History
On January 1, 2015, McRae and the adjacent town of Helena merged to form McRae-Helena. This merge was initiated because Helena could not manage the city's wastewater capacity. If McRae took on Helena's water services, Helena would have been left with less revenue, and it would have been left providing only two services. The cities were united under House Bill 967, sponsored by Representative Jimmy Pruett of the 149th district. It was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on April 10, 2014.
Maps McRae-Helena, Georgia
Geography
McRae-Helena is located in northern Telfair County at 32°3?52?N 82°53?54?W (32.064508, -82.898251).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.34000 square miles (11.24055 km2). The Little Ocmulgee River flows just northeast of the city limits.
Transportation
Several highways travel through McRae-Helena Area. U.S. Route 23 (US 23), along with US 341/SR 27 travel through the city as Oak Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, heading northwest 20 miles (32 km) to Eastman and southeast 24 miles (39 km) to Hazlehurst, while US 280/US 319/US 441/SR 30/SR 31 travel through as Third Avenue, crossing US 23/US 341/SR 27 in the center of the city. US 280/SR 30 heads northeast 33 miles (53 km) to Vidalia and west 55 miles (89 km) to Cordele, while US 319/US 441/SR 31 heads south 19 miles (31 km) to the small town of Jacksonville and north 35 miles (56 km) to Dublin.
Sites of interest
Located in downtown McRae-Helena is Liberty Square, home of a Statue of Liberty replica that is one-twelfth the size of the original. The square is also the site of a replica of the Liberty Bell and a marble memorial to Telfair County residents who died in military service.
On the outskirts of McRae-Helena is the Talmadge Home. This historic home was occupied by two former Georgia governors, Eugene Talmadge and Herman Eugene Talmadge. McRae-Helena was the birthplace of Marion B. Folsom (1893-1976), a longtime executive of the Eastman Kodak Company who served as the United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare during the Eisenhower administration.
Famous railfan photographer William B. Folsom is buried in McRae-Helena.
Education
Telfair County School District
The Telfair County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of one elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 112 full-time teachers and over 1,648 students.
- Telfair County Elementary School
- Telfair County Middle School
- Telfair County High School
Higher education
- Oconee Fall Line Technical College - McRae-Helena Campus
Demographics
In 2015 it was estimated there were 8,754 people, including the population held as inmates at McRae Correctional Institution, residing in the city. McRae-Helena as Telfair County's largest city is the cultural and economic center of the County. The city of McRae-Helena has a Trading Area of 25,000 people.
Economy
Major employers in McRae-Helena include:
- Husqvarna
- McRae Correctional Institution
- City of McRae-Helena
- Coca-Cola Bottling Plant
- Golden Peanut Company
- Telfair State Prison
- Little Ocmulgee State Park
- Cook Petro
- Griffins Warehouse-McRae, LLC
Arts and culture
Museums and other points of interest
The Telfair County museum of history
See also
- Telfair County Courthouse and Jail
References
External links
- City of McRae-Helena official website
- Telfair County Chamber of Commerce
- Telfair Enterprise newspaper
- Christiane Badgly, A Prison for McRae (50:29 minutes), 2003, made for Arte France; not yet aired in the US
Source of article : Wikipedia
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