Forest Park, Georgia


Forest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,932.
In the 1800s, Forest Park was named Stump Town, due to the large number of stumps left behind from trees being cut for fuel for the trains passing to and from Atlanta. After being charted and incorporated in 1908, it became known as several names, such as Quick Station, Aster, and Forrest Station. Until the 1950s, Forest Park was spelled with two "R's" instead of just one.
WWW forestparkga.org

History

Forest Park has its origins as a "wood and water stop" for the nation's burgeoning railroad system in the early to mid-1800s. Originally the third stop from Atlanta on the Macon and Western Railroad, the city was incorporated in 1908. The community was named for the parklike setting of the original town site. The Fort Gillem was founded nearby in 1941 and was annexed into the city in 1973.

Geography

Forest Park is located at.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of, of which is land and is water.

Demographics

Race / Ethnicity Pop. 2000Pop. 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 7,5573,5552,46735.24%19.25%12.38%
Black or African American alone 7,8836,8089,26836.76%36.86%46.50%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 5623470.26%0.12%0.24%
Asian alone 1,2681,4481,3755.91%7.84%6.90%
Pacific Islander alone 3790.01%0.04%0.05%
Some other race alone 26341020.12%0.18%0.51%
Mixed race or multi-racial 3322504671.55%1.35%2.34%
Hispanic or Latino 4,3226,3436,19720.15%34.35%31.09%
Total21,44718,46819,932100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,932 people, 6,618 households, and 4,038 families residing in the city.2010 census

Education

Public education in the city of Forest Park is provided by Clayton County Public Schools. Schools in the Forest Park area include four elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school.

Elementary schools

  • Hendrix Drive Elementary
  • Fountain Elementary
  • Edmonds Elementary
  • Huie Elementary

Middle schools

High school

Transportation

Air

Highways

Transit systems

MARTA serves the city.
There is commuter rail service in the planning stages along the Norfolk Southern line, with proposed stations in Forest Park, Morrow, Jonesboro, and initially ending at Lovejoy.

Notable people