Johns Creek is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States.[2] According to the 2020 census, the population was 82,453. The city is a northeastern suburb of Atlanta.[3]

Johns Creek, Georgia
The former Johns Creek City Hall
The former Johns Creek City Hall
Official logo of Johns Creek, Georgia
Map
Map
Map
Map
Coordinates: 34°02′00″N 84°12′10″W / 34.03333°N 84.20278°W / 34.03333; -84.20278
CountryUnited States
StateGeorgia
CountyFulton
IncorporatedDecember 1, 2006
Government
 • MayorJohn Bradberry (R)
 • City ManagerEd Densmore
 • City CouncilDilip Tunki, Stacy Skinner, Bob Erramilli, Chris Coughlin, Larry Dibiase, Erin Elwood
Area
 • Total31.34 sq mi (81.18 km2)
 • Land30.81 sq mi (79.81 km2)
 • Water0.53 sq mi (1.38 km2)
Elevation945 ft (288 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total82,453
 • Density2,675.92/sq mi (1,033.17/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes
None assigned to Johns Creek by USPS as it does not recognize the city. 30005, 30022, 30024, 30097, 30098 from other cities apply in various parts of Johns Creek.
Area code(s)770, 404, 678, 470
GNIS feature ID2404806[2]
Websitejohnscreekga.gov

History

edit

In the early 19th century, the Johns Creek area was dotted with trading posts along the Chattahoochee River in what was then Cherokee territory. The Cherokee Nation at the time was a confederacy of agrarian villages led by a chief. After European settlement, the Cherokee developed an alphabet, and a legislature and judiciary system patterned after the American model.

Some trading posts gradually became crossroads communities where pioneer families – Rogers, McGinnis, Findley, Buice, Cowart, Medlock and others – gathered to visit and sell their crops.

By 1820, the community of Sheltonville (or Shakerag), was a ferry crossing site, with the McGinnis Ferry and Rogers Ferry carrying people and livestock across the river for a small fee. Further south, the Nesbit Ferry did the same near another crossroads community known as Newtown.

In the 1820s, the discovery of gold in the foothills of northeast Georgia within the Cherokee Nation – approximately 45 miles (72 km) north of today's Johns Creek – led to America's second major Gold Rush, the eventual takeover of the Cherokee Nation by the U.S. government in 1830, and the subsequent forced exile (the "Trail of Tears") of Cherokee Indians to Oklahoma and other areas of the American West.

A few Cherokees remained, the most famous being Sarah Cordery (1785–1842), the half-blood Cherokee wife of pioneer John Rogers (1774–1851), and their 12 children. Rogers was a respected, influential plantation owner and colleague of President Andrew Jackson. Rogers's 1828 home – today, a private residence in Johns Creek – was an overnight stop-over for Jackson. Much later, the home was also visited by famed humorist Will Rogers, the great, great-nephew of John Rogers. Johns Creek's name comes from John Rogers's son, Johnson K. Rogers. A local tributary was named after him, and the name "Johns Creek" eventually came to be the name of the area.

In 1831, much of the land in the former Cherokee Nation north of the Chattahoochee was combined into the massive Cherokee County. When Milton County was formed in 1858, the Johns Creek area was folded into it.

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, Milton County was dissolved and all of its land was then absorbed into Fulton County.

The four main crossroad communities — Ocee, Newtown, Sheltonville and Warsaw — remained the social, educational and business centers of rural, unincorporated northeast Fulton County. For the next 50 years, these communities helped bring a sense of identity to this largely undeveloped and underpopulated area, as the nearby cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, Duluth and Suwanee and adjoining Forsyth and Gwinnett counties continued to grow and develop.

In 1981, a group of Georgia Institute of Technology graduates bought 1,700 acres (6.9 km2) of farmland and woods near McGinnis Ferry and Medlock Bridge Roads for a high-tech office park. The new office park was to mirror one built in 1970 in nearby Peachtree Corners, known as Technology Park/Atlanta. Spotting tiny Johns Creek on an old map, they named their mixed-use, master-planned community "Technology Park/Johns Creek". This is the first reference to Johns Creek as a place. The area grew over the years to become the home of 200 companies – many of them Fortune 500 firms – with nearly 11,000 people spread over 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m2) of office, retail and industrial space. With the jobs came houses and shopping centers, and the population increased to about 60,000.

By 2000, a grassroots movement to incorporate the Johns Creek area into a city was slowly developing. Residents wanted more control over issues such as traffic, growth, development and quality of life. They also sought a level of service that was a challenge for the sprawling Fulton County to provide. Following the nearby city of Sandy Springs’ successful incorporation in 2005, a legislative campaign was started to incorporate the Johns Creek community. House Bill 1321 was passed by the state legislature, signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue in March 2006, and approved by the residents of northeast Fulton County in a July 18, 2006 voter referendum.[4] In November 2006, the city's first elected officials were voted into office, with the City of Johns Creek becoming official December 1, 2006.

Newtown Elementary School, built in 1929, is Johns Creek's only listing on the National Register of Historic Places.[note 1] It was listed in August 2006, with location described as "near Alpharetta", before Johns Creek's incorporation was completed.

In 2017, an iHeartJC initiative has been growing to have the city's residential, business and innovation ecosystem develop a long-term strength and identity in healthcare innovation and wellness. The resolution passed a year later.[5] Since then, the city has had over 700 companies and 1400 professionals in lifesciences as well as 450 companies and 13,000 jobs in healthcare, including recently Boston Scientific move, build, or work there.[6] In 2022, the group was renamed Johns Creek Vitality.

Geography

edit

Johns Creek is located in northeastern Fulton County. The elevation ranges from 880 feet (270 m) above sea level along the Chattahoochee River to 1,180 feet (360 m) in the Ocee area along the Alpharetta border. Johns Creek is bounded to the south by the Chattahoochee River and Gwinnett County, and on the northeast by McGinnis Ferry Road and Forsyth County. It is bounded by Roswell to the west, Alpharetta to the northwest, Suwanee to the east, and Duluth, Berkeley Lake, and Peachtree Corners to the south. Downtown Atlanta is 27 miles (43 km) to the southwest.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Johns Creek has a total area of 31.3 square miles (81.0 km2), of which 30.7 square miles (79.6 km2) is land and 0.54 square miles (1.4 km2), or 1.76%, is water.[7]

Climate

edit

Johns Creek has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).

Climate data for Johns Creek, Georgia
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 75
(24)
80
(27)
88
(31)
91
(33)
95
(35)
101
(38)
102
(39)
101
(38)
98
(37)
88
(31)
84
(29)
76
(24)
102
(39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 50
(10)
55
(13)
63
(17)
71
(22)
78
(26)
84
(29)
88
(31)
86
(30)
81
(27)
72
(22)
62
(17)
53
(12)
70
(21)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 29
(−2)
32
(0)
38
(3)
45
(7)
54
(12)
62
(17)
67
(19)
66
(19)
60
(16)
47
(8)
39
(4)
32
(0)
48
(9)
Record low °F (°C) −10
(−23)
1
(−17)
6
(−14)
24
(−4)
31
(−1)
40
(4)
48
(9)
50
(10)
28
(−2)
25
(−4)
10
(−12)
−1
(−18)
−10
(−23)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 5.34
(136)
4.78
(121)
5.52
(140)
4.04
(103)
4.63
(118)
3.66
(93)
4.17
(106)
4.32
(110)
3.87
(98)
3.58
(91)
3.73
(95)
4.18
(106)
51.82
(1,316)
Source: [8]

Demographics

edit
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
201076,728
202082,4537.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850-1870[10] 1870-1880[11]
1890-1910[12] 1920-1930[13]
1940[14] 1950[15] 1960[16]
1970[17] 1980[18] 1990[19]
2000[20] 2010[21] 2020[22]
Johns Creek, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
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 2010[21] Pop 2020[22] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 45,978 39,483 59.92% 47.89%
Black or African American alone (NH) 6,925 8,528 9.03% 10.34%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 69 73 0.09% 0.09%
Asian alone (NH) 17,892 24,603 23.32% 29.84%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 22 38 0.03% 0.05%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 219 524 0.29% 0.64%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 1,623 3,414 2.12% 4.14%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4,000 5,790 5.21% 7.02%
Total 76,728 82,453 100.00% 100.00%

Johns Creek first appeared in the 2010 U.S. census.[21][20] In 2010, its population was 76,728; and the 2020 United States census numbered 82,453 people, 28,638 households, and 23,283 families residing in the city.

Johns Creek's 2010 demographics showed an estimated $109,576 median household income, a $137,271 average household income and a $45,570 per capita income.[23]

Economy

edit
 
Emory Johns Creek Hospital

Top employers

edit

According to the city's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[24] the top employers in the city were:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Emory Johns Creek Hospital 1250
2 Macy's 771
3 Atlanta Athletic Club 500
4 Publix 394
5 Saia 390
6 Kroger 388
7 Alcon 310
8 Nordson Corporation 250
9 Home Depot 200
10 Intralot 176

Arts and culture

edit
 
Johns Creek was named after Johns Creek, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River.[25]

Johns Creek has metro Atlanta's only part-time, fully professional symphony orchestra, the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra.[26] Under the leadership of Music Director J. Wayne Baughman, the orchestra performs several times each year.

The Johns Creek Arts Center offers classes and camps for aspiring artists in multiple media throughout the year.

There also are several festivals year-round, such as Founders Week in December in which the community celebrates the city's incorporation with activities and a parade. The Fall Family Festival in September is a community get-together at Newtown Park. Arts on the Creek is a juried art show, and also has musical and stage performers. "The Taste of Johns Creek" is an annual food festival in the fall that features more than 40 local restaurants with proceeds supporting public school extracurricular activities.

There are six golf facilities (five private, one public) in Johns Creek, including the renowned Atlanta Athletic Club, home of the 2011 PGA Championship and the 2014 U.S. Amateur.[27] Other golf facilities include Country Club of the South, Rivermont Golf and Country Club, River Pines Golf, St. Ives Country Club, and The Standard Club.

The Atlanta Athletic Club was the site of the inaugural Atlanta Tennis Championships in 2010.[28] Johns Creek is home to thousands of members of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (ALTA), one of the largest and oldest organized recreation leagues in the country.

Johns Creek, which is bordered by 13.5 miles (21.7 km) of the Chattahoochee River, has multiple nearby spots where paddlers can put in or take out their boats. It has shoals and low-level rapids. It also offers prime trout fishing.

Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center offers a replica of a Creek Indian hut, an 1800s historic village, and wildlife in 46 acres (190,000 m2) of woodlands. Biking the 4-mile (6 km) Greenway along Georgia 141 is a popular pastime. The city has plans to develop and connect other pathways to the Greenway, which will tie in with other cities, adding several miles of trails.

Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Northeast Spruill Oaks Library and Ocee Regional Library.[29]

Johns Creek International Festival

edit

Each April, the city hosts the annual Johns Creek International Festival. In 2017, over 23,000 visitors attended the event.[30] It is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the state and nation, representing many countries and cultures from around the world. This free community event features restaurants and food trucks, vendors, international beer and wine garden, live music and dance performances, and fun kids’ activities.[31]

Education

edit
 
Johns Creek High School

Public schools are operated by Fulton County Schools. Schools located in Johns Creek include:[32][33]

Elementary schools

edit
  • Abbotts Hill Elementary School
  • Barnwell Elementary School
  • Dolvin Elementary School
  • Findley Oaks Elementary School
  • Medlock Bridge Elementary School
  • Ocee Elementary School
  • Shakerag Elementary School
  • State Bridge Crossing Elementary School
  • Wilson Creek Elementary School

Middle schools

edit
Autrey Mill, River Trail, and Taylor Road

High schools

edit
Chattahoochee, Johns Creek and Northview

Private schools

edit

Infrastructure

edit

Transportation

edit

Major highways

edit

Public transportation

edit

Johns Creek is not directly served by MARTA trains or buses. GRTA Xpress Route 408 connects Johns Creek with the Doraville MARTA station.[35]

Pedestrians and cycling

edit

In January 2018 significant plans were approved for the engineering phase to upgrade State Bridge Road and Pleasant Hill Road.[36] There is community-wide support from the community in both neighboring Johns Creek and Duluth for the pedestrian river bridge for the project. It will serve to improve bike pedestrian safety, boost local economies by improving access to businesses, enhance connections with surrounding neighborhoods and improve traffic flow in the area. In addition, the upgrade will serve to ease inspection and maintenance of the bridge in the future.

In March 2018, the Gwinnett County Commissioners approved the agreement with the Johns Creek City Council.[37][38] Both sides have agreed to remove the sidewalks from the existing bridges in order to widen the roads. To improve safety for pedestrians, a new pedestrian bridge will be constructed on one side of the river. A pedestrian underpass linking both sides of the wider road is being considered to further improve access and provide for a safer crossing of the road.

The Rogers bridge project is another significant plan is to connect to Duluth via reconstructing a bike/pedestrian bridge across the Chattahoochee River. The engineers will determine whether to replace or rehabilitate the existing Rogers Bridge over the Chattahoochee River, will take into account the environmental impacts of each option, and will restore the working bike/pedestrian connection between Duluth and Johns Creek. This will allow access to the planned 133 acre parkland under development in Johns Creek, and will allow Fulton County residents access to Rogers Bridge Park, the Chattapoochee Dog Park, and the Western Gwinnett Bikeway currently under development by Gwinnett County.[39]

Law enforcement

edit

The Johns Creek Police Department[40] launched April 27, 2008, and the fire department[41] launched October 27, 2008. The police department was certified by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement within two years of the department's formation.

Notes

edit
  1. ^ That Newtown Elementary School is the only NRHP listing in Johns Creek can be verified by review of locations of all National Register of Historic Places listings in Fulton County, Georgia

References

edit
  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Johns Creek, Georgia
  3. ^ "Johns Creek is state's wealthiest city". Northfulton.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "Johns Creek - Georgia.gov". Johnscreek.georgia.gov. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  5. ^ "Johns Creek 'iHeart' initiative emphasizes health, wellness". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
  6. ^ "Johns Creek - Target Industries". Johns Creek City Website. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  7. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001), Johns Creek city, Georgia". American FactFinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  8. ^ "Average Weather for Johns Creek, GA - Temperature and Precipitation". Weather.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "1870 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1870.
  11. ^ "1880 Census of Population - Georgia - Population of Civil Divisions less than Counties" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
  12. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
  13. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930. pp. 251–256.
  14. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
  15. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  16. ^ "1960 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1960.
  17. ^ "1970 Census of Population - Population of County Subdivisions - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1970.
  18. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
  19. ^ "1990 Census of Population - Summary Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1990.
  20. ^ a b "2000 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2000.
  21. ^ a b c "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johns Creek city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ^ a b "P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johns Creek city, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  23. ^ "Johns Creek, GA 30097 Household Income Statistics - CLRSearch". Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  24. ^ "Johns Creek - Annual Comprehensive Financial Report" (PDF). www.johnscreekga.gov. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
  25. ^ "Johns Creek - City Information". Johnscreekga.gov. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  26. ^ "Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra". Johnscreeksymphony.org. June 20, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  27. ^ "Atlanta Athletic Club gets 2014 U.S. Amateur to follow hosting 2011 PGA". Pga.com. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  28. ^ "Atlanta Tennis Championships Overview". Atlantatennischampionships.com. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  29. ^ "Fulton County Library - Home". Archived from the original on February 8, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2010.
  30. ^ "Johns Creek - Johns Creek International Festival is coming April 21". Johnscreekga.gov. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  31. ^ "Johns Creek - International Festival".
  32. ^ "Schools & Buildings". Fulton County Schools. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  33. ^ a b "Zoning Map" (PDF). Johns Creek. Retrieved May 8, 2020. - Schools indicated on the map.
  34. ^ "School Facts". Holy Redeemer Catholic School. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved May 8, 2020. 3380 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek, GA 30022-5053 - The school's address may be stated as being in "Alpharetta, GA" but the school is not in the Alpharetta city limits.
  35. ^ "Johns Creek - Getting Around Johns Creek". Johnscreekga.gov. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  36. ^ "Johns Creek OKs engineering for State Bridge widening". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  37. ^ "Gwinnett, Johns Creek teaming up on $1.5 million bridge project". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  38. ^ Curt Yeomans (March 10, 2018). "Gwinnett commissioners approve agreement with Johns Creek for pedestrian bridge at Chattahoochee". Gwinnettdailypost.com. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  39. ^ "Rogers Bridge" (PDF). Duluthga.net. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  40. ^ "Johns Creek, GA: Police Department". Archived from the original on November 24, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
  41. ^ "Johns Creek, GA: Fire Department". Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved October 25, 2010.
edit