Alma is known as Georgia's blueberry capital, and hosts a Blueberry Festival each June.
History
Alma was founded in 1900 as a stop on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. It was incorporated as a city in 1906 and designated seat of the newly formed Bacon County in 1914.[6] There are two theories about the origin of the name of the town. The first is that it was named for the wife of a traveling salesmen, Alma Sheridan; the other is that it was named for the initial letter of the four state capitals Georgia has had: Augusta, Louisville, Milledgeville, and Atlanta.[7][8]
The city is located along U.S. Routes 1 and 23 (Pierce Street). The two run through the center of the city together before splitting just north of the city. U.S. 1 connects the city with Baxley, 19 mi (31 km) to the north, and U.S. 23 connects the city with Hazlehurst, 25 mi (40 km) to the northwest. U.S. 1/23 also lead south together 29 mi (47 km) to Waycross. Other highways that run through the city include Georgia State Routes 32 (16th Street) and 64 (Market Street).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.2 square miles (16.1 km2), of which 5.5 square miles (14.3 km2) is land and 0.69 square miles (1.8 km2), or 11.27%, is water.[10]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,433 people, 1,005 households, and 620 families residing in the city.
Education
Alma is served by the Bacon County School District.[20] The district has 126 full-time teachers and over 1,900 students,[21] and operates these schools:
