Johns Creek, Georgia

Johns Creek is a suburban city in Fulton County, Georgia, USA, which incorporated December 1, 2006. It is named for a tributary that runs through the area. The city was created out of the northeastern part of unincorporated Fulton County. It is bounded by Roswell to the west and south, Alpharetta to the northwest, Forsyth County to the north, and Gwinnett County to the south and east. In the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 76,728. It is the tenth-largest municipality in Georgia and is its wealthiest city.

History
In the early 19th century, the Johns Creek area was dotted with trading posts along the Chattahoochee River in what was then Cherokee Indian territory. The Cherokee nation was a confederacy of villages led by a chief. They were agrarian and lived in log homes. After Europeans settled in the area, the Cherokee developed an alphabet, and a legislature and judiciary 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 (now known as 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 inside the Cherokee Nation – approximately 45 miles north of today's Johns Creek – led to America's first 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' 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.

In 1831, much of the land in the former Cherokee Nation north of the Chattahoochee was joined into one big county called Cherokee. 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 its land was absorbed into Fulton County.

The four main crossroad communities—Ocee, Newtown, Shakerag 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 under-populated 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 of farm land 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 was to be 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 million square feet 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 their 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 at Northview High School, and approved by the residents of northeast Fulton County in a July 18, 2006 voter referendum.

In November 2006, the City's first elected officials were voted into office, with the City of Johns Creek becoming official December 1, 2006.

Government
The City Council consists of a mayor and six council members who are elected at large, and serve four-year terms. Elections are staggered every two years.

The effort to launch the City government was expedited by hiring CH2M HILL-OMI, a global, Colorado-based consulting firm that provided most day-to-day municipal services (except for police and fire) for the first three years of cityhood.

The company provided equipment and staff so the City could be functional immediately upon the first day of operation.

The public-private partnership, modeled after a similar plan in Sandy Springs, was one of the most extensive in the country at the time. Only the city manager, city clerk, city attorney, mayor’s aide, finance director, municipal court clerk and judge were city employees. Other staff was provided by CH2M HILL-OMI or their sub-contractors.

As the City grew and matured, it reduced its reliance on CH2M HILL. In September 2010, the City Council voted to revise its public-private partnership with CH2M HILL. Community Development and Public Works  operations continue to be provided by CH2M HILL while all others are provided by city employees or other contractors and sub-contractors.

The Johns Creek Police Department launched October 7, 2008, and the Fire Department  launched April 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, a feat not matched since the history of CALEA.

Geography
Johns Creek is centered at °N, °W (34.0289259, -84.1985790), as recognized by the USGS GNIS in December 2006. The elevation is around 286 meters or 938 feet AMSL. Johns Creek is bounded to the south by the Chattahoochee River and Gwinnett County. It is bounded on the Northeast by McGinnis Ferry Road and Forsyth County. It has an irregular boundary with the cities of Roswell and Alpharetta on its northwestern side.

Major highways

 * [[Image:Georgia 120.svg|25px]] State Route 120
 * [[Image:Georgia 141.svg|25px]] State Route 141

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

Demographics
According to the newly released 2010 U.S. Census, 76,728 people live in the City of Johns Creek, a 27.1 percent increase since a 2000 estimate for Georgia's 10th largest city. The racial makeup of the city in the 2010 U.S. Census was 63.5 percent White; 23.4 percent Asian; 9.2 percent African American; 5.2 percent Hispanic or Latino; 0.1 percent Native American; 1.4 percent from other races; and 2.4 percent from two or more races.

2010 Census figures released March 17, give city officials a clearer picture of the young Metro-Atlanta municipality's true demographics. Since the city's December 2006 incorporation, they've used an estimated population of 70,050 for planning purposes. The city did not exist at the time of the last full U.S. Census in 2000, therefore official U.S. Census data did not exist.

As of 2007, there were about 70,050 people estimated, with 23,013 households, and 18,740 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 73.8 percent White; 13.7 percent Asian; 8.8 percent African American; 4.5 percent Hispanic or Latino; 0.1 percent Native American; 1.3 percent from other races; and 2.2 percent from two or more races.

Johns Creek's 2010 demographics showed an estimated $109,576 median household income, a $137,271 average household income and a $75,543 per capita income. More than 44 percent of the Johns Creek population 25 years or older have a bachelor’s degree, and about 22 percent have a master’s/professional/doctorate degree, according to the 2000 Census.

ZIP Code issue
Johns Creek residents share five different ZIP Codes with adjoining citiess: 30022 and 30005 (Alpharetta); 30097 (Duluth), 30024 (Suwanee); and 30076 (Roswell). All Johns Creek businesses and residents, except those living in the 30076 ZIP Code, are able to use Johns Creek as their mailing address as long as the ZIP Code and address are correct.

City leaders have lobbied U.S. Post Office officials about the possibility of having a post office or single ZIP Code in Johns Creek, but have been told that ZIP Codes are only used to expedite mail delivery.

Culture and leisure
Johns Creek has metro Atlanta’s only part-time, fully professional symphony orchestra, the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra 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.

Other golf facilities include: Country Club of the South, Rivermont Golf and Country Club, River Pines Golf, St. Ives, and The Standard Club.

The Atlanta Athletic Club was the site of the inaugural Atlanta Tennis Championships in 2010. 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 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 of woodlands. Biking the four-mile Greenway along Ga. 141 also 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.

Education
The public schools in Johns Creek are part of the Fulton County School System but are not funded by the city.

Johns Creek’s public schools consistently place among the top in the nation. Chattahoochee High School, River Trail Middle School, and Dolvin Elementary are National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. Northview High School has three times won the Governor’s Cup for the state’s highest SAT scores. Johns Creek High School, opened in 2009, is a state-of-the-art educational facility.

High Schools (Grades 9-12)
 * Chattahoochee High School
 * Northview High School
 * Johns Creek High School

Centennial High School, located in Roswell, serves students who live in the Newtown community.

Middle Schools (Grades 6-8)
 * Autrey Mill Middle School
 * River Trail Middle School
 * Taylor Road Middle School
 * Haynes Bridge Middle School, located in Alpharetta, serves students who live in the Newtown community.

Elementary Schools (Grades K-5)
 * 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
 * Hillside Elementary School, located in Roswell, serves students who live in the Newtown community.
 * Northwood Elementary School, located in Roswell, serves students who live in the Newtown community.

Private Schools
 * Woodward Academy - North Campus
 * Creative Montessori School

Public libraries
 * Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System operates the Northeast Spruill Oaks Library and Ocee Regional Library

Notable residents

 * Bobby Brown – Singer
 * Morris Day – Singer
 * Jeff Foxworthy - Comedian
 * Tom Glavine - Braves baseball pitcher
 * Whitney Houston - Singer
 * Don Majkowski - Former Green Bay Packers quarterback
 * Tyler Perry - Comedian
 * Keyshia Cole - Singer-Songwriter
 * Raven-Symoné - Actress/Singer - Played on That's so Raven and The Cosby Show
 * Ralph Sampson III - College Basketball Player - Playing for the Minnesota Golden Gophers . Son of NBA Hall of Famer Ralph Sampson
 * John Smoltz – Braves baseball pitcher
 * Usher - Grammy award winning R&B singer
 * Devon Werkheiser - Actor - played on Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide
 * Charlie Whitehurst - Pro Football Player - Currently playing the Seattle Seahawks
 * Kim Zolciak - On Reality Show Real Housewives of Atlanta