Midway is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,141 in 2020.

Midway has several museums, including the Midway Museum and the Dorchester Academy Museum. The Midway Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

thumb|left|Declaration of Independence Signers from Georgia

thumb|left|[[Midway Congregational Church|Midway Church and cemetery]]

Midway's history dates back to the 18th century. Puritans migrated to St. John's Parish, Georgia, from Dorchester, South Carolina, in 1752 and established several settlements, including what became the Midway community. The Council of Georgia granted them , as colonial officials wanted a large number of settlers in the area to help protect them from the Creek Indians. The original Midway settlers were primarily rice planters and developed a strong agricultural economy, aided by the 1,500 slaves they brought from South Carolina.

The city of Midway was incorporated in 1925.

In 1973, the Midway Historic District, encompassing the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery, the Midway Museum, and the Old Sunbury Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Midway is located in eastern Liberty County at (31.799873, -81.412298). The current city limits include the former unincorporated community of Dorchester. The city limits extend east to include Exit 76 on Interstate 95, at the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 84. Via I-95 it is northeast to Savannah and south to Brunswick. US 84 leads west from I-95 through Midway to Hinesville, the Liberty county seat. To the east from I-95, Islands Highway continues to Colonels Island among the Atlantic coastal marshes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Midway has a total area of , of which , or 0.04%, are water.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Midway city, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>

!Race / Ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|-

|White alone (NH)

|631

|952

|style='background: #ffffe6; |871

|57.36%

|44.88%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |40.68%

|-

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|404

|971

|style='background: #ffffe6; |951

|36.73%

|45.78%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |44.42%

|-

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|6

|4

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5

|0.55%

|0.19%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.23%

|-

|Asian alone (NH)

|14

|22

|style='background: #ffffe6; |26

|1.27%

|1.04%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.21%

|-

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|2

|1

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.18%

|0.05%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|-

|Other race alone (NH)

|0

|9

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9

|0.00%

|0.42%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.42%

|-

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|17

|52

|style='background: #ffffe6; |113

|1.55%

|2.45%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.28%

|-

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|26

|110

|style='background: #ffffe6; |166

|2.36%

|5.19%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.75%

|-

|Total

|1,100

|2,121

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,141

|100.00%

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

|}

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Midway had a population of 2,141. The median age was 35.0 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 9.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.1 males age 18 and over.

There were 457 families residing in the city.

There were 780 households in Midway, of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.7% were married-couple households, 14.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Culture

The Midway Museum is home to documents, exhibits, and furnishings associated with the Midway Society from the Colonial period through its last meeting in December 1865. The Midway Museum was Georgia's first colonial museum.

Lemonade stand shutdown

In July 2011 Midway received national attention after city police shut down a lemonade stand run by young girls attempting to earn money for a waterpark trip. Police and city officials maintained the girls were required to obtain a business license. Neighboring Richmond Hill allowed the girls to set up their lemonade stand at its first farmer's market later that month.

In the media

The 2014 award-winning independent film A Promise was filmed in Liberty County.

In 1980 key scenes for the Italian horror film City of the Living Dead were shot within Midway Cemetery across the road from Midway Congregational Church.

Education

Public education is provided by the Liberty County School District. Public schools located in Midway are:

  • Liberty Elementary School (grades K through 5)
  • Midway Middle School (grades 6 through 8)

Notable people

  • Moses Allen, minister (d. 1779)
  • Benjamin Andrew, planter (d. 1790)
  • Daniel Baker, Presbyterian minister (d. 1857)
  • Nathan Brownson, physician and statesman (d. 1796)
  • Lyman Hall, physician and statesman (d. 1790)
  • Abiel Holmes, clergyman and historian (d. 1837)
  • Raekwon McMillan, American football linebacker (b. 1995)
  • Daniel Stewart (Brigadier General), politician and brigadier general, (d. 1829)
  • John W. Wilcox Jr., rear admiral in the U.S. Navy (d. 1942)

References

  • Official website
  • Midway Museum