# Hephzibah, Georgia

Hephzibah (/ˈhɛpzɪbə/) is a city in southern Richmond County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Augusta metropolitan area as well as the Central Savannah River Area. The population was 4,011 at the 2010 census, and 3,830 in 2020. Hephzibah is a poetic name used in the Book of Isaiah (62:4) to refer to Jerusalem, meaning "My delight is in Her."

## History

Hephzibah was originally named Brothersville, in honor of three brothers who settled near one another. In October 1860, a Baptist seminary was established in Brothersville by a group of Appling residents. They established the Hephzibah Baptist Church in 1862. The prominence of these new religious institutions in the area swayed the state of Georgia to rename the town Hephzibah in 1870. In 1909, Walter A. Clark published a book of local history, named A Lost Arcadia - The Story of My Old Community, detailing the earliest days of Hephzibah.
In 1996 the governments of the city of Augusta and Richmond County combined to form a consolidated government. The residents of Hephzibah and nearby Blythe voted to maintain their separate city governments prior to this action. Some municipal services in Hephzibah are provided by the consolidated Augusta-Richmond County, while water, fire, and police services are maintained by the city.

## Geography

Hephzibah is located at 33°18′15″N 82°5′53″W﻿ / ﻿33.30417°N 82.09806°W﻿ / 33.30417; -82.09806 (33.304126, -82.097923). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.4 square miles (50.2 km$^2$), of which 0.07 square miles (0.17 km$^2$), or 0.34%, is water.

## Demographics

Hephzibah racial composition as of 2020 :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,168 | 56.61% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,319 | 34.44% |
| Native American | 23 | 0.6% |
| Asian | 9 | 0.23% |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.13% |
| Other/Mixed | 190 | 4.96% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 116 | 3.03% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,830 people, 1,424 households, and 1,022 families residing in the city.

## Education

Richmond County School System, which covers all of Richmond County, operates public schools, including Hephzibah Elementary School, McBean Elementary, Hephzibah Middle School, Pine Hill Middle School, and Hephzibah High School.
There is also a charter school, Georgia School of Innovation and the Classics (GSIC).

## Highways

* US 25 / SR 121
* SR 88

## Notable people

This list includes people who were born in Hephzibah or who spent a significant amount of time living in the town.
| Name | Date of Birth | Notes |
| Darrell Blocker, nicknamed "The Spy Whisperer" | | CIA agent |
| Wendell Chavous | 1985 | NASCAR driver |
| John Wesley Gilbert | 1863 | First student and black professor of Paine College, one of the first black American archaeologists |
| George Kitchens | 1983 | Track and field athlete |
| Arthur Marshall | 1969 | former NFL wide receiver. |
| Marlon Riggs | 1957 | Filmmaker and educator |
| Vaughn Taylor | 1976 | PGA Tour golfer |
| Itoro Umoh-Coleman | 1977 | WNBA basketball player and Clemson assistant coach |
| Ben Chestnut | 1973/1974 | Founder and CEO of Mailchimp |