Richmond Hill is a city in Bryan County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,959 at the 2000 census.

Geography

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Richmond Hill is located at (31.938151, -81.313750).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.4 km² (10.2 mi²). 26.3 km² (10.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.49%) is water.

The main intersection in Richmond Hill is between U.S. 17, running north and south, and S.R. 144 (Ford Avenue), running east and west. Interstate 95 has two exits within the city limits, one with each highway. The U.S. 17/I-95 interchange is the larger of the two, with numerous fast food restaurants, motels, and a large truckstop.

Locality
In some respects, it might be helpful to differentiate between Richmond Hill city proper and the larger South Bryan County area. A large percentage of South Bryan residents live outside the city limits of Richmond Hill, especially in a number of planned developments east of the city along S.R. 144. This area contains large amounts of marsh and riverfront property, Fort McAllister Historic Park, and the small community of Keller. Geographically, it is significantly larger than the municipal limits of Richmond Hill itself. However, the area contains no schools and few businesses or other public accommodations. As a result, residents of the entire South Bryan area rely on Richmond Hill proper for basic services, and must travel through the city to leave Bryan County, especially when commuting to Savannah, Georgia via U.S. 17 or I-95. Most South Bryan residents, especially the large percentage of relative newcomers, would likely say they were "from Richmond Hill."

History

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Richmond Hill has a strong historical connection to industrialist Henry Ford. Ford used the town, formerly known as Ways Station, as a summer home, building the complex now known as the Ford Plantation along the Ogeechee River in the 1930s. -- 02:02, 17 January 2007 (UTC) After just one visit they chose this area as their Winter Home... Clara's dream house was built on the site of Richmond Plantation, which was burned by General Sherman just as he ended his March to the Sea at nearby Fort McAllister. Ford's holdings eventually totaled 85,000 acres (340 km²) of old Southern Plantations. Ford was also responsible for the construction of a number of public buildings, including a schoolhouse which now houses the museum of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, and a chapel which now houses St. Anne's Catholic Church. Both are located on Georgia Highway 144, also known as Ford Avenue within the Richmond Hill city limits. The Ford Plantation has now been redeveloped as a luxury resort, with vacation cottages, a clubhouse, tennis, and golf. When it was suggested that they town be renamed with "Ford", Henry declined and instead Ways Station was renamed "Richmond Hill" after his plantation's former name and the hill Clara's dream home was built on.

Richmond Hill was incorporated in March 1962. The current Mayor is Richard Davis, who has served in that capacity...