Early on, Vinings was known as Crossroads, and then Paces, after Hardy Pace, circa 1830. He operated Pace's Ferry across the Chattahoochee River, in this area between Atlanta, Buckhead, and Smyrna. Paces Ferry Road is still the main east–west road through Vinings. The Western and Atlantic Railroad laid rail tracks from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Atlanta in the 1840s. Vinings became a construction station for the railroad, and was inadvertently named for William H. Vining, as he worked on the railroad construction of "Vining's Bridge" laying tracks in the area. The railroad is still state-owned as it was from the beginning, and is now leased to CSX.[4]
The Union Army occupied the Vinings area during Sherman'sAtlanta Campaign of the American Civil War in 1864 and the subsequent March to the Sea. Pace's home, which had been used as a hospital for Union troops, was destroyed in the process. Vinings recovered after the war, as Governor Brown leased the railroad to Vinings to bring passengers to the springs and pavilions built to encourage a respite from the reconstruction of Atlanta. Vinings was officially recognized as a community in 1904, the same year the one-lane bridge was constructed across the Chattahoochee River. The town was never incorporated, though it had been discussed whether it should become a "township".[citation needed]
The Vinings Historic Preservation Society seeks to keep the town's history alive.[5]
Vinings, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition (NH = Non-Hispanic) Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 9,677 people, 5,227 households, and 1,740 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 3,039.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,173.4/km2). There were 5,670 housing units at an average density of 1,780.8 per square mile (687.6/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 81.97% White, 12.09% African American, 0.19% Native American, 3.69% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.26% of the population.
There were 5,227 households, out of which 11.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.3% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 66.7% were non-families. 43.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.84 and the average family size was 2.61.
In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 10.8% under the age of 18, 15.5% from 18 to 24, 50.9% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $88,876, and the median income for a family was $105,121. Males had a median income of $78,685 versus $46,315 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $61,068. About 3.3% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
Vinings is unincorporated, and is therefore under the jurisdiction of Cobb's county commission and other public services. After the success of Sandy Springs, there was discussion and at least one public meeting on whether the town should also incorporate as a "city" (the only type of municipality in Georgia). With residents evenly split, there was no consensus, and the idea was shelved mainly due to concerns about potential property tax increases.[citation needed]
The proposed boundaries were Interstate 285 along the northwest side, Interstate 75 at the northeast end, the Chattahoochee River on the southeast side, and Atlanta Road (old US 41 until Cobb Parkway was built in the 1950s) at the southwest end.[citation needed]
