Macon, Georgia

Macon ) is a city located in central Georgia, US. It is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles (136 km) south of Atlanta, hence the city's nickname as the Heart of Georgia. As of the 2010 Census, Macon had an estimated population of 91,351; in terms of population, Macon is the seventh-largest city in Georgia (just after Sandy Springs).The city has several institutions of higher education, as well as numerous museums and tourism sites. The area is served by the Middle Georgia Regional Airport and the Herbert Smart Downtown Airport. The current mayor of Macon is Robert Reichert, a former Democratic member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Perhaps its most colorful mayor with national recognition was Ronnie Thompson, who served from 1967–1975 and was the first of thus far two Republicans to have held the position, the other being George Israel (1979–1987).