text:
Columbia County, Georgia

Columbia County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,010. The legal county seat is Appling, but the de facto seat of county government is Evans.

Columbia County is included in the Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC metropolitan statistical area. It is located along the Savannah River.

History
Columbia County, the 12th county formed in Georgia, was created by an act of the Legislature of Georgia on December 10, 1790, from Richmond County.

Prehistory and the colonial era
This area along the Savannah River had been inhabited for thousands of years by various cultures of indigenous peoples. The area had been home to the historic Muscogee-speaking Creek; Yuchi, people speaking a language isolate; and Iroquoian-speaking Cherokee for years prior to European colonization. The Yuchi had moved south from Tennessee because of pressure from the Cherokee, who continued to move into the Piedmont and soon dominated the Native American tribes. One of the oldest archaeological sites in the nation to contain pottery can be found on Stallings Island.

During the Colonial era, settlement of what would become Columbia County occurred primarily due to colonists settling at the second city in Georgia, Augusta, located on the Fall Line. When the British Province of Georgia became a crown colony in 1755 and was divided into parishes, the area around Augusta became St. Paul's Parish. The primary areas of settlement were Augusta; Wrightsboro (a Quaker settlement named for James Wright, the royal governor); and Brownsborough, which was near the present-day location of North Columbia Elementary School.

Because the Church of England was the established church in the province, it was against the law for anyone to preach contrary to its doctrines. Influenced by the Great Awakening in New England, in 1772 Daniel Marshall established Kiokee Baptist Church, the first Baptist church in Georgia. The church was located below Brownsborough along the Kiokee Creek in present-day Appling. Born in Connecticut, Marshall had been raised as a Presbyterian. He had become a Baptist and preached in the Carolinas before coming to Georgia, where he was arrested. Baptist preachers and their converts continued to flourish, and in Virginia their influence helped shape the young James Madison's ideas on religious freedom, which he incorporated into the new Constitution. Marshall later served in the militia during the American Revolutionary War. During the 19th century and the Second Great Awakening, the Baptists became well established in Georgia and other southern states. The Baptists offered congregational participation to slaves and approved them and free blacks as preachers, leading to the growth in black membership in the church.

American Revolutionary War
Two small battles occurred in what would become the county during the Revolutionary War between Patriot Militia and Tories; the area was then primarily frontier and loyalties were badly divided. Legend has it that a small band of Patriots sought refuge from marauding Tories at the county's most dramatic geological feature, Heggie's Rock. One of these fights occurred on September 11, 1781, between the forces of Elijah Clarke and a band of Tories and British Regular soldiers.

George Walton, the Virginia-born statesman who signed the Declaration of Independence, resided in what would become Columbia County, as did William Few and Abraham Baldwin. They were delegates to the Federal Convention that framed the United States Constitution.

Formation of Columbia County
Just before and immediately after the Revolution, numerous Virginians and North Carolinians migrated to the frontier of Georgia above Augusta, including the area around Brownsborough. After the Revolution, residents disagreed as to whether Augusta or Brownsborough should be the county seat of Richmond County. At the insistence of William Few, the county was partitioned. The new county formed from Richmond was named "Columbia" (for the origin of the name see Columbia); this did not end the controversy about location of the county seat. The citizens of Columbia County turned to arguing among themselves. Supporters built one courthouse in Brownsborough, and those of Cobbham built another. The courthouse at Cobbham was used; and Brownsborough in short order ceased to exist. In 1793, part of the county was taken, combined with part of Wilkes County, and formed into Warren County.

Around 1799, William Appling deeded a tract of land to the county for the purpose of building a courthouse. It was near Kiokee Creek and the Baptist Church which Marshall had founded. A courthouse was constructed, and served the county until around 1808. The small town that existed around the church and courthouse came to be known as "Columbia Courthouse." In 1809, the Baptist congregation left the town and constructed a new meeting house (a building which survives) several miles away near the junction of Kiokee and Greenbrier creeks. That same year, construction began on a new courthouse, which was completed in 1812. In 1816, Columbia Courthouse was chartered as the Town of Appling, named for the Appling family who had donated the land to the county, and for Colonel John Appling, a local resident who died in a campaign against the Seminole.

Early 19th century
Appling was the political, educational, social, and religious center of the county. Near Appling were located Mt. Carmel Academy and Columbia Institute. Mt. Carmel Academy was run by the famous Southern educator, Moses Waddel; it was here that John C. Calhoun and William H. Crawford were educated. Columbia Institute was started by a certain gentleman going by the surname Bush; he was none other than the Bushnell of Revolutionary War submariner fame. During the Georgia Gold Rush of the 1820s, some successful prospecting and mining occurred in Columbia County.

The 1830s were a period of major infrastructure projects and the coming of the railroad. When the Georgia Railroad was established, the judges determined that having trains' passing near Appling would disturb their proceedings; they insisted that the railway line that was built in the county from Atlanta to Augusta pass well below Appling. Construction of the Augusta Canal in the 1830s required Columbia County's cooperation, as the beginning of the canal and the locks were within the county.

In 1855, the Courthouse in Appling received a major overhaul, and after the remodeling was complete, the building was in more or less its present form. Despite the extensive project, builders retained the shell of the 1809–1812 building.

American Civil War
Plantation agriculture based on slave labor was the major force of the economy in the county prior to the American Civil War. Cotton production had expanded dramatically after the invention of the cotton gin, which enabled the cultivation of short-staple cotton in the upland areas. Numerous vast plantations existed, the central houses of some of which still exist. Thousands of slaves were brought to the county for labor. At times the slave population outnumbered the free white population.

When Georgia seceded from the United States, George Walker Crawford, a native son of Columbia County, presided over the Secession Convention. He had previously been elected as the only Whig governor of the State. Men from the county served in several companies, among them the Hamilton Rangers and the Ramsey Guards, some in the 48th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, and some in the 22nd; almost all in Wright's Brigade. The troops assembled in front of the courthouse, then boarded trains at the depots: Berzelia, Sawdust, Dearing, and Thomson. No fighting occurred in the county during the war; nor was it directly in General Sherman's path. According to some family stories, some Union cavalry scouts or bummers entered the county. Near the war's end, the remnants of the Confederate treasury were taken through Columbia County from Augusta to where the Chennault Raid occurred in neighboring Lincoln County.

The war took a heavy toll on the white male population of the county; a plaque behind the bench in the main Courtroom bears the names of Columbia County's Confederate dead. During Reconstruction, the county was subject to military occupation. Because of significant Ku Klux Klan violence in the late 1860s, it was attached to a special district including Warren, Wilkes, and Oglethorpe counties. Additional Union forces were sent there to try to suppress the insurgents and their vigilante crimes against freedmen. They had been steadily reported by the Freedmen's Bureau, whose reports included a mob lynching of a freedman in Appling in July 1866.

Late 19th century
The railroad brought increased trade and population to Thomson. In 1870, the part of Columbia County which included Thomson, Dearing, and Wrightsboro, the 12,000 acre settlement established in 1768 by Colonial Governor James Wright as a settlement for displaced Quakers from North Carolina, was combined with parts of Warren County to form McDuffie County—named after South Carolina's U.S. Senator: George McDuffie. Thomson became the county seat of the newly formed county.

On March 20, 1875, Appling suffered severe damage during a tornado. It never regained its former wealth and position in the county before the Civil War.

During Reconstruction, the legislature passed an act to establish a public school system for the first time. Like the rest of the state, the county developed segregated schools. The new communities of Harlem and Grovetown grew up. Harlem arose in the 1880s when a disgruntled railroad employee named Hicks, angered by saloons and Sabbath breaking in Sawdust, moved along the tracks one mile east and set up a rival town, complete with its own depot. Sawdust was eclipsed by Harlem, losing its depot and being absorbed by the newer town in the 1920s. The city was named after Harlem, New York. Grovetown, named for Grove Baptist Church, developed as a summer resort in the 1880s for wealthy Augustans.

20th century
The 20th century brought many changes to the county, with new technologies and modernization. In 1917, Harlem was badly damaged by fire. Bringing electricity to the county began. Men from Columbia County answered the call of duty and served in both World Wars. Prior to World War II, the county was still primarily agricultural; it had escaped the boll weevil infestation that destroyed cotton crops in Mississippi and other parts of the South. The US Army built Camp (later Fort) Gordon, taking over a large portion of Richmond County and parts of Columbia, McDuffie, and Jefferson. The Army's keeping the fort after WWII created a new population and economic center for the county. During the 1950s, the Clarks Hill Dam was constructed, submerging considerable land in northern Columbia County under the new reservoir. It prompted new residential development around the lake.

Between 1950 and 1990, the population increased dramatically. Agriculture declined, as farmland was redeveloped as suburban housing and community centers for persons employed in Augusta. Numerous personnel stationed at Fort Gordon eventually settled in Columbia County. During the 1960s, the schools were integrated largely without incident under the leadership of Superintendent John Pierce Blanchard. The unincorporated communities of Martinez (formerly Lulaville, named after a Cuban doctor) and Evans (possibly named after Confederate General Clement A. Evans ) became the population centers of the county, since they were located nearest to Augusta.

During the 1980s and 1990s and demographic shifts, Evans gradually became the de facto county seat, as the Columbia County Government Center and the Government Complex Addition were built there to serve the growing population in the county's eastern areas. Court functions remained in Appling since Georgia state law required that superior court sessions must be held at the county seat and courthouse of each county at least twice a year. In 1998, the legislature changed the law to allow counties with unincorporated county seats to hold court sessions at annexes or satellite courthouses. With the 1993 passage of legislation requiring incorporated cities to provide at least three municipal services, Appling was not able to maintain its status as an incorporated city. (There was question as to whether it was ever incorporated. ) Appling was one of 187 inactive cities in Georgia that lost its charter on June 1, 1995. Today it is nearly a dead town. Following these changes, the county proceeded to build an expansive Courthouse Annex in Evans, completed in 2001. Appling retains its status as de jure county seat, but all governmental functions are carried out in Evans.

Historic sites in Appling include the Courthouse and Jail, the Marshall Monument, and various places associated with Kiokee Baptist Church. Other sites in the county include Stevens Creek Dam and Canal Locks, the birthplace of the comedian Oliver Hardy in Harlem, and various cemeteries.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 308 sqmi, of which 290 sqmi is land and 18 sqmi (5.7%) is water. The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state just above the fall line of the eastern United States.

The southern three-quarters of Columbia County is located in the Middle Savannah River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin. A very small corner in the northeast of the county, west of Clarks Hill, is located in the Upper Savannah River sub-basin of the larger Savannah River basin. The northern portion of Columbia County, north of Appling, is located in the Little River sub-basin of the same Savannah River basin, while the southwestern corner of the county, south of Harlem, is located in the Brier Creek sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.

Adjacent counties

 * Richmond County (southeast)
 * McDuffie County (west)
 * Lincoln County (northwest)
 * McCormick County, South Carolina (north)
 * Edgefield County, South Carolina (northeast)

Bodies of water

 * Clarks Hill Lake (Strom Thurmond Lake)
 * Savannah River
 * Kiokee Creek
 * Little Kiokee Creek
 * Euchee Creek
 * Steiner Creek
 * Tudor Branch
 * Greenbrier Creek
 * Boggy Gut Creek
 * Cobb Creek
 * Crawford Creek
 * Reed Creek
 * Sandy Run Creek

Geological formations

 * Heggie's Rock
 * Burks Mountain
 * Mount Carmel

Cities

 * Grovetown
 * Harlem

Census-designated places

 * Appling
 * Evans
 * Martinez

Unincorporated communities

 * Berzelia
 * Cobbham
 * Sawdust
 * Snead
 * Winfield
 * Cobbham Crossroads

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 156,010 people, 46,890 households, and 33,620 families residing in the county. The county's population went up 26% in the preceding decade.

Government and politics
Prior to 1948, Columbia County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections as a part of the Solid South. Starting with the 1948 election, it began to break away from the Democratic Party as the party became more supportive of civil rights. It voted in line with the state as a whole from 1952 to 1976, but was one of the few counties Ronald Reagan won statewide in 1980. Since then, it has become a Republican Party stronghold. Underlining this, Jimmy Carter is the last Democrat to manage even 40 percent of the county's vote.

Moves toward incorporation
For more than a decade, there have been discussions by county officials to incorporate the county into a city. This issue first became moot in 1996 when the city of Augusta and Richmond County consolidated their governments. A state law mandating three mile buffer zones between cities effectively halted any efforts for Columbia County to incorporate, as it was contiguous to Augusta-Richmond County.

In 2005, talks of incorporating the county into a city resurfaced when the Georgia state legislature abolished the three mile buffer zone, thus allowing Sandy Springs in North Fulton County (contiguous to Atlanta) to become a city. Columbia County Commission Chairman Ron Cross led a campaign to bring the idea of county incorporation back to life. However, it was referred to as "consolidation," since counties in Georgia alone cannot incorporate, but can rather consolidate with an existing municipality within the county. The plan was to hold a referendum to incorporate the de facto county seat, Evans (currently a census-designated place), as a city and then simultaneously consolidate it with Columbia County.

The initiative drew strong opposition from officials in Harlem and Grovetown, the county's only municipalities, citing that it would keep their cities from growing. The word "consolidation" also had an immediate negative connotation with many residents of Columbia County, seeing the example of the Augusta-Richmond County plagued with unintended consequences. A straw poll conducted during the county Republican Party primary election, showed strong opposition to the idea countywide. The County Commission Chairman Ron Cross has vowed to keep the issue alive, but based on the negative sentiment from voters, it appears that at least for now, the idea of incorporation is back in hibernation.

Education
Columbia County is served by the Columbia County School District as well as Augusta Christian Schools, the Episcopal Day School, Augusta Preparatory Day School, both in Martinez.

Elementary schools

 * Baker Place Elementary School
 * Bel-Air Elementary School (closed May 21, 2013)
 * Blue Ridge Elementary School
 * Brookwood Elementary School
 * Cedar Ridge Elementary School
 * Euchee Creek Elementary School
 * Evans Elementary School
 * Greenbrier Elementary School
 * Grovetown Elementary School
 * Lewiston Elementary School
 * Martinez Elementary School
 * North Columbia Elementary School
 * North Harlem Elementary School
 * Parkway Elementary School
 * River Ridge Elementary School
 * Riverside Elementary School
 * South Columbia Elementary School
 * Stevens Creek Elementary School
 * Westmont Elementary School

Middle schools

 * Columbia Middle School
 * Evans Middle School
 * Greenbrier Middle School
 * Grovetown Middle School
 * Harlem Middle School
 * Lakeside Middle School
 * Riverside Middle School
 * Stallings Island Middle School

High schools

 * Evans High School
 * Greenbrier High School
 * Grovetown High School
 * Harlem High School
 * Lakeside High School

Other education

 * Crossroads Academy (alternative school)
 * Augusta Christian Schools (private)
 * Augusta Preparatory Day School (private)
 * Evans Christian Academy (private)
 * School for Arts Infused Learning (SAIL) (public charter school, K-8)
 * Savanah River Academy (private)
 * Avila Catholic Academy (private)
 * Augusta Science Academy (private)

Major highways

 * I-20.svg Interstate 20
 * US 78.svg U.S. Route 78
 * US 221.svg U.S. Route 221
 * US 278.svg U.S. Route 278
 * Georgia 10.svg State Route 10
 * Georgia 28.svg State Route 28
 * Georgia 47.svg State Route 47
 * Georgia 104.svg State Route 104
 * Georgia 150.svg State Route 150
 * Georgia 223.svg State Route 223
 * Georgia 232.svg State Route 232
 * Georgia 383.svg State Route 383
 * Georgia 388.svg State Route 388
 * Georgia 402.svg State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20)

Pedestrians and cycling

 * Augusta Canal Historic Trail
 * Euchee Creek Greenway (Under construction)
 * Evans to Locks Road Trail

The company BCycle has introduced the first bike share program to Columbia County.

Notable people

 * Nathan Crawford Barnett, Member of the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia Secretary of State for over 30 years
 * Oliver Hardy, (comedian, born in Harlem)
 * Paul Hamilton Hayne, (poet and author)
 * Henry Louis Benning, (Confederate general for whom Fort Benning was named. It was renamed Fort Moore in May 2023. )
 * William Few
 * Abraham Baldwin
 * George Walton
 * George W. Crawford
 * William H. Crawford, (presidential candidate in 1824)
 * Thomas Watson, (populist leader and Georgia senator born in Thomson when it was still in Columbia County)
 * George McDuffie, (South Carolina governor and senator in the early 19th century)
 * Jesse Mercer, (a long-time preacher in the county for whom Mercer University is named)
 * Ben Hayslip, (Grammy Nominated country music songwriter)
 * Dave Haywood
 * Charles Kelley, of Lady A from Columbia County, where there is now the Lady Antebellum pavilion.

Sister city
Columbia County is twinned with:
 * 🇵🇱 Nowy Sącz, Poland

title: Columbia County, Georgia


text:
Colquitt County, Georgia

Colquitt County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,898. The county seat is Moultrie. The county was created on February 25, 1856, and is named for Walter Terry Colquitt, a U.S. senator. Colquitt County comprises the Moultrie, GA micropolitan statistical area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 557 sqmi, of which 544 sqmi is land and 12 sqmi (2.2%) is water. It is located in Southwest Georgia.

Most of the western portion of Colquitt County, west of Moultrie and State Route 33, is located in the Upper Ochlockonee River sub-basin of the larger Ochlockonee River basin, with the exception of the very northwestern corner of the county, between Sale City and west of Doerun, which is located in the Lower Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). A narrow central portion of Colquitt County, running from north to south of Moultrie, and then widening to occupy the gap between U.S. Route 319 and State Route 133, is located in the Withlacoochee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The eastern portion of the county is located in the Little River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.

Lakes

 * Gray Lake
 * Lake Murphy

Major highways

 * US 319.svg U.S. Route 319
 * U.S. Route 319 Business
 * Georgia 33.svg State Route 33
 * Georgia 35.svg State Route 35
 * Georgia 37.svg State Route 37
 * Georgia 111.svg State Route 111
 * Georgia 133.svg State Route 133
 * Georgia 202.svg State Route 202
 * Georgia 256.svg State Route 256
 * Georgia 270.svg State Route 270
 * Georgia 270 Spur.svg State Route 270 Spur

Adjacent counties

 * Tift County (northeast)
 * Cook County (east)
 * Brooks County (southeast)
 * Thomas County (southwest)
 * Mitchell County (west)
 * Worth County (northwest)

Cities

 * Berlin
 * Doerun
 * Ellenton
 * Funston
 * Moultrie
 * Norman Park

Unincorporated communities

 * Autreyville
 * Barbers
 * Hartsfield
 * Riverside

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 45,898 people, 15,505 households, and 10,663 families residing in the county.

Education
Colquitt County School District operates public schools, with Colquitt County High School being the high school.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Colquitt County, Georgia


text:
Coffee County, Georgia

Coffee County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,092, up from 42,356	 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Douglas.

Coffee County comprises the Douglas, Georgia micropolitan statistical area.

History
Coffee County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on February 9, 1854, from portions of Clinch, Irwin, Telfair, and Ware counties. These lands were originally ceded by the Creek in the Treaty of Fort Jackson in (1814) and the Treaty of the Creek Agency (1818) and apportioned to the above counties before becoming Coffee County.

Berrien (1856), Jeff Davis (1905), and Atkinson (1917) counties were subsequently formed from sections of Coffee County.

The county is named for General John E. Coffee, a state legislator and a U.S. representative.

Coffee County Correctional Facility is located in Nicholls, Georgia. It is privately owned and operated by CoreCivic, the largest prison company in the nation.

Many of the early settlers of what is now Coffee County are buried in historic cemeteries across the region, including the cemetery at Lone Hill United Methodist Church—located at 6833 Broxton-West Green Highway, some 10 miles northeast of Douglas. The church and its cemetery date to the 1840s, with the earliest marked grave dated 1848. A majestic Eastern Redcedar has graced the cemetery for generations and is recognized as the nation's largest of this species through American Forests’ Champion Trees program. (see: )  In July 2018 the tree was recognized as 2018's Great American Tree by American Grove. (See: ) Having been nominated by Mark McClellan of the Georgia Forestry Commission, the tree has been featured in such publications as the Smithsonian Magazine and Janisse Ray's Wild Card Quilt. The circumference of the tree exceeds 20 feet.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 603 sqmi, of which 575 sqmi is land and 28 sqmi (4.6%) is water.

The vast majority of Coffee County is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin. The northern corner of the county, well north of Broxton, an area bisected by State Route 107, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The very southwestern corner of Coffee County, northeast of Alapaha, is located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin.

Highways

 * US 221.svg U.S. Route 221
 * US 319.svg U.S. Route 319
 * US 441.svg U.S. Route 441
 * Georgia 31.svg State Route 31
 * Georgia 32.svg State Route 32
 * Georgia 64.svg State Route 64
 * Georgia 90.svg State Route 90
 * Georgia 107.svg State Route 107
 * Georgia 135.svg State Route 135
 * Georgia 158.svg State Route 158
 * Georgia 206.svg State Route 206
 * Georgia 206 Connector.svg State Route 206 Connector
 * Georgia 268.svg State Route 268

Adjacent counties

 * Telfair County – north
 * Jeff Davis County – northeast
 * Bacon County – east
 * Ware County – southeast
 * Atkinson County – south
 * Berrien County – southwest
 * Irwin County – west
 * Ben Hill County – west

Cities

 * Ambrose
 * Broxton
 * Douglas
 * Nicholls

Unincorporated communities

 * Bushnell
 * Sapps Still
 * West Green

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 43,092 people, 14,438 households, and 9,913 families residing in the county.

Education
Douglas is home to South Georgia State College, the oldest two-year institution under the University System of Georgia.

Politics
Like most of the Solid South, Coffee County voted with the Democrats until 1964, when Republican Barry Goldwater carried the county as well as the state. Democrat Jimmy Carter, who came from Georgia, carried the county twice. No Democrat has carried the county since then. Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to get over forty percent of the county's vote, in 1996. His two bids for president are the only times since Carter that a Democrat has kept the margin within single digits, and Michael Dukakis is the only other Democrat since Carter to garner 40 percent of the county's vote.

title: Coffee County, Georgia


text:
Cobb County, Georgia

Cobb County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia, located in the Atlanta metropolitan area in the north central portion of the state. As of 2020 Census, the population was 766,149. It is the state's third most populous county, after Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Its county seat is Marietta; its largest city is Mableton.

Along with several adjoining counties, Cobb County was established on December 3, 1832, by the Georgia General Assembly from the large Cherokee County territory—land northwest of the Chattahoochee River which the state acquired from the Cherokee Nation and redistributed to settlers via lottery, following the passage of the federal Indian Removal Act. The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, a U.S. representative and senator from Georgia. It is believed that Marietta was named for his wife, Mary. Cobb County is included in the Atlanta metropolitan area and is situated immediately to the northwest of Atlanta's city limits. Its Cumberland District, an edge city, has over 24 e6sqft of office space. Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves have played home games at Truist Park in Cumberland since 2017.

In 2003, the U.S. Census Bureau ranked Cobb County as the most educated in the state of Georgia and 12th-most in the United States. It has ranked among the top 100 highest-income counties in the United States. In October 2017, Cobb was ranked as the "Least Obese County in Georgia." Cobb County is one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia according to the 2020 US Census.

History
Cobb County was one of nine Georgia counties carved out of the disputed territory of the Cherokee Nation in 1832. It was the 81st county in Georgia and named for Judge Thomas Willis Cobb, who served as a U.S. Senator, state representative, and superior court judge. It is believed that the county seat of Marietta was named for Judge Cobb's wife, Mary. The state started acquiring right-of-way for the Western & Atlantic Railroad in 1836. A train began running between Marietta and Marthasville (modern day Atlanta) in 1845.

During the American Civil War, some Confederate troops were trained at a camp in Big Shanty (now Kennesaw), where the Andrews Raid occurred, starting the Great Locomotive Chase. There were battles of New Hope Church May 25, 1864, Pickett's Mill May 27, and Dallas May 28. These were followed by the prolonged series of battles through most of June 1864 until very early July: the Battle of Marietta and the Battle of Noonday Creek. The Battle of Allatoona Pass on October 5, 1864, occurred as Sherman was starting his march through Georgia. Union forces burnt most houses and confiscated or burnt crops. The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain on June 27, 1864, was the site of the only major Confederate victory in General William T. Sherman's invasion of Georgia. Despite the victory, Union forces outflanked the Confederates. In 1915, Leo Frank, the Jewish supervisor of an Atlanta pencil factory who was convicted of murdering one of his workers, thirteen-year-old Mary Phagan, was kidnapped from his jail cell and brought to Frey's Gin, 2 mi east of Marietta, where he was lynched. Cotton farming in the area peaked from the 1890s through the 1920s. Low prices during the Great Depression resulted in the cessation of cotton farming throughout Cobb County. The price of cotton went from 16¢ per pound (35¢/kg) in 1920 to 9½¢ (21¢/kg) in 1930. This resulted in a cotton bust for the county, which had stopped growing the product but was milling it. This bust was followed by the Great Depression. To help combat the bust, the state started work on a road in 1922 that would later become U.S. 41, later replaced by Cobb Parkway in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

In 1942, Bell Aircraft opened a Marietta plant to manufacture B-29 bombers and Marietta Army Airfield was founded. Both were closed after World War II, but reopened during the Korean War, when the air field was acquired by the Air Force, renamed Dobbins AFB, and the plant by Lockheed. During the Korean and Vietnam Wars, Lockheed Marietta was the leading manufacturer of military transport planes, including the C-130 Hercules and the C-5 Galaxy. "In Cobb County and other sprawling Cold War suburbs from Orange County to Norfolk/Hampton Roads, the direct link between federal defense spending and local economic prosperity structured a bipartisan political culture of hawkish conservatism and material self-interest on issues of national security." When county home rule was enacted statewide by amendment to the Georgia state constitution in the early 1960s, Ernest W. Barrett became the first chairman of the new county commission. The county courthouse, built in 1888, was demolished, spurring a law that now prevents counties from doing so without a referendum. In the 1960s and 1970s, Cobb transformed from rural to suburban, as integration spurred white flight from the city of Atlanta, which by 1970 was majority-African-American. Real-estate booms drew rural white southerners and Rust Belt transplants, both groups mostly first-generation white-collar workers. Cobb County was the home of former segregationist and Georgia governor Lester Maddox (1966–71). In 1975, Cobb voters elected John Birch Society leader Larry McDonald to Congress, running in opposition to desegregation busing. A conservative Democrat, McDonald called for investigations into alleged plots by the Rockefellers and the Soviet Union to impose "socialist-one-world-government" and co-founded the Western Goals Foundation. In 1983, McDonald died aboard Korean Air Lines Flight 007, shot down by a Soviet fighter jet over restricted airspace. I-75 through the county is now named for him.

In 1990, Republican Congressmen Newt Gingrich became Representative of a new district centered around Cobb County. In 1994, as Republicans took control of the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time in almost fifty years, Gingrich became Speaker of the House, thrusting Cobb County into the national spotlight.

In 1993, county commissioners passed a resolution condemning homosexuality and cut off funding for the arts after complaints about a community theater. After protests from gay rights organizations, organizers of the 1996 Summer Olympics pulled events out of Cobb County, including the Olympic Torch Relay. The county's inns were nevertheless filled at 100% of capacity for two months during the event.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Cobb's demographics changed. As Atlanta's gentrification reversed decades of white flight, middle-class African-Americans and Russian, Bosnian, Chinese, Indian, Brazilian, Mexican and Central American immigrants moved to older suburbs in south and southwest Cobb. In 2010, African-American Democrat David Scott was elected to Georgia's 13th congressional district, which included many of those suburbs. Cobb became the first Georgia county to participate in the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 287(g) enabling local law officers to enforce immigration law.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 345 sqmi, of which 340 sqmi is land and 4.0 sqmi (1.4%) is water. The county is located in the upper Piedmont region of the state, with a few mountains located within the county, considered to be part of the southernmost extensions of the Appalachian Mountains.

The county is divided between two major basins. Most runoff flows into the Middle Chattahoochee-Lake Harding and Upper Chattahoochee River sub-basins of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin) along the southeastern border, directly via Willeo Creek, Sope Creek (Sewell Creek), Rottenwood Creek (Powers Creek, Poorhouse Creek, Poplar Creek), Nickajack Creek and others. The large Sweetwater Creek is the other major stream, carrying the waters of Noses Creek (Ward Creek, Olley Creek, Mud Creek), Powder Springs Creek (Rakestraw Creek, Mill Creek) and others into the Chattahoochee. A ridge from Lost Mountain in the west, to Kennesaw Mountain in the north-central, to Sweat Mountain in the extreme northeast, divides the far north-northwest of the county into the Etowah River sub-basin of the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin), which includes Lake Allatoona. Noonday Creek (Little Noonday Creek) flows northward into the lake, as does Allatoona Creek, which forms a major arm of the lake. Proctor Creek forms the much older Lake Acworth, which in turn empties directly into Lake Allatoona under the Lake Acworth Drive (Georgia 92) bridge. North Cobb is in the Coosa River basin.

There are several high points in Cobb County.
 * Sweat Mountain: in the extreme northeast portion, runs along the border with Cherokee County, and is the metro area's major antenna farm
 * Blackjack Mountain: a low ridge between central and east Cobb
 * Kennesaw Mountain: the highest point in the county and in the entire suburban area of metro Atlanta, located in the north-northwest between Kennesaw and Marietta
 * Little Kennesaw Mountain: an offshoot of Kennesaw
 * Lost Mountain: in western Cobb
 * Pine Mountain: west-northwest of Kennesaw Mountain, between Kennesaw and Due West
 * Brushy Mountain: near Kennesaw Mountain, just southeast of Barrett Parkway at Cobb Parkway
 * Vinings Mountain or Mount Wilkinson: overlooks the town of Vinings

Adjacent counties

 * Cherokee County – north
 * Fulton County – southeast
 * Douglas County – southwest
 * Paulding County – west
 * Bartow County – northwest

Addressing
Despite the lack of a grid system of city blocks though the county, all street addresses have their numeric origin at the southwest corner of the town square in Marietta.

Geocodes and world's largest toll-free calling area

Originally in area code 404, the county was moved into area code 770 in 1995, and overlaid by area code 678 in 1998. Prior to 1995, those with phones tied to the Woodstock telephone exchange (prefixes 924, 926, 928, later 516 and 591) could also call the Canton exchange (479, later 445, then 704) as a local call. This became moot, along with other dual-zone exchanges in metro Atlanta, when the exurban exchanges (including Canton) were fully made a part of what was already the world's largest toll-free calling zone. It is a zone spanning 7162 sqmi, with four active telephone area codes, and local calling extending into portions of two others.

Cobb's FIPS county code is 13067. Because the National Weather Service has not subdivided the county, its WRSAME code is 013067, for receiving targeted weather warnings from NOAA Weather Radio. The county is primarily within the broadcast range of one weather radio station: KEC80, on 162.550 MHz, transmitted to all of metro Atlanta and broadcast from NWSFO Peachtree City. The secondary station is the much newer WWH23 on 162.425 from Buchanan, which also transmits warnings for Cobb but has reception mainly in the western part of the county.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 766,149 people, 286,952 households, and 191,533 families residing in the county.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 688,078 people, 260,056 households, and 175,357 families residing in the county. The population density was 2026.4 PD/sqmi. There were 286,490 housing units at an average density of 843.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 62.21% white, 24.96% black or African American, 4.46% Asian, 0.34% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 5.28% from other races, and 2.71% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 12.26% of the population. Regarding specific ethnic origins, 10.4% cited German, 10.0% English, 9.3% Irish, and 8.6% American ancestry.

Of the 260,056 households, 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.6% were non-families, and 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.17. The median age was 35.4 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $65,522 and the median income for a family was $78,920. Males had a median income of $55,200 versus $43,367 for females. The per capita income for the county was $33,110. About 7.6% of families and 10.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census
As of 2000, there were 697,553 people, 248,303 households, and 169,178 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,998 PD/sqmi. There were 261,659 housing units at an average density of 770 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county in 2000 was 72.4% White, 18.8% Black, 0.3% Native American, 3.06% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 5.3% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. 7.73% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 248,303 households, out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county, 26.10% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 36.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 6.90% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.90 males.

As of 2007, the median income was $70,472. The per capita income for the county was $32,740. About 6.0% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Public schools

 * Cobb County School District (serves all county locations except the city of Marietta)
 * Marietta City Schools (serves city of Marietta locations)

Private schools

 * Cumberland Christian Academy, Austell (K–12)
 * Dominion Christian School, Marietta (middle school–12)
 * Midway Covenant Christian School, Powder Springs (preK–12)
 * Mount Paran Christian School, Kennesaw (preK–12)
 * North Cobb Christian School, Kennesaw (K–12)
 * The Walker School, Marietta (preK–12)
 * Whitefield Academy, Mableton (preK–12)
 * East Cobb Christian School, Marietta (K–8)

Colleges and universities

 * Chattahoochee Technical College
 * Kennesaw State University
 * Life University

Libraries
Cobb County maintains the Cobb County Public Library System. The libraries provide resources such as books, videos, internet access, printing, and computer classes. The libraries in the CCPLS are:

 * East Cobb Library
 * Gritters Library
 * Kemp Memorial Library
 * Lewis A. Ray Library
 * Mountain View Regional Library
 * North Cobb Regional Library
 * Powder Springs Library
 * Sewell Mill Library & Cultural Center
 * Sibley Library
 * South Cobb Regional Library
 * Joanne P. Stratton Library
 * Sweetwater Valley Library
 * Charles D. Switzer Library
 * Vinings Library
 * West Cobb Regional Library
 * Bookmobile

The Smyrna Public Library is a city-owned library in Smyrna, and is not part of the county system.

Government and elections
Under Georgia's home rule provision, county governments have free rein to legislate on all matters within the county, provided that such legislation does not conflict with state or federal laws or constitutions.

Cobb County is governed by a five-member board of commissioners, which has both legislative and executive authority within the county. The chairman of the board is elected county-wide. The other four commissioners are elected from single-member districts. The board hires a county manager who oversees day-to-day operations of the county's executive departments.

Cobb County Board of Commissioners

County residents also elect a sheriff, district attorney, probate court judge, clerk of superior court, clerk of the state court, state court solicitor, chief magistrate judge (who then appoints other magistrate court judges), superior court judges, state court judges, tax commissioner, surveyor, and a seven-member board of education. In addition to the county sheriff, the constitutional chief law enforcement officer of the county, Cobb County has a separate police department under the authority of the Board of Commissioners. The sheriff oversees the jail, to which everyone arrested under state law is taken, regardless of the city or other area of the county where it happens, or which police department makes the arrest.

Each city has a separate police department, answerable to its governing council. Marietta, Smyrna, and Austell have separate fire departments, with the Cobb County Fire Department being the authority having jurisdiction over Kennesaw, Acworth, Powder Springs, and unincorporated areas. Cobb 911 covers unincorporated areas and the city of Marietta. Kennesaw and Acworth jointly operate a small 911 call center (PSAP) upstairs in Kennesaw city hall, dispatching the police departments in both cities, and forwarding fire calls to Cobb. Smyrna operates a separate PSAP while offering dispatch services to the city of Powder Springs. Austell operates its own separate 911 system.

The county retails potable water to much of the county, and wholesales it to various cities.

The current County Manager is Jackie R. McMorris.

Politics
From 1964 until 2012, the county was a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. The only time during this period that the county supported a Democrat was in 1976, when native son Jimmy Carter swept every county in the state. Before 1960, it was a typical "Solid South" Democratic county, except when Warren G. Harding came close to carrying it in 1920, and when Herbert Hoover won it by nine points due to anti-Catholic voting against Al Smith in 1928.

In the late 20th century, the county developed a reputation as a conservative stronghold. However, due to rapid racial and ethnic demographic changes since the 1990s, along with population growth coming from blue northern states, the county has increasingly supported the Democratic Party. In 2016, when Hillary Clinton became the first Democrat to win Cobb County since Jimmy Carter in 1976, and the first non-Georgian Democrat since John F. Kennedy in 1960. The county then supported Joe Biden in 2020 by 14 points–the best showing for a Democrat since Kennedy in 1960. This was crucial to Biden winning the state for the Democrats for the first time since 1992.

In 2018, Stacey Abrams became the first Democrat to win Cobb County in a gubernatorial election since 1986, when Joe Frank Harris swept every county statewide.

2020 voter suppression controversy
In 2020, in the turmoil surrounding the election defeat of Donald Trump, the chairman of the Cobb County Republicans and another person challenged the election results in an attempt to remove 16,024 Cobb County voters from eligibility to vote in the runoff election for both Georgia senators, scheduled for January 5, 2021. The county Board of Elections held a hearing to decide whether there was probable cause to move forward with hearings for each name on the list. The Board's attorney stated that there was not probable cause and gave reasons. After a brief discussion, the board voted unanimously to deny the challenge.

Taxes
In addition to the 4% statewide sales tax, Cobb County levies an additional 2% for special projects, each 1% subject to separate renewal every few years by countywide referendum (including within its cities). This funds mainly transportation and parks. Cobb levies a 1% tax to lower property taxes, but only for the public school budget, and not the additional 1% HOST homestead exemption for general funds. The county has also voted not to pay the extra 1% to join MARTA.

At the beginning of 2006, Cobb became the last county in the state to raise the tax to 6%, which also doubled the tax on food to 2%. The SPLOST barely passed by a 114 vote margin, or less than one-quarter of a percent, in a September 2005 referendum. The revenue was to go to a new county courthouse, expanded jail, various transportation projects, and the purchasing of property for parks and green space. In 2008, the school tax was renewed for a third term, funding the Marietta and Cobb school systems.

Economy
The Cobb County School District is Cobb County's largest employer, employing over 15,000 people.

Private corporations include:
 * The Home Depot Atlanta Store Support Center, world headquarters
 * The Weather Channel headquarters
 * InTown Suites headquarters
 * Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Plant, located next to Dobbins Air Reserve Base in unincorporated Cobb
 * Kool Smiles (Marietta)
 * GE Power headquarters
 * Papa Johns "additional" headquarters

Retail
Shopping centers in the county include:
 * Cobb Center
 * Cobb Place - 335,000 sq. ft., opened 1987, original anchors Uptons, Service Merchandise, Lechmere. Now anchors include DSW and the largest concentration of furniture and home retailers in Metro Atlanta including Bassett Furniture, American Signature Furniture, Ashley Furniture, Bed Bath & Beyond, Cost Plus World Market and Hobbytown USA.
 * Cumberland Mall
 * Town Center at Cobb

Diplomatic missions
The Consulate-General of Costa Rica in Atlanta is located in Suite 100 at 1870 The Exchange in an unincorporated section of Cobb County.

Major highways

 * I-20.svg Interstate 20
 * I-75.svg Interstate 75
 * I-285.svg Interstate 285
 * I-575.svg Interstate 575
 * US 41.svg U.S. Route 41
 * US 78.svg U.S. Route 78
 * US 278.svg U.S. Route 278
 * Georgia 3.svg State Route 3
 * Georgia 5.svg State Route 5
 * Georgia 5 Connector.svg State Route 5 Connector
 * Georgia 6.svg State Route 6
 * Georgia 6 Business.svg State Route 6 Business
 * Georgia 6 Spur.svg State Route 6 Spur
 * Georgia 8.svg State Route 8
 * Georgia 92.svg State Route 92
 * Georgia 120.svg State Route 120
 * Georgia 120 Loop.svg State Route 120 Alternate
 * Georgia 139.svg State Route 139
 * Georgia 280.svg State Route 280
 * Georgia 360.svg State Route 360
 * Georgia 401.svg State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
 * Georgia 402.svg State Route 402 (unsigned designation for I-20)
 * Georgia 407.svg State Route 407 (unsigned designation for I-285)
 * Georgia 417.svg State Route 417 (unsigned designation for I-575)

Airports

 * Cobb County International Airport at McCollum Field
 * Dobbins Air Reserve Base (where the U.S. president usually arrives when visiting Atlanta)

Rail
Until 1971, the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, running on tracks now owned by CSX, operated passenger trains through Marietta depot.
 * Norfolk Southern through Mableton, Austell, Powder Springs
 * CSX Transportation through Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, Smyrna, and Vinings
 * Georgia Northeastern Railroad A Shortline Line north from Marietta

Mass transit

 * Xpress GA/RTA commuter buses and CobbLinc Marietta/Cobb Counties Transit System serve the county. MARTA also has connecting bus service to the Cumberland, Georgia business district in the southeastern part of the county.

Recreation

 * American Adventures (Marietta)
 * Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
 * Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (Kennesaw to Marietta)
 * Lake Acworth/Acworth Beach (Acworth)
 * Lake Allatoona (near Acworth)
 * Mable House (Mableton)
 * Marietta Confederate Cemetery (Marietta)
 * Marietta Museum of History (Marietta)
 * Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art (Marietta)
 * Marietta National Cemetery (Marietta)
 * Silver Comet Trail (Smyrna, Mableton, Powder Springs)
 * Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell)
 * Six Flags White Water (Marietta)
 * Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History (Kennesaw)

Venues

 * Cobb County Civic Center
 * Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center
 * Mable House Amphitheater
 * Truist Park

Cities

 * Acworth
 * Austell
 * Kennesaw
 * Mableton
 * Marietta
 * Powder Springs
 * Smyrna

Census-designated places

 * Fair Oaks
 * Kennesaw State University
 * Vinings

Unincorporated communities

 * Chattahoochee Plantation
 * Clarkdale
 * Cumberland
 * East Cobb
 * Lost Mountain
 * Mars Hill
 * Mountain Ridge
 * Noonday
 * Powers Park
 * Sandy Plains
 * Spring Hill
 * Town Center

Notable people

 * Roy Barnes – Governor of Georgia, 1999–2003; born in Cobb County and worked there as a prosecutor
 * Bob Barr – politician; United States Representative, Republican Party; Libertarian Party candidate for President of the United States
 * Big Boss Man (Ray Traylor) – professional wrestler; corrections officer
 * James V. Carmichael – member of the Georgia General Assembly, 1935–1940; candidate for governor of Georgia, 1946
 * Louie Giglio – pastor, author, founder of the Passion Conferences, pastor of Passion City Church in Atlanta, head of sixstepsrecords
 * Lil Yachty – rapper
 * Dansby Swanson - professional baseball player for the Chicago Cubs
 * Carter Kieboom - professional baseball player for the Washington Nationals

Sister county

 * Seongdong-gu, Seoul, South Korea

title: Cobb County, Georgia


text:
Clinch County, Georgia

Clinch County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,749. The county seat is Homerville. The county was created on February 14, 1850, named in honor of Duncan Lamont Clinch.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 824 sqmi, of which 800 sqmi is land and 24 sqmi (2.9%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Georgia by land area and third-largest by total area. Eastern and southeastern portions of the county lie within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.

The vast majority of Clinch County is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin, with just a portion of the western and northwestern edge of the county, southwest and well northwest of Du Pont, located in the Alapaha River sub-basin of the same Suwannee River basin.

Major highways

 * US 84.svg U.S. Route 84
 * US 221.svg U.S. Route 221
 * US 441.svg U.S. Route 441
 * Georgia 31.svg State Route 31
 * Georgia 37.svg State Route 37
 * Georgia 38.svg State Route 38
 * Georgia 89.svg State Route 89
 * Georgia 94.svg State Route 94
 * Georgia 122.svg State Route 122
 * Georgia 168.svg State Route 168
 * Georgia 177.svg State Route 177
 * Georgia 187.svg State Route 187

Adjacent counties

 * Atkinson County (north)
 * Ware County (east)
 * Columbia County, Florida (south)
 * Baker County, Florida (south)
 * Echols County (southwest)
 * Lanier County (west)

National protected area

 * Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Cities

 * Fargo
 * Homerville

Towns

 * Argyle
 * Du Pont

Unincorporated Communities

 * Travisville
 * Cogdell
 * Fivemile Still
 * Edith
 * Council

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,749 people, 2,477 households, and 1,639 families residing in the county.

Notable people

 * Ossie Davis, actor
 * Matthew Lintz, actor
 * Iris Faircloth Blitch, politician, only woman to sign Southern Manifesto
 * W. Benjamin Gibbs, politician
 * William Chester Lankford, politician
 * Jonathan Smith, football player

title: Clinch County, Georgia


text:
Clayton County, Georgia

Clayton County is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2021, the population was estimated to be 297,100 by the Census Bureau. The county seat is Jonesboro.

Clayton County is included in the Atlanta metropolitan area, and it is the fifth most-populous county in the state. It is the home of most of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the busiest airport in the world by total passengers.

History
The county was established in 1858 and named in honor of Augustin Smith Clayton (1783–1839), who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1832 until 1835.

Clayton County was a battle site during the American Civil War, with the Battle of Jonesborough and the Battle of Lovejoy's Station taking place in the area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 144 sqmi, of which 142 sqmi is land and 2.8 sqmi (1.9%) is water. It is the third-smallest county by area in Georgia.

The eastern portion of Clayton County, between Forest Park and Lovejoy, is located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The western portion of the county is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin).

Adjacent counties

 * DeKalb County (northeast)
 * Henry County (east)
 * Spalding County (south)
 * Fayette County (southwest)
 * Fulton County (northwest)

2020 Census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 297,595 people, 97,030 households, and 62,746 families residing in the county.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 259,424 people, 90,633 households, and 62,389 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,832.5 PD/sqmi. There were 104,705 housing units at an average density of 739.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 66.1% black or African American, 18.87% white, 5.0% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 7.1% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 13.66% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 4.9% were "American".

Of the 90,633 households, 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 25.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.2% were non-families, and 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.37. The median age was 31.6 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,311, and the median income for a family was $48,064. Males had a median income of $36,177 and $32,460 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,958. About 13.6% of families and 16.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census
As of the 2000 census, there were 236,517 people, 82,243 households, and 59,214 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,658 PD/sqmi. There were 86,461 housing units at an average density of 606 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 37.94% White, 51.55% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 4.49% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 3.55% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Estimated 2006 population is 271,240, with a racial make-up of 20.4% white non-Hispanic, 62.9% African American, 5% Asian, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. 1.5% were reported as multi-racial.

There were 82,243 households, out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.70% were married couples living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 30.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,697, and the median income for a family was $46,782. Males had a median income of $32,118 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,079. About 8.20% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.

The last quarter-century has seen significant change in the racial composition of the county's population. In 1980, Clayton county's population was 150,357 — 91% white and 9% minority, while in 2006 the population was approximately 271,240 — 20% white and 80% minority.

Crime and policing
The Clayton County Police Department has an authorized strength of 525 personnel headed by Chief Kevin Roberts. Other law enforcement services (courts, jail, warrants) are provided by the Clayton County Sheriff's Office.

On April 26, 2021, Sheriff Victor Hill was indicted on charges of federal civil rights violations. On June 2, 2021, he was suspended by Governor Brian Kemp following a review of the indictment. On October 26, 2022, Sheriff Victor Hill was found guilty of violating civil rights of jail detainees.

Economy
The unemployment rate in Clayton County was 3.4% as of November 2019. Future job growth over the next ten years was predicted to be at 29.90%. Clayton County's sales tax rate is 8.00%. The income tax is 6.00%. Clayton County's income and salaries per capita is $18,735, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $39,699.

ValuJet Airlines was headquartered in northern, unincorporated Clayton County, near Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, in the 1990s.

Airports

 * Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Major highways

 * I-75.svg Interstate 75
 * I-85.svg Interstate 85
 * I-285.svg Interstate 285
 * I-675.svg Interstate 675
 * US 19.svg U.S. Route 19
 * US 23.svg U.S. Route 23
 * US 29.svg U.S. Route 29
 * US 41.svg U.S. Route 41
 * Georgia 3.svg State Route 3
 * Georgia 3 Connector.svg State Route 3 Connector
 * Georgia 42.svg State Route 42
 * Georgia 54.svg State Route 54
 * Georgia 85.svg State Route 85
 * Georgia 138.svg State Route 138
 * Georgia 138 Spur.svg State Route 138 Spur
 * Georgia 139.svg State Route 139
 * Georgia 314.svg State Route 314
 * Georgia 331.svg State Route 331
 * Georgia 401.svg State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
 * Georgia 403.svg State Route 403 (unsigned designation for I-85)
 * Georgia 407.svg State Route 407 (unsigned designation for I-285)
 * Georgia 413.svg State Route 413 (unsigned designation for I-675)

Bus
MARTA and Xpress GA / RTA commuter buses serve the county.

Rail
Commuter rail service is proposed to serve Clayton County along the Norfolk Southern line, with proposed stations in Forest Park, Morrow, Jonesboro, and initially ending at Lovejoy.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority's Airport station is located in Clayton.

Pedestrians and cycling

 * Jesters Creek Trail
 * Morrow Trail
 * Clayton Connects

2008 de-accreditation
The 50,000-student school system was the first in the nation to lose accreditation since 1969. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) revoked the school district's accreditation on August 28, 2008. It was only the second system in the nation to do so since 1960. A grand jury investigated and considered possible criminal indictments against the Clayton County School Board. At issue was whether the school board committed malfeasance in ignoring the shortcomings of the school system and violating its own rules concerning the awarding of bids of contracts.

School Board Chairwoman Ericka Davis announced her resignation on April 2, 2008, amidst the allegations. Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell called for the resignations of all Clayton County School Board members. Amid controversy and orders for the police to quiet citizens, the Clayton County School Board hired a new temporary superintendent on April 26, 2008. This was despite the fact that the new superintendent did not meet the qualifications set forth by SACS.

The Clayton County Public School System was re-accredited by SACS on May 1, 2009.

Higher education
Clayton State University is located in Morrow.

Media

 * Clayton Crescent: news about Clayton County and adjoining areas, part of the Institute for Nonprofit News
 * Clayton News (formerly Clayton News-Daily): county legal organ, part of the Southern Community Newspapers, Inc. chain
 * South Atlanta Magazine: lifestyle and profiles magazine focusing on Clayton County
 * CCTV23: Clayton County government access television (Ch. 23 on Xfinity, Ch. 99 on AT&T UVerse)

Cities

 * College Park (part)
 * Forest Park
 * Jonesboro
 * Lake City
 * Lovejoy
 * Morrow
 * Riverdale

Census-designated places

 * Bonanza
 * Conley
 * Irondale

Unincorporated communities

 * Ellenwood
 * Mountain View
 * Rex
 * Hampton

Politics
For most of the 1960s to the 1980s, Clayton County was a swing county. It voted for Governor Jimmy Carter in 1976 with around 65 percent of the vote, but then voted for Ronald Reagan with over 70 percent of the vote in 1984. However, due to extensive section 8 black in-migration, starting in 1992 Clayton County has swung heavily Democratic and is now one of the most Democratic counties in the country.

In popular culture
Parts of Margaret Mitchell's epic 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and the famous 1939 motion picture Gone with the Wind were set in Clayton County, including the location of the fictional plantation Tara. Tara Boulevard was named for the plantation; it is the main north–south road through the county, carrying U.S. 41 and lesser-known State Route 3. Parts of the novels Rhett Butler's People and Scarlett and the Scarlett television miniseries also took place in Clayton County. Rhett Butler's People is a prequel, sequel, and companion to Gone with the Wind. Scarlett is a sequel to Gone with the Wind, taking place briefly in Clayton County. The fictional Twelve Oaks Plantation and others mentioned in these novels are located in and around Clayton County. Mitchell's family's plantation Rural Home was located in Clayton County.

The 2012 film Flight features Clayton County throughout the film.

Parts of the film Smokey and the Bandit were shot in and around Clayton County, namely in Jonesboro, as evidenced by a sign in the background of one of the scenes. Although this particular scene was supposed to be set in Arkansas, a "Willow Bend" sign advertising brick homes in Clayton County can be spotted behind Sheriff George Branford. Many back roads and the movie town of Texarkana are the roads and the town of Jonesboro.

On March 4, 2024, a remix of the 4Batz song "Act II: Date @ 8", featuring Canadian rapper Drake, was released. Drake’s verse features the line “How you got all that body and face though? What kind of water they serving in Clayco?” Clayco is a portmanteau of Clayton and County.

title: Clayton County, Georgia


text:
Talk:Clay County, Georgia

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title: Talk:Clay County, Georgia


text:
Clarke County, Georgia

Clarke County is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 128,671. Its county seat is Athens, with which it is a consolidated city-county. Clarke County is included in the Athens-Clarke County, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA Combined Statistical Area.

History
Clarke County was created in 1801 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 5. It was named for Revolutionary War hero Elijah Clarke and included 250 sqmi that was formerly part of Jackson County. Colonel Clarke played a leading role the 1779 victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek in Wilkes County. The Elijah Clarke Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a monument to him in Broad Street in Athens.

As the population of the county grew in the early 19th century, its agricultural and cotton industries prospered. The adjacent plantation harvests flowed through city mills. Manufacturing and textile production operations were the major industries in Clarke County, especially after the railroad reached Athens in 1841. Athens and Clarke County were second only to Savannah and Chatham County in the amount of capital invested in manufacturing in the 1840s.

Two skirmishes were fought in Clarke County in 1864, during the American Civil War, one near Barber's Creek and the other near Mitchell's Road. Athens was occupied by the Union Army on May 29 and a provost-marshal took charge. Formal military occupation of the county ended by December 1864, though Union troops remained in the county until early 1866.

In 1801 the Clarke County Commission had selected Watkinsville (now in Oconee County) as the county seat. All county offices, including the courts and jail, moved to Athens when the seat was moved on November 24, 1871. County meetings took place in the old Athens town hall, until a new courthouse was constructed in 1876. The present courthouse was built in 1914.

On February 12, 1875, in response to complaints over the relocation of the county seat to Athens, the state legislature created Oconee County from the southwestern portion of Clarke County, making Watkinsville its seat. Clarke County thus lost one-third of its population and three-fifths of its land area.

The position of "commissioner of roads and revenue" was created by the legislature for what are today known as county commissioners. As an extension of the state, the county would conduct welfare and health programs, build and maintain roads, and hold courts of law.

On March 29, 1973, the Georgia legislature increased the number of county commissioners from 3 to 5, also adding a county administrator.

In 1990, the residents voted to unify the city and county governments creating Athens-Clarke County, the second (after Columbus-Muscogee County) unified city-county government in the State of Georgia.

Geography
Clarke County is located at 33.95546°N, -83.38324°W. The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state.

The vast majority of Clarke County is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin, with a very small portion of the county's eastern edge, north of Winterville, located in the Broad River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 121 sqmi, of which 119 sqmi is land and 1.8 sqmi (1.5%) is water. It is the smallest county by area in Georgia.

Adjacent counties

 * Madison County, Georgia - northeast
 * Oglethorpe County, Georgia - southeast
 * Oconee County, Georgia - southwest
 * Barrow County, Georgia - west
 * Jackson County, Georgia - northwest

Cities

 * Athens (county seat)
 * Winterville

Town

 * Bogart (mostly in Oconee County)

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 128,671 people, 52,124 households, and 24,041 families residing in the county.

Crime
In 2022, Clarke County had the third highest crime rate in Georgia. Clarke County had 35.5 crimes per 1,000 people, based on 4,599 offenses in 2022, and a population of 129,377. Like most other counties, the two more common crimes were larceny theft (2,983 incidents recorded in Clarke in 2022), and aggravated assault (1,979 incidents). Clarke County was only behind DeKalb County and Bibb County for highest crime rate.

Politics
Clarke County has long been a Democratic Party stronghold in presidential elections. This predates the recent trend of Democratic gains in counties dominated by large universities. It has only backed the Republican candidate in three presidential elections, the fiercely divided realigning election of 1968 and the 49-state landslides of 1972 and 1984.

Major highways
U.S. Route 78 Business
 * US 29.svg U.S. Route 29
 * US 78.svg U.S. Route 78
 * business plate.svg
 * US 129.svg U.S. Route 129
 * US 441.svg U.S. Route 441
 * Georgia 8.svg State Route 8
 * Georgia 10.svg State Route 10
 * Georgia 10 Loop.svg State Route 10 Loop
 * Georgia 15.svg State Route 15
 * Georgia 15 Alternate.svg State Route 15 Alternate
 * Georgia 72.svg State Route 72
 * Georgia 422.svg State Route 422 (unsigned designation for State Route 10 Loop)

Pedestrians and cycling

 * Athens North Oconee River Greenway
 * Firefly Trail

title: Clarke County, Georgia


text:
Cherokee County, Georgia

Cherokee County is located in the US state of Georgia. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 266,620. The county seat is Canton. The county Board of Commissioners is the governing body, with members elected to office. Cherokee County is included in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area.

Original territory
Cherokee County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 26, 1831, covering a vast area northwest of the Chattahoochee River and Chestatee River (except for Carroll County). It was named after the Cherokee people who lived in the area at that time.

The discovery of gold in local streams accelerated the push of European Americans to expel the Cherokee from their land.

In 1832, the State of Georgia implemented the Cherokee Land Lottery, which gave deeds of land that had previously belonged to the Cherokee people to white male citizens. The forcible removal of the Cherokee people to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River began during this year.

Partition
The General Assembly passed a law on December 3, 1832, which created the counties of Forsyth, Lumpkin, Union, Cobb, Gilmer, Murray, Cass (now Bartow), Floyd, and Paulding from area that had previously been part of Cherokee County.

Etowah was declared the county seat in 1833. Its name was later changed to Canton, which is still the county seat today.

In 1857, part of the southeastern corner of the county was ceded by the General Assembly to form Milton County (now the cities of Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell, and parts of Sandy Springs, within north Fulton County).

Development
In the 1890s, The Atlanta & Knoxville Railroad (later renamed the Marietta & North Georgia Railroad when it could not be completed to Knoxville) built a branch line through the middle of the county. When this line was bought by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad in the following decade, the L&N Railroad built stations at Woodstock and Holly Springs.

Cherokee County began to see rapid population growth following the construction of Interstate 575, the first phase of which opened in 1979. The freeway bisects the county and serves as its primary thoroughfare, running from Kennesaw north through Woodstock, Holly Springs, Canton, and Ball Ground. Today, the county is most densely populated in its southern areas, which are closest to the City of Atlanta.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 434 sqmi, of which 422 sqmi are land and 13 sqmi (2.9%) are covered by water. Much of the water is in Lake Allatoona in the southwest. The lake is fed by the Etowah and Little Rivers (the county's primary waterways), and other large streams such as Noonday Creek. Much of the northern part of the county begins to rise toward the foothills of the north Georgia mountains.

The vast majority of Cherokee County is located in the [Etowah River] sub-basin of the Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin, with only a small northwesterly corner of the county located in the Coosawattee River sub-basin of the same basin.

Mountains
Nine summits are listed by the United States Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System as being in the county. From tallest to lowest, they are:

 * Bear Mountain – 2297 ft
 * Pine Log Mountain – 2260 ft
 * Oakey Mountain – 1686 ft
 * Dry Pond Mountain – 1644 ft
 * Hickory Log Mountain – 1545 ft
 * Polecat Mountain – 1503 ft
 * Byrd Mountain – 1358 ft
 * Garland Mountain – 1348 ft
 * Posey Mountain – 1306 ft

Adjacent counties

 * Pickens – north
 * Dawson – northeast
 * Forsyth – east
 * Fulton – southeast
 * Cobb – south
 * Bartow – west
 * Gordon – northwest

Government
The five-member board of commissioners is elected from four districts, with an at-large county commission chair. Thus, members are elected as residents of geographic districts, but the commission chair must receive the majority vote of the county in total. Each is elected to a four-year term.

Cherokee County sheriff and municipal police
The county is under the jurisdiction of the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, which is headed by Sheriff Frank Reynolds. The cities within of Woodstock, Canton, Holly Springs, and Ball Ground have independent municipal police departments.

Politics
As of 2021, all state, county, and municipal elected officials representing Cherokee County are members of the Republican Party (with the exception of officials who hold officially non-partisan offices).

Cherokee County had voting patterns similar to most Solid South and Georgia counties prior to 1964 in presidential elections, though Democratic Party candidates did not win by as wide margins as they did in the rest of the state and the Deep South. In fact, the county backed Republican candidates four times between 1900 and 1960. From 1964 on, the county has swung strongly toward the Republicans, only failing to vote for the Republican in presidential elections since then in 1968 when segregationist George Wallace appealed to anti-Civil Rights Act sentiment and in the two elections Georgian Jimmy Carter was on the ballot. In addition, unlike the inner suburban counties of the Atlanta metropolitan area, Cherokee County has continued to vote for Republicans by landslide margins, although the margins have decreased slightly in the most recent elections with the growth of the metropolitan area. In the Presidential election of 2020, the majority of votes from all of the 42 county election precincts were cast for incumbent President Donald Trump.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 266,620 people, 93,441 households, and 69,257 families residing in the county.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, 214,346 people, 75,936 households, and 57,876 families were living in the county. The population density was 508.3 PD/sqmi. The 82,360 housing units averaged 195.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% White, 5.65% Black or African American, 1.65% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.6% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin of any race made up 9.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 16.2% were Irish, 16.1% were German, 14.1% were English, 10.7% were American, and 5.7% were Italian.

Of the 75,936 households, 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 23.8% were not families, and 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.20. The median age was 36.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $66,320 and for a family was $77,190. Males had a median income of $53,773 versus $40,153 for females. The per capita income for the county was $30,217. About 5.5% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families resided in the county. The population density was 335 PD/sqmi.

Of the 49,495 households, 41.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.20% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were not families. About 16.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the county, the population was distributed as 28.30% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 35.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 6.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $60,896, and for a family was $66,419. Males had a median income of $44,374 versus $31,036 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,871. About 3.50% of families and 5.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.50% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Public schools

 * Cherokee County School District
 * Cherokee Charter Academy

Private schools
Private schools in Cherokee County include:
 * Lyndon Academy (Holly Springs)
 * Cherokee Christian Schools (Woodstock)
 * Cherokee Christian Academy (Woodstock)
 * Community Christian School (Canton)
 * Crossroads Christian School (Canton)
 * Omega Learning Academy (Woodstock)
 * The King's Academy (Woodstock)

Higher education

 * Reinhardt University is a private, co-educational liberal arts college located in Waleska, Georgia.

Chattahoochee Technical College has campuses in Woodstock and Canton in Cherokee County.

Major highways

 * I-75.svg Interstate 75
 * I-575.svg Interstate 575
 * Georgia 5.svg State Route 5
 * Georgia 5 Business.svg State Route 5 Business (Canton)
 * Georgia 5 Business.svg State Route 5 Business (Ball Ground)
 * Georgia 20.svg State Route 20
 * Georgia 92.svg State Route 92
 * Georgia 108.svg State Route 108
 * Georgia 140.svg State Route 140
 * Georgia 369.svg State Route 369
 * Georgia 372.svg State Route 372
 * Georgia 401.svg State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
 * Georgia 417.svg State Route 417 (unsigned designation for I-575)

Airport
The Cherokee County Airport (FAA LOC ID: CNI) is located adjacent to I-575 about 6 mi northeast of downtown Canton.

A redevelopment project recently completed a 10000 sqft terminal, the lengthening of the runway from 3414 to 5000 ft, a new parallel taxiway, instrument landing equipment, and new hangars. The new facilities will accommodate 200 corporate aircraft in hangars and provide 100 tie-downs for smaller aircraft.

Public transportation
The Cherokee Area Transit Service serves all of the Cherokee County area, rural and suburban.

Cities

 * Ball Ground
 * Canton (county seat)
 * Holly Springs
 * Mountain Park (partially in Fulton County)
 * Nelson (partially in Pickens County)
 * Waleska
 * Woodstock

Unincorporated communities

 * Batesville
 * Buffington
 * Free Home
 * Gold Ridge
 * Hickory Flat
 * Keithsburg
 * Lake Arrowhead
 * Lebanon
 * Toonigh (neighborhood of Holly Springs)
 * Macedonia
 * Mica
 * Oak Grove
 * Orange
 * Salacoa
 * Sixes
 * Sutallee
 * Towne Lake
 * Univeter
 * Victoria

Notable residents

 * Joseph E. Brown was elected governor of Georgia in 1857 and later served as U.S. Senator from Georgia. Brown's primary residence and law practice were in Canton, and he owned a farm believed to be near the Sutallee community.
 * Ira Roe Foster was Quartermaster General of Georgia, a brigadier general in the Georgia Militia (1845), attorney, medical doctor, Cherokee County State Representative, first mayor of Eastman, Georgia, and Alabama state senator.
 * Josh Holloway, actor and model, is most famous for his role as James "Sawyer" Ford on Lost. He attended Free Home Elementary in Free Home and Cherokee High School in Canton.
 * Johnny Hunt was president of the Southern Baptist Convention in 2008–2010.
 * Chris Kirk, a PGA Tour golfer, attended Etowah High School.
 * Nick Markakis, MLB outfielder for the Atlanta Braves, attended Woodstock High School.
 * Bruce Miller, NFL fullback, formerly played for the San Francisco 49ers, attended Woodstock High School.
 * Robert Rechsteiner, better known as Rick Steiner, ex-professional wrestler, is now a part of the school board for the county.
 * Blair Redford, an actor best known for his roles as Scotty Grainger on The Young and the Restless and Miguel Lopez-Fitzgerald on Passions, grew up in Canton.

 * Dean Rusk, U.S. Secretary of State, was born in Cherokee County. Dean Rusk Middle School was named after him.
 * Buster Skrine, NFL cornerback for the New York Jets, attended Etowah High School.
 * Drew Waters, professional baseball player for the Atlanta Braves, attended Etowah High School.

Local newspapers

 * TheCherokeeConnection.com – Cherokee County Ga News, Events, & Community Publication
 * The Cherokee Ledger-News
 * HomeTownCherokee.com – Cherokee's Online News & Community Publication
 * Cherokee Tribune
 * Cherokee Today

title: Cherokee County, Georgia


text:
Chattooga County, Georgia

Chattooga County is a county located in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,965. The county seat is Summerville. The county was created on December 28, 1838.

Chattooga County comprises the Summerville, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Rome-Summerville Combined Statistical Area.

Summerville is the site of the Chattooga County Courthouse. The county is home to several properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History
Chattooga County is named for the Chattooga River, which flows through it. It was originally settled by the "mound builder" culture. A few small mounds can be found throughout the Alpine and Menlo areas. Sometime in the pre-European settlement era, the county was settled by at first the Creek Native Americans and later the Cherokee Native Americans. The principal Cherokee towns in Chattooga were Rivertown (Trion) and Broomtown in Shinbone valley. With the onset of European settlers and after gold was discovered in northern Georgia, the federal government forcibly removed the Cherokees to Oklahoma from Chattooga County in the early 1830s in what has become known as "the Trail of Tears." In this removal, thousands of Native Americans died from sickness, hunger and abuse. The land was then divided amongst white settlers in the Cherokee Land Lottery of 1832. The Lottery transformed Chattooga into a thriving agricultural area in the antebellum South with farms of varying size dotting the fertile landscape of the Chattooga Valley.

The coming of the American Civil War saw Chattoogans polarized into pro and anti-union camps. Confederate armies received five regiments from Chattooga. Several engagements were fought in the county prior to the battle of Chickamauga. General Nathan Bedford Forrest fought an engagement near Alpine with Federal cavalry resulting in the Federals being thrown back to the Chattanooga area. The largest single engagement in Chattooga was the "Battle of Trion Factory," fought on September 15, 1863, on present day First Street near the site of the East Trion Church of God. Confederate Infantry forces under the command of General Benjamin Hardin Helm and cavalry under the command of Gen. Joseph Wheeler defeated Union forces in a running battle that started somewhere near Summerville and ended in Trion. The front section of the Old Trion Cemetery on First Street contains the remains of fifty-five Union soldiers and seven Confederates killed in this action, but the graves are unmarked.

The 1860 county census shows population of 7,165, 28.7 percent of whom were enslaved.

In September 2009, the Chattooga County Camp 507, Sons of Confederate Veterans in conjunction with the Missionary Ridge Camp 63 Sons of Union Veterans, and several local groups erected a memorial monument to remember the "First Battle of Trion Factory" and the soldiers who are buried in unmarked graves at Trion.

In an interesting side note, Confederate General Helm was a brother-in-law to Mary Lincoln and was killed five days after the Battle of Trion Factory on Sept. 19 at the Battle of Chickamauga in Walker County, GA

The coming of Sherman
After the fall of Atlanta, Confederate General John Bell Hood led his Army of Tennessee from the Atlanta battleground to the north and west, in an attempt to lead General William Tecumseh Sherman's Army of the Cumberland away from Atlanta and out of Georgia. Sherman left a detachment in Atlanta while he took the remainder of his army in pursuit of Hood and the Confederates. Hood's army passed through Chattooga County in September 1864 en route to Gaylesville, Alabama.

General Sherman reportedly stated, upon first seeing the Chattooga Valley from atop Taylors Ridge, that it "is a good fertile valley suitable for agriculture." Upon reaching Summerville, Sherman was informed of a Confederate training camp several miles up the river from town. He proceeded north about two miles and "fired a few shots at the retreating rear guard" of the Confederate force. Reportedly, every road leading out of Chattooga to the west was filled with retreating Confederate soldiers. Sherman telegraphed General Henry Halleck and President Abraham Lincoln from Summerville, to outline his plan for the "March to the Sea," making Chattooga County the birthplace of his march.

Government
Chattooga County is a Republican stronghold in Northwest Georgia. The NW GA region has followed the state, particularly the suburbs of Atlanta, in a dramatic political shift to the right. While most counties in Northwest Georgia vote heavily Republican on the local, state, and national levels, Chattooga is still a Democratic County. The county elected a Republican commissioner in 2016. The county has supported Republicans for national office, but by much closer margins than most areas of the region.

The county is in Georgia's 11th state house district. Former Georgia State Patrolman Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee) represents the district, which includes all of Chattooga and parts of Floyd County, in the State House of Representatives. The county is represented by Chickamauga Republican Jeff Mullis in the State Senate.

Chattooga County is served by a vast array of public offices. The county is one of the few in the State of Georgia that still operates under one county commissioner. Blake Elsberry, a local businessman, defeated incumbent Commissioner Jason Winters in the Primary election in 2020. Elsberry's office is on Commerce Street in downtown Summerville, the county's seat.

Sheriff Ralph Kellett served the community as sheriff for almost two decades before losing the Democratic Primary election to John Everett in 2008. Kellett died in 2011. Sheriff Everett kept the seat in Democratic hands in the general election. In 2012, Everett faced a federal lawsuit regarding questionable practices as sheriff, and ended up losing in the 2012 primary, the only incumbent to do so. Democrat Mark Schrader won the 2012 general election. Schrader's office is located at 533 Underwood Drive, about 4 miles north of the county courthouse.

Other elected officers include Tax Commissioner Joy Cooper Hampton, Kim Windle James, the first woman to serve as Clerk of Superior and State Courts, Earle Rainwater as Coroner, and Jon Payne as Probate Judge and Election Superintendent. Buddy Hill serves as Solicitor General and Jon Dennis is the State Court Judge. Judge Kristina Cook-Connelly is judge on the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit.

The county's school board, under Chattooga County School Superintendent Jared Hosmer, Leroy Massey Elementary, Menlo School, Lyerly School, Summerville Middle, and Chattooga High School. Chattooga High School is a "Class AA" school according to the Georgia High School Association. The board also oversees one alternative school. Members of the school board include Chair Lori Brady, Vice-Chair Tiffany Lawrence, Eddie Elsberry, Bonnie Fletcher, and BJ Montgomery.

The other school system in Chattooga's County is the Trion City School System. The system, constantly named one of the best public schools in the State of Georgia, is served by Superintendent Dr. H. Phillip Williams. Members of the board are Chair Randy Henderson, Vice-Chair Kari Maddux, Laura Chesley, Darriel Broome, and Johnny Brimer. The system has one elementary, one middle, and one high school. The school is on one campus and is a "Class A" school according to the Georgia High School Association. According to the Georgia Department of Education, Trion High School was named a Georgia School Of Excellence in 2008, Trion Middle School in 2004, and Trion Elementary School in 2007 and 2012.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 314 sqmi, of which 313 sqmi is land and 0.2 sqmi (0.07%) is water.

The eastern third of Chattooga County is located in the Oostanaula River sub-basin of the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin), while the western two-thirds of the county is located in the Upper Coosa River sub-basin of the same ACT River Basin.

Major highways

 * US 27.svg U.S. Route 27
 * Georgia 1.svg State Route 1
 * Georgia 48.svg State Route 48
 * Georgia 100.svg State Route 100
 * Georgia 114.svg State Route 114
 * Georgia 157.svg State Route 157
 * Georgia 337.svg State Route 337

Adjacent counties

 * Walker County - north
 * Floyd County - southeast
 * Cherokee County, Alabama - west (CST)
 * DeKalb County, Alabama - west (CST)

National protected area

 * Chattahoochee National Forest (part)

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 24,965 people, 9,260 households, and 5,853 families residing in the county.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 26,015 people, 9,548 households, and 6,665 families residing in the county. The population density was 83.0 PD/sqmi. There were 10,977 housing units at an average density of 35.0 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 83.9% white, 11.1% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 2.6% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 41.1% were American, 8.5% were Irish, 6.5% were German, and 5.9% were English.

Of the 9,548 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.2% were non-families, and 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 39.3 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,419 and the median income for a family was $39,037. Males had a median income of $32,099 versus $25,475 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,158. About 14.6% of families and 19.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.8% of those under age 18 and 16.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 26,015 people, 9,548 households, and 6,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 /mi2. There were 10,977 housing units at an average density of 35 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 83.91% White, 11.14% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.58% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. 4.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,577 households, out of which 33% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47% were married couples living together, 5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 29% had one or more persons living there who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,664, and the median income for a family was $36,230. Males had a median income of $26,505 versus $21,014 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,508. About 11.30% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

 * Sloppy Floyd Lake Park
 * Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest
 * Chattooga River

Incorporated cities

 * Summerville
 * Trion
 * Lyerly
 * Menlo

Unincorporated communities

 * Alpine
 * Armuchee
 * Berryton
 * Chattoogaville
 * Cloudland
 * Farmersville
 * Subligna
 * Gore
 * Holland
 * Pennville
 * Silver Hill
 * Teloga

Notable people

 * Howard Finster, Christian folk artist
 * Rick Camp, former baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
 * Bobby Lee Cook, notable defense attorney
 * Edna Cain Daniel, journalist and publisher
 * Barbara Massey Reece, former member of the Georgia House of Representatives
 * Senorise Perry, NFL football player
 * Brody Malone, U.S. Olympic Gymnast

title: Chattooga County, Georgia