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Oglethorpe County, Georgia

Coordinates: 33°53′N 83°05′W / 33.88°N 83.08°W / 33.88; -83.08
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Not to be confused with Oglethorpe, Georgia.

Oglethorpe County
County
Oglethorpe County Courthouse
Oglethorpe County Courthouse
Flag of Oglethorpe County
Flag
Official logo of Oglethorpe County
Logo
Map of Georgia highlighting Oglethorpe County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°53′N 83°05′W / 33.88°N 83.08°W / 33.88; -83.08
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 19, 1795; 229 years ago (1795)
Named forJames Oglethorpe
SeatLexington
Largest cityCrawford
Area
 • Total442 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Land439 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Water3.0 sq mi (8 km2)  0.7%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total14,825
 • Density34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district10th

Oglethorpe County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,825.[1] The county seat is Lexington.[2]

Oglethorpe 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. It is the largest county in Northeast Georgia.

History

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Oglethorpe County was originally part of a large tract of land surrendered by Creek and Cherokee Native Americans to the Colony of Georgia in the treaty of 1773. The county itself was founded on December 19, 1793, and is named for Georgia's founder, General James Oglethorpe.

On September 10, 1919, Obe Cox was accused of murdering a White farmer's wife. He was seized by a White mob taken to the scene of the crime, his body riddled with bullets and burned at the stake. Several thousand persons witnessed the scene. The lynching was controversial as the local black community "thanked" the mob for just killing Cox and not attacking their community.[3] After an investigation the black media of the time reported that the blacks who wrote the letter thanking the lynching "do not stand for much in the town and are excused for their utter ignorance in condoning [lynching]."[3]

See reference "The Lynching Project:Oglethorpe County"[4]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 442 square miles (1,140 km2), of which 439 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (0.7%) is water.[5] The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state.

The majority of Oglethorpe County is located in the Broad River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin. A narrow western portion of the county, in a line from just north of Woodville, through Crawford, to just south of Winterville, is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. A small part of the southern portion of the county, from Maxeys east, is located in the Little River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin.[6]

River

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Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Unincorporated communities

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18009,780—
181012,29725.7%
182014,04614.2%
183013,618−3.0%
184010,868−20.2%
185012,25912.8%
186011,549−5.8%
187011,7822.0%
188015,40030.7%
189016,95110.1%
190017,8815.5%
191018,6804.5%
192020,2878.6%
193012,927−36.3%
194012,430−3.8%
19509,958−19.9%
19607,926−20.4%
19707,598−4.1%
19808,92917.5%
19909,7639.3%
200012,63529.4%
201014,89917.9%
202014,825−0.5%
2023 (est.)15,754[7]6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10]
1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12]
1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14]
1980-2000[15] 2010[16]
Oglethorpe County racial composition as of 2020[17]
Race Num. Perc.
White 10,903 73.54%
Black or African American 2,248 15.16%
Native American 40 0.27%
Asian 134 0.9%
Pacific Islander 5 0.03%
Other/Mixed 626 4.22%
Hispanic or Latino 869 5.86%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 14,825 people, 5,651 households, and 3,711 families residing in the county.

Education

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Main article: Lexington, Georgia § Education

Recreation

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  • White Water Rafting on the Broad and South Fork Broad Rivers
  • ATV and Motor Bike Park
  • Sportsman Hunting: Seasonal Whitetail Deer, Turkey and Rabbit

Historic Districts and Heritage Research, Antique Stores in Historic Lexington, Agriculture and Agritourism as well as Oglethorpe Fresh Produce

In 2016, the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department was named both the District 7 and State Agency of the Year for populations under 20,000 through the Georgia Recreation and Park Association.

Transportation

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Major highways

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Pedestrians and cycling

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The county has limited walkability options available.

Politics

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United States presidential election results for Oglethorpe County, Georgia[18]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,592 68.71% 2,439 29.97% 107 1.31%
2016 4,625 69.30% 1,831 27.43% 218 3.27%
2012 4,251 67.64% 1,914 30.45% 120 1.91%
2008 4,144 64.12% 2,232 34.54% 87 1.35%
2004 3,688 65.41% 1,899 33.68% 51 0.90%
2000 2,706 61.71% 1,519 34.64% 160 3.65%
1996 1,826 48.03% 1,570 41.29% 406 10.68%
1992 1,590 42.94% 1,491 40.26% 622 16.80%
1988 1,951 62.61% 1,154 37.03% 11 0.35%
1984 2,122 63.15% 1,238 36.85% 0 0.00%
1980 1,187 41.56% 1,611 56.41% 58 2.03%
1976 811 30.43% 1,854 69.57% 0 0.00%
1972 1,712 84.00% 326 16.00% 0 0.00%
1968 383 14.71% 483 18.56% 1,737 66.73%
1964 1,126 56.58% 864 43.42% 0 0.00%
1960 142 9.17% 1,406 90.83% 0 0.00%
1956 167 10.63% 1,404 89.37% 0 0.00%
1952 208 12.46% 1,461 87.54% 0 0.00%
1948 62 5.55% 819 73.26% 237 21.20%
1944 173 15.80% 922 84.20% 0 0.00%
1940 131 13.79% 818 86.11% 1 0.11%
1936 115 11.93% 845 87.66% 4 0.41%
1932 34 2.66% 1,240 97.03% 4 0.31%
1928 205 20.14% 813 79.86% 0 0.00%
1924 129 6.56% 1,748 88.96% 88 4.48%
1920 42 4.74% 844 95.26% 0 0.00%
1916 18 2.51% 657 91.63% 42 5.86%
1912 50 9.09% 400 72.73% 100 18.18%

Notable people

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See also

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Bibliography

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Notes
  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Oglethorpe County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b Brundage 1993, p. 47.
  4. ^ "The Lynching Project: Oglethorpe County".
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  10. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  11. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  12. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  13. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  15. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  17. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  18. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
References
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33°53′N 83°05′W / 33.88°N 83.08°W / 33.88; -83.08

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