Baldwin County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Baldwin County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. As of 2010, the population was 46,337. The county seat
is Milledgeville
.
Baldwin County is part of the Milledgeville Micropolitan Statistical Area
, which includes neighboring Hancock County
.
.
Part of the land ceded
by the Creek Nation
in the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson in 1802 was used to create Baldwin County on May 11, 1803, by the Georgia General Assembly
, the state's legislative body.
The land, west of the Oconee River
, became Baldwin and Wilkinson
counties. The Treaty of Washington with the Creek in 1805 extended the state's western boundary to the Ocmulgee River
, and a legislative act on June 26, 1806, added some of this additional land to both counties.
The state legislature subsequently passed an act on December 10, 1807 that created four new counties from Baldwin County's 1806 borders and expanded Baldwin to the east with land from Hancock
and Washington
counties. The new counties were Morgan
, Jones
, Putnam
, and present-day Jasper
(originally named Randolph County at the time of the act).
The county is named for Abraham Baldwin
, a signer of the United States Constitution
, U.S. congressman
representing Georgia, and the founder of the University of Georgia
. Settlers moved rapidly into the area and developed large cotton plantations, made possible by the labor of slaves. Georgia was one of the destinations for slaves being sold from the Upper South, as well as from the Low Country.
The county seat of Milledgeville is the former state capital of Georgia
(1804–1868). Also notable is the fact that other than Washington, it is the only planned capital city in the United States.
Because of its central location within the state and its abundant supply of water, Milledgeville grew rapidly into a bustling frontier settlement. Only two cities in the nation—Milledgeville and Washington, D.C.—can boast the distinction of being originally designed and planned as cities to house seats of government. On November 2, 1807, the state legislature held its first session in the newly completed statehouse in Milledgeville. Georgia's first state penitentiary was also established within the historic city limits of Milledgeville in 1817, on land now part of the campus of Georgia College and State University. In 1837 the General Assembly provided for the establishment of the state's first mental asylum, today known as Central State Hospital.
When the state of Georgia seceded from the Union in January 1861 during a legislative session held in Milledgeville, Baldwin County became a target for Union forces. In Union general William T. Sherman's devastating march to the sea, his troops occupied Georgia's capital city in November 1864. Sherman and his Union armies burned the state penitentiary, vandalized the city, and held a mock session of the legislature in the statehouse to repeal the state's ordinance of secession. In 1868, after the Civil War (1861–65), Georgia's capital was moved from Milledgeville to its present location in Atlanta. Today Milledgeville is home to two institutions of higher education: Georgia College and State University and Georgia Military College
. Founded in 1889 as the Georgia Normal and Industrial College for Women, Georgia College and State University has since grown to become the state's premier public liberal arts university. Georgia Military College, founded in 1879, now occupies the Old Capitol Building.
Many of Georgia's most notable residents have come from Milledgeville. U.S. representative Carl Vinson
, who served for fifty years in the U.S. Congress, was born in Baldwin County. Comedian Oliver Hardy
began his career in the Milledgeville Opera House. The acclaimed novelist and short-story author Flannery O'Connor
wrote many of her works while living in Milledgeville. O'Connor is buried in her family plot in Milledgeville's historic Memory Hill Cemetery.
In addition to the Old Capitol and Governor's Mansion, visitors to Baldwin County can explore Andalusia, O'Connor's family farm; Milledgeville's historic district; and the Lockerly Arboretum, a botanical garden and nature education center that hosts the Lockerly Heritage Festival each September.
of 2010, there were 46,337 people, 14,758 households, and 9,843 families residing in the county. The population density
was 173 people per square mile (67/km²). There were 17,173 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile (26/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 54.17% White
, 43.38% Black
or African American
, 0.21% Native American
, 1.01% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.48% from other races
, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.36% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 14,758 households out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.90% were married couples
living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 14.50% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 117.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,159, and the median income for a family was $42,736. Males had a median income of $31,227 versus $22,718 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,271. About 11.80% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.80% of those under age 18 and 13.00% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. As of 2010, the population was 46,337. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Milledgeville
Milledgeville, Georgia
Milledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon, located just before Eatonton on the way to Athens along U.S. Highway 441, and it is located on the Oconee River. The relatively rapid current of the Oconee here made this an...
.
Baldwin County is part of the Milledgeville Micropolitan Statistical Area
Milledgeville micropolitan area
The Milledgeville Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of two counties in Georgia, anchored by the city of Milledgeville....
, which includes neighboring Hancock County
Hancock County, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,076 people, 3,237 households, and 2,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,287 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
.
History
For centuries the land was occupied by the Creek Nation, and for thousands of years before them, varying cultures of indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
.
Part of the land ceded
Cession
The act of Cession, or to cede, is the assignment of property to another entity. In international law it commonly refers to land transferred by treaty...
by the Creek Nation
Creek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
in the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson in 1802 was used to create Baldwin County on May 11, 1803, by the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
, the state's legislative body.
The land, west of the Oconee River
Oconee River
The Oconee River is a river which has its origin in Hall County, Georgia, and terminates where it joins the Ocmulgee River to form the Altamaha River near Lumber City at the borders of Montgomery County, Wheeler County, and Jeff Davis County. South of Athens, two forks, known as the North Oconee...
, became Baldwin and Wilkinson
Wilkinson County, Georgia
Wilkinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 11, 1803. As of 2000, the population was 10,220. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,064...
counties. The Treaty of Washington with the Creek in 1805 extended the state's western boundary to the Ocmulgee River
Ocmulgee River
The Ocmulgee River is a tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi long, in the U.S. state of Georgia...
, and a legislative act on June 26, 1806, added some of this additional land to both counties.
The state legislature subsequently passed an act on December 10, 1807 that created four new counties from Baldwin County's 1806 borders and expanded Baldwin to the east with land from Hancock
Hancock County, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,076 people, 3,237 households, and 2,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,287 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
and Washington
Washington County, Georgia
Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established on February 25, 1784. As of 2000, the population was 21,176. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,937. The county seat is Sandersville....
counties. The new counties were Morgan
Morgan County, Georgia
Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 15,457. The 2005 Census Estimate shows a population of 17,492. The county seat is Madison, Georgia.-Geography:...
, Jones
Jones County, Georgia
Jones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 10, 1807. As of 2010, the population was 27,740 . The county seat is Gray.-History:The county is named after U.S...
, Putnam
Putnam County, Georgia
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 18,812. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,251...
, and present-day Jasper
Jasper County, Georgia
Jasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 11,426. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 13,660...
(originally named Randolph County at the time of the act).
The county is named for Abraham Baldwin
Abraham Baldwin
Abraham Baldwin was an American politician, Patriot, and Founding Father from the U.S. state of Georgia. Baldwin was a Georgia representative in the Continental Congress and served in the United States House of Representatives and Senate after the adoption of the Constitution.-Minister:After...
, a signer of the United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, U.S. congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
representing Georgia, and the founder of the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
. Settlers moved rapidly into the area and developed large cotton plantations, made possible by the labor of slaves. Georgia was one of the destinations for slaves being sold from the Upper South, as well as from the Low Country.
The county seat of Milledgeville is the former state capital of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
(1804–1868). Also notable is the fact that other than Washington, it is the only planned capital city in the United States.
Because of its central location within the state and its abundant supply of water, Milledgeville grew rapidly into a bustling frontier settlement. Only two cities in the nation—Milledgeville and Washington, D.C.—can boast the distinction of being originally designed and planned as cities to house seats of government. On November 2, 1807, the state legislature held its first session in the newly completed statehouse in Milledgeville. Georgia's first state penitentiary was also established within the historic city limits of Milledgeville in 1817, on land now part of the campus of Georgia College and State University. In 1837 the General Assembly provided for the establishment of the state's first mental asylum, today known as Central State Hospital.
When the state of Georgia seceded from the Union in January 1861 during a legislative session held in Milledgeville, Baldwin County became a target for Union forces. In Union general William T. Sherman's devastating march to the sea, his troops occupied Georgia's capital city in November 1864. Sherman and his Union armies burned the state penitentiary, vandalized the city, and held a mock session of the legislature in the statehouse to repeal the state's ordinance of secession. In 1868, after the Civil War (1861–65), Georgia's capital was moved from Milledgeville to its present location in Atlanta. Today Milledgeville is home to two institutions of higher education: Georgia College and State University and Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College
Georgia Military College is a United States Military Junior College, high school, and middle school in Milledgeville, Georgia. GMC is one of five military junior colleges that participates in the Army's Early Commissioning Program. Cadets who graduate from GMC's two-year, military science-oriented...
. Founded in 1889 as the Georgia Normal and Industrial College for Women, Georgia College and State University has since grown to become the state's premier public liberal arts university. Georgia Military College, founded in 1879, now occupies the Old Capitol Building.
Many of Georgia's most notable residents have come from Milledgeville. U.S. representative Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson
Carl Vinson was a United States Representative from Georgia. He was a Democrat and the first person to serve for more than 50 years in the United States House of Representatives...
, who served for fifty years in the U.S. Congress, was born in Baldwin County. Comedian Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy
Oliver Hardy was an American comic actor famous as one half of Laurel and Hardy, the classic double act that began in the era of silent films and lasted nearly 30 years, from 1927 to 1955.-Early life:...
began his career in the Milledgeville Opera House. The acclaimed novelist and short-story author Flannery O'Connor
Flannery O'Connor
Mary Flannery O'Connor was an American novelist, short-story writer and essayist. An important voice in American literature, O'Connor wrote two novels and 32 short stories, as well as a number of reviews and commentaries...
wrote many of her works while living in Milledgeville. O'Connor is buried in her family plot in Milledgeville's historic Memory Hill Cemetery.
In addition to the Old Capitol and Governor's Mansion, visitors to Baldwin County can explore Andalusia, O'Connor's family farm; Milledgeville's historic district; and the Lockerly Arboretum, a botanical garden and nature education center that hosts the Lockerly Heritage Festival each September.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 268 square miles (694.1 km²), of which 249.45 square miles (646.1 km²) (or 96.62%) is land and 9.05 square miles (23.4 km²) (or 3.38%) is water.Major Highways
-
U.S. Route 441U.S. Route 441U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 passes through the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee... -
State Route 22 -
State Route 24State Route 24 (Georgia)State Route 24 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Georgia. It runs from State Route 15 north of Watkinsville south to Milledgeville along U.S. Highway 441, east to Waynesboro, and southeast and southwest to end at State Route 26/U.S. Highway 80 in Statesboro.Initially SR 24 ran from... -
State Route 29 -
State Route 49 -
State Route 112 -
State Route 212 -
State Route 243 -
State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway)Fall Line FreewayThe Fall Line Freeway is a highway currently being constructed that will run the width of the state of Georgia from Columbus to Augusta, passing through several cities including Macon and Milledgeville. It will be designated State Route 540 upon completion, and it will be a four-lane divided...
(coming soon)
Adjacent Counties
- Putnam County, GeorgiaPutnam County, GeorgiaPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 18,812. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,251...
- north - Hancock County, GeorgiaHancock County, Georgia-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,076 people, 3,237 households, and 2,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,287 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
- northeast - Washington County, GeorgiaWashington County, GeorgiaWashington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was established on February 25, 1784. As of 2000, the population was 21,176. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 20,937. The county seat is Sandersville....
- east - Wilkinson County, GeorgiaWilkinson County, GeorgiaWilkinson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 11, 1803. As of 2000, the population was 10,220. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,064...
- south - Jones County, GeorgiaJones County, GeorgiaJones County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 10, 1807. As of 2010, the population was 27,740 . The county seat is Gray.-History:The county is named after U.S...
- west
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 46,337 people, 14,758 households, and 9,843 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 173 people per square mile (67/km²). There were 17,173 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile (26/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 54.17% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 43.38% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.21% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.01% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.48% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.36% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 14,758 households out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 18.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.30% were non-families. 25.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county the population was spread out with 21.70% under the age of 18, 14.50% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 117.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,159, and the median income for a family was $42,736. Males had a median income of $31,227 versus $22,718 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,271. About 11.80% of families and 16.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.80% of those under age 18 and 13.00% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Midway-HardwickMidway-Hardwick, GeorgiaMidway-Hardwick is a census-designated place in Baldwin County, Georgia, United States. The population was 5,819 at the 2000 census. It is laid out around central state hospital. It is part of the Milledgeville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The zip code for Hardwick is 31034...
- MilledgevilleMilledgeville, GeorgiaMilledgeville is a city in and the county seat of Baldwin County in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is northeast of Macon, located just before Eatonton on the way to Athens along U.S. Highway 441, and it is located on the Oconee River. The relatively rapid current of the Oconee here made this an...
(county seat)