Macon County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Macon County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. As of the 2000 census
, the population
was 14,074. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 13,542. The county seat
is Oglethorpe
.
("house-ton") and Marion
counties, effective December 14 of that year. The 91st county, it was named for the recently-deceased General
Nathaniel Macon
of North Carolina
, who served in the U.S. Congress for 37 years and ran for U.S. vice president. (The city of Macon
, Georgia
was also named for him, but is actually the seat of another county.) Parts of the county were used to create Taylor
and Peach
counties, in 1852 and 1924 respectively.
The first county seat was actually not chosen until 1838 when the county's inferior court selected Lanier. The Georgia General Assembly
(state legislature) designated it so on December 29 of that year and incorporated it as a town
. The Central of Georgia Railroad
was then built through Oglethorpe in the 1850s, and the assembly called for a referendum
on moving the seat to Oglethorpe in February of both 1854 and 1856. Little is known about the first vote, but the second resulted in the change to the new county seat the following year.
The infamous Andersonville National Cemetery is at the southwestern tip of the county. During the American Civil War
, 13,000 died there from starvation
and disease
. http://maconcounty.georgia.gov The county has seen an increase in tourists due to a song by The Mountain Goats
. There is also an active Mennonite
community
within the county. The area code for Macon County is currently 478
.
of 2000, there were 14,074 people, 4,834 households, and 3,485 families residing in the county. The population density
was 35 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 5,495 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.37% White
, 59.48% Black
or African American
, 0.22% Native American
, 0.60% Asian
, 0.05% Pacific Islander
, 1.52% from other races
, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.59% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 4,834 households out of which 34.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.70% were married couples
living together, 24.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% 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 the population was spread out with 27.60% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,224, and the median income for a family was $29,402. Males had a median income of $26,922 versus $18,611 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $11,820. About 22.10% of families and 25.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.00% of those under age 18 and 22.60% 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 the 2000 census
Census
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...
, the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
was 14,074. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 13,542. 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 Oglethorpe
Oglethorpe, Georgia
Oglethorpe is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,200 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Macon County. It was named for Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe was once one of the largest cities in Georgia, and by the 1850s, was tagged as...
.
History
Macon County was created in 1837 from HoustonHouston County, Georgia
Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
("house-ton") and Marion
Marion County, Georgia
Marion County is located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 14, 1827. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 2000 Census reflected a population of 7,144. The 2009 Census Estimate shows a population of 6,995...
counties, effective December 14 of that year. The 91st county, it was named for the recently-deceased General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Nathaniel Macon
Nathaniel Macon
Nathaniel Macon was a spokesman for the Old Republican faction of the Democratic-Republican Party that wanted to strictly limit the United States federal government. Macon was born near Warrenton, North Carolina, and attended the College of New Jersey and served briefly in the American...
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, who served in the U.S. Congress for 37 years and ran for U.S. vice president. (The city of Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
, 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...
was also named for him, but is actually the seat of another county.) Parts of the county were used to create Taylor
Taylor County, Georgia
Taylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 8,815. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 8,738...
and Peach
Peach County, Georgia
Peach County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 23,668. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 25,672. Its county seat is Fort Valley....
counties, in 1852 and 1924 respectively.
The first county seat was actually not chosen until 1838 when the county's inferior court selected Lanier. 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....
(state legislature) designated it so on December 29 of that year and incorporated it as a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
. The Central of Georgia Railroad
Central of Georgia Railroad
The Central of Georgia Railway started as the Central Rail Road and Canal Company in 1833. As a way to better attract investment capital, the railroad changed its name to Central Rail Road and Banking Company of Georgia. This railroad was constructed to join the Macon and Western Railroad at...
was then built through Oglethorpe in the 1850s, and the assembly called for a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
on moving the seat to Oglethorpe in February of both 1854 and 1856. Little is known about the first vote, but the second resulted in the change to the new county seat the following year.
The infamous Andersonville National Cemetery is at the southwestern tip of the county. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, 13,000 died there from starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
and disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
. http://maconcounty.georgia.gov The county has seen an increase in tourists due to a song by The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats
The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....
. There is also an active Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
within the county. The area code for Macon County is currently 478
Area code 478
Area code 478 is a telephone area code serving the state of Georgia, in the United States. It covers Macon and Middle Georgia . It was formerly part of Area code 912...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 405.95 square miles (1,051.4 km²), of which 403.28 square miles (1,044.5 km²) (or 99.34%) is land and 2.67 square miles (6.9 km²) (or 0.66%) is water.Major highways
Georgia State Route 26Georgia State Route 26State Route 26 is a west–east state route located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from U.S. 27/U.S. 280/S.R. 1/S.R. 520 in Fort Benning east to Tybee Island.-Route description:...
Georgia State Route 49Georgia State Route 49State Route 49 is a north–south state route located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from State Route 45 north of Dawson to State Route 22/State Route 24 and State Route 112 in Milledgeville.-Route description:...
Georgia State Route 90Georgia State Route 90State Route 90 is a north–south state route located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The route runs from U.S. Route 82 in Willacoochee to U.S. Route 80 in Talbotton.-Route description:...
Georgia State Route 128
Georgia State Route 224
Georgia State Route 240Georgia State Route 240State Route 240 is a northwest-southeast state route located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. From the route's southern terminus at State Route 26 in Fountainville, the route runs north, then west, intersecting U.S. Route 19/State Route 3 at the community of Murrays Crossroads...
Adjacent counties
- Peach CountyPeach County, GeorgiaPeach County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 23,668. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 25,672. Its county seat is Fort Valley....
(northeast) - Houston CountyHouston County, GeorgiaHouston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
(east) - Dooly CountyDooly County, GeorgiaDooly County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 11,525. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 11,592. The county seat is Vienna....
(southeast) - Sumter CountySumter County, GeorgiaSumter County is a county located in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 26, 1831. As of 2000, the population was 33,200. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 32,532...
(south) - Schley CountySchley County, GeorgiaSchley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the county's population was 3,766. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 4,123...
(southwest) - Taylor CountyTaylor County, GeorgiaTaylor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 8,815. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 8,738...
(northwest)
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 2000, there were 14,074 people, 4,834 households, and 3,485 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 35 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 5,495 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.37% 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...
, 59.48% 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...
, 0.22% 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...
, 0.60% 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...
, 0.05% 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...
, 1.52% 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 0.75% from two or more races. 2.59% 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 4,834 households out of which 34.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.70% 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, 24.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% 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 the population was spread out with 27.60% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $24,224, and the median income for a family was $29,402. Males had a median income of $26,922 versus $18,611 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 $11,820. About 22.10% of families and 25.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.00% of those under age 18 and 22.60% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- IdealIdeal, GeorgiaIdeal is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 518 at the 2000 census.-History:The town was originally named Joetown, but when two railroad executives stopped in the town, one proclaimed it an "ideal" place for a railroad station, and the other declared he'd just named...
- MarshallvilleMarshallville, GeorgiaMarshallville is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,335 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Marshallville is located at ....
- MontezumaMontezuma, GeorgiaMontezuma is a city in Macon County, Georgia . The population was 3,999 at the 2000 census. It is home to the armory of Bravo Company, 648th Engineers of the Georgia Army National Guard.-History:...
- OglethorpeOglethorpe, GeorgiaOglethorpe is a city in Macon County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,200 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Macon County. It was named for Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe was once one of the largest cities in Georgia, and by the 1850s, was tagged as...