Pickens County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Pickens County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. The 2000 Census
showed a population of 22,983. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 30,488. The county seat
is Jasper
.
It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area (Atlanta
-Sandy Springs
-Marietta
, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area).
passed an act on December 5, 1853 to create Pickens County from portions of Cherokee
and Gilmer
counties. Pickens received several more land additions from Cherokee (1869) and Gilmer Counties (1858 and 1863); however several sections of Pickens County have also been transferred to other counties: Dawson County
(1857), Gordon County
(1860), and Cherokee County (1870).
Pickens County is named for American Revolutionary War
General
Andrew Pickens
.
Most of Pickens County's early industry revolved around the marble industry. Georgia Marble Company
is located in Marble Hill near Tate
. The Tate Elementary school is built out of marble. The marble was also used to make the statue of Abraham Lincoln
in the Lincoln Memorial
. Most of the marble is white, but there is also very rare pink marble. It is one of the few places in the world where pink marble is found. The marble is also used for tombstones for the United States Military.
Pickens County has seen very rapid growth with the building of Georgia State Route 515
, locally referred to as the '4 lane'. Many new businesses and residents continue to move to Pickens County.
Pickens County is home the Georgia Marble Festival
.
, the southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains and, for a number of years, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
Other notable peaks in Pickens County include Sharp Top Mountain and Sharp Mountain. One of the best viewpoints of Sharp Top Mountain is from Grandview Lake Dam on Grandview Road.
of 2000, there were 22,983 people, 8,960 households, and 6,791 families residing in the county. The population density
was 99 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 10,687 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.21% White
, 1.27% Black
or African American
, 0.38% Native American
, 0.23% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.04% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 8,960 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.50% were married couples
living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 20.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,387, and the median income for a family was $47,123. Males had a median income of $32,039 versus $22,866 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $19,774. About 6.20% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 7.40% 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...
. 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...
showed a population of 22,983. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 30,488. 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 Jasper
Jasper, Georgia
Jasper is a city in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,684 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pickens County...
.
It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area (Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
-Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
-Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, 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...
Metropolitan Statistical Area).
History
The Georgia General AssemblyGeorgia 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....
passed an act on December 5, 1853 to create Pickens County from portions of Cherokee
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
and Gilmer
Gilmer County, Georgia
Gilmer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1832 and was named for George Rockingham Gilmer. As of 2000, the population was 23,456. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,389...
counties. Pickens received several more land additions from Cherokee (1869) and Gilmer Counties (1858 and 1863); however several sections of Pickens County have also been transferred to other counties: Dawson County
Dawson County, Georgia
Dawson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1857 from Gilmer and Lumpkin counties. As of 2000, the population is 15,999. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,484...
(1857), Gordon County
Gordon County, Georgia
Gordon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 44,104. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 52,044. The county seat is Calhoun.- History :...
(1860), and Cherokee County (1870).
Pickens County is named for American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
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....
Andrew Pickens
Andrew Pickens (congressman)
Andrew Pickens was a militia leader in the American Revolution and a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.-Early life:...
.
Most of Pickens County's early industry revolved around the marble industry. Georgia Marble Company
Georgia Marble Company
The Georgia Marble Company was founded in 1884 by Henry Fitzsimmons. Fitzsimmons leased out all the land in Pickens County, Georgia, that contained rich Georgia marble. Pickens County has a vein of marble long, half as wide and deep.-Company history:...
is located in Marble Hill near Tate
Tate, Georgia
Tate is an unincorporated town in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. Originally called Marble Works post office by the United States Postal Service, then Harnageville after Ambrose Harnage, it was the first county seat for Cherokee County, which functioned as a large territory rather than a...
. The Tate Elementary school is built out of marble. The marble was also used to make the statue of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
in the Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
The Lincoln Memorial is an American memorial built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the main statue was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior...
. Most of the marble is white, but there is also very rare pink marble. It is one of the few places in the world where pink marble is found. The marble is also used for tombstones for the United States Military.
Pickens County has seen very rapid growth with the building of Georgia State Route 515
Georgia State Route 515
State Route 515 is a four-lane highway that begins at the northern terminus of I-575 at the Cherokee –Pickens county line in northern Georgia. The route was built to give motorists in the north Georgia mountains better access to Atlanta and its outlying suburbs, as opposed to the old ST 5 and...
, locally referred to as the '4 lane'. Many new businesses and residents continue to move to Pickens County.
Pickens County is home the Georgia Marble Festival
Marble Festival
The Georgia Marble Festival is held on the 1st weekend in October every year. It is held in Jasper, Georgia in Pickens County. It is sponsored by the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce. The festivities start with the Marble Festival Road Race. The festival is held at Lee Newton park. There are...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 232.78 square miles (602.9 km²), of which 232.13 square miles (601.2 km²) (or 99.72%) is land and 0.65 square miles (1.7 km²) (or 0.28%) is water. The highest point in Pickens County is the 3,288 foot summit of Mount OglethorpeMount Oglethorpe
Mount Oglethorpe, the southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is located in Pickens County, Georgia and was the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail from when the trail was completed in 1937 until 1958. In 1958, as a result of over development around Mount Oglethorpe, the southern...
, the southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains and, for a number of years, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail.
Other notable peaks in Pickens County include Sharp Top Mountain and Sharp Mountain. One of the best viewpoints of Sharp Top Mountain is from Grandview Lake Dam on Grandview Road.
State Highways
Georgia State Route 5Georgia State Route 5State Route 5 is a route that bisects northern Georgia. It passes through the county seats of Blue Ridge, Ellijay, Jasper, Canton, Marietta, and Douglasville. Along the way, it overlaps one of metro Atlanta's freeways, I-575. From the Cherokee/Pickens County line to Blue Ridge, Georgia 5 is...
Georgia State Route 53Georgia State Route 53State Route 53 is a west–east state route located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The route travels from the Alabama state line west of Cave Spring northeast, then east, then southeast to State Route 15/State Route 24 Business in Watkinsville....- Georgia State Route 53 Business
Georgia State Route 108
Georgia State Route 136Georgia State Route 136Georgia State Route 136 is a series of streets, roads and highways that form a rural route in the northern part of the state of Georgia. Its eastern terminus occurs at the route's intersection with Georgia State Route 60, north of Gainesville in Hall County...- Georgia State Route 136 Connector
Georgia State Route 515Georgia State Route 515State Route 515 is a four-lane highway that begins at the northern terminus of I-575 at the Cherokee –Pickens county line in northern Georgia. The route was built to give motorists in the north Georgia mountains better access to Atlanta and its outlying suburbs, as opposed to the old ST 5 and...
Major County Highways
- Burnt Mountain Road (Old Georgia State Route 108)
- Canton Highway (Old Georgia State Route 5)
- Church Street (Georgia State Route 53 Business)
- Cove Road
- Ellijay Road (Old Georgia State Route 5)
- Henderson Mountain Road (Old Georgia State Route 143/Georgia State Route 379)
- Jones Mountain Road
- Lumber Company Road
- Philadelphia Road
- Refuge Road (Old Georgia State Route 108)
- Steve Tate Highway
- Salem Church Road
- Sunrise Ridge Road (Old Georgia State Route 108)
- Talking Rock Road (Old Georgia State Route 5)
- Yellow Creek Road
- Whitestone Road
Adjacent counties
- Gilmer CountyGilmer County, GeorgiaGilmer County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1832 and was named for George Rockingham Gilmer. As of 2000, the population was 23,456. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,389...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- north - Dawson CountyDawson County, GeorgiaDawson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 3, 1857 from Gilmer and Lumpkin counties. As of 2000, the population is 15,999. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 21,484...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- east - Cherokee CountyCherokee County, GeorgiaAs of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- south - Bartow CountyBartow County, GeorgiaBartow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 100,157. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's July 1, 2009 estimate, the county's explosive growth resulted in a population of 96,217, a 26.5% increase in less than ten years...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- southwest - Gordon CountyGordon County, GeorgiaGordon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 44,104. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 52,044. The county seat is Calhoun.- History :...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (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...
- 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 2000, there were 22,983 people, 8,960 households, and 6,791 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 99 people per square mile (38/km²). There were 10,687 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.21% 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...
, 1.27% 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...
, 0.38% 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...
, 0.23% 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...
, 0.03% 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...
, 1.04% 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 0.84% from two or more races. 2.03% 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 8,960 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.50% 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, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 20.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 25.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,387, and the median income for a family was $47,123. Males had a median income of $32,039 versus $22,866 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 $19,774. About 6.20% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- JasperJasper, GeorgiaJasper is a city in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,684 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Pickens County...
- NelsonNelson, GeorgiaNelson is a city partly in Pickens and mostly in Cherokee counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1314.City of Nelson - Pickens County...
- Talking RockTalking Rock, GeorgiaTalking Rock is a town in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 49 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Talking Rock is located at ....
- TateTate, GeorgiaTate is an unincorporated town in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. Originally called Marble Works post office by the United States Postal Service, then Harnageville after Ambrose Harnage, it was the first county seat for Cherokee County, which functioned as a large territory rather than a...
- Marble Hill