Walker County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Walker County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. It was created on December 18, 1833 from land formerly belonging to the Cherokee Indian Nation. As of 2000, the population was 61,053. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 64,554. The county seat
is LaFayette
.
Walker County is part of the Chattanooga
, TN
–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
many of the men and boys of Walker County left their farms to fight for the cause of the Confederacy. They joined units in surrounding counties as well as the following companies raised from men in Walker County.
1st Confederate Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Company D
9th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company G, LaFayette Volunteers
11th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company G, Catoosa County Georgia (most of the men were from Walker County Georgia)
23rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company H, Bartow Invincibles
39th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company E, Walker Light Guards
39th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company K, Walker County Volunteers
60th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company I
of 2000, there were 61,053 people, 23,605 households, and 17,467 families residing in the county. The population density
was 137 people per square mile (53/km²). There were 25,577 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile (22/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.43% White
, 3.78% Black
or African American
, 0.29% Native American
, 0.28% Asian
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
, 0.36% from other races
, and 0.84% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 23,605 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples
living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 22.90% 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 2.54 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,406, and the median income for a family was $39,034. Males had a median income of $29,448 versus $21,583 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,867. About 10.00% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.10% of those under age 18 and 11.70% 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...
. It was created on December 18, 1833 from land formerly belonging to the Cherokee Indian Nation. As of 2000, the population was 61,053. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 64,554. 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 LaFayette
LaFayette, Georgia
LaFayette is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city population was 6,702. The city is the county seat of Walker County.LaFayette is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
Walker County is part of the Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
, TN
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area
Chattanooga metropolitan area
The Chattanooga Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of six counties – three in southeast Tennessee and three in northwest Georgia – anchored by the city of Chattanooga...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 447.03 square miles (1,157.8 km²), of which 446.58 square miles (1,156.6 km²) (or 99.90%) is land and 0.45 square miles (1.2 km²) (or 0.10%) is water.Major highways
-
U.S. Highway 27U.S. Route 27 in GeorgiaIn the U.S. state of Georgia, U.S. Route 27 runs north–south near the western border . The whole route is Governor's Road Improvement Program corridor EDS-27, providing the bulk of the Tallahassee, Florida - Chattanooga, Tennessee corridor. All of US 27 in Georgia is designated State Route 1... -
Georgia State Route 2Georgia State Route 2State Route 2 is a west–east route in the northern part of Georgia. The route serves suburbs of Chattanooga, Tennessee, as well as much of the mountainous area in the northern part of the state.-Route description:... -
Georgia State Route 95 -
Georgia State Route 131 -
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 156Georgia State Route 156Georgia State Route 156 is a series of streets, roads, and highways that form a rural route in the northwestern part of the state of Georgia.- Major intersections :... -
Georgia State Route 157 -
Georgia State Route 193
Adjacent counties
- Hamilton CountyHamilton County, TennesseeHamilton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was named for Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 310,935 . Its county seat is Chattanooga....
, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
- north - Catoosa CountyCatoosa County, GeorgiaCatoosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 5, 1853. As of 2000, the population was 53,282. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 62,241...
, 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...
- northeast - Whitfield CountyWhitfield County, GeorgiaWhitfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 30, 1851. The 2010 Census shows a population of 102,599. The county seat is Dalton.It is part of the Dalton, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Civil War:...
, 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 - 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...
- southeast - Floyd CountyFloyd County, GeorgiaFloyd County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 90,565. Census estimates for 2007 show a population of 95,618...
, 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 - Chattooga CountyChattooga County, GeorgiaChattooga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 28, 1838. As of 2000, the population was 25,470. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 26,797. The county seat is Summerville.-Geography:...
, 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 - DeKalb CountyDeKalb County, AlabamaAs of the 2010 Census DeKalb County had a population of 71,109. The median age was 37.5. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 81.6% non-Hispanic white, 1.5% African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander , 9.9% from some other race, 2.2% reporting two or...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
- southwest - Dade CountyDade County, GeorgiaDade County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 15,154. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,098...
, 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
National protected areas
- Chattahoochee National Forest (part)
- Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military ParkChickamauga and Chattanooga National Military ParkChickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, located in northern Georgia and eastern Tennessee, preserves the sites of two major battles of the American Civil War: the Battle of Chickamauga and the Chattanooga Campaign.-History:...
(part)
Civil War
At the outbreak of the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
many of the men and boys of Walker County left their farms to fight for the cause of the Confederacy. They joined units in surrounding counties as well as the following companies raised from men in Walker County.
1st Confederate Regiment Georgia Volunteers, Company D
9th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company G, LaFayette Volunteers
11th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company G, Catoosa County Georgia (most of the men were from Walker County Georgia)
23rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company H, Bartow Invincibles
39th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company E, Walker Light Guards
39th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company K, Walker County Volunteers
60th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company I
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 61,053 people, 23,605 households, and 17,467 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 137 people per square mile (53/km²). There were 25,577 housing units at an average density of 57 per square mile (22/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.43% 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...
, 3.78% 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...
, 0.29% 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...
, 0.28% 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...
, 0.02% 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...
, 0.36% 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. 0.93% 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 23,605 households out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.80% 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, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 22.90% 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 2.54 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,406, and the median income for a family was $39,034. Males had a median income of $29,448 versus $21,583 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 $15,867. About 10.00% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.10% of those under age 18 and 11.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- ChickamaugaChickamauga, GeorgiaChickamauga is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,245 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- LaFayetteLaFayette, GeorgiaLaFayette is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city population was 6,702. The city is the county seat of Walker County.LaFayette is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Lookout MountainLookout Mountain, GeorgiaLookout Mountain is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,617 at the 2000 census. The city is located on Lookout Mountain, home to such attractions as Rock City and Ruby Falls. The city is also home to Covenant College...
- RossvilleRossville, GeorgiaRossville is a city in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The city of Rossville was named after Cherokee Indian Chief John Ross, who resided there until being forced to relocate with his people to Oklahoma in the Indian Removal. Chief John Ross' log cabin home is still located in the city and...
- Fort OglethorpeFort Oglethorpe, GeorgiaFort Oglethorpe is a city in Catoosa County in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,263. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Communities
- Chattanooga ValleyChattanooga Valley, GeorgiaChattanooga Valley is a census-designated place in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,065 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- Noble
- FairviewFairview, GeorgiaFairview is a census-designated place in Walker County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,601 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
- FlintstoneFlintstone, GeorgiaFlintstone is an unincorporated community in Walker County, Georgia, United States. Located in northwestern Georgia, Flintstone lies approximately 120 miles northwest of Atlanta, 135 miles southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, and 150 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama...
- KensingtonKensington, GeorgiaKensington, Georgia is a community in Walker County, Georgia northwest of LaFayette. It is the location of three properties or districts that are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places:*Lane House...
- Naomi
- Dry Creek
- Rock SpringRock Spring, GeorgiaRock Spring is a small unincorporated community located in northwest Georgia about 14 miles south of Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is in Walker County which resides in Georgia's 9th congressional district.-Local business:...
- VillanowVillanow, GeorgiaVillanow, Georgia is located in the Northwestern part of that state in Walker County. It is between Dalton and La Fayette, Georgia. It is a small community of a few hundred citizens only.-Villanow Country Store:...
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Walker County, GeorgiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Walker County, GeorgiaThis is a list of properties and districts in Walker County, Georgia that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places . -Current listings:...
- Northwest Georgia Joint Development AuthorityNorthwest Georgia Joint Development AuthorityThe Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority is a joint development authority that serves Catoosa County, Chattooga County, Dade County, and Walker County in the U.S. state of Georgia....