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Putnam County, Georgia

Coordinates: 33°19′N 83°22′W / 33.32°N 83.37°W / 33.32; -83.37
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Putnam County
County
Putnam County courthouse in Eatonton
Putnam County courthouse in Eatonton
Map of Georgia highlighting Putnam County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°19′N 83°22′W / 33.32°N 83.37°W / 33.32; -83.37
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 10, 1807; 216 years ago (1807-12-10)
Named forIsrael Putnam
SeatEatonton
Largest cityEatonton
Area
 • Total
361 sq mi (930 km2)
 • Land345 sq mi (890 km2)
 • Water16 sq mi (40 km2)  4.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
22,047
 • Density64/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district10th
Websitewww.putnamcountyga.us

Putnam County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,047.[1] The county seat is Eatonton.[2]

Since the early 21st century, the county has had a housing boom. It has proximity to Lake Oconee, Lake Sinclair, and the Oconee River, all of which are recreation sites, as well as to major employment centers such as Atlanta, Athens, and Macon.

History

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Putnam County is named in honor of Israel Putnam, a hero of the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. It was settled by European Americans after the war, as migrants moved down from the Upper South. The county was created on December 10, 1807, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly.[3]

Following the invention of the cotton gin, which could profitably process short-staple cotton, the county was developed for cotton cultivation of that type. It thrived in the upland areas, where plantations were developed and worked by the field labor of thousands of African-American slaves.

During the 1919 Red Summer there were many incidents of racial violence including an arson attack where almost a dozen black community buildings were burnt down in late May 1919.[4] The Wheeling Intelligencer claimed the buildings were burnt down because of a "minor racial clash at Dennis Station."[5] During this time armed black and white mobs patrolled the area in fear of each other.[4]

In the first half of the 20th century, thousands of blacks left the state during the Great Migration from 1920 to 1960. The county population dropped by more than half during this period following mechanization of agriculture and as rural workers moved into cities. Since the late 20th century, population has increased. The white population of the county has grown since the turn of the 21st century: in 2010 African Americans comprised 26 percent of the county population, a drop from nearly 42% in 2000.[citation needed]

In the 21st century, dairy farming is more important to Putnam County than cotton. It annually holds the nationally known Dairy Festival.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 361 square miles (930 km2), of which 345 square miles (890 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (4.4%) is water.[6] The entirety of Putnam County is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[7] The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state, with rolling hills, farms, and lakes covering a majority of the county.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Communities

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City

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Census-designated place

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Unincorporated community

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
181010,029—
182015,47554.3%
183013,261−14.3%
184010,260−22.6%
185010,7945.2%
186010,125−6.2%
187010,4613.3%
188014,53939.0%
189014,8422.1%
190013,436−9.5%
191013,8763.3%
192015,1519.2%
19308,367−44.8%
19408,5141.8%
19507,731−9.2%
19607,7980.9%
19708,3947.6%
198010,29522.6%
199014,13737.3%
200018,81233.1%
201021,21812.8%
202022,0473.9%
2023 (est.)23,129[8]4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1880[10] 1890-1910[11]
1920-1930[12] 1930-1940[13]
1940-1950[14] 1960-1980[15]
1980-2000[16] 2010[17]
Putnam County racial composition as of 2020[18]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 14,316 64.93%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,385 24.43%
Native American 33 0.15%
Asian 108 0.49%
Pacific Islander 1 0.0%
Other/Mixed 647 2.93%
Hispanic or Latino 1,557 7.06%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 22,047 people, 8,937 households, and 6,282 families residing in the county.

Education

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The Putnam County Charter School System serves the community.

Politics

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United States presidential election results for Putnam County, Georgia[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,136 70.95% 3,696 28.70% 45 0.35%
2020 8,291 69.92% 3,448 29.08% 118 1.00%
2016 6,544 68.68% 2,758 28.95% 226 2.37%
2012 6,215 67.34% 2,926 31.70% 88 0.95%
2008 5,966 65.28% 3,102 33.94% 71 0.78%
2004 5,188 63.91% 2,880 35.48% 50 0.62%
2000 3,596 57.09% 2,612 41.47% 91 1.44%
1996 2,306 44.81% 2,340 45.47% 500 9.72%
1992 1,756 37.41% 2,149 45.78% 789 16.81%
1988 2,111 57.74% 1,532 41.90% 13 0.36%
1984 1,830 57.80% 1,336 42.20% 0 0.00%
1980 1,166 36.70% 1,951 61.41% 60 1.89%
1976 835 29.04% 2,040 70.96% 0 0.00%
1972 1,963 76.47% 604 23.53% 0 0.00%
1968 594 21.66% 972 35.44% 1,177 42.91%
1964 1,196 54.02% 1,018 45.98% 0 0.00%
1960 305 21.65% 1,104 78.35% 0 0.00%
1956 268 19.69% 1,093 80.31% 0 0.00%
1952 250 16.66% 1,251 83.34% 0 0.00%
1948 110 12.88% 609 71.31% 135 15.81%
1944 74 9.55% 701 90.45% 0 0.00%
1940 61 7.70% 730 92.17% 1 0.13%
1936 51 6.75% 703 93.11% 1 0.13%
1932 33 4.09% 770 95.53% 3 0.37%
1928 57 7.71% 682 92.29% 0 0.00%
1924 7 1.50% 457 97.65% 4 0.85%
1920 5 1.18% 420 98.82% 0 0.00%
1916 0 0.00% 462 98.30% 8 1.70%
1912 7 1.49% 460 97.66% 4 0.85%

See also

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Bibliography

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Notes
  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Putnam County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 182. ISBN 0-915430-00-2.
  4. ^ a b McWhirter 2011, p. 53.
  5. ^ The Wheeling Intelligencer 1919, p. 14.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  11. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  12. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  13. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  14. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  15. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  16. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  17. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  18. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
  19. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
References
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33°19′N 83°22′W / 33.32°N 83.37°W / 33.32; -83.37

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