The 1860s brought war and hardships to the people of Dawson County. Many men of Dawson County answered the call and went to fight in the Civil War. Several Confederate units were raised in Dawson County, including:
21st Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company E Concord Rangers
22nd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company I, Dawson County Independents
38th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company I (Wright's Legion), Dawson Farmers
38th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company L (Wright's Legion)
52nd Regiment, Georgia Volunteer Infantry, Company I
Dawson County is known for its long involvement in auto racing, which was established in the 20th century; many of the original NASCAR racers came from this area, and Dawsonville is now one of a few areas considered to be the "birthplace of stock car racing".[6] Local racing skills are said to have been developed by men who ran moonshine down Georgia State Route 9, also known as Thunder Road, to Atlanta. The celebration of Dawson County's history and its involvement in bootlegging moonshine during the Prohibition era now occurs every October, dubbed the Moonshine Festival.
Locals have referred to Dawson County as the "Moonshine Capital of the World". This title is claimed by many other cities and communities, but is fiercely defended by residents of the area. Allegedly, bootleggers took advantage of the county's relative isolation and the ability to move so much moonshine to the larger cities, especially Atlanta, during the United States Prohibition era.
Dawson County currently serves grades K-12. It has a total of seven schools - one for pre-K, four for grades K-5, one for grades 6–7, one for grades 8–9, and Dawson County High School (grades 10–12).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 214 square miles (550km2), of which 211 square miles (550km2) are land and 3.6 square miles (9.3km2) (1.7%) are covered by water.[7]
The county is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Portions of the mountain chain extend into the far northern and western portions of the county, with elevations around 3,500ft. in this area.
Part of Lake Lanier is in the southeastern part of the county and the boundary lines with neighboring counties pass through the lake. The 729-foot (222m)Amicalola Falls, are located in the county. The Amicalola Falls are the highest in Georgia, the tallest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River, and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia. The highest point in the county is Black Mountain, with an elevation of 3,600 feet (1,100m). The Chestatee and Etowah Rivers flow through Dawson County.
The vast majority of Dawson County is located in the Etowah River subbasin of the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin). The southeastern tip of the county is located in the Upper Chattahoochee River subbasin of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin, and a very small northern section of Dawson County is located in the Coosawattee River subbasin of the larger ACT River Basin.[8]
Several large, gated, private communities function similar to a municipality, providing many municipal-type services that operate independently of county government.
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 26,798 people, 9,041 households, and 6,491 families residing in the county. Between 2021 and 2022, Dawson experienced a 5.8% growth in population, making it the fourth fastest growing county in the nation.[15]
In 2010, median income for a household in the county was $51,128 and the median income for a family was $60,236. Males had a median income of $41,726 versus $31,978 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,557. About 7.8% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.[16] In 2000, the median income for a household in the county was estimated at $51,989, and for a family was estimated at $60,455. About 8.9% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.[17]
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