Johnson County, Georgia

Last updated

Johnson County
JOHNSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE.jpg
Johnson County Courthouse in Wrightsville
Map of Georgia highlighting Johnson County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia in United States.svg
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°42′N82°40′W / 32.7°N 82.66°W / 32.7; -82.66
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg  Georgia
FoundedDecember 11, 1858;166 years ago (1858-12-11)
Named for Herschel Vespasian Johnson
Seat Wrightsville
Largest cityWrightsville
Area
  Total
307 sq mi (800 km2)
  Land303 sq mi (780 km2)
  Water3.6 sq mi (9 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
9,189
  Estimate 
(2023)
9,282 Increase2.svg
  Density30/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 12th
Website www.johnsonco.org

Johnson County is a county located along the Oconee River in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,189. [1] The county seat is Wrightsville. [2] Johnson County is part of the Dublin, Georgia, micropolitan statistical area.

Contents

History

Johnson county was created by the Georgia legislature December 11, 1858, from parts of Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties. Johnson County was named for Georgia governor, senator, and U.S. vice-presidential candidate Herschel Vespasian Johnson. [3]

In 1919, a deputy driving Jim Waters, a black prisoner accused of rape, out of the county was stopped by a group of 150 men at a bridge over the Ohoopee River. The men tied Waters to a tree and shot him numerous times. The case was closed without any investigation. [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 307 square miles (800 km2), of which 303 square miles (780 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (1.2%) is water. [5]

The vast majority of Johnson County is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. Tiny portions of the northeastern borders of the county are located in the Upper Ogeechee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, while the western corner of Johnson County is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. [6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1860 2,919
1870 2,9641.5%
1880 4,80061.9%
1890 6,12927.7%
1900 11,40986.1%
1910 12,89713.0%
1920 13,5465.0%
1930 12,681−6.4%
1940 12,9532.1%
1950 9,893−23.6%
1960 8,048−18.6%
1970 7,727−4.0%
1980 8,66012.1%
1990 8,329−3.8%
2000 8,5602.8%
2010 9,98016.6%
2020 9,189−7.9%
2023 (est.)9,282 [7] 1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790-1880 [9] 1890-1910 [10]
1920-1930 [11] 1930-1940 [12]
1940-1950 [13] 1960-1980 [14]
1980-2000 [15] 2010 [16] 2020 [17]

2020 Census

Johnson County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000 [18] Pop 2010 [16] Pop 2020 [17] % 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)5,3076,2195,80062.00%62.31%63.12%
Black or African American alone (NH)3,1313,4613,01736.58%34.68%32.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1117230.13%0.17%0.25%
Asian alone (NH)1022280.12%0.22%0.30%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)13150.01%0.03%0.16%
Other race alone (NH)17140.01%0.07%0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)21651750.25%0.65%1.90%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)781861170.91%1.86%1.27%
Total8,5609,9809,189100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,189 people, 3,393 households, and 2,208 families residing in the county.

Government

The county is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. A county manager handles the daily operation of the county.

The county is part of the Dublin Judicial Circuit along with Twiggs County, Treutlen County, and Laurens County.

Board of commissioners
DistrictCommissionerParty
District 1Felice PullenDemocratic
District 2James McAfee Jr. [CHAIR]Republican
District 3Jerronney DarrisawDemocratic
District 4Larry PopeRepublican
District 5Mike KeeneRepublican

[19]

United States presidential election results for Johnson County, Georgia [20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 2,91373.12%1,06626.76%50.13%
2020 2,85069.51%1,22229.80%280.68%
2016 2,51968.34%1,13630.82%310.84%
2012 2,44064.62%1,30534.56%310.82%
2008 2,42666.47%1,19832.82%260.71%
2004 2,27964.11%1,26335.53%130.37%
2000 1,79762.33%1,06536.94%210.73%
1996 81536.14%1,19452.95%24610.91%
1992 1,31439.88%1,47344.70%50815.42%
1988 1,56762.83%92737.17%00.00%
1984 1,73359.11%1,19940.89%00.00%
1980 1,12337.07%1,85461.21%521.72%
1976 69824.00%2,21076.00%00.00%
1972 2,20184.07%41715.93%00.00%
1968 38113.28%44615.55%2,04171.16%
1964 1,94073.99%68226.01%00.00%
1960 48827.32%1,29872.68%00.00%
1956 17910.02%1,60789.98%00.00%
1952 34415.99%1,80884.01%00.00%
1948 675.33%68554.54%50440.13%
1944 30423.71%97876.29%00.00%
1940 30611.32%2,38688.24%120.44%
1936 33415.15%1,86184.40%100.45%
1932 181.34%1,31498.06%80.60%
1928 28431.00%63269.00%00.00%
1924 19414.18%1,05877.34%1168.48%
1920 7419.47%30680.53%00.00%
1916 15016.95%71580.79%202.26%
1912 9223.00%28571.25%235.75%

Education

In 1970, Johnson County schools integrated peacefully due to careful planning by the county's board of education and firm management by superintendent Buren Claxton.

The county's public schools are located in Wrightsville. The school mascot is the Trojan, and the school colors are blue and white. The school fight song is the theme from the movie Hang 'Em High.

Sports

Herschel Walker, a Johnson County native, played on the county's only state championship football team in 1979. Walker went on to play for the University of Georgia and won the Heisman Trophy. In 2004 Johnson County High School named its football field for Walker.

See also

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References

  1. "Census - Geography Profile: Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  169.
  4. McWhirter, Cameron (2011). Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America. Henry Holt and Company. p. 52. ISBN   978-1-4299-7293-2.
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. "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.
  7. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  8. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  9. "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  10. "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  11. "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  12. "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  13. "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  14. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  15. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  16. 1 2 "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  17. 1 2 "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  18. "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  19. "County Commissioners".
  20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

32°42′N82°40′W / 32.70°N 82.66°W / 32.70; -82.66