Putnam County, Georgia

Last updated

Putnam County
County
Putnam County Georgia Courthouse.jpg
Putnam County courthouse in Eatonton
Map of Georgia highlighting Putnam County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia in United States.svg
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 33°19′N83°22′W / 33.32°N 83.37°W / 33.32; -83.37
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia
FoundedDecember 10, 1807;217 years ago (1807-12-10)
Named after Israel Putnam
Seat Eatonton
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 zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 10th
Website www.putnamcountyga.us

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

Contents

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

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

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

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Communities

City

Census-designated place

Unincorporated community

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1810 10,029—
1820 15,47554.3%
1830 13,261−14.3%
1840 10,260−22.6%
1850 10,7945.2%
1860 10,125−6.2%
1870 10,4613.3%
1880 14,53939.0%
1890 14,8422.1%
1900 13,436−9.5%
1910 13,8763.3%
1920 15,1519.2%
1930 8,367−44.8%
1940 8,5141.8%
1950 7,731−9.2%
1960 7,7980.9%
1970 8,3947.6%
1980 10,29522.6%
1990 14,13737.3%
2000 18,81233.1%
2010 21,21812.8%
2020 22,0473.9%
2024 (est.)23,383 [8] 6.1%
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]
RaceNum.Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)14,31664.93%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)5,38524.43%
Native American 330.15%
Asian 1080.49%
Pacific Islander 10.0%
Other/Mixed 6472.93%
Hispanic or Latino 1,5577.06%

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

Education

The Putnam County Charter School System and Gatewood Schools Inc. serve the community.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Putnam County, Georgia [19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1912 71.49%46097.66%40.85%
1916 00.00%46298.30%81.70%
1920 51.18%42098.82%00.00%
1924 71.50%45797.65%40.85%
1928 577.71%68292.29%00.00%
1932 334.09%77095.53%30.37%
1936 516.75%70393.11%10.13%
1940 617.70%73092.17%10.13%
1944 749.55%70190.45%00.00%
1948 11012.88%60971.31%13515.81%
1952 25016.66%1,25183.34%00.00%
1956 26819.69%1,09380.31%00.00%
1960 30521.65%1,10478.35%00.00%
1964 1,19654.02%1,01845.98%00.00%
1968 59421.66%97235.44%1,17742.91%
1972 1,96376.47%60423.53%00.00%
1976 83529.04%2,04070.96%00.00%
1980 1,16636.70%1,95161.41%601.89%
1984 1,83057.80%1,33642.20%00.00%
1988 2,11157.74%1,53241.90%130.36%
1992 1,75637.41%2,14945.78%78916.81%
1996 2,30644.81%2,34045.47%5009.72%
2000 3,59657.09%2,61241.47%911.44%
2004 5,18863.91%2,88035.48%500.62%
2008 5,96665.28%3,10233.94%710.78%
2012 6,21567.34%2,92631.70%880.95%
2016 6,54468.68%2,75828.95%2262.37%
2020 8,29169.92%3,44829.08%1181.00%
2024 9,13670.95%3,69628.70%450.35%

See also

Bibliography

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. 1 2 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. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2025.
  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

33°19′N83°22′W / 33.32°N 83.37°W / 33.32; -83.37

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.