Sumter County, Georgia

Sumter County
County
Sumter County Courthouse in Americus
Seal Logo
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°02′N84°12′W / 32.04°N 84.2°W / 32.04; -84.2
Country	United States
State	Georgia
Founded	December 26, 1831;193 years ago (1831)
Named for	Thomas Sumter
Seat	Americus
Largest city	Americus
Area
• Total	493 sq mi (1,280 km2)
• Land	483 sq mi (1,250 km2)
• Water	10 sq mi (30 km2)  2.0%
Population  (2020)
• Total	29,616
• Density	61/sq mi (24/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	sumtercountyga.us

Sumter County is a county located in the west-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, its population was 29,616. ^[1] The county seat is Americus. ^[2] The county was created on December 26, 1831.

Sumter County is part of the Americus micropolitan statistical area.

History

Foundation and antebellum years

Sumter County was established by an act of the state legislature on December 26, 1831, four years after the Creek Indians were forced from the region when the state acquired the territory from them in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. Sumter, the state's 80th county, was created after population increases by a division of Lee County, now situated to its south. The county was named for former General and United States Senator Thomas Sumter (1734–1832) of South Carolina. ^[3] When the county was organized, Sumter was 97 years old and the last surviving general of the American Revolution (1775–1783).

Shortly thereafter, a committee chose a central site for the county seat, and laid out what became the town of Americus. Many of the county's earliest white residents acquired their land through an 1827 state land lottery. Like many other white settlers, they quickly developed their property for cotton cultivation. Since the invention of the cotton gin at the end of the 18th century, short-staple cotton was the crop of choice throughout the Black Belt of the South.

The rich, black soil, combined with ready market access via the Flint River (bordering the county on the east) or the Chattahoochee River (farther west), put Sumter among the state's most prosperous Black Belt counties by the 1840s and 1850s. Cotton agriculture was economically dependent on enslaved African Americans. By the 1850 census, the demographic makeup of the county had become 6,469 whites, 3,835 enslaved African Americans, and 18 free people of color. By the 1860 census, the county had 4,536 whites, 4,890 enslaved African Americans and two free people of color.

Civil War years

During the American Civil War (1861–65), the small village named Andersonville, 9 mi (14 km) north of Americus on the county's northern edge, was selected by Confederate authorities as the site for a prisoner-of-war camp. The Andersonville prison was built in neighboring Macon County, and became the largest such prison in the South. During the camp's 14 months of operations, some 45,000 Union prisoners suffered some of the worst conditions and highest casualties of any of the camps. Today, the Andersonville National Historic Site serves as a memorial to all American prisoners of war throughout the nation's history. The 495-acre (2.00 km²) park lies in both Macon and Sumter Counties and consists of the historic prison site and the National Cemetery, which originally was reserved for the Union dead.

Into modernity

Other areas of the county have attracted national attention in the 20th century for very different reasons. In 1942, two Baptist ministers chose a farm in the western part of the county as the location for a Christian commune named Koinonia, where Black and White workers lived and worked together for nearly 50 years, generating some hostility among local residents during its early years.

Sumter County counts a U.S. president among its native sons. Jimmy Carter was born and raised on a peanut farm in Plains, a small community on the county's western edge. His election to the presidency in 1976 brought the small town considerable attention from journalists and tourists, which it continues to receive as the former president and much of his and his late wife's family, still make Plains their home. Carter's birthplace and childhood home has been designated a National Historic Site, and is open for tours.

The headquarters of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate homelessness, is located in Americus, the home of its founder, Millard Fuller. In addition to Habitat's socially impactful activities, Koinonia Partners publishes a bimonthly newsletter for the Prison and Jail Project promoting prisoner reform and education. Americus is also home to two colleges. Georgia Southwestern State University, a public four-year institution established in 1906, is part of the University System of Georgia. South Georgia Technical College, which stands near Souther Field, was a training base for American and British aviators during World War I (1917–18). Charles Lindbergh learned to fly here and assembled a military surplus "Jenny" aircraft with the help of mechanics at Souther Field. Downtown Americus boasts two prominent examples of historic restoration: the Windsor Hotel, built in 1892, and the Rylander Theatre, which originally opened in 1921.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 493 sq mi (1,280 km²), of which 483 sq mi (1,250 km²) are land and 10 sq mi (26 km²) (2.0%) are covered by water. ^[4]

Muckalee Creek flows through Sumter County, which also contains Lake Blackshear and Kinchafoonee Creek.

The western two-thirds of Sumter County, from northeast of Americus to southwest of Leslie, is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee subbasin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The eastern third of the county is located in the Middle Flint River subbasin of the same ACF River Basin. ^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Route 19
• U.S. Route 280
• State Route 3
• State Route 27
• State Route 30
• State Route 45
• State Route 49
• State Route 118
• State Route 153
• State Route 195
• State Route 228
• State Route 271
• State Route 308
• State Route 377

Adjacent counties

• Macon County (northeast)
• Dooly County (east)
• Crisp County (southeast)
• Lee County (south)
• Terrell County (southwest)
• Webster County (west)
• Marion County (northwest)
• Schley County (north)

National protected areas

• Andersonville National Historic Site (part)
• Jimmy Carter National Historic Site

Communities

Cities

• Americus (county seat)
• Andersonville
• De Soto
• Leslie
• Plains

Unincorporated community

• Cobb

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	5,759		—
1850	10,322		79.2%
1860	9,428		−8.7%
1870	16,559		75.6%
1880	18,239		10.1%
1890	22,107		21.2%
1900	26,212		18.6%
1910	29,092		11.0%
1920	29,640		1.9%
1930	26,800		−9.6%
1940	24,502		−8.6%
1950	24,208		−1.2%
1960	24,652		1.8%
1970	26,931		9.2%
1980	29,360		9.0%
1990	30,228		3.0%
2000	33,200		9.8%
2010	32,819		−1.1%
2020	29,616		−9.8%
2023 (est.)	28,890	[6]	−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1880 [8] 1890-1910 [9] 1920-1930 [10] 1930-1940 [11] 1940-1950 [12] 1960-1980 [13] 1980-2000 [14] 2010 [15] 2020 [16]

Sumter 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 [17]	Pop 2010 [15]	Pop 2020 [16]	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	15,672	13,413	11,528	47.20%	40.87%	38.92%
Black or African American alone (NH)	16,196	16,894	15,051	48.78%	51.48%	50.82%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	73	95	40	0.22%	0.29%	0.14%
Asian alone (NH)	193	418	503	0.58%	1.27%	1.70%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	6	9	4	0.02%	0.03%	0.01%
Other race alone (NH)	10	12	55	0.03%	0.04%	0.19%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	159	261	665	0.48%	0.80%	2.25%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	891	1,717	1,770	2.68%	5.23%	5.98%
Total	33,200	32,819	29,616	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 29,616 people, 11,510 households, and 7,256 families residing in the county.

Economy

Sumter remains largely a rural county. According to USDA/Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service 2001 figures, cotton remains its major crop, with up to 35,000 acres (140 km²) under cultivation, followed by wheat, peanuts, and corn, which when combined, roughly equal the county's acreage in cotton.

Its major employers include Cooper Lighting, Georgia Southwestern State University, Magnolia Manor, Phoebe Sumter Medical Center, and Walmart. ^[18]

Politics

Sumter County is a swing county in presidential elections. Since 1960, it has voted Democratic eight times, including in 1976, when Sumter County native Jimmy Carter was elected, Republican six times, and for a third-party candidate (George Wallace) once. The last candidate to carry the county by more than 10 points was Bill Clinton in 1996.

The county voted for the winner of the presidential election each year from 1984 to 2012, sticking with the Democrats (Carter's party) in 2016 when Hillary Clinton won a plurality of the vote.

United States presidential election results for Sumter County, Georgia ^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	5,869	48.71%	6,136	50.93%	44	0.37%
2020	5,733	47.19%	6,314	51.97%	103	0.85%
2016	5,276	47.76%	5,520	49.97%	251	2.27%
2012	5,378	45.36%	6,375	53.77%	103	0.87%
2008	5,717	46.65%	6,454	52.66%	84	0.69%
2004	5,688	50.35%	5,562	49.23%	48	0.42%
2000	4,847	49.98%	4,748	48.96%	102	1.05%
1996	3,358	41.64%	4,239	52.57%	467	5.79%
1992	3,616	39.44%	4,489	48.96%	1,063	11.59%
1988	4,289	55.93%	3,332	43.45%	47	0.61%
1984	4,607	55.29%	3,725	44.71%	0	0.00%
1980	2,957	36.69%	4,956	61.49%	147	1.82%
1976	2,053	27.81%	5,328	72.19%	0	0.00%
1972	4,533	78.14%	1,268	21.86%	0	0.00%
1968	1,383	21.04%	1,701	25.88%	3,489	53.08%
1964	3,774	68.61%	1,727	31.39%	0	0.00%
1960	962	29.73%	2,274	70.27%	0	0.00%
1956	730	25.36%	2,149	74.64%	0	0.00%
1952	1,068	30.32%	2,455	69.68%	0	0.00%
1948	256	11.94%	1,018	47.48%	870	40.58%
1944	194	11.12%	1,550	88.88%	0	0.00%
1940	118	6.97%	1,561	92.26%	13	0.77%
1936	58	3.00%	1,870	96.69%	6	0.31%
1932	57	3.37%	1,619	95.69%	16	0.95%
1928	294	19.20%	1,237	80.80%	0	0.00%
1924	124	8.48%	1,225	83.79%	113	7.73%
1920	296	21.57%	1,076	78.43%	0	0.00%
1916	40	3.50%	1,065	93.18%	38	3.32%
1912	19	1.81%	1,004	95.89%	24	2.29%

Education

Sumter County School District operates public schools. ^[20]

Southland Academy is a private school in Americus.

See also

• State of Georgia portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Sumter County, Georgia
• List of counties in Georgia

References

This article incorporates material written by John C. Inscoe of the University of Georgia for the New Georgia Encyclopedia ("NGE"), posted or last updated January 2, 2008. All derived works must credit the NGE and the original author.

1. "Census - Geography Profile: Sumter County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved December 28, 2022.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 216. ISBN   978-1135948597 . Retrieved November 30, 2013.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
7. "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". United States Census Bureau.
8. "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
9. "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
10. "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
11. "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
12. "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
13. "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
14. "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
15. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Sumter County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
16. "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Sumter County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
17. "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Jefferson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
18. Sumter County at a Glance, The New Georgia Encyclopedia (citing the Georgia Department of Labor (2008)).
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
20. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sumter County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved October 1, 2024. - Text list

Further reading

• Jimmy Carter, An Hour Before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood (New York: Simon and Schuster, 2001).
• Jack F. Cox, History of Sumter County, Georgia (Roswell, Ga.: W. H. Wolfe, 1983).
• Freedomways: A Newsletter of the Prison and Jail Project (Americus, Ga.: Koinonia Partners, 1995– ).
• William Marvel, Andersonville: The Last Depot (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1994).

32°02′N84°12′W / 32.04°N 84.20°W / 32.04; -84.20