Georgia

Native American History of Twiggs County, Georgia

Twiggs County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA.) It is named after General John Twiggs (1781 -1820) – a leader of the Georgia Militia during the American Revolution. Its county seat is Jeffersonville. Twiggs is bordered on the northeast side by Wilkinson County and the northwest by Bibb and Jones Counties. Laurens County forms its southeastern boundary. Bleckley County forms its southern boundary, while Houston County forms its southwestern boundary. One of the larger Native American town sites in Georgia is located in Twiggs County. Labeled today by archaeologists as … Read more

Native American History of Polk County, Georgia

Polk County is located in northwest Georgia. It was named after James K. Polk, 11th president of the United States. The county seat is Cedartown. Polk County is bounded on the north by Floyd County, GA and on the northeast by Bartow County, GA. On the south it adjoins Haralson County, GA. On the west, it is bordered by Cherokee County, Alabama and on the southwest by Cleburne County, Alabama. Geology and hydrology Most of Polk County is located in the Ridge and Valley geological region, which is characterized by multiple strata of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks deposited when eastern North … Read more

Native American History of Pickens County, Georgia

Pickens County located in northern Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its county seat is Jasper. It is named after Colonel Andrew Pickens, who commanded Patriot units in one of the last battles of the Revolutionary War, which was fought in Pickens county. Pickens County is bordered on the north by Gilmer County and the east by Dawson County. Gordon County adjoins Pickens on its western side. Cherokee County forms its southern boundary. Bartow County forms a relatively short section of Pickens’ southwest boundary. Geology and hydrology Pickens County contains sections of the Blue … Read more

Native American History of Paulding County, Georgia

Paulding County is located in west central Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) It was named after Revolutionary militiaman John Paulding (1758-1818) who led a party of three young farmers in the capture of Major John Andre. Andre was carrying secret papers to traitor, Gen. Benedict Arnold. Paulding refused a bribe from Andre and turned him into George Washington’s headquarters; thus saving Fortress West Point. The county seat of Paulding County is Dallas. Paulding County is bounded on the north by Bartow County. On the east, it adjoins Cobb County. On the southeast it … Read more

Native American History of Newton County, Georgia

Newton County located in northern Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its name honors Sgt. John Newton, a hero of the American Revolution. The county seat is Covington. Newton County is bordered on the north by Walton County. Morgan County adjoins it on the east while Jasper County adjoins it on the Southeast. Butts County is located to the south. Henry County forms the southwestern border, while Rockdale County forms the northwest border. Geology and hydrology Newton County was located in the Piedmont geological region, which is characterized by underlying rock strata of igneous … Read more

Native American History of Muscogee County, Georgia

Muscogee County is located in west central Georgia and is part of the Columbus, GA Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named after the Muscogee branch of the Creek Indians. Muscogee-speaking towns took a leading role in the formation of the People of One Fire or Creek Confederacy during the late 1600s and early 1700s. However, the word “Muscogee” did not appear on British and American maps until the late 1700s. Muscogee is the English version of the Native American word Mvskoke (Ma(hs-ko–ke-) which means Medicinal Herb People in the Creek language. Several references state that the word is of … Read more

Native American History of Monroe County, Georgia

Monroe County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA.) It is named after President James Monroe of Virginia (April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831.) Its county seat is Forsyth. Monroe County for several years became tourist destination after the popular movie, “Fried Green Tomatoes,” was filmed at the village of Juliette in 1991. Monroe County is bounded on the north by Butts County and the northeast by Jasper County. Jones County is located to the east, while Bibb County forms its southeastern boundary. Crawford County forms a section of its … Read more

Native American History of Milton County, Georgia

Milton County was located in northern Georgia. As part now of Fulton County, all of old Milton County is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its county seat was Alpharetta prior to the annexation of Milton and Campbell Counties by Fulton County in 1932. In 1932 Milton County (on the north) and Campbell County (on the south,) merged with Fulton County. Cobb County ceded the City of Roswell and a section of land along Wileo Creek to Fulton, in order to make the original section of Milton contiguous with Milton. The Native American histories of Campbell, Fulton … Read more

Native American History of Laurens County, Georgia

Laurens County is in one of several regions of Georgia that contained advanced indigenous cultures that have received only cursory attention from the archaeology profession.  Future discoveries along the Lower Oconee River may radically change the understanding of the Southeast’s Pre-European history. Although this large county is composed of lands ceded by the Muskogee-Creek Confederacy to the United States in the late 1700s and early 1800s, true Muskogee-Creeks probably did not enter the region until the mid-to-late 18th century.  Even then, occupation was shared with other ethnic groups, who became political allies of the Muskogees in order to survive multiple … Read more

Native American History of Pulaski County, Georgia

Pulaski County is located in south-central Georgia. It is named after General Kazimierz Pulaski (1745 – 1780) – a lawyer and Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. Its county seat is Hawkinsville. Kazimierz Pulaski is considered one of the great heroes of the American Revolution. He was first an officer in a failed attempt to liberate Poland from Russia. He briefly fought on behalf of Turkey in the Russo-Turkish War. In 1777 he sailed to North America and joined the Continental Army. Soon thereafter he saved the life of General George Washington. With the blessings of Benjamin Franklin, the … Read more

Native American History of Barrow County, Georgia

Barrow County located in northern Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) The county seat is Winder. The county is named after David Crenshaw Barrow Jr. (1852 –1929.) Barrow served as the chancellor of the University of Georgia in nearby Athens from 1906 until 1925. Barrow County is bordered on the north by Hall County. On the east is bordered by both Clarke and Jackson Counties. On the south it is bordered by Walton County and southeast by Oconee County. Gwinnett County forms its western boundary. The Oconee Rivers defines the boundary between Barrow and … Read more

Native American History of Lumpkin County, Georgia

Lumpkin County located in northern Georgia. It is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its county seat is Dahlonega. It is named after Wilson Lumpkin, a U.S. Congressman and governor of Georgia in the early 1800s. He was state Indian commissioner when the Creeks ceded tracts of land that eventually became much of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area and Cherokees ceded a tract of land that included the future territory of Lumpkin County. The original name of Atlanta was Marthasville, taken from the first name of Wilson Lumpkin’s daughter. Lumpkin County is best known for its historic association … Read more

Native American History of Jones County, Georgia

Jones County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA.) It is named after U. S. Rep. James Jones of Georgia (c. 1769-1801.) Its county seat is Gray. Congressman Jones was born in Maryland, but moved to Georgia with his uncle. He was a member of the Georgia General Assembly from 1796 to1798. In 1798 he was elected as a Federalist to the Sixth U. S. Congress. He served from March 4, 1799 to January 11, 1801. He died in office on January 11, 1801, in Washington, D.C and is buried in … Read more

Native American History of Jasper County, Georgia

Jasper County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) It is named after Sergeant William Jasper, a German-American hero of the American Revolution, who was killed in action during the siege of Savannah in 1779. Its county seat is Monticello. Johann Wilhelm Gasper (1750-1779) arrived in Philadelphia in 1767. There a British official changed his name to William Jasper. After working as an indentured servant for a few years, he moved to South Carolina. He joined the South Carolina militia in order to earn enough money to bring his Pennsylvania girlfriend … Read more

Native American History of Houston County, Georgia

Houston County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Macon, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA.) It is named after American Revolutionary leader, John Houstoun (1744 –1796). The spelling of the county’s name was changed to its current form after his death. However, it is pronounced House-ton, not like the Texas city of the same name. Its county seat is Perry. John Houstoun was born in St. George’s parish near present-day Waynesboro. His father was a baronet (minor nobility) from Scotland and a successful planter. Houstoun was appointed to the Governor’s Council by Royal Governor James Wright, but … Read more

Native American History of Henry County, Georgia

Henry County is located in central Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) It is named after Patrick Henry (1736–1799) – ardent patriot and twice governor of Virginia. Its county seat is McDonough. Henry is bounded on the north by Rockdale and DeKalb Counties. On the east Newton County forms its boundary. Clayton County forms its western boundary. Newton County forms its eastern boundary. Butts County is located to the southeast of Henry, while Spalding County is located to the southwest. Geology and hydrology Henry County is drained by tributaries of the Ocmulgee River. Most … Read more

Native American History of Haralson County, Georgia

Haralson County is located in west central Georgia and is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) It was named after Hugh Anderson Haralson, who was a planter, lawyer and United States Congressman from Lagrange, Georgia. The county seat is Buchanan. Haralson County is bounded on the north by Polk County, GA and on the northeast by Paulding County, GA. On the south it adjoins Carroll County, GA. On the west, it is bordered by Cleburne County, Alabama. Geology and hydrology Haralson County is located in the Piedmont geological region, which is characterized by underlying rock strata of … Read more

Native American History of Hall County, Georgia

Hall County located in northern Georgia. It is part of the Gainesville, GA Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its county seat is Gainesville. It is named after Lyman Hall, one of Georgia’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence. Gainesville was known as the Poultry Capital of the World in the 1950s through the1970s. It was here in the 1930s that Jesse Jewell pioneered the modern vertically integrated poultry industry, making chicken an inexpensive meat, affordable to most families. Until that time, chicken was a food item often reserved for Sunday dinner. In the late 1950s the Jesse Jewell Company … Read more

Native American History of Habersham County, Georgia

Habersham County is located in the northeastern tip of Georgia. The Blue Ridge Mountain Range runs along its northwestern corner. The Chattahoochee River flows through the length of the county. All the famous poem by Sydney Lanier, “The Song of the Chattahoochee” opens with the phrase, “Out of the hills of Habersham, down through the valleys of Hall,” the river actually begins at Unicoi Gap, just north of Helen, GA in White County. Habersham also contains much of Tallulah Gorge, a 1000+ feet deep canyon formed in the Brevard Fault by the Tallulah River. Although most popular literature describes the … Read more

Native American History of Fulton County, Georgia

Fulton County located in northern Georgia. Most references state that Fulton County was named for Robert Fulton, the investor of the steam boat. However, recent research by historians have led them to conclude that it was actually named after Hamilton Fulton, a British-born civil engineer, who practiced his profession in Milledgeville (then the Georgia state capital) between 1825 and 1828. All of Fulton County is part of the Atlanta Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA.) Its county seat is Atlanta. In 1932 Milton County (on the north) and Campbell County (on the south,) merged with Fulton County. Cobb County ceded the … Read more