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Georgia Counties

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Georgia Counties

Georgia is divided into 159 counties. Under the Georgia Constitution, Counties are granted home rule to deal with issues that are local in nature. Four consolidated city-Counties — Athens (Clarke County), Augusta (Richmond County), Columbus (Muscogee County), and Cusseta (Chattahoochee County) — exist.

Georgia has the second-highest number of Counties of any state in the United States, behind Texas (254). A few Georgia Counties have changed names over time. Jasper County was originally known as Randolph County. Later, the current Randolph County came into being. Webster County was once known as Kinchafoonee County, and Bartow County was formerly known as Cass County.

Stephens County, Georgia

Stephens County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Toccoa
Year Organized: 1905
Square Miles: 179

Court House:

P.O. Box 386
County Courthouse
Toccoa, GA 30577-1406

Etymology - Origin of County Name

The county is named for Alexander Stephens, who served as vice-president of the Confederacy (despite his having opposed secession) and governor of Georgia.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Stephens County was created in 1905 from parts of Franklin and Habersham counties. The county is named for Alexander Stephens, who served as vice-president of the Confederacy (despite his having opposed secession) and governor of Georgia.

The county's first inhabitants were an Indian tribe known as the "Mound Builders." The tribe thrived in Toccoa, at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Mound Builders were followed by the Cherokee tribe who, legend says, named the area "Toccoah," meaning "beautiful" in their language.

The City of Toccoa originated in 1874, and can be traced back to the development of a coaling station for the Atlanta to Charlotte Railroad after the Civil War.

Points of Interest

Stephens County is characterized by its bucolic setting and spectacular natural wonders. Located on the campus of the college named for them, Toccoa Falls, which plunge 186 feet, are 19 feet higher than Niagara Falls. The Chattahoochee National Forest, Blue Ridge Parkway, Tugaloo State Park, Lake Hartwell and Yonah Lake beckon to outdoor sports enthusiasts.

Notable Citizens

Toccoa was home to Paul Anderson, the Guinness Book of World Recods' "Strongest Man ". Anderson was the 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist in super heavy weight and weightlifting.

Higher Education

Toccoa Falls College and North Georgia Technical College

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Oconee County, S.C.
Southeast: Franklin County
Southwest: Banks County
Northwest: Habersham County

Cities and Towns:

- Avalon	town	Incorporated Area
- Martin	town	Incorporated Area
- Toccoa (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Chamber of Commerce http://www.toccoagachamber.com/

Additional County Info http://www.georgiaplanning.com/CountyPortal/countyportal.asp?FIPS=13257

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."