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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.

Upson County, Georgia

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

County Seat: Thomaston
Year Organized: 1824
Square Miles: 326

Court House:

P.O. Box 889
County Courthouse
Thomaston, GA 30286-0012

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Georgia's 59th county was named for Stephen Upson, a well-known lawyer and legislator of the time.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Upson County was created from parts of Pike and Crawford counties in 1824. Georgia's 59th county was named for Stephen Upson, a well-known lawyer and legislator of the time.

Until losing its charter in 1995 due to its inactive status, The Rock was the county's third municipality. The Rock is located on a rock, hence the name. It is said that the mail used to be deposited in a secret hole in the rock, and that stage drivers were told to "take the mail to the rock."

Thomaston was named for General Jett Thomas, the leader of the state militia in 1812 and the builder of the state capitol in Milledgeville.

Points of Interest

Upson County is home to the Thundering Springs, which once made a sounds like rolling thunder. The sound ceased after vandals threw rocks into it. The spring, located 20 miles from Thomaston, was once a boiling column of water and sand, but is now only 12 inches in diameter and merely warm. No bottom to the spring has ever been found.

Some other tourist attractions include Auchumpkee Covered Bridge and the Pettigrew-White-Stamps House. The Auchumpkee Covered Bridge was originally built in 1892 and was destroyed by the floods of 1994. The bridge was later rebuilt by Arnold Graton and Son Bridge builders.

"Fairy Stone," a world famous good luck charm, can be found near Thomaston. This is actually the mineral Staurolite which is made of two individual crystals that intersect and form geometric angles.

The Sprewell Bluff State Park, located in Upson County, is an 1,500 acre facility featuring hiking trails, picnic areas, and river access for canoers and kayakers. Other facilities geared toward outdoor activities include the Thunder Scout Reservation and the Gerald I. Lawhorn Canoe Base and Training Center.

Higher Education

Flint River Technical College

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Lamar County; Monroe County
Southeast: Crawford County
South: Taylor County
Southwest: Talbot County
Northwest: Meriwether County; Pike County

Cities and Towns:

- Thomaston (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Yatesville	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Chamber of Commerce

Additional County Info http://www.georgiaplanning.com/CountyPortal/countyportal.asp?FIPS=13293

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."