Macon County, Georgia

Not to be confused with Macon, Georgia.

Macon County, Georgia
Macon County Courthouse in Oglethorpe, Georgia
Location in the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded	December 14, 1837
Named for	Nathaniel Macon
Seat	Oglethorpe
Largest city	Montezuma
Area
• Total	406 sq mi (1,052 km2)
• Land	401 sq mi (1,039 km2)
• Water	5.4 sq mi (14 km2), 1.3%
Population
• (2010)	14,740
• Density	37/sq mi (14/km²)
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Macon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,740. The county seat is Oglethorpe.

The Macon County Courthouse is located in Oglethorpe, Georgia.

History

Macon County was created in 1837 from parts of Houston ("house-ton") and Marion counties, effective December 14 of that year. The 91st county, it was named for the recently deceased General Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina, who served in the U.S. Congress for 37 years and ran for U.S. vice president. (The city of Macon, Georgia was also named for him, but is the seat of a different county.) The county was later reduced when parts were separated to organize Taylor and Peach counties, in 1852 and 1924, respectively.

The first county seat was not chosen until 1838, when the county's inferior court selected Lanier. The Georgia General Assembly (state legislature) designated it on December 29 of that year and incorporated it as a town.

In the 1850s, the Central of Georgia Railroad was built through Oglethorpe, changing county dynamics. As a result, the Georgia Assembly called for a referendum on moving the Macon County seat to Oglethorpe in February of both 1854 and 1856. Little is known about the first vote, but the second vote resulted in approval for a change to the county seat, and Oglethorpe was designated the following year in 1857.

During the American Civil War, 13,000 Union soldiers who were prisoners of war died at the Confederate camp in Andersonville, Georgia from starvation and disease. In the late period of the war, Georgia also had difficulty supplying its own troops and people with food. Throughout the Civil War, more men on both sides died of disease than of being wounded. Commandants of the camp were prosecuted after the war for poor treatment of prisoners. The Andersonville National Cemetery, established for the many Union dead, is at the southwestern tip of the county.

The county has an active Mennonite community within the county. The area code for Macon County is currently 478.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 406 square miles (1,050 km²), of which 401 square miles (1,040 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) (1.3%) is water.

Most of the southern half of Macon County, from west of Ideal to State Route 49 north of Montezuma, then running north along State Route 49 to Marshallville, and then running southeast in the direction of Unadilla, is located in the Middle Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The northern and northwestern portion of the county, from north of Marshallville heading west, is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. The northeastern corner of Macon County, east of Marshallville, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.

Major highways

• State Route 26
• State Route 49
• State Route 90
• State Route 127
• State Route 128
• State Route 128 Bypass
• State Route 224
• State Route 240
• State Route 329

Adjacent counties

• Peach County (northeast)
• Houston County (east)
• Dooly County (southeast)
• Sumter County (south)
• Schley County (southwest)
• Taylor County (northwest)

National protected area

• Andersonville National Historic Site (part)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1840	5,045		—
1850	7,052		39.8%
1860	8,449		19.8%
1870	11,458		35.6%
1880	11,675		1.9%
1890	13,183		12.9%
1900	14,093		6.9%
1910	15,016		6.5%
1920	17,667		17.7%
1930	16,643		−5.8%
1940	15,947		−4.2%
1950	14,213		−10.9%
1960	13,170		−7.3%
1970	12,933		−1.8%
1980	14,003		8.3%
1990	13,114		−6.3%
2000	14,074		7.3%
2010	14,740		4.7%
Est. 2014	13,792		−6.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,074 people, 4,834 households, and 3,485 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile (13/km²). There were 5,495 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.48% Black or African American, 37.37% White or Caucasian, 0.22% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.52% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,834 households out of which 34.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.70% were married couples living together, 24.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.60% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,224, and the median income for a family was $29,402. Males had a median income of $26,922 versus $18,611 for females. The per capita income for the county was $11,820. About 22.10% of families and 25.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.00% of those under age 18 and 22.60% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,740 people, 4,999 households, and 3,363 families residing in the county. The population density was 36.8 inhabitants per square mile (14.2/km²). There were 6,136 housing units at an average density of 15.3 per square mile (5.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 60.6% black or African American, 35.1% white, 1.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.6% of the population. In terms of ancestry, and 7.1% were American.

Of the 4,999 households, 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 24.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.7% were non-families, and 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age was 38.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,950 and the median income for a family was $37,218. Males had a median income of $27,274 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,902. About 24.1% of families and 33.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.8% of those under age 18 and 27.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Main article: Oglethorpe, Georgia § Education

Communities

• Ideal
• Marshallville
• Montezuma
• Oglethorpe

In popular culture

Macon County has been an important setting for season 4 of AMC's hit TV show, The Walking Dead.
Macon County was a shooting place for the 2013 movie, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The Mountain Goats reference Macon County in their song, "Going to Georgia".

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Macon County, Georgia

External links

• Macon County government