Gordon County, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gordon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 44,104. The 2005 Census Estimate shows a population of 50,279. The county seat is Calhoun, Georgia6.
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[edit] History
Gordon County was created on February 13, 1850 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1849-50, p. 124). The new county was formed from portions of Cass (later renamed Bartow) and Floyd counties. All lands that would become Gordon County were originally occupied by the Cherokee Indians -- and, in fact, the area was home of New Echota, capital of the Cherokee Nation. Even while Cherokees remained on their homeland, the General Assembly enacted legislation in December 1830 that provided for surveying the Cherokee Nation in Georgia and dividing it into sections, districts, and land lots. Subsequently, the legislature identified this entire area as "Cherokee County" (even though it never functioned as a county). An act of December 3, 1832 divided the Cherokee lands into ten new counties -- Cass (later renamed Bartow), Cherokee, Cobb, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, and Union. Cherokee lands were distributed to whites in a land lottery, but the legislature temporarily prohibited whites from taking possession of lots on which Cherokees still lived.
It was not until December 29, 1835 that Georgia had an official basis for claiming the unceded Cherokee lands that included the future location of Gordon County. In the Treaty of New Echota, a faction of the Cherokees agreed to give up all Cherokee claims to land in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina and move west in return for $5 million. Though a majority of Cherokees opposed the treaty and refused to leave, the U.S. and Georgia considered it binding. In 1838, U.S. Army troops rounded up the last of 15,000 Cherokees in Georgia and forced them to march west in what came to be known as the "Trail of Tears."
Gordon County's original 1850 boundaries were changed numerous times between 1852 to 1877, during which time the legislature transferred portions of Cass (Bartow), Floyd, Murray, Pickens, and Walker counties to Gordon County, while transferring land from Gordon to Floyd and Murray counties.
Georgia's 94th county was named for William Washington Gordon (1796-1842), the first Georgian to graduate from West Point and first president of the Central of Georgia Railroad(See a monument to William Gordon in Savannah, Georgia).
[edit] Politics
In recent years, the Republicans have had a strong base in Gordon County.
2004 President Bush (R): 11671 (73.98%) Kerry (D): 4028 (25.53%) Badnarik (L): 76 (0.48%)
2004 US Senate Isakson (R): 11051 (72.18%) Majette (D): 3930 (25.67%) Buckley (L): 330 (2.16%)
2002 Governor Perdue (R): 6074 (62%) Barnes (D): 3468 (35.4%) Hayes (L): 254 (2.59%)
In April 2006, the Gordon County Republican Party selected Zach Carrier, a freshman at Calhoun High School, to lead the Gordon County Teenage Republican Party. Since then, the Gordon County Teenage Republicans have played an important role in local politics, currently the largest teenage republican group in the state of Georgia.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 927 km² (358 mi²). 921 km² (356 mi²) of it is land and 6 km² (2 mi²) of it (0.69%) is water.
[edit] Major Highways
Interstate 75
U.S. Route 41
U.S. Route 411
State Route 3
State Route 53
State Route 61
State Route 136
State Route 156
State Route 225
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Murray County, Georgia - north
- Whitfield County, Georgia - north
- Gilmer County, Georgia - northeast
- Pickens County, Georgia - east
- Cherokee County, Georgia - southeast
- Bartow County, Georgia - south
- Floyd County, Georgia - west
- Walker County, Georgia - northwest
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 44,104 people, 16,173 households, and 12,259 families residing in the county. The population density was 48/km² (124/mi²). There were 17,145 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (48/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.69% White, 3.46% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.98% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 7.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 16,173 households out of which 35.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 31.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,831, and the median income for a family was $43,184. Males had a median income of $29,761 versus $22,256 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,586. About 7.50% of families and 9.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.10% of those under age 18 and 14.30% of those age 65 or over.
