Chattooga County, Georgia

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Chattooga County, Georgia
Map
Location in the state of Georgia
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded	1838
Seat	Summerville
Largest city	Summerville
Area - Total - Land - Water	314 sq mi (812 km²) 313 sq mi (812 km²) 1 sq mi (0 km²), 0.07%
Population^Est. - (2006) - Density	26,442 81/sq mi (31/km²)
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4

Chattooga County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 28, 1838. As of 2000, the population was 25,470. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 26,797 [1]. The county seat is Summerville, Georgia^[1].

1 Geography
- 1.1 Major highways
- 1.2 Adjacent counties
2 Demographics
- 2.1 ==History=
3 Chattooga County Notables
4 Cities and towns
5 External links

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 314 square miles (812 km²), of which, 313 square miles (812 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (0 km²) of it (0.07%) is water.

[edit] Major highways

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 25,470 people, 9,577 households, and 6,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 81 people per square mile (31/km²). There were 10,677 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 86.71% White, 11.21% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 2.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,577 households out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.70% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 10.00% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 106.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,664, and the median income for a family was $36,230. Males had a median income of $26,505 versus $21,014 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,508. About 11.30% of families and 14.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.40% of those under age 18 and 14.90% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] ==History=

Chattooga county has a long and interesting history. It was originally settled by 'the mound-builders' culture. A few small mounds can be found throughout the Alpine and Menlo areas. Sometime in the pre-European settlement era, the county was settled by at first the Creek Indians and later the Cherokee Indians. The principle Cherokee towns in Chattooga were River town (Trion) and Broomtown in Shinbone valley.

After gold was discovered in North Georgia,

the Federal government forcibly removed the Cherokees to Oklahoma from Chattooga county in the early 1830s in what has become known as "The Trail Of Tears". In this removal, thousands of Indians died from sickness, hunger and abuse. This of course freed the land for the Cherokee Land Lottery of 1832. Chattooga became a thriving agricultural area in the antebellum South. It was a rich fertile valley with many small farms (and a few larger ones, too).

1861-1865-----------------

The coming of the American Civil War saw Chattoogans polarizing into pro and anti-union camps. Confederate armies received five regiments from Chattooga. These men left their homes and families to defend against an invader bent on forcing them to return to a union they didn't want. Many gave their lives on fields far away from home to preserve the principles handed down to them by their revolutionary grandfathers. Several engagements were fought in the county prior to the battle of Chickamauga. General Nathan Bedford Forrest fought an engagement near Alpine with Federal cavalry resulting in the Federals being thrown back to the Chattanooga area. The largest single engagement in Chattooga was the "Battle of Trion Factory" fought on present day First Street near the site of the East Trion Church of God. Confederate forces under the command of General Benjamin Hardin Helm (the brother-in-law of U.S. president Abraham Lincolns wife, Mary Todd) defeated Federal forces in a running battle that started somewhere near Summerville and ended in Trion. The front section of the old Trion cemetery on First street contains the remains of several Federal soldiers killed in this action. No markers decorate their resting place.

The Coming of Sherman--------

In 1864 and after the fall of Atlanta, Confederate General John Bell Hood led his Army of Tennessee from the Atlanta battlegrounds to the north and west in an attempt to lead General William Tecumseh Shermans Army of the Cumberland away from Atlanta and out of Georgia. Sherman left a detachment in Atlanta to complete their 'work' while he took the remainder of his army in pursuit of Hood and his Confederates. General Hoods army passed through Chattooga County in September of 1864 enroute to Gaylesville, Alabama and an appointment with destiny in Tennessee. General Sherman reportedly stated upon first seeing the Chattooga valley from atop Taylors Ridge that it "...is a good fertile valley suitable for agriculture". Upon reaching Summerville, Sherman was informed of a Confederate training camp some 2 or 3 miles up the river from town. General Sherman proceeded north about two miles and "fired a few shots at the retreating rear guard" of the Confederates. Reportedly, every road leading out of Chattooga to the west was jammed with retreating Confederates. General Sherman telegraphed General Henry Halleck and president Abraham Lincoln from Summerville to outline his plan for the "March to the Sea", making Chattooga County where the march originated.