Carroll County, Georgia

Carroll County is a American county located in the State of Georgia, just east of the boundary with Alabama. As of the census of 2000, its population was about 87,250. The Census Estimate of 2007 gave an estimated population of about 112,000.^[1] Its county seat is the town of Carrollton.^[2]

Carroll County is included in the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the census of the year 2000, this county has a total area of 503.83 square miles (1,304.9 km²), of which 498.93 square miles (1,292.2 km²) (or 99.03%) is land and 4.89 square miles (12.7 km²) (or 0.97%) is water.^[3]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Carroll County is one of the (relatively) few counties in the United States to border as many as eight counties

• Paulding County, Georgia – north
• Douglas County, Georgia – east
• Fulton County, Georgia – east
• Coweta County, Georgia – southeast
• Heard County, Georgia – south
• Randolph County, Alabama – southwest
• Cleburne County, Alabama – west
• Haralson County, Georgia – northwest

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 87,268 people, 31,568 households, and 23,013 families residing in the county. The population density was 175 people per square mile (68/km²). There were 34,067 housing units at an average density of 68 per square mile (26/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.52% White, 16.32% Black Race (United States Census), 0.27% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 2.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latinoof any race.

There were 31,568 households out of which 35.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.10% were non-families. 21.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county the population was spread out with 25.90% under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 10.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,799, and the median income for a family was $44,642. Males had a median income of $33,102 versus $22,538 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,656. About 10.00% of families and 13.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 16.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

History

The land of Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, and Carroll Counties was ceded by the Creek people in the Treaty of Indian Springs (1825). This land was the last remaining portion of the Creeks' territory in Georgia, and it was ceded by William McIntosh, the chief of the Lower Creeks or the "White Sticks". This cession resulted in his murder at McIntosh Reserve near the present Whitesburg by fellow Creeks from northern Alabama called the "Red Sticks" or Upper Creeks.

The boundaries of Carroll County were created by the Georgia General Assembly on June 9, but the county were not named until December 14, 1826. Carroll County was named for Charles Carroll of Baltimore, Maryland, at that time the last surviving signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, when the county was created in 1826. Carrollton, the county seat, was named similarly.

This county originally extended from the Chattahoochee River to the Alabama state line on the east and and on the west, with its northern boundary just north of present day Interstate 20 with the Cherokee Nation. This land was carved up over time to become Carroll, Douglas, Heard Counties, and parts of Haralson and Troup Counties. The portion that became Douglas County was once Campbell County which no longer exists (divided between Douglas County and Fulton County.

Because of its small population of slaves, this county was known as the Free State of Carroll during the 1850s.

Even before the cession of the territory by the Cherokees, some white settlers lived in the northern part of the county in the area of Villa Rica.

For a time Carroll County was the home of Horace King (architect). King helped build Moore's Bridge over the Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg. Moores Bridge was burned by Union Soldiers during the Civil War.

During the War between the States, the county provided the Bowdon Volunteers and the Carroll Boys, which were a part of Cobb's Legion.

In Feb. 2008 several tornadoes hit Carroll County destroying several homes and damaging many more. Then on May 11, 2008(Mother's Day) some of the same areas were hit by more tornadoes.The Mother's Day tornadoes destroyed and damaged many homes and businesses.

On Sept. 21 2009 portions of Carroll County were flooded after eight days of heavy rainfall, resulting in multiple fatalities. The flooding initially closed more than 60 highways and roads, and it destroyed a number of bridges. Early estimates of the damage totaled to 22.0 million dollars.

Cities and towns

• Bowdon
• Bremen
• Carrollton
• Mount Zion
• Roopville
• Temple
• Villa Rica
• Whitesburg

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, Georgia
• Official Carroll County web site

References