Bartow County, Georgia

Not to be confused with Bartow, Georgia.
Bartow County, Georgia
The Bartow County Courthouse built in 1902
Map of Georgia highlighting Bartow County
Location in the state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded December 3, 1832
Named for Francis S. Bartow
Seat Cartersville
Largest city Cartersville
Area
  Total 470 sq mi (1,217 km2)
  Land 460 sq mi (1,191 km2)
  Water 11 sq mi (28 km2), 2.2%
Population
  (2010) 100,157
  Density 218/sq mi (84/km²)
Congressional district 11th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.bartowga.org

Bartow County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 100,157.[1] The county seat is Cartersville.[2]

Bartow County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. It has a sole commissioner government, and is the largest county with a sole commissioner.

History

Bartow County was created from the Cherokee lands of the Cherokee County territory on December 3, 1832, and named Cass County, after General Lewis Cass (1782–1866) Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson, Minister to France and Secretary of State under President James Buchanan,[3] until renamed on December 6, 1861 in honor of Francis S. Bartow, due to the former's opposition to slavery.[4] The first county seat was at Cassville, but after the burning of the county courthouse and the Sherman Occupation the seat moved to Cartersville, where it remains.

The county was profoundly affected by the Civil War, setting it back economically for many decades. May 18 and 19, 1864, General George Henry Thomas led the Army of the Cumberland after General William J. Hardee's Corps of the Army of Tennessee, and General James B. McPherson led his Federal Army of the Tennessee flanking Hardee's army to the west. This huge army was disruptive and sought food. Elements were out of control and sacked homes depleting meager supplies.[5]

Property destruction and the deaths of one-third of the county's soldiers during the war caused financial and social calamity for many.

Slaves gained their freedom, and briefly exercised political franchise through the Republican Party. In 1870, about 1 black family in 12 owned real estate. Over a third of the blacks lived in white-headed households, working as domestic servants and laborers. The great majority of freedpeople were day laborers or farm laborers, while a sizable minority occupied skilled positions such as blacksmiths, wheelwrights, and iron workers.[6]

By the late 1870s, hardship was experienced by everyone. Blacks had been relegated to second-class citizenship by Jim Crow laws.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 460 square miles (1,200 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (2.2%) is water.[7]

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
18409,390
185013,30041.6%
186015,72418.2%
187016,5665.4%
188018,69012.8%
189020,61610.3%
190020,8231.0%
191025,38821.9%
192024,527−3.4%
193025,3643.4%
194025,283−0.3%
195027,3708.3%
196028,2673.3%
197032,66315.6%
198040,76024.8%
199055,91137.2%
200076,01936.0%
2010100,15731.8%
Est. 2013101,2731.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]

As of 2000, there are 76,019 people, 27,176 households, and 21,034 families residing in the county. The population density is 64/km2 (166/mi2). There are 28,751 housing units at an average density of 24 persons/km2 (63 persons/mi2). The racial makeup of the county is 87.79% White, 8.68% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.62% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. 3.32% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 27,176 households out of which 38.20% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% are married couples living together, 11.10% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 22.60% are non-families. 18.70% of all households are made up of individuals and 6.70% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.76 and the average family size is 3.14.

In the county the population is spread out with 27.90% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 33.00% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 94.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county is $43,660, and the median income for a family is $49,198. Males have a median income of $35,136 versus $24,906 for females. The per capita income for the county is $18,989. 8.60% of the population and 6.60% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.60% are under the age of 18 and 12.20% are 65 or older.

Education

Bartow County School District

Cartersville City Schools

Excel Christian Academy (Kindergarten - 12th Grade, SACS Accredited Academy)

The Trinity School (Kindergarten - 8th Grade, SACS Accredited School)

Politics

Bartow County has voted Republican since the 1960s. Mitt Romney carried the county in the 2012 presidential election with 75.1% of the vote. Barack Obama won the minority of votes in the county, at 23.5%, making Bartow County one of the least Democratic counties in Georgia.

Transportation

Major highways

Secondary highways

Museums

Recreation

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Historical Communities[18]

Allatoona Aylmer ATCO Aubrey Bartow
Best's Birmingham Bochee Bolivar Cass Line
Cass Station Cassville (Manassas) Cave Cement Center
Clifford Connaseena Corbin Dewey Etowah
Etowah Valley (see Rowland Springs) Eves Ferrobutte (see Rogers Station) Five Forks Flexatile (see Funkhouser)
Folsom Ford Grassdale Gum Springs Halls Station (see Linwood)
Iron Hill Ironville Junta Ladds Ligon
Linwood (see Hall's Station) Little Prairie Malbone McCallie McGinnis
Mountain House Murchisons Pine Log (see Rydal) Rogers Station (aka Rogersille) Rowland Springs (see Etowah Valley)
Ruby Rydal (see Pine Log) Sanfordsville Sophia Stamp Creek
Stilesboro Sugar Hill Woolley's Wyvern

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ,
  4. "Bartow County". Calhoun Times. September 1, 2004. p. 13. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  5. Howard, Frances Thomas (2007). In and Out of the Lines. Cartesville, Georgia: Etowah Valley Historical Society. pp. 9, overleaf.
  6. Keith S. Hébert, "The Bitter Trial of Defeat and Emancipation: Reconstruction in Bartow County, Georgia, 1865–1872," Georgia Historical Quarterly, Spring 2008, Vol. 92 Issue 1, pp 65–92
  7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  8. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  9. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  10. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  11. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
  12. Bartow History Museum
  13. Booth Western Art Museum
  14. Tellus Science Museum
  15. Euharlee History Museum Facebook page
  16. Adairsville Rail Depot Museum
  17. Bartow County Georgia Hiking Trails
  18. Place names supplied by Etowah Valley Historical Society -- EVHS

External links

Coordinates: 34°14′N 84°50′W / 34.24°N 84.84°W