Carroll County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. As of the 2000 census
, the population
was 87,268. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 111,954. The county seat
is Carrollton
.
Carroll County is included in the Atlanta
-Sandy Springs
-Marietta
, Georgia
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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 Latino
of 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.
, Muscogee
, Troup
, Coweta
, and Carroll counties was ceded
by the Creek people
in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs
. This land was the last remaining portion of the Creek's Georgia territory, and was ceded by William McIntosh, chief of the Lower Creeks or White Sticks. This cession resulted in his murder at McIntosh Reserve
near present day Whitesburg by fellow Creeks from northern Alabama called Red Sticks
or Upper Creeks.
The county's boundaries were created by the Georgia General Assembly
on June 9, but they were not named until December 14 of 1826. Carroll County was named for Charles Carroll
of 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 also named for this reason.
The county originally extended from the Chattahoochee River
to the Alabama state line on the East and West with the northern boundary just north of present day I-20 with the Cherokees. This land was carved up over time to become Carroll, Douglas
, Heard
, parts of Haralson
and Troup counties. A portion that became Douglas was once Campbell County
which no longer exists (divided between Douglas and Fulton
counties).
Because of the small slave population the county was known as the Free State of Carroll in the 1850s.
Even before the cession of the territory some white settlers were in the northern part of the county in the Villa Rica area.
For a time Carroll County was the home of Horace King (architect)
. King helped build Moores Bridge over the Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg. Moores Bridge was burned by Union Soldiers during the Civil War.
During the American Civil War, 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 roads and destroyed a number of bridges. Early damage estimates were $22 million.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. As of the 2000 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, the population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
was 87,268. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 111,954. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Carrollton
Carrollton, Georgia
Carrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
.
Carroll County is included in the Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
-Sandy Springs
Sandy Springs, Georgia
Sandy Springs is a city in north Georgia, United States. It is a northern suburb of Atlanta. With a 2010 population of 93,853, Sandy Springs is the sixth-largest city in the state and the second-largest city in Metro Atlanta. Sandy Springs is located in north Fulton County, Georgia, just south of...
-Marietta
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the 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.Major highways
|
 Georgia State Route 16Georgia State Route 16 State Route 16 begins at SR 100 in Haralson County, just south of I-20, and ends at U.S. 278 in Warrenton.-Major junctions:...  Georgia State Route 61Georgia State Route 61 Georgia State Route 61 is a series of streets, roads and highways that form a mostly rural route in the western part of the state of Georgia connecting the cities of Carrollton, Villa Rica, Dallas, Cartersville, and White. The route's northern terminus is at the Tennessee state line north of...  Georgia State Route 100Georgia State Route 100 Georgia State Route 100 begins at the intersection of U.S. Route 27 and Georgia State Routes 18, 41 and 109 in Greenville in Meriwether County in west-central Georgia. Moving north, SR 100 joins SR 54 just east of the interchange with Interstate 85 east of Hogansville. Once in Hogansville, SR...  Georgia State Route 113 Georgia State Route 166Georgia State Route 166 State Route 166 starts at the Alabama line west of Carrollton in Carroll County. It goes around Carrollton on a by-pass route constructed in the mid-1900s. From there, S.R. 166 enters Douglas County where it remains mostly rural. After a short north–south concurrency with State Route 92, it... |
U.S. Highway 27
U.S. Highway 78
Georgia State Route 1
Adjacent counties
Carroll County is one of the few counties in the United States to border as many as eight counties- Paulding CountyPaulding County, GeorgiaPaulding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 142,324. The county seat is Dallas....
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– north - Douglas CountyDouglas County, GeorgiaDouglas County, Georgia has been experiencing numerous natural disasters over the most recent decades. Being located in the South Eastern United States the county experiences strong storms and tornadoes often because of its location in Dixie Alley....
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– east - Fulton CountyFulton County, GeorgiaFulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– east - Coweta CountyCoweta County, GeorgiaCoweta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,215. The 2009 Census Estimate placed the population at 131,936...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– southeast - Heard CountyHeard County, GeorgiaHeard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1830. As of 2000, the population was 11,012. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 11,387...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– south - Randolph CountyRandolph County, AlabamaRandolph County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.Its name is in honor of John Randolph, a member of the United States Senate from Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 22,913. Its county seat is Wedowee...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
– southwest - Cleburne CountyCleburne County, AlabamaCleburne County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Major General Patrick Cleburne, of Arkansas. As of 2010 the population was 14,972. Its county seat is Heflin.- History :...
, AlabamaAlabamaAlabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
– west - Haralson CountyHaralson County, GeorgiaHaralson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on January 26, 1856 and was named for Hugh A. Haralson. As of 2000, the population was 25,690. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,718...
, GeorgiaGeorgia (U.S. state)Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
– northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 87,268 people, 31,568 households, and 23,013 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 16.32% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
Race (United States Census)
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.27% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.62% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.14% from two or more races. 2.57% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of 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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
History
The land for LeeLee County, Georgia
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 24,757. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 33,050...
, Muscogee
Muscogee County, Georgia
Muscogee County is a county located on the central western border of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is part of the Columbus, Georgia-Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the population was 186,291. The 2009 Census Estimate shows a population of 190,414...
, Troup
Troup County, Georgia
Troup County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2010, the population was 67,044. The county seat is LaGrange.-History:...
, Coweta
Coweta County, Georgia
Coweta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,215. The 2009 Census Estimate placed the population at 131,936...
, and Carroll counties was ceded
Cession
The act of Cession, or to cede, is the assignment of property to another entity. In international law it commonly refers to land transferred by treaty...
by the Creek people
Creek people
The Muscogee , also known as the Creek or Creeks, are a Native American people traditionally from the southeastern United States. Mvskoke is their name in traditional spelling. The modern Muscogee live primarily in Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida...
in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs
Treaty of Indian Springs
There are two Treaties of Indian Springs with the Creek Indians. The first treaty was signed January 8, 1821. In it, the Lower Creek ceded land to the state of Georgia in return for cash payments totaling $200,000 over a period of 14 years...
. This land was the last remaining portion of the Creek's Georgia territory, and was ceded by William McIntosh, chief of the Lower Creeks or White Sticks. This cession resulted in his murder at McIntosh Reserve
McIntosh Reserve
McIntosh Reserve is an outdoor recreation area located in Carroll County, Georgia. The park is operated by the Carroll County Recreation Department and supports outdoor activities including camping, hiking, fishing, and others...
near present day Whitesburg by fellow Creeks from northern Alabama called Red Sticks
Red Sticks
Red Sticks is the English term for a traditionalist faction of Creek Indians who led a resistance movement which culminated in the outbreak of the Creek War in 1813....
or Upper Creeks.
The county's boundaries were created by the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
on June 9, but they were not named until December 14 of 1826. Carroll County was named for Charles Carroll
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was a wealthy Maryland planter and an early advocate of independence from Great Britain. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and later as United States Senator for Maryland...
of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, 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 also named for this reason.
The county originally extended from the Chattahoochee River
Chattahoochee River
The Chattahoochee River flows through or along the borders of the U.S. states of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. It is a tributary of the Apalachicola River, a relatively short river formed by the confluence of the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers and emptying into Apalachicola Bay in the Gulf of...
to the Alabama state line on the East and West with the northern boundary just north of present day I-20 with the Cherokees. This land was carved up over time to become Carroll, Douglas
Douglas County, Georgia
Douglas County, Georgia has been experiencing numerous natural disasters over the most recent decades. Being located in the South Eastern United States the county experiences strong storms and tornadoes often because of its location in Dixie Alley....
, Heard
Heard County, Georgia
Heard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1830. As of 2000, the population was 11,012. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 11,387...
, parts of Haralson
Haralson County, Georgia
Haralson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on January 26, 1856 and was named for Hugh A. Haralson. As of 2000, the population was 25,690. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 28,718...
and Troup counties. A portion that became Douglas was once Campbell County
Campbell County, Georgia
Campbell County, Georgia was a county of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1828 to 1931. It was created by the state legislature on December 20, 1828 from land taken from Fayette, Coweta, and Carroll counties, and from the half of DeKalb County which became Fulton County soon afterward. Georgia's...
which no longer exists (divided between Douglas and Fulton
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
counties).
Because of the small slave population the county was known as the Free State of Carroll in the 1850s.
Even before the cession of the territory some white settlers were in the northern part of the county in the Villa Rica area.
For a time Carroll County was the home of Horace King (architect)
Horace King (architect)
Horace King was an American architect, engineer, and bridge builder. King is considered the most respected bridge builder of the 19th century Deep South, constructing dozens of bridges in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi...
. King helped build Moores Bridge over the Chattahoochee River at Whitesburg. Moores Bridge was burned by Union Soldiers during the Civil War.
During the American Civil War, the county provided the Bowdon Volunteers and the Carroll Boys, which were a part of Cobb's Legion
Cobb's Legion
Cobb's Legion was an American Civil War unit that was raised on the Confederate side from the State of Georgia by Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb during the summer of 1861. A "legion" consisted of a single integrated command, with individual components from the infantry, cavalry, and artillery...
.
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 roads and destroyed a number of bridges. Early damage estimates were $22 million.
Cities and towns
- BowdonBowdon, GeorgiaBowdon is a city in Carroll County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 1,959. Bowdon is known as "The Friendly City."It is also the city of license for radio station WBZY.- Geography :...
- BremenBremen, GeorgiaBremen is a city in Haralson County and Carroll County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,227.Locally the name of the city is pronounced BREE-muhn...
- CarrolltonCarrollton, GeorgiaCarrollton is a city in West Georgia, United States, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 24,388...
- Mount ZionMount Zion, GeorgiaMount Zion is a city in Carroll County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Zion is located at ....
- RoopvilleRoopville, GeorgiaRoopville is a town in Carroll County, Georgia, United States. The population was 177 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Roopville is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- TempleTemple, GeorgiaTemple is a city in Carroll and Haralson Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,383 at the 2000 census. Census Estimates for 2005 show a population of 3,910.-Geography:Temple is located at ....
- Villa RicaVilla Rica, GeorgiaVilla Rica is a city in Carroll and Douglas Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 4,134 at the 2000 census. By the 2010 census, the population had grown to 13,956. The estimated growth was around 211.34%...
- WhitesburgWhitesburg, GeorgiaWhitesburg is a town in Carroll County, Georgia, United States. The population was 596 at the 2000 census. It is the home of McIntosh Reserve, site of the death of Chief William McIntosh of the Creek Indians.-Geography:...