Habersham County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Habersham County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. It was created on December 15, 1818, and named for Colonel Joseph Habersham
. As of 2000, the population was 35,902. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 42,272. Clarkesville
is the county seat.
Chartered in 1823, the county seat is named for John C. Clarke, Revolutionary War General and Governor.
Since 2009, Habersham County has been represented in the Georgia House of Representatives
by Republican
member Rick Austin
. Since the reapportionment of 2007, Habersham County has been represented in the US House of Representatives as part of the 10th District. Representative Charlie Norwood represented the county for one month in 2007 until his death (February 13, 2007). The seat remained vacant until a special election in July 2007 which was won by Republican Athens physician Paul Broun
.
runs along the top of the high ridge between Young Lick and Tray, a part of the Blue Ridge Mountain crest.
The Chattahoochee River
rises in what used to be Habersham county, as immortalized in Sidney Lanier
's poem
, "Song of the Chattahoochee":
But the county was cut up dramatically in the late 19th century to create Lumpkin, White, Stephens, Banks, and Franklin Counties.
of 2000, there were 35,902 people, 13,259 households, and 9,851 families residing in the county. The population density
was 129 people per square mile (50/km²). There were 14,634 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.88% White
, 4.48% Black
or African American
, 0.29% Native American
, 1.89% Asian
, 0.10% Pacific Islander
, 2.99% from other races
, and 1.36% from two or more races. 7.66% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 13,259 households out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% were married couples
living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 11.10% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,321, and the median income for a family was $42,235. Males had a median income of $28,803 versus $23,046 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,706. About 8.80% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.
in an unincorporated area
in the county, near Alto
.
Lee Arrendale State Prison was built in 1926 and the prison was named after Lee Arrendale, former Chairman of the Georgia Board of Corrections after he and his wife were killed in a plane crash. It began its existence as a TB Hospital and operated till the mid-1950s when it was turned over to the Georgia Prison system. Once acquired by the Georgia Department of Corrections, its focus then turned to using the prison to house youthful offenders from ages 18–25. Over a short amount of time, the influx of young, reckless and ruthless inmates lead Lee Arrendale to gain a bad reputation as the second most violent all-men prisons in the state. In 2005, however the Department of Corrections decided to make the prison an exclusive general purpose women's prison. As a result of the prison's past troubles and reputation for violence, the state decided to make this change to improve the prisons status in the state. In March 2006, the prison took in 350 women prisoners from Georgia's overflowing jail system to start this process.
Lee Arrendale is also home to the United States' first all-female fire department and the state's first inmate fire department, thanks to the Georgia Department of Corrections' (GDC) Fire Services Division. The GDC operates many fire departments throughout the state, staffed solely by inmates, who are supervised by a P.O.S.T.-certified(**-see below) GDC employees who are also trained, not only as a certified officers but also as a professional firefighter. The inmate firefighter program provides fire protection to the largely rural communities without local or volunteer fire departments near the prisons, as well as to other locations in Georgia during emergencies. Inmates are carefully selected and are trained and certified in accordance with Georgia law and the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (G.F.S.T), as with any regular fire department. In 2007, inmate fire squads responded to the wildfires in South Georgia near Waycross, Georgia, in addition to the hundreds of other alarms they received statewide.
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...
. It was created on December 15, 1818, and named for Colonel Joseph Habersham
Joseph Habersham
Joseph Habersham was an American businessman, Georgia politician, soldier in the Continental Army, and Postmaster General of the United States....
. As of 2000, the population was 35,902. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 42,272. Clarkesville
Clarkesville, Georgia
Clarkesville is a city located in the center of Habersham County, Georgia. It is also the county seat.-Geography:Clarkesville is located at ....
is the county seat.
Chartered in 1823, the county seat is named for John C. Clarke, Revolutionary War General and Governor.
Since 2009, Habersham County has been represented in the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
by Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member Rick Austin
Rick Austin (Politician)
Rick Austin is a Republican member of the Georgia State House of Representatives, representing the 10th District since January 12, 2009. Previously, he was a member of the Habersham County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners for three years...
. Since the reapportionment of 2007, Habersham County has been represented in the US House of Representatives as part of the 10th District. Representative Charlie Norwood represented the county for one month in 2007 until his death (February 13, 2007). The seat remained vacant until a special election in July 2007 which was won by Republican Athens physician Paul Broun
Paul Broun
Paul Collins Broun, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party Caucus.-Early life, education and career:...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 279.2 square miles (723.1 km²), of which 278.17 square miles (720.5 km²) (or 99.63%) is land and 1.03 square miles (2.7 km²) (or 0.37%) is water. The highest point in the county is a 4,400-foot knob less than 700 linear feet southeast of the top of Tray Mountain, the sixth-highest mountain in Georgia. Habersham shares this portion of Tray Mountain, just 30 vertical feet shy of the peak's 4,430-foot summit, with White County to the west and Towns County to the north. 2.4 miles to the northeast of Tray Mountain is Young Lick Mountain (also known as Young Lick Knob) which exceeds 3,800 feet. The Appalachian TrailAppalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
runs along the top of the high ridge between Young Lick and Tray, a part of the Blue Ridge Mountain crest.
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...
rises in what used to be Habersham county, as immortalized in Sidney Lanier
Sidney Lanier
Sidney Lanier was an American musician and poet.-Biography:Sidney Lanier was born February 3, 1842, in Macon, Georgia, to parents Robert Sampson Lanier and Mary Jane Anderson; he was mostly of English ancestry. His distant French Huguenot ancestors immigrated to England in the 16th century...
's poem
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, "Song of the Chattahoochee":
- OUT of the hills of Habersham,
- Down the valleys of Hall,
- I hurry amain to reach the plain,
- Run the rapid and leap the fall,
- Split at the rock and together again,See also Hall CountyHall County, GeorgiaHall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 2000, the population was 139,277. It is included in the Gainesville, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical 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...
.
But the county was cut up dramatically in the late 19th century to create Lumpkin, White, Stephens, Banks, and Franklin Counties.
Major highways
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 123U.S. Route 123U.S. Route 123 is a spur of U.S. Route 23. It currently runs for from Greenville, South Carolina to Dicks Hill, Georgia at U.S. Route 23. It passes through the states of South Carolina and Georgia and before the construction of I-85, it was the main route between Greenville, South Carolina and...
U.S. Route 441U.S. Route 441U.S. Route 441 is a spur route of U.S. Route 41. It currently runs for 939 miles from U.S. Route 41 in Miami, Florida to U.S. Route 25W in Lake City, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 passes through the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee...
State Route 15
State Route 17
State Route 105
State Route 115
State Route 197
State Route 255
State Route 365State Route 365 (Georgia)State Route 365 begins at exit 113 on Interstate 85, just north of Suwanee, Georgia. It continues from that point concurrent with Interstate 985 and U.S. Route 23 .-Major intersections:...
Adjacent counties
- Rabun CountyRabun County, GeorgiaRabun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 15,050. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 16,519...
, 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 - Oconee County, South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
- east - Stephens CountyStephens County, GeorgiaStephens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 Census, the population was 26,175. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 25,268. The county seat is Toccoa.-History:...
, 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 - Banks CountyBanks County, GeorgiaBanks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2010, the population is 18,395. The county seat is Homer.-History:*The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation to create Banks County on February 1, 1859, from Franklin and Habersham Counties.*The county is named for Richard...
, 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 - Hall CountyHall County, GeorgiaHall County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 2000, the population was 139,277. It is included in the Gainesville, Georgia, Metropolitan Statistical 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...
- southwest - White CountyWhite County, GeorgiaWhite County is a county located in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 22, 1857, from part of Habersham County. The county was named for Newton County Representative David T. White, who helped a Habersham representative successfully attain passage of an...
, 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...
- west - Towns CountyTowns County, GeorgiaTowns County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on March 6, 1856. As of the 2000 census, the population was 9,319. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 10,894. Its county seat is Hiawassee.-History:...
, 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 35,902 people, 13,259 households, and 9,851 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 129 people per square mile (50/km²). There were 14,634 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.88% 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...
, 4.48% 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...
or African 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...
, 0.29% 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...
, 1.89% 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...
, 0.10% 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...
, 2.99% 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 1.36% from two or more races. 7.66% 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 13,259 households out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% 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, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 22.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 11.10% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 105.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,321, and the median income for a family was $42,235. Males had a median income of $28,803 versus $23,046 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 $17,706. About 8.80% of families and 12.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 15.00% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
The Georgia Department of Corrections operates the Arrendale State PrisonArrendale State Prison
Lee Arrendale State Prison of the Georgia Department of Corrections is located in unincorporated Habersham County, Georgia, near Alto. It became exclusively a women's prison in early 2005. A number of the juvenile male inmates were kept there until mid-2005, when they were moved to other prisons in...
in an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in the county, near Alto
Alto, Georgia
Alto is a town in Banks and Habersham Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 876 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Alto is located at ....
.
Lee Arrendale State Prison was built in 1926 and the prison was named after Lee Arrendale, former Chairman of the Georgia Board of Corrections after he and his wife were killed in a plane crash. It began its existence as a TB Hospital and operated till the mid-1950s when it was turned over to the Georgia Prison system. Once acquired by the Georgia Department of Corrections, its focus then turned to using the prison to house youthful offenders from ages 18–25. Over a short amount of time, the influx of young, reckless and ruthless inmates lead Lee Arrendale to gain a bad reputation as the second most violent all-men prisons in the state. In 2005, however the Department of Corrections decided to make the prison an exclusive general purpose women's prison. As a result of the prison's past troubles and reputation for violence, the state decided to make this change to improve the prisons status in the state. In March 2006, the prison took in 350 women prisoners from Georgia's overflowing jail system to start this process.
Lee Arrendale is also home to the United States' first all-female fire department and the state's first inmate fire department, thanks to the Georgia Department of Corrections' (GDC) Fire Services Division. The GDC operates many fire departments throughout the state, staffed solely by inmates, who are supervised by a P.O.S.T.-certified(**-see below) GDC employees who are also trained, not only as a certified officers but also as a professional firefighter. The inmate firefighter program provides fire protection to the largely rural communities without local or volunteer fire departments near the prisons, as well as to other locations in Georgia during emergencies. Inmates are carefully selected and are trained and certified in accordance with Georgia law and the Georgia Firefighter Standards and Training Council (G.F.S.T), as with any regular fire department. In 2007, inmate fire squads responded to the wildfires in South Georgia near Waycross, Georgia, in addition to the hundreds of other alarms they received statewide.
-
- - (P.O.S.T.= Peace Officer Standards Training)
Cities and towns
- AltoAlto, GeorgiaAlto is a town in Banks and Habersham Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 876 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Alto is located at ....
- BaldwinBaldwin, GeorgiaBaldwin is a city in Banks and Habersham Counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 2,425 at the 2000 census.Baldwin is located on U.S. Route 441 just south of Georgia State Route 365...
- ClarkesvilleClarkesville, GeorgiaClarkesville is a city located in the center of Habersham County, Georgia. It is also the county seat.-Geography:Clarkesville is located at ....
- CorneliaCornelia, GeorgiaCornelia is a city in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,834 at the 2010 census. It is home to one of the world's largest apple sculptures, which is displayed on top of an obelisk shaped monument...
- DemorestDemorest, GeorgiaDemorest is a city in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,465 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Demorest is located at ....
- Mount AiryMount Airy, GeorgiaMount Airy is a town in Habersham County, Georgia, United States. The population was 604 at the 2000 census.-History:The town of Mount Airy was founded on March 3, 1874 by Thomas Brooking of Turnerville. It began primarily as summer retreat for wealthy residents of Atlanta and Savannah. There was...
- Tallulah FallsTallulah Falls, GeorgiaTallulah Falls is a town in Habersham and Rabun counties in the U.S. state of Georgia near the Tallulah River. The population was 164 at the 2000 census...
See also
- Blair LineBlair LineThe Blair Line was surveyed in the early 19th century by James Blair as a boundary between Georgia and the Cherokee Nation. A marker in Habersham County at the junction of Georgia Highways 115 and 105, states, "The historic Blair Line between the State of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation crossed...
- Piedmont CollegePiedmont CollegePiedmont College is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1897 to serve residents of the Appalachian area of northeast Georgia, USA. When the college was first founded, it was established as the J.S. Green Collegiate Institute named after a local banker. In 1899, the name was shortened to...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Habersham County, Georgia
External links
- Chamber of Commerce web site from local Chamber of Commerce
- Habersham County web site from Roadside Georgia