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Welcome to Charlton County, Georgia Project!
History/Timeline
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| Charlton County
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- 1700's Charlton area was originally inhabited by Creek Indians, and the first white settlers came from neighboring counties in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.[1]
- About 1755- Trader’s Hill probably began as a trading post or rude stockade for several years and was maintained to protect settlers from the early Indian attacks. . Records of US Soldiers being there in a report sent by Governor Rabun in 1819. Main industry of this old town was the trade exchanged between the storekeepers and the pioneer farmers such as shot and powder, for furs, hides, wool, cotton, beeswax, tallow, and a well stocked bar.[2]
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| Charlton County
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- 1800 Center Village began as a community downriver from Trader's Hill.Since it was near the border of Florida, defense and trade were important. The ferry was the transportation across St. Marys River between Georgia and Florida. Citizens here argued in public and some had fisticuff fights ("fist and skull")[3]
- 1821 Sardis Church is to be found 2 miles about 2 miles SW of Folkston, is the oldest church in Charlton County. The original building was built in the area. 1840 The church was moved to the current location. The pulpit of the church has a bullet scar from the Indian Wars and is over 100 years old. In 1856 the Church belonged to the Alpha River Primitive Baptist on Oct 13, 1856. There is a nearby Cemetery with many pioneers for the area. [4]
- 1824 Waresboro, Georgia began as an isolated stopping place for passenger, mail and freight service for the areas near the north side of Okefenokee, then developed into a hub. . The soldiers stayed in Camp Pinckney, downriver from Trader's Hill, a border town devoted to defense and trade. Camp Pinckney housed border soldiers, and a ferry provided service to cross the St. Marys between Georgia and Florida. Bartering was the norm, people sold their goods on the town streets, and wagered on horse racing. Plenty of public fights ensued. [3]
- 1850's Waresboro became the County Seat after a while for Ware County.[3]
- Feb 18, 1854 - Georgia General Assembly passed an act to form Charlton County out of the western half of Camden County, Georgia. It is named in honor of a U.S. Senator from Georgia, Robert Milledge Charlton son of Judge T. U. P. Charlton, of Savanna [5][3]
County Officers: Daniel Dedge, Sheriff; J.H. Oliver, Court Clerk; J.H. Bessant, Surveyor; James Bennett, Coroner; H. Roddenberry, Tax Collector. First county seat was Trader’s Hill (Fort Alert), known for its shipping point, on the St. Marys River.[6]
- 1854 -- Voters selected Traders Hill for Charlton County Seat. The court sessions became a social focus in the town. [3]
- Charlton County jail was built using a unusual structure. A description was a high building of hewn logs. The logs were studded with spikes.. The only entrance was at the top of the first story. Thus when a prisoner was arrested, he was "Carried" up a stairway one story. Then the prisoner was sent down a ladder into the jail..After this the ladder was taken out. to escape he would have t break open a trap door which was locked from the top side. That door was at the center of the top of the 1st story, locked by pad-lock from the outside. There were no escapes.. They mentioned if a person was put in the old Charlton county jail, he stayed there. [2]
- Not only did a prisoner have to exist in the Charlton jail, but if on trial, if a prisoner made a dash for the nearby river.. He had to out-run the sheriff, and swim across the river. There he was safe and free if he remained in Florida. That was pretty much banishment as they could never try to return to Georgia or Charlton County. Some prisoners tried to run, he had to swim the St Mary's river, to exist in wilderness, of Florida in early days, but be in safety. But could they survive the wilds of Florida?[2]
- 1855 Charlton County increased its size when some land from Ware County was added to Charlton. [5]
- 1856 Further action by the legislature changed the borders between Charlton and Camden counties. Each county gave up land to the other..[5]
- Pre 1860's Folkston, Charlton County, Georgia and Waycross, Ware County, Georgia were junctions rail-road junctions in the postbellum era. They became social and trade centers. [3][2]
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| Forest
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- 1880's Folkston the county seat of Charlton since 1901, was a transportation hub after the arrival of the railroads. [1][2]
- 1895's Folkston was the county's largest city.became the focal point for transportation after the arrival of railroads in the 1880s Railroad travelers stopped at Folkston, thus hotels and restaurants developed near the train depot. One example is the Roddenberry Hotel of 1910.[1]
- 1900 Charlton, Georgia is located in the southern part of Charlton county, in the big bend of the St. Mary's river. It is 7 miles SW of Cutler, on the Georgia Southern & Florida railway.[3]
- 1901 The old village of Trader's Hill grew and was a thriving center of trade until the construction of the old S.F.&W. railroad from Savannah to Jacksonville. Folkston was on the railroad and Trader's Hill was not. (the Railroad has been the nemesis for many Texas towns) and the establishment of the town of Folkston on the railroad. [2]
- 1901 - Charlton County saw a bitter fight for all communities wanted to be the county Seat. After a a bitter fight, the county Seat was moved from Trader's Hill to Folkston. [2]
- Oct. 1902 First court was held in Folkston. Folks ton remained County Seat due to the arrival of the Savannah, Florida And Western Railway connecting into Folkston. [2][7]
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| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
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- 1902 Folkston, the current county seat, is near the Camden county line at the junction of Georgia Southern & Florida and the Atlantic Coast Line railways. Trader's Hill, the former county seat is on the St. Mary's river and has a large trade in lumber. The population in 1900 was 3,592, a gain of 357 in ten years.[2]
- 1926 -Old Folkston Grammar School has been renovated, to house the Okefenokee Education and Research Center. [1]
- 1930's Floyds Island Hammock (also known as the Hebard Cabin) was a cabin used by naturalists and writers; Okefenokee Swamp is a major attraction in the county. [1]
- Robert Milledge Charlton, son of Thomas Usher Pulaski Charlton was a lawyer, publicist with integrity. President Andrew Jackson appointed him to be district attorney. He also was Mayor of Savannah and judge. as well as U.S. Senator. Charlton contributed to the "Knickerbocker," such as sketches of Georgia life in his section of the state. [2][3]
- Charlton, Thomas Usher Pulaski, (d in Savannah, Dec. 14, 1835) was a member of the bar, and born in Kershaw county, South Carolina, with ancestors from Shropshire, England. His father was in the Revolutionary War forces of South Carolina in 1775. [3]
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| Okefenokee Swamp, alligator
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- 1997 DuPont Company planned to strip mine the county for titanium. Concerned county residents protested the DuPont Company's plan. This resulted in the company donation of 16,000 acres to the people of Georgia—the largest land preservation gift in Georgia history.[2]
- The northeastern part of the county runs up between Camden on the east and Pierce on the west The southeastern part runs down in such a way as to have Florida on three sides of it. For some distance along its eastern border runs the Satilla. The St. Mary's river rising in the southern part of the county runs along the western, southern and eastern sides of that part of it which projects into Florida.
- Okefenokee Swamp occupies a large part of the county.[3][1]
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| Okefenokee Swamp
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- Okefenokee Chamber of Commerce and Fioldston-Charlton County Development Authority have restored Folkston Train Depot and the "Folkston Funnel" Train Viewing Platform have been restored. This provides an area for visitors to see up to 60 trains pass within 24 hours.[1]
- Georgia Wildlife Federation and the City of Folkston and the Georgia Wildlife Federation, there is a 2,700-square-foot exhibit area and the Okefenokee Heritage Garden, representing four local habitats. [1]
- The William Mizell House, located on 4 Acres of "urban forest," is a 2-story wood-frame house with a greenhouse and pavilion.[1]
Government
1st Courthouse, With an Act , the Georgia specified that a court house and jail be built at once, and accordingly a two-story wooden courthouse was constructed, the ground floor being utilized by the county officers as offices and the trial court room, and the upper story was used as a grand jury room and there was also a room for the petit jury. It was also used as a meeting place for the Masonic Lodge.[2]
1901 The first courthouse in Folkston, built after the town was designated as the county seat, burned down in 1928. [2]
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| Charlton Co. Courthouse, current
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The current courthouse, designed in Neoclassical Revival and Georgian Revival styles, was built during the same year. An annex to the building was constructed in 1978.[2]
Geography
- Size - total area is 782 square miles (2,030 km2). Land -774 square miles (2,000 km2) and 8.8 Water -square miles (23 km2) (1.1%)
- Size of Georgia County - 5th largest.
- Location -- Southernmost county
- Swamp - part of the county is within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.
- The county is very irregular in shape, one arm stretching to the southwest into Florida, and another to the northeast, between Pierce and Camden.
- Sub-basin- St. Mary's all of central and southern portion of Charlton County is located in the St. Marys sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla basin.
- Subbasin- Satilla River sub-basin - the NE part north of Homeland, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla basin.
- Sub-basin - Upper Suwannee River sub-basin--W part is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the larger Suwannee River basin.
- Rivers - St. Mary's river rises in the Okefinokee swamp and outlines the portion which projects into Florida.
- Fish, Game, birds The creeks, rivers have an abundance of fish, and game, such as deer, bear, turkeys, wood-cock, partridge and snipe is plentiful.
- Crops neck of land between Okefinokee Swamp and the Florida line melons, potatoes, long-staple cotton, sugar-cane and tobacco, oranges and figs give good yields. Oranges and figs are plentiful.
- Stock - The county land are wild lands, ideal for stock raising such as sheep, cattle and hogs.
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| Charlton Co. and forest
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- Trees - Over 98% of Charlton land is forest, -- the most timbered of Georgia's counties.
- Minerals - Rich titanium deposits lie between Charlton and neighboring Ware County
- much of it bordering the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Adjacent counties
- Brantley County - northeast
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| county in Georgia.
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- Nassau County, Florida - east
- Camden County - east
- Baker County, Florida - south
- Ware County - northwest
Protected areas
- Okefenokee Swamp part of the county is within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas. It was formed over the past 6,500 years by the accumulation of peat in a shallow basin on the edge of an ancient Atlantic coastal terrace, the geological relic of a Pleistocene estuary. The swamp is bordered by Trail Ridge, a strip of elevated land believed to have formed as coastal dunes or an offshore barrier island.
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| Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
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Demographics
In 2000, there were 10,282 people in the county with a population density of 13 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 68.59% White, 29.26% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 0.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010, 12,171 people were in the county with a population density of 15.7 people/sq. mi. In terms of ancestry, 7.9% were American, 7.3% were English, and 6.2% were Irish. The median income for a household in the county was $40,850 and the median income for a family was $45,913. Males had a median income of $36,675 versus $25,140 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,652. About 18.1% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.4% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.[8] Perhaps less population due to the swamp....
Highways
| Highwawys | Highways | Highways
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| U.S. Route 1 | Georgia State Route 185 | Georgia State Route 252
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| U.S. Route 23 | Georgia State Route 177 | Georgia State Route 121
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| U.S. Route 301 | Georgia State Route 15 | Georgia State Route 40
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| Georgia State Route 23 | Georgia State Route 94 | Georgia State Route 4
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| Georgia State Route 40 Connector
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Schools - 3 elementary schools and 1 high school
- Bethune Middle School: Fourth Grade - Eighth Grade
- Folkston Elementary School: Pre-Kindergarten - Third Grade
- St. George Elementary School: Pre-Kindergarten - Sixth Grade
- Charlton County High School
Cities
Communities
Smaller Communities
| Communities | Communities | Communities | Communities
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| Mattox | McLeods Mill | Moniac | Ferry Landing
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| Newell | Paxton | Stokesville | Racepond
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| Silver Hill | Uptonville | Winokur | Stanley Landing
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| Trader's Hill | Cypress Siding | Saint George | Toledo
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County Resources
- Sandhill Crane Awareness Day
- Wings over the Swamp
- National Wildlife Week
- Earth Day Art Festival
- Okefenokee Festival
- the Folkston RailWatch
- Cherokee of Georgia Council Spring Pow Wow
- Mizell House Gala.
- 1930's Floyds Island Hammock (also known as the Hebard Cabin) was a cabin used by naturalists and writers; Okefenokee Swamp is a major attraction in the county. [1]
- Folkston Train Depot and the "Folkston Funnel" Train Viewing Platform have been restored. This provides an area for visitors to see up to 60 trains pass within 24 hours.[1]
- 1926 -Old Folkston Grammar School has been renovated, to house the Okefenokee Education and Research Center. [1]
- Georgia Wildlife Federation and the City of Folkston and the Georgia Wildlife Federation, there is a 2,700-square-foot exhibit area and the Okefenokee Heritage Garden, representing four local habitats. [1]
- The William Mizell House, located on 4 Acres of "urban forest," is a 2-story wood-frame house with a greenhouse and pavilion.[1]
Census
- 1860 --- 1,780 —
- 1870 --- 1,897 6.6%
- 1880 --- 2,154 13.5%
- 1890 --- 3,335 54.8%
- 1900 --- 3,592 7.7%
- 1910 --- 4,722 31.5%
- 1920 --- 4,536 −3.9%
- 1930 --- 4,381 −3.4%
- 1940 --- 5,256 20.0%
- 1950 --- 4,821 −8.3%
- 1960 --- 5,313 10.2%
- 1970 --- 5,680 6.9%
- 1980 --- 7,343 29.3%
- 1990 --- 8,496 15.7%
- 2000 --- 10,282 21.0%
- 2010 --- 12,171 18.4%
- Est. 2016 --- 12,497
Cemeteries
Sources
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/charlton-county
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 https://www.charltoncountyarchives.org/trader%27shill.htm
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 http://genealogytrails.com/geo/charlton/history.htm
- ↑ http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/charlton/sardis-church
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_County,_Georgia
- ↑ http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/charlton/charlton-county
- ↑ http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/charlton/charlton-county
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_County,_Georgia
