Bibb County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bibb County
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Bibb County courthouse in Macon
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Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
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 Georgia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | December 9, 1822 |
| Named for | William Wyatt Bibb |
| Seat | Macon |
| Largest city | Macon |
| Area | |
| • Total | 255 sq mi (660 km2) |
| • Land | 250 sq mi (600 km2) |
| • Water | 5.6 sq mi (15 km2) 2.2%% |
| Population | |
| • Estimate
(2019)
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153,159 |
| • Density | 623/sq mi (241/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 2nd, 8th |
Bibb County is located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, its population was 155,547. Bibb County is geographically located in the Central Georgia (Middle Georgia) region, and is the largest county in the Macon metropolitan area (metropolitan statistical area).
Bibb County has a consolidated city-county government following a merger of the county with its county seat and largest city, Macon, in 2014. They were later joined in this consolidated government in 2015 by the county's only other municipality, Payne City.
Contents
History
Native Americans/Indians (mostly Cherokee) had inhabited the area, which would become Bibb County, for centuries. They were forcibly removed farther West, to Indian Territory, in what was known as the Indian Removal in the 1830s, under the administration of seventh President Andrew Jackson. The Cherokee refer to their removal as the "Trail of Tears."
Bibb is one of the counties included in what has been called the "Black Belt", referring to the fertile dark soil of the uplands. The land was initially developed by European Americans and African Americans for cotton plantations in the antebellum years. This commodity crop generated high incomes for planters as the market for cotton was strong in northern textile mills and England. A total of one million slaves were forcibly removed to the Deep South in the domestic slave trade for these developments. Their population was the majority in many counties and areas.
Bibb County was created by act of the State Legislature of Georgia on December 9, 1822, with Macon to be incorporated as a town/city in December 1823; designated the County Seat. It was carved from the earlier territories of the counties of Jones, Monroe, Houston, and Twiggs counties. The County Seat has never been changed since, and no other subsequent county in the state has ever been created ("erected") out of land from Bibb County.
The county was named for Dr. William Wyatt Bibb, a physician from Elbert County, who was elected to and served in the U.S. House of Representatives and United States Senate from History of Georgia, moved to the new Alabama Territory, before being elected as the first Governor of the new State of Alabama.
During the Civil War, 10% of the white men in the county died in the service of the Confederate States Army.
Reconstruction and after
After white Democrats regained control of the state legislature, they passed laws to impose white supremacy and control freedmen. Under a new state constitution at the turn of century, the legislators disenfranchised most blacks and tens of thousands of poor whites in the state to reduce their political influence.
20th century to present
The first foreign Consulate in the county was established in Macon in 2006, with the Royal Danish Consulate of the Kingdom of Denmark. The first ever Honorary Consul to the Principality of Liechtenstein was also established in Macon in 2007.
Elections
Macon mayor Robert Reichert became the first mayor of the consolidated city on January 1, 2014. He received 49% of the vote in the general election on September 17 over the other five mayoral candidates; however, winning the election outright required the winner to capture a majority of the vote. He subsequently won 63% of the vote in a runoff election against former Macon mayor C. Jack Ellis.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 255 square miles (660 km2), of which 250 square miles (650 km2) is land and 5.6 square miles (15 km2) (2.2%) is water. The entirety of Bibb County is located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.
Major highways
Interstate 16
Interstate 75
Interstate 475
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 41- U.S. Route 41 Business (Macon)
U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 129- U.S. Route 129 Alternate (Macon)
State Route 11
State Route 19
State Route 22
State Route 49
State Route 74
State Route 87
State Route 87 Connector
State Route 247
State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)
State Route 408 (unsigned designation for I-475)
State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway) (future)
Adjacent counties
- Jones County - northeast
- Twiggs County - east
- Houston County - south
- Peach County - south-southwest
- Crawford County - southwest
- Monroe County - northwest
National protected areas
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1830 | 7,154 | — | |
| 1840 | 9,802 | 37.0% | |
| 1850 | 12,699 | 29.6% | |
| 1860 | 16,291 | 28.3% | |
| 1870 | 21,255 | 30.5% | |
| 1880 | 27,147 | 27.7% | |
| 1890 | 42,370 | 56.1% | |
| 1900 | 50,473 | 19.1% | |
| 1910 | 56,646 | 12.2% | |
| 1920 | 71,304 | 25.9% | |
| 1930 | 77,042 | 8.0% | |
| 1940 | 83,783 | 8.7% | |
| 1950 | 114,079 | 36.2% | |
| 1960 | 141,249 | 23.8% | |
| 1970 | 143,418 | 1.5% | |
| 1980 | 150,256 | 4.8% | |
| 1990 | 149,967 | −0.2% | |
| 2000 | 153,887 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 155,547 | 1.1% | |
| 2019 (est.) | 153,159 | −1.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2019 |
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2020 census
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56,787 | 36.09% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 85,234 | 54.17% |
| Native American | 281 | 0.18% |
| Asian | 3,209 | 2.04% |
| Pacific Islander | 42 | 0.03% |
| Other/Mixed | 5,056 | 3.21% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6,737 | 4.28% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 157,346 people, 56,726 households, and 33,573 families residing in the county.
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 155,547 people, 60,295 households, and 38,714 families residing in the county. The population density was 622.8 inhabitants per square mile (240.5/km2). There were 69,662 housing units at an average density of 278.9 per square mile (107.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 52.1% black or African American, 43.2% white, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.3% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.8% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 8.8% were English, 7.6% were American, 6.6% were Irish, and 5.2% were German.
Of the 60,295 households, 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples living together, 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.8% were non-families, and 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 35.6 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,798 and the median income for a family was $52,158. Males had a median income of $41,219 versus $31,477 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,436. About 16.4% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.0% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
Lake Tobesofkee, about 10 miles (16 km) west of Macon, has three parks. Claystone, Sandy Beach, and Arrowhead Parks, each with a beach, and children's playgrounds. Sandy Beach has lighted tennis courts and a softball field.
Communities
Transportation
Major highways
- Interstate 16
- Interstate 75
- Interstate 475
- U.S. Route 23
- U.S. Route 41
- U.S. Route 41 Business (Macon)
- U.S. Route 80
- U.S. Route 129
- U.S. Route 129 Alternate (Macon)
- State Route 11
- State Route 19
- State Route 22
- State Route 49
- State Route 74
- State Route 87
- State Route 87 Connector
- State Route 247
- State Route 401 (unsigned designation for I-75)
- State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)
- State Route 408 (unsigned designation for I-475)
- State Route 540 (Fall Line Freeway)
Pedestrians and cycling
- Heritage Trail
- Ocmulgee Heritage Trail
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Bibb (Georgia) para niños
