kids encyclopedia robot

Macon County, Georgia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Macon County
Macon County Courthouse in Oglethorpe, Georgia
Macon County Courthouse in Oglethorpe, Georgia
Map of Georgia highlighting Macon County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Georgia
Founded December 14, 1837; 186 years ago (1837-12-14)
Named for Nathaniel Macon
Seat Oglethorpe
Largest city Montezuma
Area
 • Total 406 sq mi (1,050 km2)
 • Land 401 sq mi (1,040 km2)
 • Water 5.4 sq mi (14 km2)  1.3%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 12,082
 • Density 30/sq mi (10/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 2nd
Website Macon County government

Macon County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,082. The county seat is Oglethorpe.

The Macon County Courthouse is located in Oglethorpe.

History

Macon County was created in 1837 from parts of Houston ("house-ton") and Marion counties, effective December 14 of that year. The 91st county, it was named for the then-recently deceased General Nathaniel Macon of North Carolina, who served in the U.S. Congress for 37 years and ran for U.S. vice president. The city of Macon, Georgia was also named for him, but the city of Macon, Georgia, is the seat of Bibb County, a different county. The county was later reduced when parts were separated to organize Taylor and Peach counties, in 1852 and 1924, respectively.

The first county seat was not chosen until 1838, when the county's inferior court selected Lanier. The Georgia General Assembly (state legislature) designated it on December 29 of that year and incorporated it as a town.

In the 1850s, the Central of Georgia Railroad was built through Oglethorpe, changing county dynamics. As a result, the Georgia Assembly called for a referendum on moving the Macon County seat to Oglethorpe in February of both 1854 and 1856. Little is known about the first vote, but the second vote resulted in approval for a change to the county seat, and Oglethorpe was designated the following year in 1857.

During the Civil War, 13,000 Union soldiers who were prisoners of war died at the Confederate camp in Andersonville, Georgia from starvation and disease. In the late period of the war, Georgia also had difficulty supplying its own troops and people with food. Throughout the Civil War, more men on both sides died of disease than of their wounds. Commandants of the camp were prosecuted after the war for poor treatment of prisoners. The Andersonville National Cemetery, established for the many Union dead, is at the southwestern tip of the county.

The county has an active Mennonite community. The area code for Macon County is currently 478.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 406 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 401 square miles (1,040 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (1.3%) is water. The county is located in the upper Atlantic coastal plain region of the state.

Most of the southern half of Macon County, from west of Ideal to State Route 49 north of Montezuma, then running north along State Route 49 to Marshallville, and then running southeast in the direction of Unadilla, is located in the Middle Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The northern and northwestern portion of the county, from north of Marshallville heading west, is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. The northeastern corner of Macon County, east of Marshallville, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.

Major highways

  • Georgia 26.svg State Route 26
  • Georgia 49.svg State Route 49
  • Georgia 90.svg State Route 90
  • Georgia 127.svg State Route 127
  • Georgia 128.svg State Route 128
  • Georgia 128 Bypass.svg State Route 128 Bypass
  • Georgia 224.svg State Route 224
  • Georgia 240.svg State Route 240
  • Georgia 329.svg State Route 329

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Communities

Cities

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 5,045
1850 7,052 39.8%
1860 8,449 19.8%
1870 11,458 35.6%
1880 11,675 1.9%
1890 13,183 12.9%
1900 14,093 6.9%
1910 15,016 6.5%
1920 17,667 17.7%
1930 16,643 −5.8%
1940 15,947 −4.2%
1950 14,213 −10.9%
1960 13,170 −7.3%
1970 12,933 −1.8%
1980 14,003 8.3%
1990 13,114 −6.3%
2000 14,074 7.3%
2010 14,740 4.7%
2020 12,082 −18.0%
2023 (est.) 11,817 −19.8%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010 2020
Macon County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,184 4,961 4,078 36.83% 33.66% 33.75%
Black or African American alone (NH) 8,337 8,902 7,150 59.24% 60.39% 59.18%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 26 19 15 0.18% 0.13% 0.12%
Asian alone (NH) 82 190 156 0.58% 1.29% 1.29%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 18 7 0.00% 0.12% 0.06%
Other race alone (NH) 9 5 20 0.06% 0.03% 0.17%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 72 118 184 0.51% 0.80% 1.52%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 364 527 472 2.59% 3.58% 3.91%
Total 14,074 14,740 12,082 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,082 people, 4,696 households, and 3,033 families residing in the county.

Education

In popular culture

Macon County has been an important setting for season 4 of AMC's hit TV show, The Walking Dead.
Macon County was a shooting place for the 2013 movie, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The Mountain Goats reference Macon County, Georgia in their song, "Going to Georgia".

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Macon (Georgia) para niños

kids search engine
Macon County, Georgia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.