Rabun County, Georgia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids

Rabun County

U.S. county

Rabun County courthouse in Clayton

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Georgia

Founded

1819; 206 years ago

Named for

William Rabun

Seat

Clayton

Largest city

Clayton

Area

• Total

377 sq mi (980 km²)

• Land

370 sq mi (1,000 km²)

• Water

6.9 sq mi (18 km²) 1.8%

Population

(2020)

• Total

16,883

• Density

44/sq mi (17/km²)

Time zone

UTC−5 (Eastern)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−4 (EDT)

Congressional district

9th

Rabun County is a county in the northeastern part of Georgia, USA. It is the most northeastern county in the state. In 2020, about 16,883 people lived here. The main town and county seat is Clayton.

Rabun County gets a lot of rain! It's known as the rainiest county in Georgia. It's also one of the rainiest places east of the Cascades mountains. In 2018, it had its wettest year ever, with over 116 inches of rain.

History of Rabun County

People started exploring the area now known as Rabun County as early as 1760.

Early Native American Life

In the 1700s, many Cherokee people lived here. Because of this, some parts of the Appalachian Mountains were called the "Cherokee Mountains." The Cherokee people were divided into groups based on where they lived and how they spoke.

At least four Cherokee villages were once in Rabun County. One village, called Stikayi, was near Stekoa Creek. Another, Tallulah, was on the upper part of the Tallulah River. Two other villages, Chicherohe and Eastertoy, were also in the area. Chicherohe was destroyed during the American Revolutionary War.

Even before the Cherokee, other Native American groups lived here. There is a mound near Dillard that is similar to other mounds in North Georgia. It was likely built by the Mississippian culture, who were known for building mounds. This mound is now a protected historical site.

First Explorers and Settlers

A portrait of William Bartram

An early visitor to Rabun County was William Bartram, an explorer and naturalist. In May 1775, he wrote in his journal about crossing the Chattooga River into Georgia. He traveled through an area called Dividings, which later became Clayton. He also climbed Rabun Bald. Today, a hiking trail called the Bartram Trail follows some of his paths.

John Dillard and his family were among the first settlers in 1794. They received land for his service in the American Revolution. At first, the Cherokee tolerated the settlers. But soon, tensions grew. The Cherokee saw the settlers as invaders who didn't respect nature. Raids between the groups became common. These fights mostly ended a few years before the Cherokee gave up their land to Georgia in 1817.

Forming the County

The Georgia General Assembly created Rabun County on December 21, 1819. It was Georgia's 47th county. The northern border was set at 35°N latitude, which is the border with North Carolina. However, an early survey made a small mistake. This means Rabun County has Georgia's northernmost point, a little north of the official border.

The county is named after William Rabun. He was the 11th Governor of Georgia and died in 1819. Over the years, parts of other counties were added to Rabun County. Later, in 1856, parts of Rabun County were used to create Towns County.

Civil War and Development

The Tallulah Ranger Station near Clayton in 1935

During the U.S. Civil War, Rabun County was one of only five counties in Georgia that did not want to leave the Union. Most people in the county were against secession. Even so, Rabun County did send two groups of soldiers to fight for the Confederate side.

In 1898, the Tallulah Falls Railway was built through the county. A popular stop was Tallulah Gorge. This railway ran for over 60 years and was even featured in a Disney movie called The Great Locomotive Chase.

Starting in the 1920s, many improvements came to the county. This was thanks to the growth of the Chattahoochee National Forest. "Ranger Nick" Nicholson was Georgia's first forest ranger. He helped set up telephone lines and other important services in the county.

Modern Times

The movie Deliverance (1972) was filmed mostly in Rabun County. It was about a group of men on a canoe trip in north Georgia. After the movie came out, tourism in Rabun County greatly increased. By 2012, tourism was the biggest source of money for the county. The population has also doubled since 1970.

Rafting has also become a big industry in the area. Because of the beautiful scenery, many people have built vacation homes around the county's lakes. In 2012, Rabun County held a festival for the Chattooga River to help protect it.

Geography of Rabun County

This 1834 map shows Rabun County

Rabun County covers about 377 square miles. Most of this is land, with a small part being water. About 60% of the land is part of National Forests and State Parks. Another 20% is owned by Georgia Power, and the rest is private land. Rabun County has the largest part of the Chattahoochee National Forest within its borders.

Most of the county is in the Tugaloo River sub-basin, which is part of the larger Savannah River basin. A northern part of the county is in the Little Tennessee River sub-basin.

Natural Features

Rabun County has three major lakes created by Georgia Power for electricity. Today, these lakes are also popular for fun activities:

Lake Burton covers about 4.33 square miles and has 100 kilometers of shoreline.
Lake Rabun covers about 3.38 square kilometers and has 40 kilometers of shoreline.
Lake Seed covers about 0.97 square kilometers and has 21 kilometers of shoreline.

The county also has many trout streams, like the Tallulah River and its smaller streams.

The Eastern Continental Divide runs through the county. This means that rain falling on one side flows to the Atlantic Ocean, and rain on the other side flows to the Gulf of Mexico. This high elevation gives Rabun County the most snow in Georgia. It also means the county has mild weather in summer, leading to its slogan: Where Spring Spends the Summer. Rabun County is special because it has three state parks: Black Rock Mountain, Moccasin Creek, and Tallulah Gorge.

Mountains

Mountains are a big part of Rabun County's landscape. The Eastern Continental Divide includes the second and third highest peaks in Georgia: Rabun Bald (4,696 feet) and Dick's Knob (4,620 feet). The county has eight peaks over 4,000 feet tall. It also has more than 60 peaks between 3,000 and 4,000 feet tall.

For more information, see: List of Summits and Ridges in Rabun County, Georgia*

The 120-foot Holcomb Creek Falls

Waterfalls

Rabun County has many beautiful waterfalls. Many of them can be reached by short hiking trails. Some popular ones are Dick's Creek Falls, Holcomb Creek Falls, and Minnehaha Falls.

Hiking Trails

The county has many hiking trails. A part of the famous Appalachian Trail goes through Rabun County. The county is also home to a 37-mile section of the Bartram Trail.

Major Roads

U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 76
U.S. Route 441
State Route 2
State Route 15
State Route 28
State Route 197
State Route 246

US 23 and US 441 run together from south to north through the county. US 76 runs from west to east. State Route 246 starts in Dillard and goes to Sky Valley. State Route 28 runs for a very short distance in the northeastern corner.

Neighboring Counties

Animals and Plants

The threatened bog turtle

Rabun County is home to several endangered and threatened species. These are animals and plants that are at risk of disappearing.

Animals of Concern

The bald eagle is no longer endangered in the US, but it is still considered endangered in Georgia.
The bog turtle is a threatened species in both the US and Georgia.
Three types of fish found in the county are protected in Georgia. These include the fatlips minnow, the highscale shiner, and the olive darter.

Plants of Concern

There are 15 plants that are protected in Rabun County. Two of these are on the Federal endangered species list. They are the persistent trillium, rock gnome lichen, and swamp pink.

Population of Rabun County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	524	—
1830	2,176	315.3%
1840	1,912	−12.1%
1850	2,448	28.0%
1860	3,271	33.6%
1870	3,256	−0.5%
1880	4,634	42.3%
1890	5,606	21.0%
1900	6,285	12.1%
1910	5,562	−11.5%
1920	5,746	3.3%
1930	6,331	10.2%
1940	7,821	23.5%
1950	7,424	−5.1%
1960	7,456	0.4%
1970	8,327	11.7%
1980	10,466	25.7%
1990	11,648	11.3%
2000	15,050	29.2%
2010	16,276	8.1%
2020	16,883	3.7%
2023 (est.)	17,442	7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1930-1940 1940-1950 1960-1980 1980-2000 2010 2020

Recent Population Changes

**Rabun 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)	14,023	14,468	14,625	93.18%	88.89%	86.63%
Black or African American alone (NH)	118	144	107	0.78%	0.88%	0.63%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	50	53	28	0.33%	0.33%	0.17%
Asian alone (NH)	57	114	60	0.38%	0.70%	0.36%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	0	7	1	0.00%	0.04%	0.01%
Other race alone (NH)	5	10	35	0.03%	0.06%	0.21%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	114	179	575	0.76%	1.10%	3.41%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	683	1,301	1,452	4.54%	7.99%	8.60%
Total	15,050	16,276	16,883	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

In 2020, there were 16,883 people living in Rabun County. There were 6,662 households and 4,220 families.

In 2010, the county had 16,276 people. Most people (93.3%) were white. About 8.0% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background. The average age was 45.8 years old. The average income for a family was $50,410. About 18.5% of the people lived below the poverty line.

Economy

In the past, Rabun County's biggest employers were textile factories. However, some of these factories, like Rabun Apparel, closed down in the mid-2000s. This meant many people lost their jobs.

Education

The Rabun County School District serves students from pre-school through 12th grade. It has a primary school, an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has about 140 full-time teachers and over 2,221 students.

Rabun County Primary School
Rabun County Elementary School
Rabun County Middle School
Rabun County High School

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School is a private school in the county. It offers classes for students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. It also has boarding options for students in grades 6-12.