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Screven County, Georgia facts for kids

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Screven County
Harris-Murrow-Trowell House in Oliver.
Harris-Murrow-Trowell House in Oliver.
Map of Georgia highlighting Screven 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, 1793; 232 years ago (1793)
Named for James Screven
Seat Sylvania
Largest city Sylvania
Area
 • Total 656 sq mi (1,700 km2)
 • Land 645 sq mi (1,670 km2)
 • Water 11 sq mi (30 km2)  1.6%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 14,067
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 12th

Screven County is a special area called a county in the southeastern part of Georgia. It's like a district within the state. In 2020, about 14,067 people lived here. The main town and center of the county is Sylvania.

History of Screven County

Screven County was created a long time ago, on December 14, 1793. It was named after a brave soldier, General James Screven. He was a general who fought and died in Georgia during the American Revolutionary War.

Sometimes, in old records, the county's name was spelled "Scriven." This was because the general's name was sometimes spelled that way too.

The main town of the county, called the county seat, moved to Sylvania in 1847. Before that, it was in a place called Jacksonborough. The building where the county's government works, the Screven County Courthouse, was built in 1964. It's the fourth courthouse the county has had.

Geography and Nature

Screven County covers a total area of about 656 square miles. Most of this area, about 645 square miles, is land. The rest, about 11 square miles, is water.

The Savannah River forms the eastern border of the county. The Ogeechee River runs along the southwestern part. The land in the county changes from about 40 feet high near the Savannah River to 320 feet high in the Bay Branch area. This area is a few miles west of Sylvania.

You can find many types of trees here. These include pine, oak, and dogwood trees. These trees are common in the southern United States.

Rivers and Waterways

Different parts of Screven County are connected to different river systems. The very northern part of the county is in the Middle Savannah River area. This area is part of the larger Savannah River basin.

A central part of the county, around Hiltonia and north of Sylvania, is in the Brier Creek area. This is also part of the Savannah River basin.

The southern part of the county, from Newington through Sylvania, is in the Upper Ogeechee River area. This is part of the Ogeechee River basin. The very southeastern corner of the county is in the Lower Savannah River area.

Main Roads in Screven County

Several important roads pass through Screven County. These roads help people travel and connect different towns.

  • US 301.svg U.S. Route 301
  • Business plate.svg
    US 301.svg U.S. Route 301 Business
  • Georgia 17.svg State Route 17
  • Georgia 21.svg State Route 21
  • Georgia 21 Business.svg State Route 21 Business
  • Georgia 24.svg State Route 24
  • Georgia 73.svg State Route 73

Neighboring Counties

Screven County shares its borders with several other counties. Some are in Georgia, and some are in South Carolina.

Towns and Communities

Screven County has several towns and smaller communities. These are places where people live and work.

Cities in Screven County

Towns in Screven County

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller places that are not officially part of a city or town.

  • Cooperville
  • Dover
  • Halcyondale
  • Millhaven

Population Over Time

The number of people living in Screven County has changed over many years. Here is how the population has grown and shrunk since 1800:

Historical population
Census Pop.
1800 3,019
1810 4,477 48.3%
1820 3,941 −12.0%
1830 4,776 21.2%
1840 4,794 0.4%
1850 6,847 42.8%
1860 8,274 20.8%
1870 9,175 10.9%
1880 12,786 39.4%
1890 14,424 12.8%
1900 19,252 33.5%
1910 20,202 4.9%
1920 23,552 16.6%
1930 20,503 −12.9%
1940 20,353 −0.7%
1950 18,000 −11.6%
1960 14,919 −17.1%
1970 12,591 −15.6%
1980 14,043 11.5%
1990 13,842 −1.4%
2000 15,374 11.1%
2010 14,593 −5.1%
2020 14,067 −3.6%
2023 (est.) 14,174 −2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010 2020

People of Screven County

In 2020, there were 14,067 people living in Screven County. These people lived in 5,098 households, and 3,395 of these were families. The county is home to people from many different backgrounds.

Screven County racial composition as of 2020
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 8,018 57.0%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,285 37.57%
Native American 39 0.28%
Asian 61 0.43%
Pacific Islander 3 0.02%
Other/Mixed 374 2.66%
Hispanic or Latino 287 2.04%

Famous People from Screven County

Many interesting people have connections to Screven County. Here are a few of them:

  • John Abbot was a naturalist and entomologist. This means he studied insects. He wrote a famous book about Georgia's rare butterflies and moths.
  • Lee Rogers Berger is an explorer and paleoanthropologist. He studies ancient humans and their ancestors.
  • Edward Junius Black was a politician who served in the United States House of Representatives.
  • Bucky Dent was a famous baseball player for the New York Yankees. He spent his early years in Sylvania.
  • Francys Johnson is an important official for the NAACP. This group works for civil rights.
  • Macay McBride was a pitcher in Major League Baseball.
  • John R. McKinney was a hero from World War II. He received many awards for his bravery.
  • Louie De Votie Newton was a pastor and led the Southern Baptist Convention.
  • Sam Sommers was a NASCAR race car driver. He was also a Georgia Late Model Racing Champion. He is now in the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Screven para niños

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