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Ware County, Georgia facts for kids

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Ware County
U.S. county
Ware County Courthouse in Waycross
Ware County Courthouse in Waycross
Official seal of Ware County
Seal
Map of Georgia highlighting Ware 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 15, 1824; 199 years ago (1824-12-15)
Named for Nicholas Ware
Seat Waycross
Largest city Waycross
Area
 • Total 908 sq mi (2,350 km2)
 • Land 892 sq mi (2,310 km2)
 • Water 16 sq mi (40 km2)  1.7%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 36,251
 • Density 41/sq mi (16/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 1st
Laura S Walker State Park
Laura S. Walker State Park

Ware County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,251. The county seat and only incorporated place is Waycross. Ware County is part of the Waycross, Georgia micropolitan statistical area.

History

Ware County, Georgia's 60th county, was created on December 15, 1824, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly from land that was originally part of Appling County.

The county is named for Nicholas Ware, the mayor of Augusta, Georgia from (1819–1821) and United States Senator who represented Georgia from 1821 until his death in 1824.

Several counties were later created from parts of the original Ware County borders:

Ware County was home to Laura S. Walker (1861-1955) a noted author and conservationist. Walker promoted a comprehensive program of forestry activity, including the establishment of forest parks. She erected markers and monuments along old trails and at historic sites, in Waycross and Ware County so that local history would not be forgotten. Walker wrote three books about the land and history of her home. They are: History of Ware County, Georgia About "Old Okefenåok" and Doctors of Primitive Times and Horse and Buggy Days of Ware County.

An effort to recognize her work culminated in President Franklin D. Roosevelt issuing a proclamation to establish the Laura S. Walker National Park, located in Ware County, in her honor. She was the only living person for whom a state or national park was named. In 1937, the federal government purchased distressed farmland for the park. Work on the park was undertaken by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1941, the national park was deeded over to Georgia, becoming the State's 13th state park.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 908 square miles (2,350 km2), of which 892 square miles (2,310 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (1.7%) is water. It is the largest county in Georgia by area. A large portion of the county lies within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.

More than half of Ware County, made up by the western half of the southern portion of the county, the land bridge to the northern portion of the county, and the southern and western portion of the northern section of the county, is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The eastern half of the southern portion of Ware County is located in the St. Marys River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin. The rest of the county, from just southeast to north and west of Waycross, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the same St. Marys-Satilla River basin.

Major highways

  • US 1.svg U.S. Route 1
  • Business plate.svg
    US 1.svg U.S. Route 1 Business
  • US 23.svg U.S. Route 23
  • Business plate.svg
    US 23.svg U.S. Route 23 Business
  • US 82.svg U.S. Route 82
  • US 84.svg U.S. Route 84
  • Georgia 4.svg State Route 4
  • Georgia 4 Business.svg State Route 4 Business
  • Georgia 38.svg State Route 38
  • Georgia 122.svg State Route 122
  • Georgia 158.svg State Route 158
  • Georgia 177.svg State Route 177
  • Georgia 520.svg State Route 520

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Communities

City

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1830 1,205 —
1840 2,323 92.8%
1850 3,888 67.4%
1860 2,200 −43.4%
1870 2,286 3.9%
1880 4,159 81.9%
1890 8,811 111.9%
1900 13,761 56.2%
1910 22,957 66.8%
1920 28,361 23.5%
1930 26,558 −6.4%
1940 27,929 5.2%
1950 30,289 8.4%
1960 34,219 13.0%
1970 33,525 −2.0%
1980 37,180 10.9%
1990 35,471 −4.6%
2000 35,483 0.0%
2010 36,312 2.3%
2020 36,251 −0.2%
2023 (est.) 36,243 −0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010
Ware County racial composition (2020)
Race Num. Perc.
White 22,275 61.45%
Black or African American 10,703 29.52%
Native American 77 0.21%
Asian 333 0.92%
Pacific Islander 18 0.05%
Other/Mixed 1,233 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1,612 4.45%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 36,251 people, 13,823 households, and 8,909 families residing in the county.

Education

High schools

  • Ware County High School, Waycross

Middle schools

  • Ware County Middle School, Waycross
  • Waycross Middle School, Waycross

Elementary schools

  • Wacona Elementary School, Waycross
  • Center Elementary School, Waycross
  • Williams Heights Elementary School, Waycross
  • Memorial Drive Elementary School, Waycross
  • Ruskin Elementary School, Waycross
  • Waresboro Elementary School, Waycross

Preschools

  • DAFFODIL Preschool, Waycross

Private schools

  • Southside Christian School

Higher education

  • South Georgia State College, Waycross
  • Coastal Pines Technical College, Waycross

See also

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

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