Laurens County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 49,570,[1] up from 48,434 in 2010.[2] The county seat is Dublin.[3] The county was founded on December 10, 1807, and named after Lieutenant Colonel John Laurens,[4] an American soldier and statesman from South Carolina during the American Revolutionary War.
Laurens County | |
|---|---|
 Laurens County Courthouse in Dublin | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Georgia | |
 Georgia's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 32°28′N 82°56′W / 32.46°N 82.93°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | December 10, 1807 |
| Named for | John Laurens |
| Seat | Dublin |
| Largest city | Dublin |
| Area | |
• Total | 818 sq mi (2,120 km2) |
| • Land | 807 sq mi (2,090 km2) |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (30 km2) 1.4% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 49,570 |
| • Density | 60/sq mi (20/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 12th |
| Website | www |
Laurens County is part of the Dublin micropolitan statistical area.
History
editLaurens County was formed on December 10, 1807, from portions of Wilkinson and Washington Counties.[5] During the Red Summer of 1919, racial tensions increased in the area, leading to the Laurens County, Georgia race riot of 1919.
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 818 square miles (2,120 km2), of which 807 square miles (2,090 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.4%) is water.[6] It is the third-largest county in Georgia by land area and fourth-largest by total area.
The majority of Laurens County is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The southwestern corner of the county, defined by a line that runs west from Chester through Rentz to U.S. Route 441, and then southeast toward Glenwood, is located in the Little Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin. A small and narrow sliver of the eastern edge of the county, from east of Lovett to northeast of Rockledge, is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the larger Altamaha River basin.[7] The county has several swamps along with Oconee river including Cow Hell Swamp.
Major highways
edit
Interstate 16
U.S. Route 80
U.S. Route 319
U.S. Route 441
U.S. Route 441 Bypass (around Dublin)
State Route 19
State Route 26
State Route 29
State Route 31
State Route 46
State Route 86
State Route 117
State Route 126
State Route 199
State Route 257
State Route 278
State Route 338
State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)
Adjacent counties
edit- Johnson County – northeast
- Treutlen County – east
- Wheeler County – south
- Dodge County – southwest
- Bleckley County – west
- Wilkinson County – northwest
- Twiggs County – northwest
Communities
editCities
editTowns
editUnincorporated communities
edit- Alcorns
- Alligood
- Baston
- Brewton
- Catlin
- Cedar Grove
- Chappells Mill
- Condor
- Five Points
- Five Points
- Garretta
- Harlow
- Haskins Crossing
- Holly Hills
- Kewanee
- Laurens Hill
- Lollie
- Lovett
- Lowery
- Midway
- Minter
- Moores
- Nameless
- Old Condor
- Rockledge
- Shewmake
- Spring Hill
- Tuckers Crossroad
- Tweed
- Vincent
- Whipples Crossing
Ghost Towns
editDemographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1810 | 2,210 | — | |
| 1820 | 5,436 | 146.0% | |
| 1830 | 5,589 | 2.8% | |
| 1840 | 5,585 | −0.1% | |
| 1850 | 6,442 | 15.3% | |
| 1860 | 6,998 | 8.6% | |
| 1870 | 7,834 | 11.9% | |
| 1880 | 10,053 | 28.3% | |
| 1890 | 13,747 | 36.7% | |
| 1900 | 25,908 | 88.5% | |
| 1910 | 35,501 | 37.0% | |
| 1920 | 39,605 | 11.6% | |
| 1930 | 32,693 | −17.5% | |
| 1940 | 33,606 | 2.8% | |
| 1950 | 33,123 | −1.4% | |
| 1960 | 32,313 | −2.4% | |
| 1970 | 32,738 | 1.3% | |
| 1980 | 36,990 | 13.0% | |
| 1990 | 39,988 | 8.1% | |
| 2000 | 44,874 | 12.2% | |
| 2010 | 48,434 | 7.9% | |
| 2020 | 49,570 | 2.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 49,941 | [8] | 0.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1880[10] 1890-1910[11] 1920-1930[12] 1930-1940[13] 1940-1950[14] 1960-1980[15] 1980-2000[16] 2010[17] 2020[18] | |||
2020 Census
edit| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[19] | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 28,199 | 28,920 | 27,881 | 62.84% | 59.71% | 56.25% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 15,417 | 17,268 | 18,219 | 34.36% | 35.65% | 36.75% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 80 | 87 | 80 | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 361 | 478 | 507 | 0.80% | 0.99% | 1.02% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 12 | 4 | 14 | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 44 | 41 | 141 | 0.10% | 0.08% | 0.28% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 232 | 493 | 1,304 | 0.52% | 1.02% | 2.63% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 529 | 1,143 | 1,424 | 1.18% | 2.36% | 2.87% |
| Total | 44,874 | 48,434 | 49,570 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49,570 people, 17,142 households, and 11,549 families residing in the county.
Education
editLaurens County School District operates the county's public schools.
Notable people
edit- Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald, founder of the first woman's secret society established at a girls' college was born here.
- Karl Slover, one of the oldest living Munchkins from Wizard of Oz (1939 film).
- Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver for the Denver Broncos
- Anthony Johnson, mixed martial artist for the Ultimate Fighting Championship(UFC)
Politics
edit| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 15,460 | 66.20% | 7,820 | 33.49% | 72 | 0.31% |
| 2020 | 14,493 | 63.76% | 8,074 | 35.52% | 164 | 0.72% |
| 2016 | 12,411 | 63.33% | 6,752 | 34.46% | 433 | 2.21% |
| 2012 | 11,950 | 60.85% | 7,513 | 38.26% | 176 | 0.90% |
| 2008 | 12,052 | 60.37% | 7,769 | 38.92% | 142 | 0.71% |
| 2004 | 10,883 | 63.05% | 6,281 | 36.39% | 97 | 0.56% |
| 2000 | 8,133 | 57.94% | 5,724 | 40.78% | 179 | 1.28% |
| 1996 | 6,118 | 47.79% | 5,792 | 45.24% | 893 | 6.97% |
| 1992 | 6,146 | 43.72% | 6,184 | 43.99% | 1,729 | 12.30% |
| 1988 | 6,929 | 57.89% | 4,879 | 40.76% | 162 | 1.35% |
| 1984 | 7,181 | 56.76% | 5,471 | 43.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 4,392 | 35.07% | 7,860 | 62.76% | 271 | 2.16% |
| 1976 | 3,281 | 27.58% | 8,617 | 72.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1972 | 7,350 | 77.53% | 2,130 | 22.47% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 2,738 | 21.33% | 3,451 | 26.88% | 6,649 | 51.79% |
| 1964 | 5,457 | 58.76% | 3,828 | 41.22% | 2 | 0.02% |
| 1960 | 1,884 | 28.84% | 4,648 | 71.16% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,189 | 18.95% | 5,085 | 81.05% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 1,046 | 17.30% | 5,001 | 82.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 268 | 7.05% | 2,325 | 61.12% | 1,211 | 31.83% |
| 1944 | 498 | 16.37% | 2,544 | 83.63% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 435 | 15.79% | 2,316 | 84.07% | 4 | 0.15% |
| 1936 | 304 | 10.37% | 2,620 | 89.39% | 7 | 0.24% |
| 1932 | 38 | 1.71% | 2,188 | 98.25% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1928 | 470 | 19.13% | 1,987 | 80.87% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 121 | 9.31% | 1,127 | 86.76% | 51 | 3.93% |
| 1920 | 350 | 23.07% | 1,167 | 76.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 143 | 9.69% | 1,269 | 85.98% | 64 | 4.34% |
| 1912 | 92 | 7.52% | 1,107 | 90.52% | 24 | 1.96% |
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ US 2020 Census Bureau report, Laurens County, Georgia
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182.
- ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 130. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 14, 2004.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
- ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
- ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
- ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
- ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
- ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
- ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
- ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Laurens County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Laurens County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Laurens County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 21, 2018.