Crawford County, Georgia

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History/Timeline

Seal

1775 William Bartram (naturalist) was traveling in Crawford co., area.. He found a plant that was unknown and named the plant "Hydrangea Quercifolia" . This now is commonly called Oakleaf Hydrangea. Bartram described the area near Sweetwater Creek as a "delightful diversified rural scene," noting that it "promises a happy, fruitful and salubrious region." ^[1]

1800's-1900's Crawford County pottery thrived in Crawford Count. Men such as Long, Becham, Merritt, Pyles, and Dickson were well-known in the area for creation of utilitarian jugs and crocks. The clay from Crawford County and the Rich Hill alkaline glaze used by the early "jug makers" is still prized today.^[1]

Dec 9, 1822 Crawford County was created by Georgia legislature from Houston County as the 57th county in west central Georgia, with a size of 325 sq. mi. The county was originally created from Houston County, on the land ceded to the U.S. Federal government by the Creek Indians in 1821 Treaty of Indian Springs. It is named for William Harris Crawford, U.S. senator and secretary of the treasury. ^[2]ref name=wiki />^[3][4]

Map

1823 Georgia State legislature declared Knoxville, Georgia to be the county seat, who was named for General Henry Knox (1750-1806), Revolutionary War participant, and first 1789 U.S. Sec. of War..^[4]

1825- Knoxville was the only incorporated town in the county. Georgia legislature directed that the town should comprehend its limits, no person cold be elected a commissioner who did not live within the town limits. ^[4]

Benjamin Hawkins Monumenet

One of Crawford County area's original settlers include Benjamin Hawkins and family. They built a 5-square mile compound near the Flint River, 1803 and expanded.. This was composed of plantation, and a shop. This compound later became known as the Creek Agency Reserve, which he established. A monument commemorating Hawkins is located in Roberta, Georgia near the Train Depot.

Hawkins ideas reflected that of many white men of this era, that the American Indians would assume European lifestyle. He died at the Creek Agency Reserve, 1816.^{[2] [1]}

https://georgia.gov/cities-counties/crawford-county

Citizens of Knoxville moved to Roberta, Georgia (a mile away). Roberta was a tourist stop on the route toward Florida. Roberta, Georgia relaxed into a quiet residential town once the railroad ceased daily stops.. The rails are gone currently with only the rail bed as a reminder. ^{[1] [2]}

1832 First courthouse was built 1832. This building was rebuilt 1851 after a fire in 1851. The 2002 courthouse was built one block behind the early courthouse of 1832. It was replaced with a new courthouse in 2002. However the 1851 courthouse still stands and is used as a museum.. Knoxville is one of 3 unincorporated towns that are county seat...^{[2] [4]}

Knoxville, GA was first a stagecoach and telegraph route from Washington D.C. to New Orleans. As it grew, it was best for the location of County seat.. More settlers arrived, the population shifted 1 mile westward to become Roberta. Knoxville is no longer an incorporated city but does retain its designation of county Seat. ^{[2] [4]}

1880- The A&F began laying 105 miles (169 km) of track from Atlanta to Fort Valley finishing 1-5 miles. The railroad wanted to bring the track from Culloden to Knoxville, which was the most direct and economical route. Crawford County people did not want the railroad passing through their County Seat.. So A & F took the railway tto Musella, Georgia instead. By 1895 Musella, Georgia began as a flag stop on the Atlanta and Florida Railway.. Their farmers could market their products. Ceres, Georgia residents (later named Hopewell moved to Musella. They even broke down the cotton gin at Ceres and reassembled it in Musella.^[1]

Old Crawford County Jail

1886 At first Roberta, Georgia was named New Knoxville, Georgia and was a simple railroad office and warehouse at the Southern Railroad Compan's '89 Fort Valley marker. After 2 years, the railway completed a freight depot with passenger station. Then settlers began to arrive. Townspeople asked Hiran McCrary to name the town since he gave the land rights for the railroad to build through his land. Hiram McCrary named it for his daughter, Roberta. Knoxville residents eventually moved over to Roberta. At first Roberta was a passenger stop for passengers on the way to Florida. By 1900 the Business part of Roberta had grown and automobiles arrived..^{[2] [4][1]}

1950-1965 - Tourist industry began with travel to coastal resorts on Hwy 341. Currently the interstate system diverts traffic away from Roberta toward Macon, Georgia. Diners, motels are mostly gone, and Roberta, Georgia is a small quiet Southern town.^[1]

Other small towns/communities are Gaillard, Horns, Lee Pope, Musella, and Zenith.

Settlers and the county economy was agriculture.. Later cattle ranching, then timber harvesting , and sand removal are major economic factors. Some residents work in neighboring counties, such as Bibb County. ^{[2] [4]}

Current Crawford co. jail

Places to visit--

1) Knoxville are the Old Jail Museum

2)Old Courthouse (built in 1851), houses documents and local history.

3) The Museum of Southeastern Indians, with its collection of Indian artifacts and Appalachian settler history, in Roberta.

Things to See:

1. The Old Jail (Est 1843) Museum
2. Old Courthouse (Est 1832). The 1832 building was rebuilt 1851 after a fire.. It contains documents currently and local history. which was re-built in 1851 after a fire, houses documents and local history. .^[1]
3. Roberta: Historic Old Town Buildings
4. Replica of the original Train Depot and Passenger Station
5. Bejamin Hawkins Monument
6. Currently renovating a rail car Caboose for a railway Museum.

West of Roberta off Highway US 80:

1. The Museum of Southeastern Indians with its collection of Indian artifacts and Appalachian settler history..^[1]
2. Musella: Dickey Farms (Est. 1897) has one of Georgia's oldest, continuously operating peach packing houses (built in 1936).
3. Hays General Store (Est. 1900) has 110 years
4. Musella Baptist Church was founded in 1884; the current building was constructed in 1908, and is a beautiful example of traditional country church architecture..^[1]

Government Offices

1st courthouse, 1832 - The 1832 building was rebuilt 1851 after a firebuilt in 1851.

2nd Courthouse --The 1832-1851 building was replaced with a new courthouse in 2002. However the 1851 courthouse still stands..

Crawford County Courthouse

Current Courthouse

Geography

Size -total area of 326 square miles (840 km2), of which 325 square miles (840 km2) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) (0.5%) is water.

Sub-basins

Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin) - West part of Crawford County, west of Musella and Knoxville

Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin-- northeastern part of the county, northeast of Byron

Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin -southeastern corner of Crawford County, north of Fort Valley

Clay from Crawford County and the Rich Hill alkaline glaze used by the early "jug makers" is still prized today.

Adjacent counties

• Monroe County – north
• Bibb County – east-northeast
• Peach County – east-southeast
• Taylor County – southwest
• Macon County – south
• Upson County – northwest

Demographics

In 2000, there were 12,495 people in the county with a population density of 38 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 72.85% White, 23.80% Black or African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.81% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 2.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010 there were 12,630 people with a population density of 38.9 people/sq. mi. Median income for a household in the county was $37,062 and the median income for a family was $48,623. Males had a median income of $39,452 versus $34,167 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,692. About 16.8% of families and 20.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.8% of those under age 18 and 16.2% of those age 65 or over.^[5]

Education
Crawford County School District has grades pre-school through 12th grade, with 1 elementary school, 1 middle school, and 1 high school to serve 2,090 students with 127 teachers.^[6]

Crawford County Elementary School Crawford County Middle School Crawford County High School

Highways

Cities

• Roberta

Towns/Communities

• Knoxville

• Lizella
• Musella
• Zenith

Protected Places

• Knoxville: The Old Jail (Est 1843) Museum and the Old Courthouse (Est 1832), which was re-built in 1851 after a fire, houses documents and local history. Knoxville is also the home of the annual
• Crawford County Pottery Jug Fest.- annual

annual Crawford County Pottery Jug Fest.

• Roberta: Historic Old Town Buildings,
• Replica of the original Train Depot and Passenger Station,
• Benjamin Hawkins Monument.

County Resources

• Pottery - Pottery was a thriving business in Crawford County (1800s- 1900s). Men such as Long, Becham, Merritt, Pyles, and Dickson were known throughout the area created the utilitarian jugs and crocks.

Clay from Crawford County and the Rich Hill alkaline glaze used by the early "jug makers" is still prized today.

• Crawford County Resources
• Crawford County, GA government
• Knoxville: The Old Jail (Est 1843) Museum and the Old Courthouse (Est 1832), which was re-built in 1851 after a fire, houses documents and local history. Knoxville is also the home of the annual
• Crawford County Pottery Jug Fest.- annual

annual Crawford County Pottery Jug Fest.

• Roberta: Historic Old Town Buildings,
• Replica of the original Train Depot and Passenger Station,
• Benjamin Hawkins Monument.
• Railway Museum, west of Roberta off Hwy US 80Currently renovating a rail car Caboose for a railway Museum.

West of Roberta off Highway US 80: The Museum of Southeastern Indians with its collection of Indian artifacts and Appalachian settler history.

• Musella: Dickey Farms (Est. 1897) (built 1936) one of Georgia's oldest, continuously operating peach packing houses (built in 1936).
• Hays General Store (Est. 1900) has 110 years of continuous operation, and is one of the oldest stores of its kind in Georgia still in operation.
• Musella Baptist Church, founded 1884; the current building- built 1908,( example of traditional country church architecture

Census

1830 --- 5,313 —

1840 --- 7,981 50.2%

1850 --- 8,984 12.6%

1860 --- 7,693 −14.4%

1870 --- 7,557 −1.8%

1880 --- 8,656 14.5%

1890 --- 9,315 7.6%

1900 --- 10,368 11.3%

1910 --- 8,310 −19.8%

1920 --- 8,893 7.0%

1930 --- 7,020 −21.1%

1940 --- 7,128 1.5%

1950 --- 6,080 −14.7%

1960 --- 5,816 −4.3%

1970 --- 5,748 −1.2%

1980 --- 7,684 33.7%

1990 --- 8,991 17.0%

2000 --- 12,495 39.0%

2010 --- 12,630 1.1%

Est. 2016 --- 12,322

Notables

• Jefferson Franklin Long, Crawford, Georgia's first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. A native of Crawford County, (1870- March 1871) Spoke from the U.S. of Representatives.
• John Stith Pemberton, the inventor of Coca-Cola, born in Knoxville, Georgia (veteran Confederate Lt Col.. also ran soil, and crop chemicals tests.
• Joanna E. Troutman of Crawford Co., designed one of the Lone Star flags (later adopted as a major Texas emblem) . She presented her flag to the Georgia Battalion, who went to Texas in 1835 to assist Texans in their fight for independence. Trout man was buried in the Texas state Cemetery in Austin.

Cemeteries

• Hawkins Plantation Cemetery

• usgarchives Crawford County Cemeteries
• [www.findagrave.com/cemetery-browse/usa/georgia/crawford-county... FindAGrave Crawford County, Cemeteries]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_County,_Georgia
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6} https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/crawford-county
3. ↑ https://georgia.gov/cities-counties/crawford-county
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} http://www.crawfordcountyga.org
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_County,_Georgia
6. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_County,_Georgia

• A History of Georgia: From Its First Discovery by Europeans to the Adoption of the Present Constitution in MDCCXCVIII, Vol 1, by William Bacon Stevens January 1, 1847 New York : D. Appleton

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawford_County,_Georgia