Chattahoochee County, Georgia

... ... ... is a part of Georgia history. Join: Georgia Project Discuss: Georgia

• Leader of this Project is Paula J
• Coordinator is Mary Richardson

History/Timeline

Chattahoochee River, fall

12,000 years ago people were living in Chattahoochee area. Clovis and Folsom points indicative of the big game hunters of the late Ice age have been found.. During that time giant mammals were moving in the creeks and wetlands. ^[1]

Archaic Period- 8000BC-1000BC -Chattahoochee area would be ideal for hunters and gatherers to hunt game in the creeks and wetlands. The Native Americans would set brush fires, which cleared the landscape of shrubs, leaving pastures where deer, bison and elk roamed. ^[1]

1500 AD Native American traders carried European diseases north from Cuba intot he Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Coast lowlands.^[1]

1540- De Soto may have passed near the Macon Georgia area.The Native Americans had no resistance to the European diseases. Anthropologists feel the Native American population in Georgia decreased 95% between 1500-1700.^[1]

Chattahoochee River watershed

1567-1745 - Spain claimed Chattahoochee and the Flint River Basins following a surveying expedition to find the River's origin at Unicoi Gap. The lands were surveyed and prospecting for gold began. A trading post was established near the Chattahoochee origin. ^[1]

mid-1700's The Georgia Piedmont had numerous Woodland bison until they were killed off by British settlers.^[1]

Feb 13, 1854 The Georgia General Assembly created Chattahoochee County. The 109th County was formed from parts of Muscogee and Marion counties. It is named for the Chattahoochee River that forms its western boundary. The river is an Indian word thought to mean red rock. Cusetta, Georgia is said to have been named for the Creek Indian town in early existence nearby. The county has a City-County government..However Cusetta is not coterminous with the county.^{[2][3] [4]}

1854 There were 3 small post offices in the new county at Bald Hill, Shell Creek, and Halloca.. Not right for a county seat. Coaster replaced Sand Town, (an older community).The legislature instructed the commissioners to find a centralized spot for a county seat, purchase the site, survey, organize lots, sell lots and then use the proceeds to build public buildings. (Ga. Laws 1853-54, p. 288). ^[5][4]

1854 Commissioners did their job and named the county seat Cusetta, for a Creek town and trading post of the same name. ^[4]

1854 Courthouse.

1854 Cusetta Courthouse

1854 The 1st courthouse was built resembling a large 2-story wooden, square, 50x60 feet in size, with 4 rooms. In 1974- the old courthouse was ready to be razed, but was moved to Westville, Georgia. This town contains other 1850's type houses and buildings in Stewart County, so the old courthouse was right at home.. The State Bar of Georgia sponsored restoration of the old courthouse to its original look. ^[4]

1854 - Chattahoochee County gained its lands from parts of Marion and Muscogee Counties. The name for the county is named for the Chattahoochee River. Cusetta, Georgia was named for one of the Lower Creek Indian tribes. ^[3]

After 1854 the large 2-story wooden courthouse was built. Wikipedia mentions the first building to have been built by slaves. It continued to serve as the center and served as the center of county government until 1974. The county was small, so the next courthouse was 1 story brick. The county agreed for the relocation of the old building to Westville, Georgia. This is known as a living-history site in Stewart County. The Georgia Bar Association paid for a renovation of the courthouse after its trip to Westville. The Old jail a scenic landmark is located in Cusetta, Georgia.^[5][2]

July, 20, 1855 Within a year, the first 2-story log jail was built by A. Bryan for $1,250. Sheriff Brown supervised..The building size was 18 feet X 22 feet, that was doubled walled with 15 inch space between them. This building served Chattahoochee County until 1902. ^[6]

Dec. 22, 1855 With an act, the General Assembly incorporated Cusseta and designated it as permanent county seat (Ga. Laws 1855-56, p. 362).^[4]

1800's and 1900's Agriculture was the focus for the county settlers as well as the state. 1900 farms yielded 6,000 bales cotton, as well as rice, peanuts, sweet potatoes, peas, fruit from apple, peach and plum trees.^[5]

Cussetta, Georgia is county seat of Chattahoochee County is the town of Cusseta. Cusseta, Georgia is named for part of the Creek Indian Confederacy. The name was anglicized from a Itza Maya word in Mexico for "People of the Forested Mountains", the Creek word is "Kvse-te". When Savannah was settled in 1732, the British Colonists called the Kvse-te, the Kashita.^[1]

First Baptist Church, Cusetta

Original churches in Chattahoochee County were log buildings. The oldest church and largest in members was the Primitive Baptist Church, named Mt. Olive. The Methodists with a camp ground behind the old school house spring had better water. First Missionary Baptist Church was located on the N side of the railway near Silver Springs. The Missionary Baptist first was moved near the new school house, later to Silver Springs then moved again above the Methodist Church.County Line Church started named Mount Gilead as a log house, but now is a frame building. ^[7]

1902 new Jail

1902 A new jail was built for a cost of $5,000, also being 2-story. On the 2nd floor were the prefabricated iron cells with corner fireplaces. The windows and doorways were arched and most importantly the building was fireproof. This jail was used served until 1975, when it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was restored to original look, by the Chattahoochee County Historic Preservation Society.^[6]

Chattahoochee County boundaries were delineated to begin in the mouth of Upatoi Creek at the Chattahoochee River, to the original line for Talbot count, South beside ranges in Marion County, along a line which divides Muskogee and Stewart Counties over to the Chattahoochee River as the western boundary.^[4]

Chattahoochee 1895 map

Chattahoochee County can be found in west central Georgia. Due to proximity to Columbus, GA, it is part of the Columbus, GA Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county received its name due to its proximity to Chattahoochee River. An explanation for Chattahoochee is Creek for "River with shining rocks".The river, Itsati- Creek is often flowing red clay (with no stones).

^[1]

Map of Chattahoochee Co. and Fort Benning.

Airborne school

1918 Fort Benning Military Reservation was begun in the County, receiving its name for Confederate general,Henry L. Benning. In the beginning the fort was a small site on Macon Road in Columbus (Muscogee County), but federal officials soon acquired the 1,800-acre Riverside Plantation and 115,000 adjoining acres to create a training school for army infantry. The majority of the area known as the Main Post lies within Chattahoochee County. The base contributes economically to the county and the state. The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center may be toured by visitors.. This is a commemoration for American infantrymen from early years to the present. Fort Benning Military Reservation occupies almost 3/4 of Chattahoochee county lands. Near the fort is the site of the old "Peace Town of the Lower Creeks", described by Hernando de Soto.^[3][2][5]

1974 Courthouse

1975- 76 county officials built a new one-story brick courthouse, and a larger county government office building nearby..^[4]

Government Offices

• County shares a consolidated city-county government.

1854 Courthouse.

1854 Cusetta Courthouse

1st County courthouse at Cousetta- large, 2-story wooden building 50x60 feet in size,had 4 rooms downstairs. . 1974 - This was moved to Westfville which was an old town with restored houses. There the old courthouse was restored to look like it did originally.

1974 Courthouse

2nd Courthouse, 1975 a new one-story brick courthouse, followed by the larger county government office building adjacent to the courthouse in 1976 was built.

Geography

Chattahoochee County, also known as Cusseta-Chattahoochee County

Location - West central part of Georgia.

Size-251 square miles (650 km2), of which 249 square miles (640 km2) is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km2) (1.0%) is water.

County seat is Cusseta with which the county shares a consolidated city-county government.

Chattahoochee is a geographically distinct municipality within the county.

Basin -Middle Chattahoochee River-Walter F. George Lake sub basin of ACF Basin

George Lake subbasin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin).

Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub basin of the ACF Basin- the small SE corner of the county

Upper Gulf Coastal Plain,contains part of the Sand Hills Region from east central Alabama, NE to North Carolina.

The Sand Hills -S of the Fall Line, left over sand dunes of the barrier islands from 20,000, 000 years Miocene Era. Only certain pines live in this area.

Soil -sandy soil was undesirable for farming

Rivers, Creeks- Chattahoochee River, Upatoi Creek, Hitchitee Creek,Ochillee Creek, Clear Creek, Sally Branch and Hollis Creek,Little Hitchitee Creek,Hewell Creek and McMarrin Branch

Adjacent counties

• Muscogee County (north)

Chattahoochee 1895 map

• Talbot County (northeast)
• Marion County (east)
• Stewart County (south)
• Russell County, Alabama,, a part of the Columbus Metropolitan Area.)

Protected areas

• Chattahoochee River

Demographics

In 2010 there were 11,267 people in the county with a population density of 45.3/sq. mi. he racial makeup of the county was 68.8% white, 18.8% black or African American, 2.2% Asian, 0.7% American Indian, 0.6% Pacific islander, 4.4% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 12.4% of the population.In terms of ancestry, 17.5% were German, 14.9% were Irish, 10.1% were English, 6.8% were Italian, and 3.1% were American.^[8]

• 2004-2005, there was a 6.2% drop in population. This put the county on the national list as highest with shrinking populations.
• 2010 census, the population was 11,267.

Highways

• U.S. Route 27
• U.S. Route 280
• Georgia State Route 1
• Georgia State Route 26
• Georgia State Route 355
• Georgia State Route 520

Cities

• Cusseta

• Fort Benning

Map of Chattahoochee Co. and Fort Benning.

Airborne school

County Resources

• Chattahoochee River
• Fort Benning Army base

Census

1860 --- 5,797 —

1870 --- 6,059 4.5%

1880 --- 5,670 −6.4%

1890 --- 4,902 −13.5%

1900 --- 5,790 18.1%

1910 --- 5,586 −3.5%

1920 --- 5,266 −5.7%

1930 --- 8,894 68.9%

1940 --- 15,138 70.2%

1950 --- 12,149 −19.7%

1960 --- 13,011 7.1%

1970 --- 25,813 98.4%

1980 --- 21,732 −15.8%

1990 --- 16,934 −22.1%

2000 --- 14,882 −12.1%

2010 --- 11,267 −24.3%

Est. 2016 --- 10,922

Cemeteries

• Chattahoochee County Cemeteries
• FindAGrave Cemeteries in Chattahoochee County
• LDS Genealogy, Cemeteries Chattahoochee

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7} https://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/native-american-history-of-chattahoochee-county-georgia.htm
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattahoochee_County,_Georgia
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} https://georgia.gov/cities-counties/cusseta-chattahoochee-county
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/counties/chattahoochee
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/chattahoochee-county
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cusseta,_Georgia#/media/File:Chattahoochee_County_Jail_(Cusseta,_GA;_NRHP
7. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/geo/chattahoochee/churches.html
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chattahoochee_County,_Georgia

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cusseta,_Georgia#/media/File:Chattahoochee_County_Jail_(Cusseta,_GA;_NRHP
• 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/Westville_(Georgia)
• https://georgia.gov/cities-counties/cusseta-chattahoochee-county