Jackson County, Georgia

Jackson County is a located in the  of. The population in 2000 was 41,589. Explosive growth is evident with a population of 52,292 in the 2005 Census estimates. This makes Jackson County the fastest growing county in the Athens Metro. The is.

History
On February 11,, Jackson County was split off from part of. The new county was named in honor of Revolutionary War Lieutenant Colonel, Congressman, Senator and Governor. The county originally covered an area of approximately 1,800 sq mi (4,662 km²), with Clarkesboro as its first county seat.

In 1801, the granted 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land in Jackson County for a state college. Franklin College (now ) began classes the same year, and the city of was developed around the school. Also the same year, a new county was developed around the new college town, and Jackson lost territory to the new. The county seat was moved to an old Indian village called Thomocoggan, a location with ample water supply from Curry Creek and four large springs. In 1804, the city was renamed, after.

Jackson lost more territory in 1811 in the creation of, in 1818 in the creation of , , and counties, in 1858 in the creation of , and in 1914 in the creation of.

The first county courthouse, a log and wooden frame building with an attached jail, was built on south side of the public square; a second, larger, two-story brick courthouse with a separate jailhouse was built in 1817. In 1880, a third was built on a hill north of the square. This courthouse was the oldest continuously operating courthouse in the United States until 2004, when the current courthouse was constructed north of Jefferson.

Law and government
Map of current Jackson County, Georgia, commission districts

Geography
According to the, the county has a total area of 888 (343 ). 887 km² (342 sq mi) of it is land and 2 km² (1 sq mi) of it (0.19%) is water.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-85.svg|20px]]
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 * [[Image:Georgia_15.svg|20px]]
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 * [[Image:Georgia_334.svg|20px]]
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 * [[Image:Georgia_346.svg|20px]]

Adjacent counties

 * - north
 * - east
 * - southeast
 * - south
 * - southwest
 * - west
 * - northwest

National Historic Places

 * (Commerce)
 * (Hoschton)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Commerce)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Commerce)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)
 * (Jefferson)

Parks and cultural institutions

 * Museum (Jefferson) - official site
 * - official site

Attractions

 * (Commerce) - official site
 * Visitors Center (Braselton) - official site
 * (Braselton) - official site
 * (Commerce) - official site
 * (Commerce) - official site]

Notable festivals and parades

 * Daisy Festival - May (first full weekend) (Nicholson)
 * Mule Days - May (Shields-Etheridge Farm)
 * Annual City Lights Festival - mid-June (Commerce)
 * Celebrate Braselton - July 4 (Braselton)
 * Art in the Park - mid-September (Hurricane Shoals)
 * Annual Fall Festival - September (last weekend) (Hoschton)
 * Jefferson High School and Jefferson Middle School Band Concerts - Throughout the year (Jefferson)

Demographics
As of the of 2000, there were 41,589 people, 15,057 households, and 11,488 families residing in the county. The was 47/km² (122/sq mi). There were 16,226 housing units at an average density of 18/km² (47/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 89.00%, 7.78% or , 0.18% , 0.96% , 1.07% from , and 1.01% from two or more races. 3.00% of the population were or  of any race.

There were 15,057 households out of which 36.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.50% were living together, 10.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.70% were non-families. 19.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 31.80% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,349, and the median income for a family was $46,211. Males had a median income of $34,063 versus $22,774 for females. The for the county was $17,808. About 9.90% of families and 12.00% of the population were below the, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

 * (formerly Harmony Grove)
 * (formerly Cooper)
 * (formerly Harmony Grove)
 * (formerly Cooper)
 * (formerly Cooper)
 * (formerly Cooper)

Unincorporated communities

 * Apple Valley
 * Attica
 * Brockton
 * Center (incorporated until 1999)
 * Clarksboro
 * Constantine
 * Dry Pond
 * Ednaville
 * Fairview
 * Grove Level
 * Holders
 * Holly Springs
 * Red Stone
 * Sells
 * Stoneham
 * Thompsons Mills
 * Thurmack
 * Thyatira
 * Wilsons Church