Coweta County, Georgia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Coweta County, Georgia | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Georgia |
|
 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | 1826 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Newnan |
| Largest city | Newnan |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
446 sq mi (1,155 km²) 443 sq mi (1,146 km²) 3 sq mi (9 km²), 0.75% |
| PopulationEst. - (2006) - Density |
115,291 202/sq mi (78/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website: www.coweta.ga.us | |
Coweta County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 89,215. The 2007 Census Estimate placed the population at 118,936 [1]. The county seat is Newnan, Georgia[1].
Coweta County is included in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents |
[edit] History
The land for Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, and Carroll counties was ceded by the Creek people in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. The counties' boundaries were created by the Georgia General Assembly on June 9, 1826, but they were not named until December 14, 1826. Coweta County was named for the Koweta Indians (a sect of the Creek Indian Tribe), which had several towns in and around present day Coweta.
Home to one of the few Georgia counties with an African American Museum that focuses mainly on the African American History of the County. The Coweta County African American Heritage Meseum and Research Center was opened in July 2003. It has collected hundreds of family genealogical records by interviewing residents and going through the census records. It has the Coweta Census Indexes from 1870 to 1920 and has access to Ancestry.com for other years census records. Located close to the downtown area at 92 Farmer Street, 1/4 mile from the Chamber of Commerce. The museum helps people from any state research their family history. To contact the museum use email TheCowetaCoMuseum@yahoo.com
[edit] Government & Politics
The legislative body of Coweta County is the Coweta County Commistion. The commistion consists of five members elected from numbered districts. The commission chairmanship rotates among the members, Coweta County is the only in Georgia that operates with a rotating chairmanship. the current commistioners are:
1st. District: Paul Poole
2nd. District: Tim Lassiter
3rd. District: Randolph Collins
4th. District: Leigh Schlumper
5th. District: Tim Higgins (chairman)
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 446 square miles (1,155 km²), of which, 443 square miles (1,146 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (9 km²) of it (0.75%) is water.
[edit] Major highways
Interstate 85
U.S. Route 27 Alternate
U.S. Route 29
State Route 14
State Route 16
State Route 34
State Route 34 Bypass
State Route 41
State Route 54
State Route 154
State Route 70
State Route 74
[edit] Adjacent counties
- Fulton County, Georgia - northeast
- Fayette County, Georgia - east
- Spalding County, Georgia - southeast
- Meriwether County, Georgia - south
- Troup County, Georgia - southwest
- Heard County, Georgia - west
- Carroll County, Georgia - northwest
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 89,215 people, 31,442 households, and 24,713 families residing in the county. The population density was 202 people per square mile (78/km²). There were 33,182 housing units at an average density of 75 per square mile (29/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 78.86% White, 17.97% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.22% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. 3.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 31,442 households out of which 39.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.40% were non-families. 17.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.70% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,706, and the median income for a family was $58,750. Males had a median income of $41,369 versus $27,322 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,949. About 6.10% of families and 7.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Notable residents
- Ellis Gibbs Arnall, Georgia governor from 1943-1947.
- Mr. Sonny Arnold, one of the first two black Police Officers in the City of Newnan.[1964]
- William Yates Atkinson, Georgia governor from 1894-1896. Founded Georgia State College for Women, now Georgia College & State University.
- Margaret Anne Barnes, author, best known for her book Murder in Coweta County, which was later made into a television movie starring Andy Griffith and Johnny Cash.
- Buford Boone, publisher and writer; awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1956.
- Miss Willie Boyd, was the first black woman elected to a position in the county, the Board of Education. She was a school teacher.
- Keith Brooking, plays for the Atlanta Falcons.
- Erskine Caldwell, author of Tobacco Road and God’s Little Acre.
- Mr. Wilburn Clay, was the first black to serve on the Coweta County Commissioners Board.
- Mr. James Gay, was the first black to work in the Post Office in Newnan.
- Lewis Grizzard, newspaper columnist, author, and humorist.
- Mr. Drew Hill, played for the Houston Oilers, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons.
- Alan Jackson, country singer and musician.
- Joe M. Jackson, Colonel, USAF, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
- Mrs. Fannie Jenkins, opened the first funeral home for blacks in 1911, on Robinson St in Newnan.
- Dr. John Henry Jordan, was the first black doctor in Newnan, GA. He organized the first Medical Aid Organization for black people in Coweta.
- Isaac Long , The first marriage between African Americans recorded in Coweta was between Issac Long and Martha Fambrough on Oct 11, 1865.
- Mr. Willie Lynch, was the first black to serve on the Newnan City Council.
- Mr. Moses Martin, was one of the first two black Police Officers in the City of Newnan. [1964]
- Cindy McCurdy, LPGA golf star.
- Warren Newson, played for the Chicago White Sox of the American League.
- Stephen W. Pless, Major, USMC, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.
- Sini & Henry Reynolds, first slaves talked about in the Coweta County History.
- Barbara Ross, First African American Woman to head a US Medical School, Ohio University.
- Miss Jo Anne Rush, was the first black teacher to teach at Elm Street School.
- Doug Stone, singer.
- Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith (1860-1898), infamous confidence man and crime boss.
- Charles Wadsworth, retired director of the Chamber Music Society at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
- Mr. Ulysses B. Ware, was the first black to go to the courthouse to register to vote.
[edit] Cities and towns
- Corinth (Unincorporated)
- East Newnan (CDP)
- Grantville
- Haralson
- Moreland
- Newnan
- Palmetto
- Sargent (Unincorporated)
- Senoia
- Sharpsburg
- Turin
[edit] External links
- http://www.coweta.ga.us/
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~gacoweta/
- Cowetanet
- One of the Coweta websites for family history
- A Coweta website for the African American Heritage Museum News
- Fox 5 Hot List for CCAAHRC
- A Church and Cemetery Website for Coweta and surrounding Counties
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