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Madison County, Georgia

Coordinates: 34°08′N 83°13′W / 34.13°N 83.21°W / 34.13; -83.21
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Not to be confused with Madison, Georgia.

Madison County
County
Madison County Courthouse in Danielsville
Madison County Courthouse in Danielsville
Map of Georgia highlighting Madison County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°08′N 83°13′W / 34.13°N 83.21°W / 34.13; -83.21
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 5, 1811; 212 years ago (1811-12-05)
Named forJames Madison
SeatDanielsville
Largest cityComer
Area
 • Total286 sq mi (740 km2)
 • Land282 sq mi (730 km2)
 • Water3.3 sq mi (9 km2)  1.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total30,120
 • Estimate 
(2023)
32,191 Increase
 • Density110/sq mi (41/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district9th
Websitewww.madisoncountyga.us

Madison County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,120.[1] The county seat is Danielsville.[2] The county was created on December 5, 1811. The county's largest city is Comer with a population of 1,200. Madison County was included in the Athens–Clarke County metropolitan area, which is included in the Atlanta–Athens–Clarke County–Sandy Springs CSA.

History

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Madison County was organized by an act of the General Assembly of Georgia on December 11, 1811. It was named for James Madison,[3] who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. It was the 38th county formed in Georgia, and began to function as a county in 1812. Madison County was formed from the counties of Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Jackson, Oglethorpe.[4]

Early agriculture in Madison County was devoted to food crops and livestock (cattle, hogs, and sheep), which were sufficient to feed the population. Just after the Civil War ended, the demand for a cash crop led to major reliance on cotton.[5] The soils of Madison County were heavily damaged by this cotton monoculture. From the 1930s on, agriculture became more diverse. Today, agribusiness dominates the local economy, with poultry production particularly important.

Madison and Oglethorpe counties share Watson Mill Bridge State Park, the site of the longest covered bridge in Georgia. The bridge, which is over 100 years old, spans 229 feet of the South Fork of the Broad River. There are also facilities for camping, hiking trails, picnicking, and fishing in the park.

The Madison County Courthouse, one of the most ornate in Georgia, was built in 1901 for the sum of $18,314. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. New Hope Presbyterian Church, established in 1788, is the third oldest church in Georgia.[6]

Lt. Col. Lemuel Penn, a decorated veteran of World War II and a United States Army Reserve officer, was murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan on July 11, 1964, nine days after passage of the Civil Rights Act, on a Broad River bridge on the Georgia State Route 172 in Madison County.[7][8]

Postal history

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In 1879, there were only four post offices in Madison County: Danielsville, Fort Lamar, Madison Springs and Paoli.[9] In 1889, Madison county had post offices at Carlton, Danielsville, Dowdy, Fort Lamar, Gholston (Gholston's Stand), Hix, Ila, Madison Springs, Medicus, Paoli and Planter.[10]

By 1900, additional post offices had been opened in Alvin, Berea, Boggs, Carruth, Comer, Fiveforks (now Comer), Jeptha, Larkin, Monitor, Neese, Pocataligo and Sorrells, while the offices in Gholston and Medicus had been closed.[11] By 1910, most of these post offices had closed; the only remaining ones were in Carlton, Colbert, Comer, Danielsville and Hull.[12]

By 1920, the office in Ila had reopened.[13] The county would retain these six post offices into the 21st century.[14]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 286 square miles (740 km2), of which 282 square miles (730 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (1.1%) is water.[15]

The vast majority of Madison County is located in the Broad River sub-basin of the Savannah River basin, with just a very small portion of the county's western edge located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[16]

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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Communities

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Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18203,735—
18304,64624.4%
18404,510−2.9%
18505,70326.5%
18605,9334.0%
18705,227−11.9%
18807,97752.6%
189011,02438.2%
190013,22420.0%
191016,85127.4%
192018,80311.6%
193014,921−20.6%
194013,431−10.0%
195012,238−8.9%
196011,246−8.1%
197013,51720.2%
198017,74731.3%
199021,05018.6%
200025,73022.2%
201028,1209.3%
202030,1207.1%
2023 (est.)32,191[17]6.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]
1790-1880[19] 1890-1910[20]
1920-1930[21] 1930-1940[22]
1940-1950[23] 1960-1980[24]
1980-2000[25] 2010[26]
Madison County racial composition as of 2020[27]
Race Num. Perc.
White 23,549 78.18%
Black or African American 2,753 9.14%
Native American 44 0.15%
Asian 521 1.73%
Pacific Islander 4 0.01%
Other/Mixed 1,293 4.29%
Hispanic or Latino 1,956 6.49%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 30,120 people, 10,744 households, and 8,153 families residing in the county.

Government

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The citizens of Madison County are represented by an elected six member board of commissioners. Each commissioner represents one of five districts plus a chairman of the board elected at large for the whole county.

United States presidential election results for Madison County, Georgia[28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 11,326 75.78% 3,411 22.82% 208 1.39%
2016 9,201 76.16% 2,425 20.07% 455 3.77%
2012 8,443 75.84% 2,494 22.40% 196 1.76%
2008 8,226 72.38% 2,965 26.09% 174 1.53%
2004 7,254 73.60% 2,527 25.64% 75 0.76%
2000 5,529 69.17% 2,285 28.59% 179 2.24%
1996 3,992 53.40% 2,571 34.39% 913 12.21%
1992 3,351 48.61% 2,393 34.72% 1,149 16.67%
1988 3,724 69.10% 1,639 30.41% 26 0.48%
1984 3,768 69.04% 1,690 30.96% 0 0.00%
1980 2,330 43.14% 2,980 55.17% 91 1.68%
1976 1,115 24.88% 3,367 75.12% 0 0.00%
1972 2,606 82.00% 572 18.00% 0 0.00%
1968 600 16.00% 622 16.58% 2,529 67.42%
1964 1,190 33.70% 2,341 66.30% 0 0.00%
1960 205 7.82% 2,418 92.18% 0 0.00%
1956 161 6.76% 2,222 93.24% 0 0.00%
1952 225 10.59% 1,899 89.41% 0 0.00%
1948 62 4.31% 1,160 80.61% 217 15.08%
1944 265 17.64% 1,235 82.22% 2 0.13%
1940 185 13.61% 1,160 85.36% 14 1.03%
1936 393 18.73% 1,697 80.89% 8 0.38%
1932 38 1.75% 2,124 97.88% 8 0.37%
1928 527 52.65% 474 47.35% 0 0.00%
1924 121 17.64% 504 73.47% 61 8.89%
1920 281 28.85% 693 71.15% 0 0.00%
1916 19 1.32% 1,241 86.12% 181 12.56%
1912 13 1.80% 564 78.01% 146 20.19%

Education

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Madison County public education is served by the Madison County School District. The Madison County Board of Education oversees and operates the public charter school system in the School District. Madison County Board of Education operates 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school and 1 career academy.

The Madison County Board of Education is overseen by 5 elected board members, from 5 districts in the county. The Board appoints a School Superintendent who works at the pleasure of the Board as a whole.

The district has 290 full-time teachers and over 4,621 students.

Public Schools

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  • Colbert Elementary School
  • Comer Elementary School
  • Danielsville Elementary School
  • Hull-Sanford Elementary School
  • Ila Elementary School
  • Madison County Middle School (MCMS), Home of the Mustangs
  • Madison County High School (MCHS), Home of the Red Raiders
  • Broad River College and Career Academy

Private schools

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  • Union Christian Academy, Hull
  • The Busy Box Pre-School, Hull
  • The Learning Train Pre-School, Colbert
  • Building Blocks Pre-School, Hull

Notable people

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Historic sites

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Madison County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 196.
  4. ^ Berryman, Mary Love (November 29, 2002). "MADISON COUNTY, GEORGIA - 1938". USGenWeb Archives. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  5. ^ David D. Long (1921). "Soil Survey of Madison County, Georgia" (PDF). Nrcs.usda.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 26, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "Ila". Georgia.gov. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  7. ^ Alschuler, Albert W. (February 1995). "Racial Quotas and the Jury". Duke Law Journal. 44 (4). Duke University School of Law: 704–743. doi:10.2307/1372922. JSTOR 1372922.
  8. ^ Thompson, Jim (July 11, 2004). "Highway 172 revisited". Athens Banner-Herald.
  9. ^ "Post Offices in the United States, December 1, 1879, Arranged by States and Counties." United States Official Postal Guide. Houghton, Osgood and Company, 1880. p. 331.
  10. ^ "Post Offices in the United States, December 1, 1889, Arranged by States and Counties." United States Official Postal Guide. The Brodix Publishing Company, 1890. p. 478.
  11. ^ "Post Offices in the United States, December 1, 1900, With Stations and Sub-stations, Arranged by States and Counties." United States Official Postal Guide. George F. Lasher, Printer, 1901. p. 615.
  12. ^ "Post Offices and Branch Post Offices, Arranged by States and Counties, June 1, 1910." United States Official Postal Guide. J. B. Lyon Printers, 1910. p. 580.
  13. ^ "County List: Post Offices and Branch Post Offices, June 1, 1920." United States Official Postal Guide. The Post Office Department, 1920. p. 680.
  14. ^ Madison County, Georgia, at PostOfficeFinder.org. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  15. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  16. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  17. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  18. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  20. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  21. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  22. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  23. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  24. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  25. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  26. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 4, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
  27. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  28. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
[edit]

34°08′N 83°13′W / 34.13°N 83.21°W / 34.13; -83.21

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