Editing Blackshear, Georgia (section)

==History==
Blackshear was founded in 1858 to serve as the seat of the newly formed Pierce County.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA220 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | accessdate=30 November 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=220| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> The city was named after General [[David Blackshear]],<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf | title=Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins | publisher=Winship Press | author=Krakow, Kenneth K. | year=1975 | location=Macon, GA | pages=20 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> who authorized the construction of roads, bridges and 11 forts for defense. He was a patriot in the [[American Revolution]], fighting in the [[Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge]] and the Battle of Buford's Bridge. He served as a general during the [[War of 1812]]. He also served in the Georgia state legislature as Senator of Laurens County.

During the [[American Civil War]], the city became a temporary prisoner-of-war camp for more than 5,000 Union prisoners.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://piercecounty.www.50megs.com/military/military_wbts_prison_camp.html|title = PCHGS: Military: WBTS: Blackshear Prison Camp}}</ref> This site is marked by a historical landmark sign.

The primary crop of this south Georgia community was once tobacco, and it is where the first brick tobacco warehouse in Georgia was built, known as the Brantley Brick.