Editing Bleckley County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Bleckley County
 | state                = Georgia
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = {{start date and age|1912}}
 | seat wl              = Cochran
 | largest city wl      = Cochran
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 219
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 216
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 3.3
 | area percentage      = 1.5%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 12583
 | density_sq_mi        = 58
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | ex image             = BLECKLEY COUNTY COURTHOUSE.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Bleckley County Courthouse]] in Cochran
 | web                  = https://bleckley.org/
 | district             = 8th
 | named for            = [[Logan Edwin Bleckley]]
 | leader_title         = County Commissioner
 | leader_name          = Robert Brockman
}}

'''Bleckley County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[South Georgia (region)|southern portion]] of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 12,583.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Bleckley County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Bleckley_County,_Georgia?g=0500000US13023|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 26, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Cochran, Georgia|Cochran]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

== History ==
The county was named for [[Logan Edwin Bleckley]], a soldier and Justice of the [[Supreme Court of Georgia (U.S. state)|Supreme Court of Georgia]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030917072724/http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/b.pdf |archive-date=September 17, 2003 |url-status=live | 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> The state constitutional amendment to create the county was proposed by the [[Georgia General Assembly]] on July 30, 1912, and [[ratified]] November 5, 1912. Bleckley County was formerly home to [[Middle Georgia College]], the oldest two-year public college in the nation. In 2013 it merged with [[Macon State College]] to become [[Middle Georgia State University]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.mga.edu/news/newspage.aspx?sqid=14|title= Middle Georgia State College Now a Reality|publisher= mgsc.edu|access-date= June 18, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130220003855/http://www.mga.edu/news/newspage.aspx?sqid=14|archive-date= February 20, 2013|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Bleckley County High School made news in March 2010 for allowing a same-sex couple to attend its senior prom, after another same-sex couple in Mississippi were denied attendance at another senior prom.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.macon.com/2010/03/23/1069261/bleckley-school-officials-allowing.html |title=Bleckley school officials allowing gay prom date - Local & State - Macon.com |access-date=March 24, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100325005850/http://www.macon.com/2010/03/23/1069261/bleckley-school-officials-allowing.html |archive-date=March 25, 2010 }}</ref>

== Government ==
Bleckley County is one of eight remaining counties in Georgia that operates under a [[sole commissioner]] form of government, with a single [[county commissioner]] acting as the county executive and legislative branches. The current County Commissioner is Mike Davis, the Sheriff is Daniel Cape, the Fire Chief is Brock Wilcher, the Clerk of Superior Court is Dianne C. Brown, the Tax Commissioner is Paige Baggs, and the Probate Judge is Hon. Jonathan Fordham.

Bleckly County's [[sole commissioner]] form of government was discussed in Holder v. Hall,<ref>512 U.S. 874 (1994)</ref> decided by the [[United States Supreme Court]] on June 30, 1994.

{{PresHead|place=Bleckley County, Georgia|whig=no|source1=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|4,685|1,339|20|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|4,329|1,312|69|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,719|1,101|154|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|3,587|1,269|64|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|3,657|1,380|47|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,167|1,281|23|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,436|1,273|40|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,632|1,365|311|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,570|1,710|676|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,950|1,175|13|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,912|1,465|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|1,261|2,014|165|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|972|2,605|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,308|377|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|756|397|2,458|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,578|978|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|633|1,751|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|136|1,537|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|187|1,517|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|71|536|231|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|213|815|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|100|785|3|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|69|649|2|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|37|1,338|1|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|71|641|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|21|367|17|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|0|262|0|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1916|Democratic|14|362|6|Georgia}}

== Geography ==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|219|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|216|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|3.3|sqmi}} (1.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The county is located in the upper [[Atlantic coastal plain]] region of the state.

The eastern quarter of Bleckley County, roughly in a line from west of [[Danville, Georgia|Danville]] running southeast, is located in the Lower [[Oconee River]] sub-basin of the [[Altamaha River]] basin. The central quarter of the county, between [[Cochran, Georgia|Cochran]] and the previous line, is located in the Little [[Ocmulgee River]] sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin. The western half of the county, west of Cochran, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same larger Altamaha River basin.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |title=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience |publisher=Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission |access-date=November 24, 2015 |archive-date=October 3, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003004639/http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Major highways ===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* {{jct|I|16|state=GA}} (Interstate 16)
* {{jct|US|23|state=GA}}
* {{jct|US-Bus|23|state=GA|dab1=Cochran}}
* {{jct|US-Alt|129|state=GA|dab1=Cochran}} 
* {{jct|GA|26|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA|87|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA-Bus|87|state=GA|dab1=Cochran}}
* {{jct|GA|112|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA|126|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA|257|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA|278|state=GA}}
* {{jct|GA|404|state=GA}} (unsigned designation for I-16)
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Wilkinson County, Georgia|Wilkinson County]] - north
* [[Twiggs County, Georgia|Twiggs County]] - north
* [[Laurens County, Georgia|Laurens County]] - east
* [[Dodge County, Georgia|Dodge County]] - southeast
* [[Pulaski County, Georgia|Pulaski County]] - southwest
* [[Houston County, Georgia|Houston County]] - west

==Communities==
===Cities===
* [[Allentown, Georgia|Allentown]]
* [[Cochran, Georgia|Cochran]]

=== Census-designated places ===

* [[Empire, Georgia|Empire]] (partly in [[Dodge County, Georgia|Dodge County]])

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Cary, Georgia|Cary]]
* Baileys Park
* Brown Hill
* Coley Station
* Five Points
* Fraizer
* Goldsboro
* Paulk
* Porter
* Powell
* Rebie
* Royal <ref>{{cite web |title=Bleckley County GA - Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods, & Subdivisions |url=https://georgia.hometownlocator.com/counties/cities,cfips,023,c,bleckley.cfm |website=georgia.hometownlocator.com}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1920= 10532
|1930= 9133
|1940= 9655
|1950= 9218
|1960= 9642
|1970= 10291
|1980= 10767
|1990= 10430
|2000= 11666
|2010= 13063
|2020= 12583
|estyear=2023
|estimate=12465
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 31, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br>1790-1880<ref name=1880CensusGACty>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800 |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1880|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1880/vol-01-population/1880_v1-08.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1890-1910<ref name=1910CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1910 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1910|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-ga.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref><br> 1920-1930<ref name=1930CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1930 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1930|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/03815512v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=|page=}}</ref> 1930-1940<ref name=1940CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1940 Census of Population - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1940|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch04.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1940-1950<ref name=1950CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1950 Census of Population - Georgia - |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1950|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1950/population-volume-2/37779083v2p11ch2.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 1960-1980<ref name=1980CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 1980|url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_gaABC-01.pdf|accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref><br> 1980-2000<ref name=2000CensusGA>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia  |website=[[US Census Bureau]]|date= 2000|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/2003/dec/phc-3-12.pdf |accessdate=|archive-url=| archive-date=}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13023.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607121956/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13023.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Bleckley County racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13023&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 18, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|8,867
|70.47%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|2,788
|22.16%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|11
|0.09%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|153
|1.22%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|8
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|287
|2.28%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|469
|3.73%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 12,583 people, 4,176 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county.

==Education==
The only school district in the county is the [[Bleckley County School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st13_ga/schooldistrict_maps/c13023_bleckley/DC20SD_C13023.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bleckly County, GA|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2024-09-27}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st13_ga/schooldistrict_maps/c13023_bleckley/DC20SD_C13023_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>

== Points of interest ==

*Cochran-Bleckley Cotton & Peanut Museum
*Cochran Motor Speedway & Kart Track
*Greene Acres Farm
*Gully Branch Tree Farm
*Mae Chapel
*Middle Georgia Equestrian Center
*Ocmulgee Public Fishing Area
*Ocmulgee Water Trail
*Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area
*Terry L. Coleman Museum and Archives

==See also==
{{Portal|State of Georgia}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Bleckley County, Georgia]]
*[[List of counties in Georgia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Bleckley County, Georgia
|North     = [[Wilkinson County, Georgia|Wilkinson County]] and [[Twiggs County, Georgia|Twiggs County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Laurens County, Georgia|Laurens County]]
|Southeast = [[Dodge County, Georgia|Dodge County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Pulaski County, Georgia|Pulaski County]]
|West      = [[Houston County, Georgia|Houston County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Bleckley County, Georgia}}
{{Macon Metro}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}

==External links==
* [http://www.cochran-bleckleychamber.org Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/bleckley/bleckley-county Bleckley County] historical marker

{{Coord|32.44|-83.33|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Bleckley County, Georgia| ]]
[[Category:1912 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) counties]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1912]]