Editing Jenkins County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Jenkins County
 | state                = Georgia
 | seal                 = 
 | founded              = {{start date and age|1905|08|17}}
 | seat wl              = Millen
 | largest city wl      = Millen
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 352
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 347
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.2
 | area percentage      = 1.5%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 8674
 | density_sq_mi        = 25
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | web                  = http://www.jenkinscountyga.com/
 | district             = 12th
 | named for            = [[Charles Jones Jenkins]]
 | ex image             = Jenkins County Courthouse 5.JPG
 | ex image cap         = [[Jenkins County Courthouse]], in Millen
}}

'''Jenkins County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the southeastern area of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 8,674.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Jenkins County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Jenkins_County,_Georgia?g=0500000US13165|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Millen, Georgia|Millen]].<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/20150509170006/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 9, 2015 }}</ref> Historic and bountiful [[Magnolia Springs State Park]] is located between Millen and [[Perkins, Georgia|Perkins]].

==History==
Jenkins County was created on August 17, 1905, from portions of [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch]], [[Burke County, Georgia|Burke]], [[Emanuel County, Georgia|Emanuel]] and [[Screven County, Georgia|Screven]] counties, and named after the 44th [[Governor of Georgia]], [[Charles J. Jenkins|Charles Jones Jenkins]].<ref>{{cite book | url=http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/j.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030917141058/http://www.kenkrakow.com/gpn/j.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=120 | isbn=0-915430-00-2}}</ref> The effort was spearheaded by Robert Gray Daniel (d. May 14, 1934), a director of the local Millen Bank, a 40-year member of the board of education and scion of the county's Daniel family who had large mercantile and farming enterprises.<ref>[https://genealogytrails.com/geo/jenkins/news.htm "Operation Fatal for R.G. Daniel Leading Millen Citizen]. Butler Herald (Butler, Georgia) May 17, 1934. Accessed via genealogytrails.com on April 26, 2023.</ref> The effect was to place the county seat of Millen in a position where the town could become a safe place for economic growth. But the first decade after formation was difficult due to lack of realistic economic planning and implementation. Local people were leaving for jobs in larger cities, and there were few new business start-ups.

During the [[Red Summer|Red Summer of 1919]], there was a [[Jenkins County, Georgia, riot of 1919|race riot on April 13, 1919]] in Jenkins County, in which white mobs attacked the black community. Prosperous and respected local farmer Joe Ruffin, whose family had historically been slaves working the plantations of the Daniel family, was almost impoverished by the costs of his legal defense and vindication.<ref>[https://genealogytrails.com/geo/jenkins/news.htm oe Ruffin Wins Vindication Savannah]. Cumming North Georgian (Cumming, Georgia) June 8, 1923. Accessed via genealogytrails.com on April 26, 2023.</ref>

Businesses in the county attract their workforce from throughout the area. Because the county population is relatively small, people notice that when jobs increase, the population increases. When an employer closes its business, the local population decreases as people seek opportunities elsewhere. For a number of years, the largest employer was [[Jockey International]] which employed manual and skilled laborers until reducing then closing operations in September 2007.<ref name=SH2007Nov19>[https://www.statesboroherald.com/local/business/plant-closing-devastates-millen/ "Plant Closing Devastates Millen"]. Statesboro Herald, updated November 19, 2007. Accessed April 26, 2023.</ref> MI Windows and Doors had a long presence in the county at its manufacturing plant, closing in December 2007.<ref name=SH2007Nov19/>

Jenkins County owns the Millen Airport, which was established to increase local and regional transportation flexibility. Annual assessments show the airport has provided consistent benefit to the people and businesses in the county.<ref>[https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Aviation/GAAirportsDocuments/Individual%20Report_2J5.pdf Economic Impact Report for Millen Airport]. Georgia Department of Transportation. September 2020. Accessed April 26, 2023.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|352|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|347|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.2|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>

Most of the southern portion of Jenkins County, from southwest of [[Millen, Georgia|Millen]] to west of [[Hiltonia, Georgia|Hiltonia]], is located in the Lower [[Ogeechee River]] sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, with the exception of very small parts of the southwestern corner of the county, north and east of [[Garfield, Georgia|Garfield]], which are located in the [[Canoochee River]] sub-basin of the same Ogeechee River basin. The northwestern portion of Jenkins County is located in the Upper [[Ogeechee River]] sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, with just the northeastern corner of the county located in the [[Brier Creek (Savannah River)|Brier Creek]] sub-basin of the [[Savannah 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 20, 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}}
* [[File:US 25.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 25 in Georgia|U.S. Route 25]]
* [[File:Georgia 17.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 17|State Route 17]]
* [[File:Georgia 17 Bypass.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 17 Bypass (Millen)|State Route 17 Bypass]]
* [[File:Georgia 21.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 21|State Route 21]]
* [[File:Georgia 23.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 23|State Route 23]]
* [[File:Georgia 67.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 67|State Route 67]]
* [[File:Georgia 121.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 121|State Route 121]]
* [[File:Georgia 555.svg|23px]] [[Savannah River Parkway|State Route 555 (Savannah River Parkway)]]
* [[File:Georgia 565.svg|23px]] [[Savannah River Parkway|State Route 565 (Savannah River Parkway)]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Burke County, Georgia|Burke County]] (north)
* [[Screven County, Georgia|Screven County]] (east)
* [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch County]] (south)
* [[Emanuel County, Georgia|Emanuel County]] (west)

==Communities==

===City===
* [[Millen, Georgia|Millen]]

===Census-designated place===
* [[Perkins, Georgia|Perkins]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 11520
|1920= 14328
|1930= 12908
|1940= 11843
|1950= 10264
|1960= 9148
|1970= 8332
|1980= 8841
|1990= 8247
|2000= 8575
|2010= 8340
|2020= 8674
|estyear=2023
|estimate=8627
|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=United States Census Bureau|access-date=}}</ref><br>1790-1880<ref name=1880CensusGACty>{{Cite web|first= |last= |authorlink=   |title= 1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800 |publisher=United States 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  |publisher=United States 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  |publisher=United States 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  |publisher=United States 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 - |publisher=United States 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  |publisher=United States 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  |publisher=United States 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/13/13165.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607130816/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13165.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Jenkins County racial composition as of 2020<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13165&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 14, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|4,611
|53.16%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|3,536
|40.77%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|29
|0.33%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|12
|0.14%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|5
|0.06%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|178
|2.05%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|303
|3.49%
|}
The county reached its peak population in [[1920 United States census|1920]].  As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 8,674 people, 3,443 households, and 2,095 families residing in the county.

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Jenkins County, Georgia|source=<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 20, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,217|1,179|21|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,161|1,266|28|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,895|1,123|38|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,887|1,488|19|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,936|1,482|24|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,898|1,494|13|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,317|1,250|26|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|955|1,336|172|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|929|1,401|398|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,288|953|7|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,399|1,108|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|824|1,632|37|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|563|1,820|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,769|484|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|574|704|1,249|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,509|908|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|313|1,354|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|261|1,000|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|368|1,166|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|98|595|276|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|101|698|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|69|940|2|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|32|880|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|20|510|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|332|409|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|16|200|24|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|49|331|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|20|402|7|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|17|272|9|Georgia}}

==See also==
{{Portal|State of Georgia}}
* [[Camp Lawton (Georgia)]]
* [[Central Savannah River Area]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jenkins County, Georgia]]
*[[List of counties in Georgia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Jenkins County, Georgia
|North     = [[Burke County, Georgia|Burke County]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Screven County, Georgia|Screven County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Bulloch County, Georgia|Bulloch County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Emanuel County, Georgia|Emanuel County]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Jenkins County, Georgia}}
{{Central Savannah River Area}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|32.79|-81.96|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Jenkins County, Georgia| ]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) counties]]
[[Category:1905 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1905]]