Editing Macon County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Macon, Georgia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Macon County
 | state                = Georgia
 | founded              = {{start date and age|1837|12|14}}
 | seat wl              = Oglethorpe
 | largest city wl      = Montezuma
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 406
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 401
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.4
 | area percentage      = 1.3%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 12082
 | density_sq_mi        = 30
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | website              = [http://www.maconcountyga.gov Macon County government]
 | ex image             = Macon County Courthouse.JPG
 | ex image cap         = Macon County Courthouse in Oglethorpe, Georgia
 | district             = 2nd
 | named for            = [[Nathaniel Macon]]
}}

'''Macon County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the west central portion of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 12,082.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Macon County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Macon_County,_Georgia?g=0500000US13193|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 27, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Oglethorpe, Georgia|Oglethorpe]].<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}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/maconCH.htm |title=Macon County Courthouse |access-date=August 7, 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001012073148/http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/maconCH.htm |archive-date=October 12, 2000 }}</ref>

The [[Macon County Courthouse (Oglethorpe, Georgia)|Macon County Courthouse]] is located in Oglethorpe.

==History==
Macon County was created in 1837 from parts of [[Houston County, Georgia|Houston]] ("house-ton") and [[Marion County, Georgia|Marion]] counties, effective December 14 of that year. The 91st county, it was named for the then-recently deceased [[General]] [[Nathaniel Macon]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Gannett|first=Henry|author-link=Henry Gannett|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ|year=1905|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n194 195]}}</ref> of [[North Carolina]], who served in the [[U.S. Congress]] for 37 years and ran for [[U.S. vice president]]. The city of [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] was also named for him, but the city of Macon, Georgia, is the seat of Bibb County, a different county. The county was later reduced when parts were separated to organize [[Taylor County, Georgia|Taylor]] and [[Peach County, Georgia|Peach]] counties, in 1852 and 1924, respectively.

The first county seat was not chosen until 1838, when the county's inferior court selected Lanier. The [[Georgia General Assembly]] ([[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]]) designated it on December 29 of that year and incorporated it as a town.

In the 1850s, the [[Central of Georgia Railroad]] was built through Oglethorpe, changing county dynamics. As a result, the Georgia Assembly called for a referendum on moving the Macon County seat to Oglethorpe in February of both 1854 and 1856. Little is known about the first vote, but the second vote resulted in approval for a change to the county seat, and [[Oglethorpe, Georgia|Oglethorpe]] was designated the following year in 1857.

During the Civil War, 13,000 Union soldiers who were prisoners of war died at the Confederate camp in [[Andersonville, Georgia]] from starvation and disease. In the late period of the war, Georgia also had difficulty supplying its own troops and people with food. Throughout the Civil War, more men on both sides died of disease than of their wounds. Commandants of the camp were prosecuted after the war for poor treatment of prisoners. The [[Andersonville National Cemetery]], established for the many Union dead, is at the southwestern tip of the county.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://maconcounty.georgia.gov|title=Macon County|website=Georgia.gov|language=en|access-date=August 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012012838/http://maconcounty.georgia.gov/|archive-date=October 12, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The county has an active [[Mennonite]] community. The [[area code]] for Macon County is currently [[area code 478|478]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|406|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|401|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.4|sqmi}} (1.3%) 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.

Most of the southern half of Macon County, from west of [[Ideal, Georgia|Ideal]] to [[Georgia State Route 49|State Route 49]] north of [[Montezuma, Georgia|Montezuma]], then running north along State Route 49 to [[Marshallville, Georgia|Marshallville]], and then running southeast in the direction of [[Unadilla, Georgia|Unadilla]], is located in the Middle [[Flint River (Georgia)|Flint River]] sub-basin of the [[ACF River Basin]] (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The northern and northwestern portion of the county, from north of Marshallville heading west, is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. The northeastern corner of Macon County, east of Marshallville, is located in the Lower [[Ocmulgee River]] sub-basin of the [[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}}</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|26}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|49}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|90}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|127}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|128}}
** {{jct|state=GA|SR-Byp|128|name1=Oglethorpe}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|224}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|240}}
* {{jct|state=GA|SR|329}}
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Peach County, Georgia|Peach County]] (northeast)
* [[Houston County, Georgia|Houston County]] (east)
* [[Dooly County, Georgia|Dooly County]] (southeast)
* [[Sumter County, Georgia|Sumter County]] (south)
* [[Schley County, Georgia|Schley County]] (southwest)
* [[Taylor County, Georgia|Taylor County]] (northwest)

===National protected area===
* [[Andersonville National Historic Site]] (part)

==Communities==

===Cities===
* [[Ideal, Georgia|Ideal]]
* [[Marshallville, Georgia|Marshallville]]
* [[Montezuma, Georgia|Montezuma]]
* [[Oglethorpe, Georgia|Oglethorpe]] (county seat)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1840= 5045
|1850= 7052
|1860= 8449
|1870= 11458
|1880= 11675
|1890= 13183
|1900= 14093
|1910= 15016
|1920= 17667
|1930= 16643
|1940= 15947
|1950= 14213
|1960= 13170
|1970= 12933
|1980= 14003
|1990= 13114
|2000= 14074
|2010= 14740
|2020= 12082
|estyear=2023
|estimate=11817
|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|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=}}</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=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Macon County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Macon County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALSF12000.P004?g=050XX00US13193|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Macon County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US13193&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Macon County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US13193&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|5,184
|4,961
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,078
|36.83%
|33.66%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |33.75%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|8,337
|8,902
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,150
|59.24%
|60.39%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |59.18%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|26
|19
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15
|0.18%
|0.13%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.12%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|82
|190
|style='background: #ffffe6; |156
|0.58%
|1.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.29%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|18
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.00%
|0.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.06%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|9
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |20
|0.06%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.17%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|72
|118
|style='background: #ffffe6; |184
|0.51%
|0.80%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.52%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|364
|527
|style='background: #ffffe6; |472
|2.59%
|3.58%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.91%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''14,074'''
|'''14,740'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''12,082'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 12,082 people, 4,696 households, and 3,033 families residing in the county.

==Education==
{{Main|Oglethorpe, Georgia#Education}}

==Politics==
Macon County is a longtime [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] stronghold. The last [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] to win the county was [[Richard Nixon|Nixon]] in 1972, and since then it has been won by Democrats by comfortable margins. After 1972, no Republican, until [[Donald Trump]] in 2024, was able to reach even 40% of the vote.

{{PresHead|place=Macon 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 21, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|1,916|2,755|15|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1,783|2,858|22|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|1,540|2,705|42|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|1,545|3,211|30|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,712|3,251|21|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|1,851|2,906|23|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|1,566|2,757|32|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,006|2,618|167|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|944|2,491|371|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,412|2,268|17|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|1,515|2,521|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|894|3,025|60|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|638|3,013|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,005|837|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|598|954|1,559|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,723|1,076|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|438|1,488|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|363|1,984|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|319|1,472|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|127|675|380|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|168|889|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|72|852|4|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|92|958|3|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|55|1,438|4|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|258|819|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|52|649|49|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|68|483|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|97|440|21|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|85|411|19|Georgia}}

==In popular culture==
Macon County has been an important setting for season 4 of AMC's hit TV show, [[The Walking Dead (TV series)|The Walking Dead]].<br/>Macon County was a shooting place for the 2013 movie, [[The Hunger Games: Catching Fire]].

[[The Mountain Goats]] reference Macon County, Georgia in their song, "Going to Georgia".

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.maconcountyga.gov Macon County government]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Macon County, Georgia
|North     =
|Northeast = [[Peach County, Georgia|Peach County]]
|East      = [[Houston County, Georgia|Houston County]]
|Southeast = [[Dooly County, Georgia|Dooly County]]
|South     = [[Sumter County, Georgia|Sumter County]]
|Southwest = [[Schley County, Georgia|Schley County]]
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Taylor County, Georgia|Taylor County]]
}}
{{Macon County, Georgia}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|32.35|-84.04|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Macon County, Georgia| ]]
[[Category:Georgia (U.S. state) counties]]
[[Category:1837 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1837]]
[[Category:Black Belt (U.S. region)]]
[[Category:Majority-minority counties in Georgia]]