Editing Stephens County, Georgia

{{Short description|County in Georgia, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Stephens County
 | state                = Georgia
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = {{start date and age|1905}}
 | founded date         = August 18
 | seat wl              = Toccoa
 | largest city wl      = Toccoa
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 184
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 179
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 5.1
 | area percentage      = 2.8%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 26784
 | density_sq_mi        = 150
 | time zone            = Eastern
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = 
 | named for            = [[Alexander Stephens]]
 | ex image             = The historic Stephens County Courthouse in Toccoa, Georgia, US 01.jpg
 | ex image cap         = [[Stephens County Courthouse (Georgia)|Stephens County Courthouse]] in Toccoa
[[File:Stephens County Georgia USA Flag Flying.jpg|thumb|Under the USA flag is the Stephens County, GA flag.]]
 | district             = 9th
}}

'''Stephens County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[Northeast Georgia|Northeast]] region of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], in the Piedmont and near the foothills of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]]. It is bounded by the [[Tugaloo River]] and [[Lake Hartwell]] on the east. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 26,784.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Stephens County, Georgia|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Stephens_County,_Georgia?g=0500000US13257|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=December 28, 2022}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Toccoa, Georgia|Toccoa]].<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>

Stephens County comprises the Toccoa, Georgia [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
The county was long inhabited by indigenous peoples. People of the [[South Appalachian Mississippian culture]] developed a village and a [[platform mound]] on Tugaloo Island about 800 CE. The village and mound, both known as Tugaloo, were later occupied by other peoples until about 1700. Numerous other villages also developed along the river and its tributaries. Descendants of the Mississippians have been identified as the proto-Creek ([[Muscogee people]]). Allied with them in historic times were the [[Yuchi]], who occupied the village known as Tugaloo, where they were replaced by the Cherokee.

While [[Cherokee]] began to move into this area from Tennessee under pressure by European Americans during and after the Revolutionary War, the Muscogee Creek continued to dominate the southern part of the county until they ceded their land to the United States in a treaty of 1794.

===United States era===
[[File:Alexander Stephens.jpg|thumb|left|Alexander Stephens, namesake of Stephens County]]
It was not until after the American Revolutionary War that European Americans began to settle here. The first were veterans who had been given land grants in lieu of pay; they migrated up the [[Savannah River]] and the [[Tugaloo River]] after the war. During the [[American Civil War]], the [[Battle of the Narrows]] was fought in what would become the county.

The county was created on August 18, 1905, from parts of [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin]] and [[Habersham County, Georgia|Habersham]] counties, and was named for [[Alexander Stephens]], [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]], [[Vice President of the Confederate States of America]], and fifty-third [[List of governors of Georgia|governor of Georgia]].
[[File:Downtown_Toccoa,_Georgia,_aerial_view_2.jpg|thumb|Aerial image of Toccoa]]
Toccoa was designated as the county seat and was the site of the county's two courthouses. The first courthouse was built in 1907 and is now listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Georgia|National Register of Historic Places]]. The second was built in 2000.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=REtEXQNWq6MC&pg=PA250 | title=Historical Gazetteer of the United States | publisher=Routledge | date=May 13, 2013 | access-date=November 30, 2013 | author=Hellmann, Paul T. | pages=250| isbn=978-1135948597 }}</ref> The former courthouse is now used for county elections.

Despite the [[Great Depression]], more industry developed in the county in the 1930s. J&P Coats Company purchased the Capps Cotton Mill in 1937 and operated it for nearly 70 years, before textile manufacturing jobs moved offshore to cheaper labor markets. In 1938, industrialist [[R.G. LeTourneau]] opened a manufacturing plant for earth-moving equipment. Later that year, the Toccoa Airport was constructed. During World War II, the LeTourneau plant produced equipment for use by the military, employing 2,000 people in this effort. In addition, the U.S. Army developed Camp Toccoa here, for training paratroopers.<ref name="stephens"/>

Beginning in 1950, planning began for what was called the Hartwell Project, which envisioned dams on the Savanna and tributary rivers for flood control and hydropower generation. In addition, a large reservoir would be created, known as [[Lake Hartwell]].

Prior to the flooding of this area by Lake Hartwell, produced behind the Hartwell Dam on the Savannah River, archeological studies were conducted in 1958 of known prehistoric and historic sites in the area. Among them, the Tugaloo Mound and village site by a team from the [[University of Georgia]]. The mound is still visible above the water, and a historic marker on Highway 123 at the Georgia-South Carolina border helps mark this spot.<ref name="stephens">{{cite web|url=https://www.stephenscountyga.com/history.cfm|title=History (Stephens County)|publisher=Stephens County, GA|date=n.d.|access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref>[[File:Tugaloo Town.jpg|thumb|Historic Plaque Tugaloo Town, Georgia, USA]]

On November 6, 1977, the earthen [[Kelly Barnes Dam]] collapsed after a period of heavy rainfall. The resulting flood swept through the campus of Toccoa Falls College, killing 39 people and causing $2.8&nbsp;million in damage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tfc.edu/tfc-remembers-the-flood/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108002231/http://www.tfc.edu/tfc-remembers-the-flood/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 8, 2016|title=TFC Remembers the Flood {{!}} Toccoa Falls College|date=January 8, 2016|access-date=March 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www2.usgs.gov/water/southatlantic/ga/flood/toccoa/index.html|title=USGS South Atlantic Water Science Center - The 1977 Toccoa Flood, Report of Failure of Kelly Barnes Dam Flood and Findings|last=USGS|first=Brian McCallum|website=www2.usgs.gov|language=en|access-date=March 22, 2018}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|184|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|179|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|5.1|sqmi}} (2.8%) 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 mainly within the upper [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]] region of the state, with western portions of the county having the highest elevations and located in the foothills of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]].

The northern half of Stephens County is located in the [[Tugaloo River]] sub-basin of the [[Savannah River]] basin. [[Lake Hartwell]] was created as a reservoir on the river after the construction of [[Hartwell Dam]] on the Savannah, completed in 1962. The southern half of the county is located in the [[Broad River (Georgia)|Broad River]] sub-basin of the same 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 18, 2015}}</ref>

===Major highways===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[File:US 123.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 123 in Georgia|U.S. Route 123]]
* [[File:Georgia 17.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 17|State Route 17]]
* [[File:Georgia 17 Alternate.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 17 Alternate|State Route 17 Alternate]]
* [[File:Georgia 63.svg|20px]] [[Georgia State Route 63|State Route 63]]
* [[File:Georgia 105.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 105|State Route 105]]
* [[File:Georgia 106.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 106|State Route 106]]
* [[File:Georgia 145.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 145|State Route 145]]
* [[File:Georgia 184.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 184|State Route 184]]
* [[File:Georgia 328.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 328|State Route 328]]
* [[File:Georgia 365.svg|23px]] [[Georgia State Route 365|State Route 365]]
{{div col end}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Oconee County, South Carolina|Oconee County]], [[South Carolina]] (north)
* [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin County]] (south)
* [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks County]] (southwest)
* [[Habersham County, Georgia|Habersham County]] (west)

===National protected area===
* [[Chattahoochee National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1910= 9728
|1920= 11215
|1930= 11740
|1940= 12972
|1950= 16647
|1960= 18391
|1970= 20331
|1980= 21763
|1990= 23257
|2000= 25435
|2010= 26175
|2020= 26784
|estyear=2023
|estimate=27228
|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=|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=|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=|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=}}</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=}}</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=}}</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=}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13257.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 18, 2014|archive-date=December 3, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203064100/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13257.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Stephens County Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13257&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 9, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|21,323
|79.61%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|2,936
|10.96%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|73
|0.27%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|225
|0.84%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|9
|0.03%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|1,361
|5.08%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|857
|3.2%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 26,784 people, 9,543 households, and 6,783 families residing in the county.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 26,175&nbsp;people, 10,289&nbsp;households, and 7,236&nbsp;families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13257
  |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data
  |access-date=December 30, 2015
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213012845/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13257
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The population density was {{convert|146.1|PD/sqmi}}. There were 12,662 housing units at an average density of {{convert|70.7|/sqmi}}.<ref name="census-density">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13257
  |access-date=December 30, 2015
|title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213234425/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13257
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 85.1% white, 10.9% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.0% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 14.7% were [[Americans|American]], 9.1% were [[Irish people|Irish]], 8.1% were [[Germans|German]], and 7.4% were [[English people|English]].<ref name="census-dp2">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13257
  |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=December 30, 2015
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021716/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13257
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

Of the 10,289&nbsp;households, 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.7% were non-families, and 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 40.7 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $34,938 and the median income for a family was $41,768. Males had a median income of $35,814 versus $24,834 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,285. About 12.3% of families and 18.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.9% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13257
  |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
  |access-date=December 30, 2015
|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213011911/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13257
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
|url-status=dead
  }}</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:The_Stephens_County_Courthouse_in_downtown_Toccoa,_Georgia_7.jpg|thumb|The Stephens County Courthouse in downtown Toccoa]]

=== City ===
* [[Toccoa, Georgia|Toccoa]] (county seat)

===Towns===
* [[Avalon, Georgia|Avalon]]
* [[Martin, Georgia|Martin]]

===Unincorporated community===
* [[Eastanollee, Georgia|Eastanollee]]

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Stephens 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 22, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|10,632|2,404|127|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,367|2,386|132|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|7,686|1,837|292|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|7,221|2,131|182|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|7,689|2,705|158|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,904|2,714|56|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|5,370|2,869|137|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,890|3,072|1,015|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,047|2,976|1,470|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|4,329|2,185|36|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,057|2,272|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,045|4,529|118|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,340|5,560|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,773|871|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,295|1,035|2,802|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,371|3,483|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|815|3,087|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|684|2,595|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|661|3,539|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|278|912|133|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|212|1,158|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|90|1,084|8|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|68|1,142|2|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|18|1,026|8|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|270|438|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|40|523|36|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|252|415|0|Georgia}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|15|500|60|Georgia}}
{{PresFoot|1912|Democratic|14|405|57|Georgia}}

== Infrastructure ==

=== Transportation ===
[[File:Toccoa Station in Toccoa, Georgia, is a rail depot served by the Amtrak Crescent train 04.jpg|left|thumb|200x200px|Toccoa Amtrak Station]]
The [[Amtrak]] [[Crescent (Amtrak)|Crescent]] connects Toccoa to [[New York City|New York]], [[Philadelphia]], [[Baltimore]], [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]], [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], [[Atlanta]], [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]], and [[New Orleans]]. The [[Toccoa (Amtrak station)|Amtrak station]] is located at 47 North Alexander Street. The rail line is shared with the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]]. Toccoa was formerly a stop on the ''[[Airline Belle]]'', which was a [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] regional train between 1879 and 1931.

[[Toccoa Airport]] is a small executive airport northeast of the town. The airport is sometimes referred to as R.G. LeTourneau Field as it was built by [[R. G. LeTourneau|R.G. LeTourneau]].

== Media ==
''[[The Toccoa Record]]'' newspaper started in 1873.

[[WNEG (AM)]] and 93.1 FM is a radio station broadcasting from Toccoa. It went on the air in 1956.

==Further reading==
* Cooksey, Elizabeth B. [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/stephens-county "Stephens County."] New Georgia Encyclopedia. October 14, 2014. Web. May 18, 2016.

==See also==
{{Portal|State of Georgia}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Stephens County, Georgia]]
* [[North Georgia Technical College]]
* [[Toccoa Falls College]]
*[[List of counties in Georgia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stephens County, Georgia}}
* [http://www.stephenscountyga.com/ Official Stephens County website]
* [http://www.scda.biz/ Stephens County Development Authority]
* [http://www.toccoagachamber.com/ Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://cityoftoccoa.com/calendar/calendar.html Things to do in Stephens County]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20190121131015/http://roadsidegeorgia.com/county/stephens.html Stephens County history]}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050210114218/http://www.itoccoa.com/ Toccoa-Stephens County community website]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Stephens County, Georgia
|North     = [[Oconee County, South Carolina]]
|Northeast =
|East      =
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Franklin County, Georgia|Franklin County]]
|Southwest = [[Banks County, Georgia|Banks County]]
|West      = [[Habersham County, Georgia|Habersham County]]
|Northwest =
}}
{{Stephens County, Georgia}}
{{Georgia (U.S. state)}}

{{authority control}}

{{Coord|34.56|-83.29|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990}}

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