Johnson County, Georgia

Johnson County
County
Johnson County Courthouse in Wrightsville
Johnson County Courthouse in Wrightsville
Map of Georgia highlighting Johnson County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°42′N 82°40′W / 32.7°N 82.66°W / 32.7; -82.66
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 11, 1858; 165 years ago (1858-12-11)
Named forHerschel Vespasian Johnson
SeatWrightsville
Largest cityWrightsville
Area
 • Total307 sq mi (800 km2)
 • Land303 sq mi (780 km2)
 • Water3.6 sq mi (9 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total9,189
 • Estimate 
(2023)
9,282 Increase
 • Density30/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district10th
Websitewww.johnsonco.org

Johnson County is a county located along the Oconee River in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,189.[1] The county seat is Wrightsville.[2] Johnson County is part of the Dublin, Georgia, micropolitan statistical area.

History

Johnson county was created by the Georgia legislature December 11, 1858, from parts of Emanuel, Laurens, and Washington counties. Johnson County was named for Georgia governor, senator, and U.S. vice-presidential candidate Herschel Vespasian Johnson.[3]

In 1919, a deputy driving Jim Waters, a black prisoner accused of rape, out of the county was stopped by a group of 150 men at a bridge over the Ohoopee River. The men tied Waters to a tree and shot him numerous times. The case was closed without any investigation.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 307 square miles (800 km2), of which 303 square miles (780 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (1.2%) is water.[5]

The vast majority of Johnson County is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. Tiny portions of the northeastern borders of the county are located in the Upper Ogeechee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, while the western corner of Johnson County is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.[6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated community

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,919—
18702,9641.5%
18804,80061.9%
18906,12927.7%
190011,40986.1%
191012,89713.0%
192013,5465.0%
193012,681−6.4%
194012,9532.1%
19509,893−23.6%
19608,048−18.6%
19707,727−4.0%
19808,66012.1%
19908,329−3.8%
20008,5602.8%
20109,98016.6%
20209,189−7.9%
2023 (est.)9,282[7]1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1880[9] 1890-1910[10]
1920-1930[11] 1930-1940[12]
1940-1950[13] 1960-1980[14]
1980-2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[17]

2020 Census

Johnson County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
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.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[18] Pop 2010[16] Pop 2020[17] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,307 6,219 5,800 62.00% 62.31% 63.12%
Black or African American alone (NH) 3,131 3,461 3,017 36.58% 34.68% 32.83%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 11 17 23 0.13% 0.17% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 10 22 28 0.12% 0.22% 0.30%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 3 15 0.01% 0.03% 0.16%
Other race alone (NH) 1 7 14 0.01% 0.07% 0.15%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 21 65 175 0.25% 0.65% 1.90%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 78 186 117 0.91% 1.86% 1.27%
Total 8,560 9,980 9,189 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 9,189 people, 3,393 households, and 2,208 families residing in the county.

Government

The county is governed by a five-member board of commissioners. A county manager handles the daily operation of the county.

The county is part of the Dublin Judicial Circuit along with Twiggs County, Treutlen County, and Laurens County.

Board of commissioners
District Commissioner Party
District 1 Felice Pullen Democratic
District 2 James McAfee Jr. [CHAIR] Republican
District 3 Jerronney Darrisaw Democratic
District 4 Larry Pope Republican
District 5 Mike Keene Republican

[19]

United States presidential election results for Johnson County, Georgia[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,850 69.51% 1,222 29.80% 28 0.68%
2016 2,519 68.34% 1,136 30.82% 31 0.84%
2012 2,440 64.62% 1,305 34.56% 31 0.82%
2008 2,426 66.47% 1,198 32.82% 26 0.71%
2004 2,279 64.11% 1,263 35.53% 13 0.37%
2000 1,797 62.33% 1,065 36.94% 21 0.73%
1996 815 36.14% 1,194 52.95% 246 10.91%
1992 1,314 39.88% 1,473 44.70% 508 15.42%
1988 1,567 62.83% 927 37.17% 0 0.00%
1984 1,733 59.11% 1,199 40.89% 0 0.00%
1980 1,123 37.07% 1,854 61.21% 52 1.72%
1976 698 24.00% 2,210 76.00% 0 0.00%
1972 2,201 84.07% 417 15.93% 0 0.00%
1968 381 13.28% 446 15.55% 2,041 71.16%
1964 1,940 73.99% 682 26.01% 0 0.00%
1960 488 27.32% 1,298 72.68% 0 0.00%
1956 179 10.02% 1,607 89.98% 0 0.00%
1952 344 15.99% 1,808 84.01% 0 0.00%
1948 67 5.33% 685 54.54% 504 40.13%
1944 304 23.71% 978 76.29% 0 0.00%
1940 306 11.32% 2,386 88.24% 12 0.44%
1936 334 15.15% 1,861 84.40% 10 0.45%
1932 18 1.34% 1,314 98.06% 8 0.60%
1928 284 31.00% 632 69.00% 0 0.00%
1924 194 14.18% 1,058 77.34% 116 8.48%
1920 74 19.47% 306 80.53% 0 0.00%
1916 150 16.95% 715 80.79% 20 2.26%
1912 92 23.00% 285 71.25% 23 5.75%

Education

In 1970, Johnson County schools integrated peacefully due to careful planning by the county's board of education and firm management by superintendent Buren Claxton.

The county's public schools are located in Wrightsville. The school mascot is the Trojan, and the school colors are blue and white. The school fight song is the theme from the movie Hang 'Em High.

Sports

Herschel Walker, a Johnson County native, played on the county's only state championship football team in 1979. Walker went on to play for the University of Georgia and won the Heisman Trophy. In 2004 Johnson County High School named its football field for Walker.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 169.
  4. ^ McWhirter, Cameron (2011). Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and the Awakening of Black America. Henry Holt and Company. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-4299-7293-2.
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  8. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  10. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  11. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  12. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  13. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  15. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  16. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Johnson County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "County Commissioners".
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

32°42′N 82°40′W / 32.70°N 82.66°W / 32.70; -82.66