Gordon County, Georgia
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Map_of_Georgia_highlighting_Gordon_County.png
Image:Map of Georgia highlighting Gordon County.png
Gordon County is a county located in the state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population is 44,104. The county's county seat is Calhoun, Georgia6.
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Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 927 km² (358 mi²). 921 km² (356 mi²) of it is land and 6 km² (2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.69% water.
History
Gordon County was created on February 13, 1850 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1849-50, p. 124). The new county was formed from portions of Cass (later renamed Bartow) and Floyd County counties. All lands that would become Gordon County were originally occupied by the Cherokee Indians -- and, in fact, the area was home of New Echota, capital of the Cherokee Nation. Even while Cherokees remained on their homeland, the Georgia General Assembly enacted legislation in December 1830 that provided for surveying the Cherokee Nation in Georgia and dividing it into sections, districts, and land lots. Subsequently, the legislature identified this entire area as "Cherokee County" (even though it never functioned as a county). An act of Dec. 3, 1832 divided the Cherokee lands into ten new counties -- Cass (later renamed Bartow), Cherokee, Cobb, Floyd, Forsyth, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, and Union. Cherokee lands were distributed to whites in a land lottery, but the legislature temporarily prohibited whites from taking possession of lots on which Cherokees still lived.
It was not until December 29, 1835 that Georgia had an official basis for claiming the unceded Cherokee lands that included the future location of Gordon County. In the Treaty of New Echota, a faction of the Cherokees agreed to give up all Cherokee claims to land in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and North Carolina and move west in return for $5 million. Though a majority of Cherokees opposed the treaty and refused to leave, the U.S. and Georgia considered it binding. In 1838, U.S. Army troops rounded up the last of 15,000 Cherokees in Georgia and forced them to march west in what came to be known as the "Trail of Tears."
Gordon County's original 1850 boundaries were changed numerous times between 1852 to 1877, during which time the legislature transferred portions of Cass (Bartow), Floyd, Murray, Pickens, and Walker counties to Gordon County, while transferring land from Gordon to Floyd and Murray counties.
Georgia's 94th county was named for William Washington Gordon (1796-1842), the first Georgian to graduate from West Point and first president of the Central of Georgia Railroad.(See a monument to William Gordon in Savannah, Georgia)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 44,104 people, 16,173 households, and 12,259 families residing in the county. The population density is 48/km² (124/mi²). There are 17,145 housing units at an average density of 19/km² (48/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 89.69% White, 3.46% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.98% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. 7.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 16,173 households out of which 35.80% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% are married couples living together, 11.10% have a female householder with no husband present, and 24.20% are non-families. 20.30% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.10% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.70 and the average family size is 3.08.
In the county the population is spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 31.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.60% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 97.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $38,831, and the median income for a family is $43,184. Males have a median income of $29,761 versus $22,256 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,586. 9.90% of the population and 7.50% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 12.10% of those under the age of 18 and 14.30% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns