Clarke County, Georgia
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Image:Map of Georgia highlighting Clarke County.png
Clarke County is a county in the state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population is 101,489. Its county seat is Athens, GeorgiaTemplate:GR, with which it is a consolidated city-county.
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History
Clarke County was created in 1801 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 5. The county was named after Revolutionary War hero Elijah Clarke and included 250 square miles (640kmē) of land that was originally part of Jackson County. Clarke was most recognized for being credited with the 1779 victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek in Wilkes County. The Elijah Clarke Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution erected a monument in his name in the middle of Broad Street in Athens that still stands today.
As the population of the country grew alongside of the University of Georgia in the early 1800s, Clarke County's agricultural and cotton industries prospered. The adjacent plantation harvests flowed through city mills and were bolstered by the natural resources of the Oconee River. These early manufacturing and textile production were big industries in Clarke County and in Athens, particularly so once the railroad came to the area beginning in 1841. Athens and Clarke County were second only to Savannah and Chatham County in capital invested in manufacturing during the 1840s.
Two skirmishes took place in Clarke County during the American Civil War in 1864, one near Barber's Creek and the other off of Mitchell's Road. An occupation garrison arrived in Athens on May 29 and a provost-marshal government was set up temporarily. Formal military occupation of the area ended before the end of 1864, although federal occupation continued until early 1866.
The original Clarke County Commission had selected Watkinsville, now in Oconee County, as the original county seat. All county offices and county business, including the courts and jail, later moved north to Athens when the seat was moved on November 24 of 1871. For four years, county meetings were held in the old town hall in Athens until 1876 when a new courthouse was constructed in the area bounded by Prince Avenue, Hill Street and Pope Street. The current courthouse in use today was later erected on the corner of Washington and Jackson Streets downtown in 1914.
On February 12, 1875, the state legislature created Oconee County from the southwest corner of Clarke County and named Watkinsville as its seat. Oconee gained one-third of Clarke's population, and one-half of its land.
During this time, the title of "commissioner of roads and revenue" was proscribed by the legislature to what would be known as county commissioners. The county, as an extension of the state, would operate welfare and health programs, build and maintain roads and conduct courts of law that were part of the state justice system.
In 1973, the Georgia legislature passed legislation on March 29 increasing the number of county commissioners from three to five and allocating a position for a county administrator.
In 1990, the citizens of Athens and Clarke County voted to unify the two governments creating Athens - Clarke County, becoming only the third unified city-county government in the state of Georgia after Columbus - Muscogee County and Augusta - Richmond County.
Geography
Clarke County is located at 33°57'19" North, 83°22'59" West (33.955464, -83.383245)Template:GR.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 314 km² (121 mi²). 313 km² (121 mi²) of it is land and 1 km² (0 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.40% water.
Clarke County is the smallest of Georgia's 159 counties.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 101,489 people, 39,706 households, and 19,694 families residing in the county. The population density is 324/km² (840/mi²). There are 42,126 housing units at an average density of 135/km² (349/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 64.89% White, 27.25% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 3.13% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.08% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 6.34% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 39,706 households out of which 22.50% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.60% are married couples living together, 13.30% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.40% are non-families. 29.70% of all households are made up of individuals and 5.80% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.95.
In the county the population is spread out with 17.80% under the age of 18, 31.30% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 15.40% from 45 to 64, and 8.10% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 25 years. For every 100 females there are 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county is $28,403, and the median income for a family is $41,607. Males have a median income of $30,482 versus $23,069 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,123. 28.30% of the population and 14.80% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.80% of those under the age of 18 and 13.40% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Cities and towns