| Telfair County, Georgia | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Georgia |
|
 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | December 10, 1807 |
|---|---|
| Seat | McRae |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
444 sq mi (1,150 km²) 441 sq mi (1,142 km²) 3 sq mi (8 km²), |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
11,794 |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Named for: Edward Telfair | |
Telfair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 11,794. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 13,366.[1] The county seat is McRae.[2]
Contents |
History
Archaeologists digging in the midst of a 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) plot near McRae,[3] approximately a mile away from the Ocmulgee River, located a Spanish settlement dating back to the first half of the 1500s. The archaeologists suspected that the artifacts originated from a settlement founded by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1526.[4] Additional research suggested that the site was one visited by the de Soto Expedition of 1541. They recovered Murano glass beads, pottery fragments, and iron weapons. Some of the beads bear a chevron pattern believed to be hallmarks of the de Soto expedition, due to the limited timespan in which they were produced. Excavations have also produced six metal objects, including three iron tools and a silver pendant.[5]
| “ | What we have now is the best-documented collection of Spanish artifacts in Georgia, many are unique, and they are the only examples of certain artifacts ever found outside Florida. | ” |
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—- Archaeologist Dennis Blanton 2009 |
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Telfair County was established on December 10, 1807, and is named for Edward Telfair, sixteenth governor of Georgia and member of the Continental Congress.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 444 square miles (1,150 km²), of which, 441 square miles (1,142 km²) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km²) of it (0.67%) is water.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 23
U.S. Highway 280
U.S. Highway 319
U.S. Highway 441- U.S. Highway 341
Georgia State Route 132
Georgia State Route 165- Georgia State Route 117
- Georgia State Route 149
- Georgia State Route 165
- Georgia State Route 134
- Georgia State Route 30
- Georgia State Route 27
- Georgia State Route 31
- Georgia State Route 132
Adjacent counties
- Wheeler County (northeast)
- Jeff Davis County (southeast)
- Coffee County (south)
- Ben Hill County (southwest)
- Wilcox County (west)
- Dodge County (northwest)
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Dodge County | Wheeler County | |
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| Wilcox County |  |
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 Telfair County, Georgia  |
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| Ben Hill County | Coffee County | Jeff Davis County |
Demographics
As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 11,794 people, 4,140 households, and 2,873 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile (10/km²). There were 5,083 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 59.71% White, 38.44% Black or African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 1.16% from other races, and 0.47% from two or more races. 1.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 4,140 households out of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.40% were married couples living together, 16.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.50% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 110.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 113.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,097, and the median income for a family was $32,513. Males had a median income of $26,444 versus $19,970 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,197. About 17.30% of families and 21.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.40% of those under age 18 and 23.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
See also
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Coordinates: 31°56′N 82°56′W / 31.93°N 82.94°W
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Science Daily-Archaeologists Track Infamous Conquistador Through Southeast". http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105084838.htm.
- ^ Davis, Mark, "What Lies Beneath," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, December 17, 2007, page C1.
- ^ a b Pousner, Howard, "Fernbank archaeologist confident he has found de Soto site," Atlanta Journal-Constitution, November 6, 2009.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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