Bleckley County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

County in Georgia

Bleckley County

County

Bleckley County Courthouse in Cochran

Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 32°26′N 83°20′W﻿ / ﻿32.44°N 83.33°W﻿ / 32.44; -83.33
Country|  United States
State|  Georgia
Founded| 1912; 113 years ago (1912)
Named after| Logan Edwin Bleckley
Seat| Cochran
Largest city| Cochran
Government

• County Commissioner| Robert Brockman
Area

• Total

| 219 sq mi (570 km2)
• Land| 216 sq mi (560 km2)
• Water| 3.3 sq mi (9 km2)  1.5%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 12,583
• Density| 58/sq mi (22/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 8th
Website| bleckley.org

Bleckley County is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,583.[1] The county seat is Cochran.[2]

## History

[edit]

The county was named for Logan Edwin Bleckley, a soldier and Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia.[3] The state constitutional amendment to create the county was proposed by the Georgia General Assembly on July 30, 1912, and ratified November 5, 1912. Bleckley County was formerly home to Middle Georgia College, the oldest two-year public college in the nation. In 2013 it merged with Macon State College to become Middle Georgia State University.[4]

Bleckley County High School made news in March 2010 for allowing a same-sex couple to attend its senior prom, after another same-sex couple in Mississippi were denied attendance at another senior prom.[5]

## Government

[edit]

Bleckley County is one of eight remaining counties in Georgia that operates under a sole commissioner form of government, with a single county commissioner acting as the county executive and legislative branches. The current County Commissioner is Mike Davis, the Sheriff is Daniel Cape, the Fire Chief is Brock Wilcher, the Clerk of Superior Court is Dianne C. Brown, the Tax Commissioner is Paige Baggs, and the Probate Judge is Hon. Jonathan Fordham.

Bleckly County's sole commissioner form of government was discussed in Holder v. Hall,[6] decided by the United States Supreme Court on June 30, 1994.

United States presidential election results for Bleckley County, Georgia[7] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 4,685  | 77.51% | 1,339  | 22.15%  | 20  | 0.33%
2020 | 4,329  | 75.81% | 1,312  | 22.98%  | 69  | 1.21%
2016 | 3,719  | 74.77% | 1,101  | 22.14%  | 154  | 3.10%
2012 | 3,587  | 72.91% | 1,269  | 25.79%  | 64  | 1.30%
2008 | 3,657  | 71.93% | 1,380  | 27.14%  | 47  | 0.92%
2004 | 3,167  | 70.83% | 1,281  | 28.65%  | 23  | 0.51%
2000 | 2,436  | 64.98% | 1,273  | 33.96%  | 40  | 1.07%
1996 | 1,632  | 49.33% | 1,365  | 41.26%  | 311  | 9.40%
1992 | 1,570  | 39.69%  | 1,710  | 43.23% | 676  | 17.09%
1988 | 1,950  | 62.14% | 1,175  | 37.44%  | 13  | 0.41%
1984 | 1,912  | 56.62% | 1,465  | 43.38%  | 0  | 0.00%
1980 | 1,261  | 36.66%  | 2,014  | 58.55% | 165  | 4.80%
1976 | 972  | 27.17%  | 2,605  | 72.83% | 0  | 0.00%
1972 | 2,308  | 85.96% | 377  | 14.04%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 756  | 20.94%  | 397  | 10.99%  | 2,458  | 68.07%
1964 | 2,578  | 72.50% | 978  | 27.50%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 633  | 26.55%  | 1,751  | 73.45% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 136  | 8.13%  | 1,537  | 91.87% | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 187  | 10.97%  | 1,517  | 89.03% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 71  | 8.47%  | 536  | 63.96% | 231  | 27.57%
1944 | 213  | 20.72%  | 815  | 79.28% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 100  | 11.26%  | 785  | 88.40% | 3  | 0.34%
1936 | 69  | 9.58%  | 649  | 90.14% | 2  | 0.28%
1932 | 37  | 2.69%  | 1,338  | 97.24% | 1  | 0.07%
1928 | 71  | 9.97%  | 641  | 90.03% | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 21  | 5.19%  | 367  | 90.62% | 17  | 4.20%
1920 | 0  | 0.00%  | 262  | 100.00% | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 14  | 3.66%  | 362  | 94.76% | 6  | 1.57%

## Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 219 square miles (570 km2), of which 216 square miles (560 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (1.5%) is water.[8] The county is located in the upper Atlantic coastal plain region of the state.

The eastern quarter of Bleckley County, roughly in a line from west of Danville running southeast, is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The central quarter of the county, between Cochran and the previous line, is located in the Little Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin. The western half of the county, west of Cochran, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same larger Altamaha River basin.[9]

### Major highways

[edit]

* I-16 (Interstate 16)
* US 23
* US 23 Bus.
* US 129 Alt.
* SR 26
* SR 87
* SR 87 Bus.
* SR 112
* SR 126
* SR 257
* SR 278
* SR 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Wilkinson County \- north
* Twiggs County \- north
* Laurens County \- east
* Dodge County \- southeast
* Pulaski County \- southwest
* Houston County \- west

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Allentown
* Cochran

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Empire (partly in Dodge County)

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Cary
* Baileys Park
* Brown Hill
* Coley Station
* Five Points
* Fraizer
* Goldsboro
* Paulk
* Porter
* Powell
* Rebie
* Royal [10]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1920| 10,532| | —
1930| 9,133| | −13.3%
1940| 9,655| | 5.7%
1950| 9,218| | −4.5%
1960| 9,642| | 4.6%
1970| 10,291| | 6.7%
1980| 10,767| | 4.6%
1990| 10,430| | −3.1%
2000| 11,666| | 11.9%
2010| 13,063| | 12.0%
2020| 12,583| | −3.7%
2023 (est.)| 12,465| [11]| −0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1880[13] 1890-1910[14]
1920-1930[15] 1930-1940[16]
1940-1950[17] 1960-1980[18]
1980-2000[19] 2010[20]
Bleckley County racial composition as of 2020[21] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (non-Hispanic)  | 8,867  | 70.47%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)  | 2,788  | 22.16%
Native American | 11  | 0.09%
Asian | 153  | 1.22%
Pacific Islander | 8  | 0.06%
Other/Mixed | 287  | 2.28%
Hispanic or Latino | 469  | 3.73%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 12,583 people, 4,176 households, and 2,727 families residing in the county.

## Education

[edit]

The only school district in the county is the Bleckley County School District.[22]

## Points of interest

[edit]

* Cochran-Bleckley Cotton & Peanut Museum
* Cochran Motor Speedway & Kart Track
* Greene Acres Farm
* Gully Branch Tree Farm
* Lil Cochran R/C Speedway
* Mae Chapel
* Middle Georgia Equestrian Center
* Ocmulgee Public Fishing Area
* Ocmulgee Water Trail
* Ocmulgee Wildlife Management Area
* Terry L. Coleman Museum and Archives
* Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park
* Old Bleckley County Jail

## See also

[edit]

* State of Georgia portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Bleckley County, Georgia
* List of counties in Georgia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Bleckley County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 26, 2022.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 20\. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
4. ^ "Middle Georgia State College Now a Reality". mgsc.edu. Archived from the original on February 20, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
5. ^ "Bleckley school officials allowing gay prom date - Local & State - Macon.com". Archived from the original on March 25, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
6. ^ 512 U.S. 874 (1994)
7. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. ^ "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 24, 2015.
10. ^ "Bleckley County GA - Cities, Towns, Neighborhoods, & Subdivisions". georgia.hometownlocator.com.
11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
12. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
13. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1880.
14. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1910.
15. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1930.
16. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1940.
17. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1950.
18. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 1980.
19. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). US Census Bureau. 2000.
20. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
21. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
22. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bleckly County, GA" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2024. \- Text list

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Bleckley County, Georgia

|  | Wilkinson County and Twiggs County |

|
|

|  |
Houston County |

Bleckley County, Georgia

| Laurens County
|  |
Pulaski County |  | Dodge County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Bleckley County, Georgia, United States

County seat: Cochran

Cities|

* Allentown‡
* Cochran

Map of Georgia highlighting Bleckley County

CDP|

* Empire‡

Unincorporated communities|

* Cary
* Frazier

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Georgia portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Macon-Warner Robins-Fort Valley Combined Statistical Area

Principal cities|

* Macon
* Warner Robins
* Fort Valley

Municipalities|

* Allentown
* Byron
* Centerville
* Culloden
* Danville
* Forsyth
* Gray
* Jeffersonville
* Perry
* Roberta

Other
communities|

* Avondale
* Bolingbroke
* Bonaire
* Clinchfield
* Dunbar
* Elberta
* Elko
* Franklinton
* Haddock
* Juliette
* Kathleen
* Knoxville
* Lizella
* Musella
* Robins AFB
* Sofkee
* Smarr
* Walden

Counties|

* Bibb
* Crawford
* Houston
* Jones
* Monroe
* Peach
* Twiggs

CSA
components|

* Macon Metropolitan Statistical Area
* Warner Robins Metropolitan Statistical Area

* v
* t
* e

State of Georgia

Atlanta (capital)

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* Georgia (U.S. state) portal
* Category
* WikiProject

## External links

[edit]

* Cochran-Bleckley Chamber of Commerce
* Bleckley County historical marker

32°26′N 83°20′W﻿ / ﻿32.44°N 83.33°W﻿ / 32.44; -83.33

Authority control databases

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Other|

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