Calhoun County, Georgia

County in Georgia, United States

Not to be confused with Calhoun, Georgia.

County in Georgia

Calhoun County

County

Calhoun County Courthouse in Morgan

Location within the U.S. state of Georgia

Georgia's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 31°32′N 84°37′W﻿ / ﻿31.53°N 84.62°W﻿ / 31.53; -84.62
Country|  United States
State|  Georgia
Founded| February 20, 1854; 171 years ago (1854)
Named after| John C. Calhoun
Seat| Morgan
Largest city| Morgan
Area

• Total

| 284 sq mi (740 km2)
• Land| 280 sq mi (700 km2)
• Water| 3.2 sq mi (8 km2)  1.1%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 5,573
• Density| 20/sq mi (8/km2)
Time zone| UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| calhouncountyga.com

Calhoun County is a rural county in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Morgan and its population was 5,573 in 2020.

## History

[edit]

Calhoun County was named for John C. Calhoun, the seventh Vice President of the United States.[1] It was created from parts of Early and Baker counties on February 20, 1854.[2][3]

Rival political factions disagreed about whether the county seat should be in Concord, a community north of present-day Leary, or in Dickey, then known as Whitney. As a compromise, a spot halfway between Concord and Whitney was chosen for the county seat, and the town of Morgan was established there.[2]

In 1923 the state legislature moved the county seat to Arlington as directed by a county referendum. This decision was reversed in 1929, restoring Morgan as the county seat.[2]

Calhoun Memorial Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital in Arlington originally founded as a Hill-Burton hospital,[4] closed in 2013 after 62 years of operation.[5][6]

In 2008, members of the Downtown Business Authority in Arlington founded the South Georgia Regional Information Technology Authority (SGRITA) with help from the state government to provide wireless broadband service to several counties in rural southwest Georgia.[7][8] In 2017 SGRITA moved its office to Blakely in Early County.[9]

## Geography

[edit]

The county seat is Morgan,[10] where the historic Calhoun County Courthouse is located. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 284 square miles (740 km2), of which 280 square miles (730 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (1.1%) is water.[11]

The vast majority of Calhoun County is in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The county's western and southwestern corner, from Arlington running northwest to west of Edison, is in the Spring Creek sub-basin of the same larger ACF River Basin.[12]

The United States Department of Agriculture has designated most of the county's land as prime farmland.[2] Agricultural, forestry, and wildlife plantations line the county's eastern edge.[13]

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Terrell County (northeast)
* Dougherty County (east)
* Baker County (southeast)
* Early County (southwest)
* Clay County (west)
* Randolph County (northwest)

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Arlington (Partly in Early County)
* Edison
* Leary
* Morgan

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Dickey
* Williamsburg

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 4,913| | —
1870| 5,503| | 12.0%
1880| 7,024| | 27.6%
1890| 8,438| | 20.1%
1900| 9,274| | 9.9%
1910| 11,334| | 22.2%
1920| 10,225| | −9.8%
1930| 10,576| | 3.4%
1940| 10,438| | −1.3%
1950| 8,578| | −17.8%
1960| 7,341| | −14.4%
1970| 6,606| | −10.0%
1980| 5,717| | −13.5%
1990| 5,013| | −12.3%
2000| 6,320| | 26.1%
2010| 6,694| | 5.9%
2020| 5,573| | −16.7%
2023 (est.)| 5,457| [14]| −2.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790-1880[16] 1890-1910[17]
1920-1930[18] 1930-1940[19]
1940-1950[20] 1960-1980[21]
1980-2000[22] 2010[23] 2020[24]
Calhoun 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[25] | Pop 2010[23] | Pop 2020[24] | % 2000  | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 2,368  | 2,250  | 1,766  | 37.47%  | 33.61%  | 31.69%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 3,726  | 4,092  | 3,569  | 58.96%  | 61.13%  | 64.04%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 9  | 9  | 8  | 0.14%  | 0.13%  | 0.14%
Asian alone (NH)  | 4  | 30  | 19  | 0.06%  | 0.45%  | 0.34%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 0  | 0  | 0  | 0.00%  | 0.00%  | 0.00%
Other race alone (NH)  | 0  | 2  | 1  | 0.00%  | 0.03%  | 0.02%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)  | 24  | 49  | 61  | 0.38%  | 0.73%  | 1.09%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 189  | 262  | 149  | 2.99%  | 3.91%  | 2.67%
Total | 6,320 | 6,694 | 5,573 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,573 people, 1,736 households, and 1,152 families residing in the county. Of these people, 4.0% were under 5 years old, 16.9% were under 18, and 16.6% were 65 or over. The population was 39.3% female. The foreign-born population was 4.1% of the total. Of residents aged 5 or older, 7.7% spoke a language other than English at home.

There were 1,736 households. The average household size was 2.56. The county had 2,406 housing units, of which 65.6% were owner-occupied.[26]

## Economy

[edit]

Many farms in Calhoun County grow corn, oats, sorghum, and wheat.[2] Calhoun State Prison in Morgan is a major employer. Calhoun Nursing Home, a 60-bed long-term care facility in Edison, is now operated by Miller County.

## Education

[edit]

The Calhoun County School District has an elementary school and a middle-high school all in Edison. The district has about 530 students.[27]

Pataula Charter Academy opened in 2010 in Edison as a tuition-free public charter school serving several counties in southwest Georgia. It has about 609 students in kindergarten through 12th grade.[28]

The Calhoun County Library in Edison is part of the Kinchafoonee Regional Library System.[29]

## Government

[edit]

Calhoun County has a council-manager government with five commissioners elected by district.[30]

## Politics

[edit]

Calhoun County is staunchly Democratic in US presidential elections. The last Republican candidate to win the county was Richard Nixon in 1972.

United States presidential election results for Calhoun County, Georgia[31] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 900  | 43.77%  | 1,153  | 56.08% | 3  | 0.15%
2020 | 923  | 41.99%  | 1,263  | 57.46% | 12  | 0.55%
2016 | 830  | 40.99%  | 1,179  | 58.22% | 16  | 0.79%
2012 | 883  | 40.34%  | 1,298  | 59.30% | 8  | 0.37%
2008 | 862  | 38.97%  | 1,342  | 60.67% | 8  | 0.36%
2004 | 890  | 44.08%  | 1,119  | 55.42% | 10  | 0.50%
2000 | 768  | 40.70%  | 1,107  | 58.66% | 12  | 0.64%
1996 | 541  | 28.96%  | 1,217  | 65.15% | 110  | 5.89%
1992 | 464  | 22.99%  | 1,301  | 64.47% | 253  | 12.54%
1988 | 644  | 41.52%  | 901  | 58.09% | 6  | 0.39%
1984 | 776  | 41.88%  | 1,077  | 58.12% | 0  | 0.00%
1980 | 652  | 31.24%  | 1,414  | 67.75% | 21  | 1.01%
1976 | 436  | 23.83%  | 1,394  | 76.17% | 0  | 0.00%
1972 | 892  | 64.31% | 495  | 35.69%  | 0  | 0.00%
1968 | 234  | 12.25%  | 697  | 36.49%  | 979  | 51.26%
1964 | 1,066  | 78.67% | 289  | 21.33%  | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 131  | 14.03%  | 803  | 85.97% | 0  | 0.00%
1956 | 107  | 8.91%  | 1,094  | 91.09% | 0  | 0.00%
1952 | 147  | 15.36%  | 810  | 84.64% | 0  | 0.00%
1948 | 36  | 7.00%  | 399  | 77.63% | 79  | 15.37%
1944 | 37  | 4.79%  | 736  | 95.21% | 0  | 0.00%
1940 | 33  | 5.13%  | 610  | 94.87% | 0  | 0.00%
1936 | 14  | 1.77%  | 777  | 97.98% | 2  | 0.25%
1932 | 10  | 2.01%  | 483  | 97.18% | 4  | 0.80%
1928 | 91  | 13.75%  | 571  | 86.25% | 0  | 0.00%
1924 | 66  | 16.02%  | 343  | 83.25% | 3  | 0.73%
1920 | 5  | 1.10%  | 449  | 98.90% | 0  | 0.00%
1916 | 2  | 0.72%  | 265  | 96.01% | 9  | 3.26%
1912 | 70  | 16.24%  | 300  | 69.61% | 61  | 14.15%

## Transportation

[edit]

### Major highways

[edit]

* State Route 37
* State Route 41
* State Route 45
* State Route 55
* State Route 62
* State Route 216
* State Route 234

## See also

[edit]

* State of Georgia portal

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Calhoun County, Georgia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 31\. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 10, 2003.
2. ^ a b c d e "Calhoun County". Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
3. ^ "Calhoun County historic marker". Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
4. ^ Report on Hill-Burton Hospitals and Their Obligations. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1984.
5. ^ "Small rural hospital closes doors". February 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
6. ^ "Calhoun Memorial Hospital closes". Archived from the original on December 2, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
7. ^ "Georgia citizens take broadband into their own hands". April 24, 2009. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
8. ^ "Sgrita". Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
9. ^ "SGRITA relocating to City Hall". Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
10. ^ "Ballotpedia". Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. ^ "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.
13. ^ "Calhoun County Georgia". Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
14. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
15. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
16. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
17. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
18. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
19. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
20. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
21. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
22. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
23. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calhoun County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
24. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Calhoun County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
25. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Calhoun County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
26. ^ "Calhoun County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
27. ^ "School Grades". Archived from the original on May 13, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
28. ^ "Pataula Charter Academy". Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
29. ^ "Calhoun County Library". Archived from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
30. ^ "Calhoun County Commissioners". Retrieved November 30, 2021.
31. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Calhoun County historical marker

Places adjacent to Calhoun County, Georgia

| Randolph County |  | Terrell County

|
|

|  |
Clay County |

Calhoun County, Georgia

| Dougherty County
|  |
Early County |  | Baker County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Calhoun County, Georgia, United States

County seat: Morgan

Cities|

* Arlington‡
* Edison
* Leary
* Morgan

Map of Georgia highlighting Calhoun County

Unincorporated communities|

* Dickey
* Williamsburg

Footnotes|

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

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31°32′N 84°37′W﻿ / ﻿31.53°N 84.62°W﻿ / 31.53; -84.62
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