Treutlen County, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Treutlen County
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Treutlen County Courthouse in Soperton
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Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
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 Georgia's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Georgia |
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| Founded | November 5, 1918 | |
| Named for | John A. Treutlen | |
| Seat | Soperton | |
| Largest city | Soperton | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 202 sq mi (520 km2) | |
| • Land | 199 sq mi (520 km2) | |
| • Water | 3.0 sq mi (8 km2) 1.5%% | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,406 | |
| • Density | 32/sq mi (12/km2) | |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) | |
| Congressional district | 12th | |
Treutlen County (/ˈtruːtlɪn/ TROOT-lin) is a county located in the east central and Magnolia midlands portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,406. The county seat is Soperton. Treutlen County is host to the Million Pines Arts and Crafts Festival which takes place during the first weekend in November.
Contents
History
Before colonization, the area was home to the Muscogee. Following the American Revolution, the location's wiregrass (Aristida stricta) attracted settlers, and a timber industry began to develop around the area's longleaf pine forests, supporting occupations from cabinetmaking and milling to turpentine and other naval stores production.
The area's landscape made it difficult to build roads, resulting in a sparse population until after the Civil War when railroads arrived. In 1902, the Macon, Dublin and Savannah Railroad completed its extension from Macon to Vidalia and constructed a railroad depot near Lothair. The newly-incorporated town of Soperton quickly outgrew Lothair due to the new rail link.
An official process to create Treutlen County was spearheaded by Neil L. Gillis, known as the "father of Treutlen County" due to his efforts. The state constitutional amendment to create Treutlen County was proposed by the Georgia General Assembly on August 21, 1917, and ratified November 5, 1918, officially making it Georgia's 154th county. The county is made up of former sections of Emanuel and Montgomery counties, and is named for John A. Treutlen, Georgia's first state governor following adoption of the state Constitution of 1777. By this time, as Soperton had become larger than Lothair, it was the clear choice for county seat.
During the 1920s, a local cotton farmer named James Fowler planted over 7 million pine trees across 10,000 acres of land. Fowler worked together with scientist Charles Herty, who developed a process to use pine pulp to create paper.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 202 square miles (520 km2), of which 199 square miles (520 km2) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2) (1.5%) is water. Approximately 90% of the county is forested.
The western portion of Treutlen County, west of Soperton, is located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The eastern portion of the county is located in the Ohoopee River sub-basin of the larger Altamaha River basin.
Major highways
Interstate 16
U.S. Route 221
State Route 15
State Route 29
State Route 46
State Route 56
State Route 78
State Route 86
State Route 171
State Route 199
State Route 199 Spur
State Route 227
State Route 297
State Route 298
State Route 404 (unsigned designation for I-16)
Adjacent counties
- Emanuel County (northeast)
- Montgomery County (southeast)
- Wheeler County (southwest)
- Laurens County (west)
- Johnson County (northwest)
Communities
City
- Soperton (county seat)
Unincorporated community
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 7,664 | — | |
| 1930 | 7,488 | −2.3% | |
| 1940 | 7,632 | 1.9% | |
| 1950 | 6,522 | −14.5% | |
| 1960 | 5,874 | −9.9% | |
| 1970 | 5,647 | −3.9% | |
| 1980 | 6,087 | 7.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,994 | −1.5% | |
| 2000 | 6,854 | 14.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,885 | 0.5% | |
| 2020 | 6,406 | −7.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 6,341 | −7.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1930-1940 1940-1950 1960-1980 1980-2000 2010 |
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| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 4,065 | 63.46% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,999 | 31.21% |
| Native American | 19 | 0.3% |
| Asian | 7 | 0.11% |
| Other/Mixed | 146 | 2.28% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 170 | 2.65% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,406 people, 2,490 households, and 1,654 families residing in the county.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Treutlen para niños
