Lincoln County is a
county
A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...
located in the east central portion of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
. As of the
2020 census, the population was 7,690. The
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
is
Lincolnton.
The county was created on February 20, 1796. Lincoln County is included in the
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-
SC metropolitan statistical area, the
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the Southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and South Carolina. The river flows from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, ...
forming its northeastern border. Located above the
fall line
A fall line (or fall zone) is the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet and is noticeable especially the place rivers cross it, with resulting rapids or waterfalls. The uplands are relatively hard crystalline basement rock, and the ...
, it is part of the
Central Savannah River Area
The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) is an unofficial trading and marketing region in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina, spanning thirteen counties in Georgia and seven in South Carolina. The term was coined in 1950 by C.C. McCol ...
(CSRA) and a member of the CSRA Regional Development Center.
History
On February 20, 1796, Lincoln County was established as the twenty-fourth county in the state of Georgia. Before then, its territory was part of
Wilkes County, now on its western side. The new county was named after General
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln (January 24, 1733 ( O.S. January 13, 1733) – May 9, 1810) was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Lincoln was involved in three major surrender ...
(1733–1810), a Revolutionary War hero notable for receiving Gen.
Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) was a British Army officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator. In the United States and United Kingdom, he is best known as one of the leading Britis ...
's sword at
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a town in York County, Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in Colony of Virginia, colonial Virginia in 1682. Yorktown's population was 195 as of the 2010 census, while ...
.
On January 22, 1852, the legislature changed the location of the line between Wilkes County and Lincoln County, although there is no extant record as to why the legislature made the change.
From before the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
until the 1950s, Lincoln County was primarily a farming and agricultural area. The development and creation of Clarks Hill Dam created a large reservoir that covered portions of Lincoln and nearby counties. Developers have created many residential neighborhoods and subdivisions in areas near the lake.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (18.2%) is water.
The county is located in the
Piedmont
Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
region of the state just above the
fall line
A fall line (or fall zone) is the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet and is noticeable especially the place rivers cross it, with resulting rapids or waterfalls. The uplands are relatively hard crystalline basement rock, and the ...
of the eastern
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
The bulk of Lincoln County, from just south of
Lincolnton heading north, is located in the Upper
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the Southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and South Carolina. The river flows from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, ...
sub-basin of the
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the Southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and South Carolina. The river flows from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, ...
basin, with the exception of a tiny sliver of the northernmost section of the county, which is located in the
Broad River sub-basin of the larger Savannah River basin. The southern portion of the county is located in the
Little River
Little River may refer to several places:
Australia Streams New South Wales
*Little River (Dubbo), source in the Dubbo region, a tributary of the Macquarie River
* Little River (Oberon), source in the Oberon Shire, a tributary of Coxs River (Haw ...
sub-basin of the same Savannah River basin.
Major highways
*
U.S. Route 378
U.S. Route 378 (US 378) is a spur of US 78 in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina. The U.S. Highway runs from US 78, Georgia State Route 10 (SR 10), SR 17, and SR 47 in Washington, Georgia, east to ...
*
State Route 43
**
State Route 43 Connector
*
State Route 44
*
State Route 47
*
State Route 79
*
State Route 220
Adjacent counties
*
Elbert County, Georgia
Elbert County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,637. The county seat is Elberton. The county was established on December 10, 1790, and was named for Samue ...
- north
*
McCormick County, South Carolina
McCormick County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. As of the 2020 census, its population was 9,526, making it the second-least populous county in South Carolina. Its county seat is McCormick. The county was formed in 1 ...
- northeast
*
Columbia County, Georgia
Columbia County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 156,010. The legal county seat is Appling, but the ''de facto'' seat of county government is Evans. - south
*
McDuffie County, Georgia
McDuffie County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,632. The county seat is Thomson. The county was created on October 18, 1870 and named after the South Carolina governor and senator ...
- southwest
*
Wilkes County, Georgia
Wilkes County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,565. The county seat is the city of Washington.
Referred to as "Washington-Wilkes", the county seat and ...
- west
Communities
City
*
Lincolnton
Unincorporated community
*
Chennault
Demographics
As of the
2020 United States census, there were 7,690 people, 3,475 households, and 2,142 families residing in the county.
Recreation and historical sites
Since the creation of Clarks Hill Lake, recreation has contributed to Lincoln County's growth. It is a main destination for tourists, providing fishing, boating, and other water sports opportunities for visitors and nearby residents.
Toward the eastern part of Lincoln County, just before the South Carolina line, is Elijah Clarke State Park. This park is roughly . In May of every year, Elijah Clarke holds a bluegrass festival which has become a major attraction in the last 20 years. Several well-known bluegrass musicians play at this event each year, including Lincoln County natives,
The Lewis Family. Also held annually at Elijah Clarke is an Arts and Crafts Festival and a Log Cabin Christmas.
There are many historic places to visit in Lincoln County. They include:
* Lamar-Blanchard House, Lincolnton, which is on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
* The Lincoln County Historical Park
* Graves Mountain
Economy
Economic growth has been associated with development of the
J. Strom Thurmond Dam and
Clarks Hill Lake. In Lincoln County, logging is a multimillion-dollar industry. More than 20 logging businesses produce most of the jobs for Lincoln County residents. The county is also home to Back Paddle Brewing, a veteran owned craft brewery.
Notable people
*
Garrison Hearst- Former NFL player, pro bowler, comeback player in 1995 and 2001
*
Barney Bussey
Barney Bussey (born May 20, 1962) is an American former professional football safety.
Biography
Bussey was born in Lincolnton, Georgia. He attended high school at Lincoln County High School in Lincolnton where he was a major reason behind L ...
- Former NFL player, played for the
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
and then the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
*
The Lewis Family - family bluegrass and gospel band, in 1992 they were inducted into
Georgia Music Hall of Fame
The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was a hall of fame to recognize music performers and music industry professionals from or connected to the state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It began with efforts of the state's lieutenant governor Zell Mill ...
*
Tom Nash -
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
player for the
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...
and
Brooklyn Dodgers
The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...
Politics
See also
*
Central Savannah River Area
The Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) is an unofficial trading and marketing region in the U.S. states of Georgia and South Carolina, spanning thirteen counties in Georgia and seven in South Carolina. The term was coined in 1950 by C.C. McCol ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln County, Georgia
*
List of counties in Georgia
The U.S. state of Georgia is divided into 159 counties, the second-highest number after Texas, which has 254 counties. Under the Georgia State Constitution, all of its counties are granted home rule to deal with problems that are purely loca ...
References
Further reading
* Perryman, Clinton J. ''History of Lincoln County, Georgia'', Tignall, GA: 1985
External links
"Lincoln County Red Devils" The Lewis Family Singers Website
Jeff & Sheri Easter
Lincoln County Georgia Government
{{Coord, 33.79, -82.45, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990
Lincoln County, Georgia,
Georgia (U.S. state) counties
1796 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
Populated places established in 1796