Montgomery 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 southern 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 ...

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 United States census, the population was 8,610. 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 ...

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

. Montgomery County is part of the Vidalia, GA micropolitan statistical area.

History

Montgomery County is named in honor of

Richard Montgomery Richard Montgomery (2 December 1738 – 31 December 1775) was an Irish-born American military officer who first served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, and ...

, an

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 ...

general killed in 1775 while attempting to capture

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It was created on December 19, 1793, from a southern portion of

Washington County, Georgia Washington County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 19,988.U.S. 2020 Census Bureau report, Washington County, Ge ...

. Arthur Lott's Plantation was designated the first county seat in 1797. In 1801,

Tattnall County, Georgia Tattnall County is a county located in the southeast portion of the U.S. state of Georgia, located within the Magnolia Midlands, a part of the Historic South region. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,842. The county seat is Reidsvil ...

was formed from the southern part of Montgomery County. The dividing line between Tatnall and Montgomery ran from the mouth of Limestone Creek on the

Oconee River The Oconee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map Accessed April 21, 2011 river in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its origin is in Hall County and it terminates where it join ...

, just below modern

Mount Vernon, Georgia Mount Vernon is a city in, and the county seat of, Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,900 at the 2020 census, down from 2,451 in 2010. It is home to Brewton–Parker College. History Mount Vernon was founded in 1 ...

, to the mouth of Wolf Creek on the

Canoochee River The Canoochee River (pronounced ''kuh-NOO-chee'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 26, 2011 river in southeastern Georgia in the United States. It is a tribu ...

below

Metter, Georgia Metter is a city and the county seat of Candler County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,130 at the 2010 census. In 2020, its population was 4,004. History Metter was founded in 1889. In 1914, Metter was designated seat of the newl ...

The Great Revision

On December 11, 1811, the county lines between Washington County, Montgomery County, and Laurens County were adjusted by the Georgia General Assembly. The northern section of Montgomery between the Oconee River and the

Ohoopee River The Ohoopee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 21, 2011 river in east-central Georgia in the United States. It is a tributary of the Altamaha River, which ...

was transferred to Laurens. On December 10, 1812, the county line of Montgomery was significantly adjusted as part of the creation of

Emanuel County Emanuel County is a county located in the eastern portion, or "Classic South" region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,768. The county seat is Swainsboro. History The county was created on December 10, ...

. Its new boundaries became from the then Laurens and Telfair county line on the

to the north prong of the

Little Ocmulgee River The Little Ocmulgee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 21, 2011 tributary of the Ocmulgee River in the U.S. state of Georgia Georgia most commonly refers t ...

(near present Chauncey, Dodge County, Georgia) down the Little Ocmulgee River as it meanders to its confluence with the

Ocmulgee River The Ocmulgee River () is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha.Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

as the new county seat. The county line between Telfair County and Montgomery was adjusted once again in 1820 by the Georgia Genera Assembly. The new line differed in the upstream portion of the Little Ocmulgee River and better defined the line and gave Montgomery a small border with

Pulaski County, Georgia Pulaski County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,855. The county seat is Hawkinsville. History Pulaski County was created by an act of the Georgia General A ...

and Telfair County some land on the northeast side of the Little Ocmulgee River. The line was to go upstream to its fork then to Browning's mill, a straight line to the mouth of Joiner's Creek (Near modern

McRae, Georgia McRae was a city in and the county seat of Telfair County, Georgia, United States. It was designated as the seat in 1871, after being established the previous year as a station on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. Upon the city's merger with ad ...

) at the second fork of the Little Ocmulgee River, and then up the second prong to Pulaski County Line. The land gained by Telfair County from Montgomery County on the northeast side of the Little Ocmulgee River was reversed by the Georgia General Assembly on December 18, 1833.

American Civil War

At the time of the 1850 United States Census, Montgomery had 1,541 whites, 613 slaves. By the 1860 census, there were 2,014 whites, 977 slaves, and 6

Free people of color In the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, free people of color (; ) were primarily people of mixed African, European, and Native American descent who were not enslaved. However, the term also applied to people born free who we ...

. The pine barrens and

soil quality Soil quality refers to the condition of soil based on its capacity to perform ecosystem services that meet the needs of human and non-human life.Tóth, G., Stolbovoy, V. and Montanarella, 2007. Soil Quality and Sustainability Evaluation - An integ ...

outside of the river lands made the area unsuitable for slave-heavy cotton producing plantation culture. Montgomery's status as a majority white county led the region developing different attitudes about secession from other areas of Georgia. On January 22, 1861, Montgomery County representatives, Thomas M. McRae and Solon Homer Latimer, were among the 89 delegates who voted no to Georgia's immediate secession from the Union at the state secession convention. In addition, McRae and Latimer were among the 6 delegates who voiced their protest by against the

Ordinance of Secession An Ordinance of Secession was the name given to multiple resolutions drafted and ratified in 1860 and 1861, at or near the beginning of the American Civil War, by which each seceding slave-holding Southern state or territory formally Secession in ...

in the published document. In the interior of the county around Gum Swamp (Modern

Chauncey, Georgia Chauncey is a city in Dodge County, Georgia, United States. The population was 289 at the 2020 census. It was formed around station number twelve on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. History The Georgia General Assembly incorporated the "Town ...

) near the Pulaski County, Telfair County, and Montgomery County lines a deserter gang fought against Confederate forces.

Additional counties created

On August 18, 1905, Montgomery County gained and lost some territory during the creation of Toombs County. On August 14, 1912, the parts of Montgomery County between the

and the

became

Wheeler County Wheeler County is the name of several counties in the United States: * Wheeler County, Georgia * Wheeler County, Nebraska * Wheeler County, Oregon Wheeler County is a county in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 census, the populatio ...

. On August 21, 1917, Montgomery lost additional territory during the creation of

Treutlen County, Georgia Treutlen County ( ) is a county located in the southern portion 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 ...

Modern

More recently, the county was noted for its practice of organizing

segregated prom A segregated prom refers to the practice of United States high schools, generally located in the Deep South, of holding racially segregated proms for white and black students. The practice spread after these schools were integrated, and persists ...

s, a practice that had continued since integration of its schools in the 1970s. Following publicity about this practice, Montgomery County students took the initiative to integrate the prom in 2010.

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 (2.1%) is water. The southeastern quarter of Montgomery County is located in the

Altamaha River The Altamaha River is a major river in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It flows generally eastward for from its Source (river or stream), origin at the confluence of the Oconee River and Ocmulgee River towards the Atlantic Oce ...

sub-basin of the larger river basin by the same name. The western half of the county, from

Tarrytown Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, approximately north of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on th ...

south, is located in the Lower

sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The northeastern quarter of Montgomery County, northeast of a line from Tarrytown to Higgston, is located in the

sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin.

Major highways

U.S. Route 221 U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It travels from Perry, Florida, at US 19/ US 98/ US 27 Alternate to Lynchburg, Virginia, at US 29 Business ( Lynchburg Expressway). It travels through the sta ...

U.S. Route 280 U.S. Route 280 (US 280) is a spur of U.S. Highway 80. It currently runs for 392 miles (631 km) from Blitchton, Georgia, at US 80 to Birmingham, Alabama at I-20/ I-59. For much of its route, US 280 travels through rural areas and smaller ...

State Route 15 * Georgia 29

State Route 29 * Georgia 30

State Route 30 * Georgia 56

State Route 56 * Georgia 130

State Route 130 * Georgia 135

State Route 135 * Georgia 199

State Route 199 * Georgia 292

State Route 292 * Georgia 298

State Route 298

Adjacent counties

* Treutlen County (north) * Toombs County (east) * Jeff Davis County (south) *

(west)

Communities

Cities

Ailey Ailey is a city in Montgomery County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 519, up from 432 in 2010. History A post office called Ailey was established in 1891. The town incorporated in 1893. Geography ...

(county seat) * Uvalda

Towns

* Alston * Higgston *

Unincorporated community

Charlotteville Charlotteville is a village lying on the northeastern tip of Tobago on Man-o-War Bay. History The first European settlement on Man-o-War Bay was part of the colony of Nieuw Walcheren established by Jan de Moor, the burgomaster of Vlissingen ...

* Kibbee

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,610 people, 3,097 households, and 2,102 families residing in the county.

Politics

References

{{Coord, 32.17, -82.53, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-GA_source:UScensus1990 Georgia (U.S. state) counties 1793 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Vidalia, Georgia, micropolitan area Populated places established in 1793