Webster County, Georgia

For other uses, see Webster County (disambiguation).

Webster County
County
County courthouse in Preston
County courthouse in Preston
Map of Georgia highlighting Webster County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 32°03′N 84°33′W / 32.05°N 84.55°W / 32.05; -84.55
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 16, 1853; 171 years ago (1853-12-16)
Named forDaniel Webster
SeatPreston
Largest communityPreston
Area
 • Total
210 sq mi (500 km2)
 • Land209 sq mi (540 km2)
 • Water1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
2,348
 • Density11/sq mi (4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.webstercountyga.org

Webster County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census reflected a population of 2,348,[1] making it the third-least populous county in Georgia. The county seat is Preston.[2]

History

Webster County was created by an act of the Georgia General Assembly on December 16, 1853, as Kinchafoonee County.[3] A subsequent legislative act on February 21, 1856, changed the name to Webster.[3] The land for the county came from eastern portions of Stewart County.[4]

The county is named for Daniel Webster, U.S. representative of New Hampshire and U.S. representative and U.S. senator of Massachusetts.[5] Webster County's original name of Kinchafoonee came from the Kinchafoonee Creek which runs through the county.[3]

On January 1, 2009, the city of Preston and town of Weston gave up their municipal charters and formed a consolidated city-county known as the Unified Government of Webster County.[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 210 square miles (540 km2), of which 209 square miles (540 km2) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2) (0.5%) is water.[7]

The majority of Webster County, bordered to the southwest by State Route 520, is located in the Kinchafoonee-Muckalee sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin). The southwestern corner of the county is located in the Ichawaynochaway Creek sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin. A tiny edge of the southwestern border, just south of State Route 520, is located in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Walter F. George Lake sub-basin of the same ACF River Basin.[8]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

None of these places are incorporated, instead Webster county acts as a unified county. Preston is the county seat, despite being unincorporated.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18605,030—
18704,677−7.0%
18805,23712.0%
18905,6958.7%
19006,61816.2%
19106,151−7.1%
19205,342−13.2%
19305,032−5.8%
19404,726−6.1%
19504,081−13.6%
19603,247−20.4%
19702,362−27.3%
19802,341−0.9%
19902,263−3.3%
20002,3905.6%
20102,79917.1%
20202,348−16.1%
2023 (est.)2,337[9]−0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1880[11] 1890-1910[12]
1920-1930[13] 1930-1940[14]
1940-1950[15] 1960-1980[16]
1980-2000[17] 2010[18]
Webster County racial composition as of the 2020 census[19]
Race Num. Perc.
White 1,136 48.38%
Black or African American 1,063 45.27%
Asian 12 0.51%
Pacific Islander 6 0.26%
Other/Mixed 72 3.07%
Hispanic or Latino 59 2.51%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,348 people, 1,140 households, and 724 families residing in the county.

Education

Webster County School District operates public schools.

Politics

Webster County was reliably Democratic throughout the 20th century. However, the margins tightened in the 2000 election and in 2004, Democrat John Kerry only won this county very narrowly as George Bush won Georgia's electoral votes easily. Webster County is the only county in Georgia that flipped to John McCain's column in 2008 after voting for Kerry in 2004.

United States presidential election results for Webster County, Georgia[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 790 59.13% 544 40.72% 2 0.15%
2020 748 53.77% 640 46.01% 3 0.22%
2016 630 56.45% 473 42.38% 13 1.16%
2012 601 50.59% 582 48.99% 5 0.42%
2008 588 52.93% 515 46.35% 8 0.72%
2004 485 48.12% 515 51.09% 8 0.79%
2000 359 39.49% 541 59.52% 9 0.99%
1996 235 28.55% 529 64.28% 59 7.17%
1992 208 22.83% 600 65.86% 103 11.31%
1988 361 45.70% 427 54.05% 2 0.25%
1984 402 42.95% 534 57.05% 0 0.00%
1980 312 33.19% 608 64.68% 20 2.13%
1976 165 20.97% 622 79.03% 0 0.00%
1972 483 81.73% 108 18.27% 0 0.00%
1968 72 10.10% 147 20.62% 494 69.28%
1964 457 76.04% 144 23.96% 0 0.00%
1960 77 20.59% 297 79.41% 0 0.00%
1956 51 14.74% 295 85.26% 0 0.00%
1952 138 29.18% 335 70.82% 0 0.00%
1948 79 25.16% 118 37.58% 117 37.26%
1944 65 18.62% 284 81.38% 0 0.00%
1940 50 15.15% 280 84.85% 0 0.00%
1936 40 11.40% 310 88.32% 1 0.28%
1932 5 2.08% 235 97.92% 0 0.00%
1928 61 25.96% 174 74.04% 0 0.00%
1924 10 6.25% 140 87.50% 10 6.25%
1920 24 11.48% 185 88.52% 0 0.00%
1916 15 5.30% 248 87.63% 20 7.07%
1912 2 1.41% 139 97.89% 1 0.70%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Webster County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c Weston Woman's Club: History of Webster County, Georgia, W. H. Wolfe Associates, Roswell, Ga., 1980, pp. 16-19.
  4. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 249. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2003.
  5. ^ Hellmann, Paul T. (May 13, 2013). Historical Gazetteer of the United States. Routledge. p. 242. ISBN 978-1135948597. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  6. ^ River Valley Regional Commission (September 10, 2024). Webster County Comprehensive Plan 2024–2029. Preston, Georgia: Unified Government of Webster County. p. 4. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
  9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  10. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  12. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  13. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  14. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  15. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  16. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  17. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  18. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  19. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 24, 2018.

32°03′N 84°33′W / 32.05°N 84.55°W / 32.05; -84.55