|
Other Information:
Habersham County's first courthouse was a small wooden structure
built in 1821 (see
photo) in the town square of Clarkesville. In 1832, this
building was moved to the side of the square (where it became
a bank), and its place a new two-story brick courthouse of simple
design was constructed (see
photo). This building served until 1898, when it was damaged
by a mysterious explosion. That same year, the old courthouse
was torn down and a large two-story brick courthouse with clock
tower constructed in its place (see
photo). In 1963, this courthouse was torn down, and Habersham's
fourth and current courthouse was built the following year in
an adjacent block. A combination bell tower/elevator was added
to the front of the courthouse in 1983.
County Courthouse Historical
Marker: Click
here
County History:
Habersham County was created on Dec. 15, 1818, by an act of the
General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1818, p. 27). That legislation also
created Gwinnett and Hall counties -- all from lands ceded by
the Cherokee Indians on July 8, 1817 in the Treaty
of the Cherokee Agency. Additional Cherokee lands were ceded
to Georgia on Feb. 27, 1819 in the Treaty
of Washington, and in an act of Dec. 21, 1819, the legislature
added some of ceded land to the western portions of Habersham
and Hall counties (Ga. Laws 1819, p. 23). Remaining unallocated
Cherokee lands ceded in 1817 and 1819 were added to Habersham
and other Georgia counties in 1828 and 1829 (Ga. Laws 1828, p.
88 and Ga. Laws 1829, p. 98). (Later, portions of Habersham County
were used to create the following counties: Cherokee (1831),
Lumpkin (1832), White (1857), Banks (1858), and Stephens (1905).
Georgia's 46th county was named for Joseph
Habersham (1751-1815) of Savannah. Habersham was a leader
in the independence movement in Georgia prior to the American
Revolution.After the war, Habersham served as U.S. Postmaster
General (1795-1801). Prior to his death, Habersham built a summer
home near present-day Clarkesville. When the area became a county
in 1818, it was named in honor of the famous Georgia political
figure.
County Seat:
On Nov. 26, 1823, the General Assembly enacted legislation designating
directing "parts of lots number two and nineteen, in the
tenth and twelfth districts in said county, at a place now known
and called by the name of Clarkesville" as the permanent
county seat of Habersham County (Ga. Laws 1823, p. 176). The
same legislation incorporated the county seat as a village. Clarkesville
began as a small settlement sometime prior to 1820 and took on
its name during the administration of Gov. John C. Clark (1819-1823).
Clark (1776-1832) was the son of Gen. Elijah Clarke, for whom
Clarke County was named.
Maps
Size of County (Total
Area): 279.2 square miles
County Rank in Total
Area: 111th out of 159
Population:
Habersham County
City of Clarkesville
|
