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Other Information:
Polk County's first courthouse was built in 1852 and reportedly
was burned by Union forces in 1864. A new courthouse was built
in 1867, but it too burned down in 1887. Construction of a new
two-story brick courthouse with clock tower began in 1889 (see
1910 photo and
1930 photo). In the early 1930s, structural deterioration of the
clock tower led to its removal. The exterior of the courthouse was
renovated and painted white (see
1940 photo). This building was torn down in 1951 and replaced with
the present courthouse. In 1984-85, Polk County officials renovated
the former Cedartown City Hall and designated it "Polk County
Courthouse No. 2" (see
photo).
County Courthouse Historical
Marker: Click
here
County History: Polk
County was created from Floyd and Paulding counties on Dec. 20,
1851 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1851-52, p.
52). [Click here
for a legal description of Polk County's original boundaries.]
In 1856, portions of Polk County were used to help create Haralson
County (Ga. Laws 1856, p. 110).
Georgia's 96th county was named for Pres.
James Polk (1795-1849), who had died two years earlier.
County Seat:
The act creating Polk County authorized the justices of the inferior
court to select the county seat, but until such action was taken
elections and public business were to take place in Cedartown
(then spelled "Cedar Town"). In an act of Feb. 8, 1854,
the General Assembly designated Cedartown as permanent county
seat and incorporated it as a town (Ga. Laws 1853-54, p. 224).
Cedertown was so-named because of the many cedar trees growing
in the area.
Maps
Size of County (Total
Area): 312.2 square miles
County Rank in Total
Area: 96th out of 159
Population:
Polk County
City of Cedartown
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