Baker County was created on Dec. 12, 1825 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1825, p. 65). Georgia's 66th county was formed entirely from the eastern portion of Early County. According to the legislation:

That from and immediately after the passage of this act, the county of Early shall be divided as hereafter pointed out, to-wit, beginning at the corners of the twelfth and thirteenth districts of said county, on the Decatur line, thence north on the district line between said districts and districts six and seven until said district line shall strike the Pechitler creek, thence up the main prong of said creek to the county line between the county of Early and the territory lately acquired of the [Illegible Text] nation of Indians.

However, early maps of Georgia do not show a Pechitler Creek, and the boundary between Early and Baker counties is shown as a straight line falling between land lots 3 and 4, 6 and 7, and 12 and 13 (see 1839 map).

Two counties were created entirely from Baker County: Dougherty (1853) and Mitchell (1857). Additionally, portions of Baker County were used to help create two other counties: Calhoun (1854) and Miller (1856).

Baker County was named for Col. John Baker, who was a member of Georgia's 1775 Provincial Congress and later served in the American Revolution.

Historical Maps

 

1830

 

1834

 

1839

 

1846

 

1855

 

1863

 

1864

 

1865

 

1874

 

1883

 

1885a

 

1885b

 

1895

 

1899

 

1904

 

1910

 

1915

 

1952

 

1955

 

1970a

 

1970b

 

1999

 

2001a

 

2001b

© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

Go to Historical Atlas of Georgia Counties

Go to Baker County Courthouse page