Whitfield County was created from Murray County on Dec. 30, 1851 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1851-52, p. 56). According to that act, Whitfield County's boundaries were specified as:

"Beginning at the south-west corner of the county of Murray; running from thence east with the line between Murray and Gordon counties, until it strikes the mouth of the Conasauga river; thence up and with the meanders of said river, to the mouth of Sugar Creek; thence with the meanders of said creek to the Tennessee line; thence west with said line to the line of Walker and Murray county; thence south with the line of Murray and Walker to the [place of] beginning."

Georgia's 98th county was named for the famous Anglican evangelist George Whitefield (1714-177), who is perhaps best remembered in Georgia for establishing the Bethesda Orphanage (see engraving) near Savannah in 1740. Apparently to insure the correct pronunciation of Whitefield's name (which is "Whit-field" not "White-field"), the legislature dropped the "e" from Whitefield in the legislation creating Whitfield County.

In 1853, part of Whitfield County was used to create Catoosa County.

Historical Maps

 

 

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 Whitfield County Courthouse page