Putnam County was laid out from Baldwin County in 1807.  The new county was named for General Israel Putnam of Connecticut, Massachusetts, one of the most noted patriots of the Revolutionary War.  The new county lay in the heart of Georgia’s Piedmont region and was part of the lands ceded by the Creek Indians in 1802 and 1805.  The new county filled quickly with land-hungry settlers, and had a total population of 15,475 by 1820---the total population of Putnam County in 2000 was 18,812.

Eatonton was founded as the seat of Putnam County in 1808 and was incorporated the following year.
Putnam County is the birthplace of Joel Chandler Harris (1848).  Joel Chandler Harris created the world famous “Uncle Remus” folklore tales.   These folklore tales were his most famous masterpieces.  Who can forget those wonderful characters like Br’er Rabbit and Br’er Fox.

1983 Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, was also born in Putnam County.  Her novel “The Color Purple” was later made into a hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.

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