Walton County was created by the Lottery Act of 1818, and was organized in 1819 as Georgia's 46th county. It was named for George Walton, one of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. Walton also served as Governor of Georgia and as a U.S. Senator.
The Walton County courthouse, built in 1883, is an outstanding example of the architectural style known as Second Empire, and has been totally restored.
There are several famous citizens from Walton County, including seven other Georgia governors: James Boynton, Howell Cobb, Alfred Colquitt, Wilson Lumpkin, Henry McDaniel, Richard Russell, Jr. and Clifford Walker. Also from Walton County was Moira B. Michael, known as the "Poppy lady". She developed the symbol of the red Flanders field Poppy as a memorial emblem for the veterans of wars.
Some of the communities in Walton County have very interesting names. Between was named by a postmaster because it was halfway between Monroe and Loganville, and Social Circle was possibly named for the first group of settlers who considered themselves a social circle and often passed around a "jug" of spirits.
The Following Incorporated Cities have Web Sites:
This page was updated October 29, 2012