A Mid Eastern Georgia county, Richmond borders the Savannah river, which separates it from
South Carolina
From 1758 to 1777, under English dominion, Georgia was divided into twelve parishes of the Anglican church: St. Andrew, St. David, St. George, St. James, St. John, St. Matthew, St. Patrick, St. Paul, St. Philip, St. Thomas, Ste. Mary & Christ Church. In 1777, the new state
government changed the parishes to counties and renamed them for English Whig politicians thought to be sympathetic to the American cause. On 05 February 1777, Richmond County, formerly called Augusta District, was formed from St. Paul Parish. Richmond, named after Duke of Richmond (friend of American Liberty), is one of the original counties in Georgia.
The county seat is Augusta.
Richmond County
530 Green St.
Augusta, GA 30911--0001
706-821-2370
Populated Places of Richmond County, GA
Augusta lies on Georgia's eastern boundary, completely within the boundaries of Richmond county, and about 125 miles from the mouth of the Savannah River, which provides extensive water-power at Augusta, and is navigable by steam-boats. For many years, actually thousands, it has been a crossroad for Indians, explorers, and finally a stopping point for early settlers.
James OGLETHORPE, who founded the Georgia colony, established Augusta in 1735. The Georgia legislature made Augusta capital of the state from 1786 to 1795. During the Civil War, it served as ordinance center of the Confederacy. The town was incorporated as a city in 1798, and Thomas Cumming was elected first mayor. James Jackson was governor of Georgia and Louisville, the Capital.
In 1845, the year the canal was begun, Augusta had a population of 7,502 - whites, 3,948 free persons of color, 440 slaves, 3114. There were six banks.
In 1840, there was a terrible outbreak of yellow fever. There were approximately 17,500 cases and 240 deaths. After an exhaustive inquiry, the doctors concluded that the fever was not contagious but was due to the accumulation at the "upper trash wharf" between Lincoln and Elbert streets of more than 200,000 cubic feet of vegetable and animal matter collected from the streets and lots in the city and exposed to the sun. On 28 May 1840, the worst flood since 1796, occurred.
In 1850, Richmond County produced 1087 bales of cotton; 297,780 bushels of corn; 27,458 of oats, and 51,045 of sweet potatoes. There were 2 woollen factories, 1 cotton mill, 2 foundries, 1 car factory, 3 saddle manufactories, 1 machine shop, 3 flour mills, and 19 saw mills. It contained 14 churches, 10 newspaper offices; 720 pupils attending public schools, and 415 attending academies or other schools.
In September 1854, there was another outbreak of yellow fever. The bulk of the population fled to the Sand Hills. The dead were carried to the grave in wheelbarrows, for lack of vehicles.
In 1969, Augusta was one of the world's leading cotton markets, and an important cotton cloth center. It's chief industries produced: textiles, brick, lumber, cottonseed oil, feeds, fertilizers, and iron products. Nearby is Fort Gordon, an army training center. Augusta is a leading medical center, and has several large hospitals. It is home to Paine College, and the Augusta National Golf Course, where the Masters Golf Tournament is held every Spring.
The soil is said to be of poor quality. Cotton, oats, corn, and sweet potatoes are the staples. Granite, burrstone, novaculite, and sienite are found throughout the county.
In 1996, the city and county governments consolidated, and the
boundaries of the city and county are now coterminous.
The city is the county and vice versa, or just call it Augusta-Richmond County.
*Note: There is also the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta State University, Augusta Technical College, and we also hosted the "Georgia Games" this year. (2002)
by Susan
RICHMOND is a county in the Eastern part of Georgia, bordering on the Savannah river, which separates it from South Carolina and contains about 340 square miles. It is drained by Brier, Butler's, McBean's, and Spirit creeks. The surface is uneven; the dividing line between the primary and tertiary formations passes through the county, near Augusta. Excepting in the vicinity of the river, the soil is generally poor. Cotton, Indian corn, oats, and sweet potatoes are the staples. In 1850 this county produced 1087 bales of cotton; 297,780 bushels of corn; 27,458 of oats, and 51,045 of sweet potatoes. There were 2 woollen factories, 1 cotton mill, 2 foundries, 1 car factory, 3 saddle manufactories, 1 machine shop, 3 flour mills, and 19 saw mills. It contained 14 churches, 10 newspaper offices; 720 pupils attending public schools, and 415 attending academies or other schools. Granite, sienite, novaculite, and burrstone are found here.
The Savannah river affords extensive water-power at Augusta, and is navigable by steam-boats from that point to its mouth. The county is intersected by the Georgia railroad. This division of the state was formerly called Augusta District: the present name of Richmond County was given in 1777, in honor of the Duke of Richmond, a warm friend of American liberty. The capital city (county seat) is Augusta.
Population, 16,246; of whom 8434 were free, and 7812, slaves.
{Taken from page 988 of the New and Complete Gazetteer of the United States.
Baldwin, Thomas and J. Thomas, M.D., Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Grambo, & Co., 1854}
More Early History Information
