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Welcome to Southwest GA
Southwest, Georgia
Southwest Georgia Southwest, GA
Your complete guide to the merchants,
activities & services of
Southwest, Georgia
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Clay County, Georgia
| County Formed |
February 16, 1854 |
| County
Seat |
Fort Gaines |
| Incorporated Cities |
Bluffton and Fort Gaines
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| Total
Area |
195.2 square miles |
| History |
Clay County was created from parts
of Early and Randolph counties in 1854. It was named for Senator Henry Clay of
Kentucky.
Fort Gaines grew up around a fort
on the Chattahoochee River established to protect settlers during the Creek
Indian Wars. The town, named for the fort's builder, General Edmund Pendleton
Gaines, became a shipping point for cotton planters for many miles on both
sides of the Chattahoochee River, remaining a key market until about 1858 when
railroads replaced river freight.
Cemocheechobee Creek is the site
of a pre-historic community, consisting of a large village area surrounding
three adjacent platform mounds.
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| Points
of Interest |
The Walter F. George Lock and Dam
in George T. Bagby State Park is just north of Fort Gaines on the Chattahoochee
River. Under construction from 1955 until 1963, the dam stretches two and a
half miles from Alabama. The lock, second highest east of the Mississippi,
forms a lake called Lake Walter F. George . The lake extends 85 miles
upriver.
The Fort Gaines Historic District
and Frontier Village are tourist attractions. There are several reconstructed
fort buildings on the site of the original Fort Gaines, and two Civil War gun
emplacements. There are also the remains of an 1890s cottonseed oil mill and an
early 20th century waterworks. All of these sites are on the National
Register.
Elizabeth Stuart Dill who was
captured and held hostage by Indians after the War of 1812, is one of the
county's interesting historical figure. Forced to accompany the Indians on
their raids, she was able to gather a lot of paper money that the Indians had
deemed useless and save it by pinning it to her petticoats. When rescued, she
returned with her loot to Fort Gaines and built the Dill House, which is now a
Bed and Breakfast.
Other recreational facilities
include the Meadowlinks 18-Hole Championship Golf Course.
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| Notable Citizens |
Walter F. George, a notable Clay
County resident, rose from tenant farmer beginnings to serve in the U.S. Senate
from 1923 to 1956. President Eisenhower also appointed George to be his
personal ambassador to NATO. |
| Annual
Events |
Festivals in Clay County include:
Bass Fishing Tournament in May and Christmas at the Fort in November.
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Cities and Towns In Clay County
(County Seat)
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