Lincoln County, Georgia | |
|---|---|
 Lincoln County Courthouse in Lincolnton | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofGeorgia | |
 Georgia's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:33°47′N82°27′W / 33.79°N 82.45°W /33.79; -82.45 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Georgia |
| Founded | February 20, 1796; 229 years ago (1796-02-20) |
| Named after | Benjamin Lincoln |
| Seat | Lincolnton |
| Largest city | Lincolnton |
| Area | |
• Total | 257 sq mi (670 km2) |
| • Land | 210 sq mi (540 km2) |
| • Water | 47 sq mi (120 km2) 18.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 7,690 |
• Estimate (2024) | 8,049 |
| • Density | 37/sq mi (14/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 10th |
| Website | www |
Lincoln County is acounty located in the east central portion of theU.S. state ofGeorgia. As of the2020 census, the population was 7,690.[1] Thecounty seat isLincolnton.[2] The county was created on February 20, 1796. Lincoln County is included in theAugusta-Richmond County, GA-SCmetropolitan statistical area, theSavannah River forming its northeastern border. Located above thefall line, it is part of theCentral Savannah River Area (CSRA) and a member of the CSRA Regional Development Center.
On February 20, 1796, Lincoln County was established as the twenty-fourth county in the state of Georgia. Before then, its territory was part ofWilkes County, now on its western side. The new county was named after GeneralBenjamin Lincoln (1733–1810), a Revolutionary War hero notable for receiving Gen.Cornwallis's sword atYorktown, Virginia.
On January 22, 1852, the legislature changed the location of the line between Wilkes County and Lincoln County, although there is no extant record as to why the legislature made the change.[citation needed]
From before theAmerican Revolutionary War until the 1950s, Lincoln County was primarily a farming and agricultural area. The development and creation of Clarks Hill Dam created a large reservoir that covered portions of Lincoln and nearby counties. Developers have created many residential neighborhoods and subdivisions in areas near the lake.[citation needed]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 257 square miles (670 km2), of which 210 square miles (540 km2) is land and 47 square miles (120 km2) (18.2%) is water.[3] The county is located in thePiedmont region of the state just above thefall line of the easternUnited States.
The bulk of Lincoln County, from just south ofLincolnton heading north, is located in the UpperSavannah River sub-basin of theSavannah River basin, with the exception of a tiny sliver of the northernmost section of the county, which is located in theBroad River sub-basin of the larger Savannah River basin. The southern portion of the county is located in theLittle River sub-basin of the same Savannah River basin.[4]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 4,766 | — | |
| 1810 | 4,555 | −4.4% | |
| 1820 | 6,458 | 41.8% | |
| 1830 | 6,145 | −4.8% | |
| 1840 | 5,895 | −4.1% | |
| 1850 | 5,998 | 1.7% | |
| 1860 | 5,466 | −8.9% | |
| 1870 | 5,413 | −1.0% | |
| 1880 | 6,412 | 18.5% | |
| 1890 | 6,146 | −4.1% | |
| 1900 | 7,156 | 16.4% | |
| 1910 | 8,714 | 21.8% | |
| 1920 | 9,739 | 11.8% | |
| 1930 | 7,847 | −19.4% | |
| 1940 | 7,042 | −10.3% | |
| 1950 | 6,462 | −8.2% | |
| 1960 | 5,906 | −8.6% | |
| 1970 | 5,895 | −0.2% | |
| 1980 | 6,716 | 13.9% | |
| 1990 | 7,442 | 10.8% | |
| 2000 | 8,348 | 12.2% | |
| 2010 | 7,996 | −4.2% | |
| 2020 | 7,690 | −3.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 8,049 | [5] | 4.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1880[7] 1890-1910[8] 1920-1930[9] 1930-1940[10] 1940-1950[11] 1960-1980[12] 1980-2000[13] 2010[14] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,196 | 67.57% |
| Black or African American | 2,116 | 27.52% |
| Native American | 18 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 20 | 0.26% |
| Pacific Islander | 3 | 0.04% |
| Other/Mixed | 245 | 3.19% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 92 | 1.2% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 7,690 people, 3,475 households, and 2,142 families residing in the county.
Since the creation of Clarks Hill Lake, recreation has contributed to Lincoln County's growth. It is a main destination for tourists, providing fishing, boating, and other water sports opportunities for visitors and nearby residents.
Toward the eastern part of Lincoln County, just before the South Carolina line, is Elijah Clarke State Park. This park is roughly 447 acres (1.81 km2). In May of every year, Elijah Clarke holds a bluegrass festival which has become a major attraction in the last 20 years. Several well-known bluegrass musicians play at this event each year, including Lincoln County natives,The Lewis Family. Also held annually at Elijah Clarke is an Arts and Crafts Festival and a Log Cabin Christmas.
There are many historic places to visit in Lincoln County. They include:
Economic growth has been associated with development of theJ. Strom Thurmond Dam andClarks Hill Lake. In Lincoln County, logging is a multimillion-dollar industry. More than 20 logging businesses produce most of the jobs for Lincoln County residents.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1912 | 27 | 9.28% | 264 | 90.72% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1916 | 56 | 14.21% | 333 | 84.52% | 5 | 1.27% |
| 1920 | 3 | 0.59% | 509 | 99.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 121 | 9.57% | 847 | 67.01% | 296 | 23.42% |
| 1928 | 413 | 48.14% | 445 | 51.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 3 | 0.45% | 660 | 99.40% | 1 | 0.15% |
| 1936 | 88 | 13.21% | 561 | 84.23% | 17 | 2.55% |
| 1940 | 67 | 12.45% | 466 | 86.62% | 5 | 0.93% |
| 1944 | 165 | 27.09% | 444 | 72.91% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 32 | 4.39% | 99 | 13.58% | 598 | 82.03% |
| 1952 | 327 | 33.68% | 644 | 66.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 155 | 18.21% | 696 | 81.79% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 197 | 22.75% | 669 | 77.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 943 | 72.76% | 353 | 27.24% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 408 | 18.64% | 491 | 22.43% | 1,290 | 58.93% |
| 1972 | 1,246 | 78.56% | 340 | 21.44% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1976 | 576 | 26.68% | 1,583 | 73.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 806 | 33.03% | 1,617 | 66.27% | 17 | 0.70% |
| 1984 | 1,357 | 54.89% | 1,115 | 45.11% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1988 | 1,417 | 60.97% | 893 | 38.43% | 14 | 0.60% |
| 1992 | 1,149 | 38.84% | 1,327 | 44.86% | 482 | 16.29% |
| 1996 | 1,391 | 47.33% | 1,334 | 45.39% | 214 | 7.28% |
| 2000 | 1,807 | 58.23% | 1,275 | 41.09% | 21 | 0.68% |
| 2004 | 2,309 | 63.12% | 1,337 | 36.55% | 12 | 0.33% |
| 2008 | 2,731 | 61.73% | 1,650 | 37.30% | 43 | 0.97% |
| 2012 | 2,807 | 63.36% | 1,586 | 35.80% | 37 | 0.84% |
| 2016 | 2,759 | 67.26% | 1,273 | 31.03% | 70 | 1.71% |
| 2020 | 3,173 | 68.37% | 1,432 | 30.86% | 36 | 0.78% |
| 2024 | 3,559 | 72.18% | 1,351 | 27.40% | 21 | 0.43% |
Places adjacent to Lincoln County, Georgia | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLincoln County, Georgia,United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| International | |
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