Bartow County is in theNorthwest region of theU.S. state ofGeorgia. As of the2020 census, the population was 108,901, up from 100,157 in 2010.[1] Thecounty seat isCartersville.[2] Traditionally considered part ofnorthwest Georgia, Bartow County is now included in theAtlanta metropolitan area, mainly in the southeastern part near Cartersville, which has become anexurb more than 40 miles (64 km) from downtown Atlanta onI-75. It has asole commissioner government, and is the largest county by population of the few remaining in Georgia with a sole commissioner.
Bartow County was created from theCherokee lands of theCherokee County territory on December 3, 1832, and namedCass County, after GeneralLewis Cass (1782–1866), Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson, Minister to France and Secretary of State under President James Buchanan,[3] who was instrumental in the removal ofNative Americans from the area. However, the county was renamed on December 6, 1861, in honor ofFrancis S. Bartow, because of Cass's support of the Union,[4] even though Bartow never visited in the county, living 200 miles (320 km) away near Savannah all of his life. Cass had supported the doctrine ofpopular sovereignty, the right of each state to determine its own laws independently of the Federal government, the platform of conservative Southerners who removed his name.
The American Civil War first entered Bartow County on April 12, 1862, in the form of"The Great Locomotive Chase": As a result of theWestern & Atlantic Railroad’s (W&A RR) strategic war time value, Union soldiers boarded and stole a train named "The General". Their plan was to take the stolen train north towardChattanooga, Tennessee, destroying bridges, parts of the railroad, and telegraph lines along the way.[5]
The Raiders were unable to cause sufficient destruction to the railroad to make pursuit impossible, and William Fuller, the conductor of the stolen train, eventually caught up with the raiders just north ofRinggold Georgia.[5]
The first county seat was atCassville. After the burning of the county courthouse and the Sherman Occupation, the seat moved to Cartersville, where it remains.
Bartow County was profoundly affected by the Civil War: an estimated one out of three Bartow County soldiers died during the war as a result of wounds received, diseases caught, and, in one case, as a result of a train accident. At the end of the Civil War, many residents were financially insolvent, the county seat was "in ruins", the transportation networks were severely damaged, and the citizens were starving due to several consecutive years of crop failures.[6]
Prior to the Civil War, Bartow County's social order, and that of the South as a whole, was dominated by "a sense of white intra-class unity that rested upon a shared notion of racial supremacy."[7] Post-Civil War, duringReconstruction, that world-view was challenged, creating a period of racial tension. When the state of Georgia allocated $200,000 to purchase and transport corn intoNorth Georgia, local officials solely distributed the corn to white families.[6] And when black families petitioned Bartow County for better educational and vocational opportunities, some local whites responded with violence, including but not limited toKu Klux Klan activity.[8]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,217 km2), of which 460 square miles (1,191 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) or 2.2% is water.[9]
The bulk of Bartow County is located in theEtowah River sub-basin of theACT River Basin (Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin). The northeastern portion of the county aroundRydal is located in theCoosawattee River sub-basin of the same ACT River Basin, while an even smaller northwestern section aroundAdairsville is located in theOostanaula River sub-basin of the larger ACT River Basin.[10]
The Etowah is mostly part ofLake Allatoona in southeast Bartow and southwest Cherokee counties, with theAllatoona Dam near Cartersville also impounding Allatoona Creek into northwest Cobb county. The peninsula between the two major arms of the lake is home toRed Top Mountain State Park, east-southeast of Cartersville and just southeast of the dam.
As of the2020 census, there were 108,901 people, 40,045 households, and 28,529 families residing in the county.[22]
Of the residents, 23.3% were under the age of 18 and 15.0% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.1 males. 60.6% of residents lived in urban areas and 39.4% lived in rural areas.[23][22]
There were 40,045 households in the county, of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 24.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[22]
There were 42,435 housing units, of which 5.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.4% were owner-occupied and 31.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.[22]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 100,157 people, 35,782 households, and 26,529 families living in the county.[25] The population density was 217.9 inhabitants per square mile (84.1/km2). There were 39,823 housing units at an average density of 86.7 per square mile (33.5/km2).[26] The racial makeup of the county was 82.7% white, 10.2% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 3.8% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 7.7% of the population.[25] In terms of ancestry, 13.9% wereAmerican, 10.0% wereIrish, 9.3% wereEnglish, and 7.8% wereGerman.[27]
Of the 35,782 households, 39.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.9% were non-families, and 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.20. The median age was 36.2 years.[25]
The median income for a household in the county was $49,216 and the median income for a family was $56,281. Males had a median income of $42,835 versus $31,225 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,241. About 10.8% of families and 14.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.[28]
As of 2000, there were 76,019 people, 27,176 households, and 21,034 families living in the county. The population density was 64/km2 (170/mi2). There were 28,751 housing units at an average density of 24 persons per square kilometre (62 persons/mi2). The racial makeup of the county was 87.79% White, 8.68%African American, 0.28%Native American, 0.51%Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.62% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. 3.32% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 27,176 households, out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 11.10% had a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 22.60% were non-families. 18.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.90% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 33.00% from 25 to 44, 21.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,660, and the median income for a family was $49,198. Males had a median income of $35,136 versus $24,906 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,989. 8.60% of the population and 6.60% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 9.60% were under the age of 18 and 12.20% were 65 or older.
Bartow History Museum[34] opened in 1987 and is located in the historic 1869 Courthouse in downtown Cartersville. Artifacts, photographs, documents and a variety of permanent exhibits focus on the settlement and development of Bartow County, Georgia, beginning with the early nineteenth century when the Cherokee inhabited the area. Early European settler life, the iron ore and bauxite industries, Civil War strife, post-war recovery, the Great Depression era, early textile industries and notable figures are depicted through interactive exhibits in the permanent gallery space. The museum offers a wide variety of educational programs and lectures.
Booth Western Art Museum,[35] an affiliate of theSmithsonian Institution, is a 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) museum located in Cartersville. Guests are invited to See America's Story through contemporary Western artwork, presidential portraits and letters, Civil War art, more than 200 Native American artifacts, and Sagebrush Ranch children's gallery. Open since August 2003, Booth Museum is the second largest art museum in the state, and houses the largest permanent exhibition space for Western art in the country.
Tellus Science Museum,[36] an affiliate of theSmithsonian Institution, is a world-class 120,000-square-foot (11,000 m2) museum located in Cartersville, just off I-75 at exit 293. The museum features four main galleries: the Weinman Mineral Gallery, the Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion and the Collins Family My Big Backyard. There is also a 120-seat digital planetarium and an observatory with a state-of-the-art 20-inch telescope located at Tellus.
Euharlee History Museum[37] is located adjacent to theEuharlee Covered Bridge inEuharlee, Georgia, about 9 miles west of downtown Cartersville. The museum opened in 1997 and is a cooperation between the Euharlee Historical Society and the City of Euharlee.
Adairsville Rail Depot Age of Steam Museum[38] is located in a restored 1847 railroad depot on the Historic Public Square in Adairsville, along with a locally operated welcome center. The museum displays artifacts and pictures covering almost 150 years of life in the area, including the Civil War, the chenille boom, railroad history, early farming implements, and weapons.
