Fannin County, Georgia

Fannin County Education, Geography, and History

Fannin County is a county located in the state of Georgia. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 23,682.  The county was created on January 21, 1854. The county seat is Blue Ridge. The county is named in honor of Colonel James Walker Fannin Jr. (1809-1836), a hero of the Texas Revolution.

Etymology - Origin of Fannin County Name

The county is named for Colonel James W. Fannin of Georgia, who, with approximately 350 volunteers, fought in Texas' War of Independence from Mexico.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Fannin County History

Fannin County was created in 1854 from parts of Gilmer and Union counties. Georgia's 106th county was named for Colonel James W. Fannin of Georgia, who, with approximately 350 volunteers, fought in Texas' War of Independence from Mexico. Fannin and his regiment were captured and massacred in 1836. Fannin's county seat, Blue Ridge, is named for the southern reach of the Appalachian Mountain Range which stretches into the county.

The last remnants of the Cherokee Nation found shelter in the mountains of Fannin County before their removal west along the "Trail of Tears" to Oklahoma in 1838.

Points of Interest

The US Fish and Wildlife Service operates a cold water fish hatchery in Fannin County. The Chattahoochee Forest National Fish Hatchery raises rainbow trout to stock streams, lakes, and reservoirs throughout North Georgia.

Parts of the Chattahoochee National Forest and Cohutta National Wilderness Area are in Fannin County. The Cohutta Wilderness Area is the largest national wilderness area east of the Mississippi River.

Outdoor recreational opportunities are also plentiful within Fannin County. Campers, hikers, nature lovers, and anglers enjoy the Chattahoochee National Forest and Cohutta Wilderness Area. In addition to these federal facilities, local parks include the Horseshoe Bend Park, the Blue Ridge City Park, and the McCaysville City Park.

Water resources are plentiful in Fannin County. Blue Ridge Lake in the center of the county impounds part of the Toccoa River, which flows into Tennessee and becomes the Ocoee River, site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events. Jacks River, Fightingtown Creek, and Rock Creek also flow through the county.

The Blue Ridge Railway is a vintage passenger train running a 26-mile roundtrip along the Toccoa River.

Notable Citizens

Well known country musician, Mark Wills, was raised in Fannin County.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 392 square miles (1,020 km²), of which 387 square miles (1,000 km²) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km²) (1.3%) is water.

 Fannin county is located in north Georgia. The county has a mountainous terrain.

The Toccoa River, which rises in adjacent Union County, flows northward across Fannin County into Tennessee, where it becomes the Ocoee River. Blue Ridge Lake, created in the 1930s by the completion of Blue Ridge Dam (now operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority), spans a substantial stretch of the river in the northern part of the county.

Fannin is mostly in the Tennessee River basin and western Fannin is in the Coosa River basin.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Cherokee County, N.C.
• East: Union County
• Southeast: Lumpkin County; Dawson County
• Southwest: Gilmer County
• West: Murray County
• Northwest: Polk County, Tenn.

Education

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