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Georgia Counties
Georgia is divided into one hundred and fifty-nine counties. The original eight counties of the State of Georgia were Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Richmond and Wilkes all created on February 5, 1777. The last new county to be established in Georgia was Peach County, established in 1924.Whitfield County, Georgia
Whitfield County Education, Geography, and History
Whitfield County is a county located in the state of Georgia. Based on the 2010 census, shows a population of 102,599. The county was created on December 30, 1851. The county seat is Dalton. Whitfield county is named in honor of George Whitefield (1714-1770), a noted pastor who established the Bethesda Orphanage near Savannah.
Whitfield County is part of the Dalton, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical Area.
Etymology - Origin of Whitfield County Name
Georgia's 97th county was named for the Reverend George Whitefield, the founder of the Bethesda Orphan House in Savannah. The spelling of the county's name was changed to reflect the way it was pronounced.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts
Whitfield County History
Whitfield County was formed from part of Murray County in 1851. Georgia's 97th county was named for the Reverend George Whitefield, the founder of the Bethesda Orphan House in Savannah. The spelling of the county's name was changed to reflect the way it was pronounced.
Dalton is the gateway to the 150 mile Chieftain's Trail which traces the path of the Cherokee Indian sites located in northwest Georgia. Tunnel Hill is named for the Western & Atlantic Railroad Tunnel which was cut through Chetoogeta Mountain and terminated at the site of the city.
Dalton is known as the "Carpet Capital of the World."
Points of Interest
The Creative Arts Guild, the Dalton-Whitfield Commission for the Arts, is the oldest local community arts agency in Georgia.
The area is very rich in Civil War history with 32 historical markers, more than any other Georgia county. Also located in the county is the only known statue of General Joseph E. Johnston.
Geography: Land and Water
As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 291 square miles (750 km2), of which 290 square miles (750 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.2%) is water.
Whitfield county is located in northwest Georgia. Most of the county is in the Coosa River basin. A small part of western Whitfield is in the Tennessee River basin.
Neighboring Counties
Bordering counties are as follows:
- Northeast: Bradley County, Tenn.
- East: Murray County
- Southeast: Gordon County
- Southwest: Walker County
- Northwest: Catoosa County; Hamilton County, Tenn.
Education
Higher Education
Dalton State College, a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia, is also located in the county.
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