Putnam County, Georgia
| Putnam County, Georgia | |
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Putnam County courthouse in Eatonton
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 Location in the U.S. state of Georgia |
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 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | December 10, 1807 |
| Named for | Israel Putnam |
| Seat | Eatonton |
| Largest city | Eatonton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 361 sq mi (935 km2) |
| • Land | 345 sq mi (894 km2) |
| • Water | 16 sq mi (41 km2), 4.4% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 21,218 |
| • Density | 62/sq mi (24/km²) |
| Congressional district | 10th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Putnam County is a county located in the Piedmont region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 21,218. The county seat is Eatonton.
Since the early 21st century, the county has had a housing boom. It has proximity to Lake Oconee, a recreation site, as well as to major employment centers such as Atlanta, Athens, and Macon.
Putnam County is named in honor of Israel Putnam, a hero of the French and Indian War and a general in the American Revolutionary War. It was settled by European Americans after the war, as migrants moved down from the Upper South. The County was created on December 10, 1807 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly.
Following the invention of the cotton gin, which could profitably process short-staple cotton, the county was developed for cotton cultivation of that type. It thrived in the upland areas, where plantations were developed and worked by the field labor of thousands of African-American slaves. African Americans still comprise more than 40 percent of the county population, although thousands left during the Great Migration from 1920 to 1960. The county population dropped by more than half during this period following mechanization of agriculture and as rural workers moved into cities.
In the 21st century, dairy farming is more important to Putnam County than cotton. It annually holds the nationally known Dairy Festival.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 361 square miles (930 km2), of which 345 square miles (890 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (4.4%) is water. The entirety of Putnam County is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.
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