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Dade County, Georgia

Coordinates: 34°51′N 85°30′W / 34.85°N 85.50°W / 34.85; -85.50
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Not to be confused with Miami-Dade County, Florida or Dade County, Missouri.

Dade County
County
Dade County Courthouse in Trenton
Dade County Courthouse in Trenton
Official seal of Dade County
Seal
Official logo of Dade County
Logo
Map of Georgia highlighting Dade County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°51′N 85°30′W / 34.85°N 85.5°W / 34.85; -85.5
Country United States
State Georgia
Founded1837; 187 years ago (1837)
Named forFrancis L. Dade
SeatTrenton
Largest cityTrenton
Area
 • Total
174 sq mi (450 km2)
 • Land174 sq mi (450 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
16,251
 • Estimate 
(2023)
16,165 Decrease
 • Density93/sq mi (36/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district14th
Websitedadecounty-ga.gov

Dade County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. It occupies the northwest corner of Georgia, and the county's own northwest corner is the westernmost point in the state. As of the 2020 census, the population is 16,251.[1] The county seat and only incorporated municipality is Trenton.[2] Dade County is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1860, residents of Dade County voted to secede from the state of Georgia and from the United States, but no government outside the county ever recognized this gesture as legal. In 1945, the county symbolically "rejoined" Georgia and the United States.[3]

History

[edit]

Dade County was established in 1837 and was named for Major Francis Langhorne Dade, who was killed in the Dade Massacre by Seminole Indians in December 1835.[4][5] The first settlers of Dade County won the land in the Georgia Land Lotteries, held to encourage settlement after the Cherokee people were forced off the land. Many settlers worked in regional coke and coal mines that contributed to development of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area.

The area was long isolated by its geography of mountains and rivers, which some historians say contributed to early residents' separatist attitudes. For the first century of Dade County's existence, no road connected it directly to the rest of Georgia, so visitors from elsewhere in the state had to reach it by way of Alabama or Tennessee. That changed in 1939 with the establishment of Cloudland Canyon State Park, and Georgia began work on Highway 136 to connect U.S. 41 to the recently created park.[6] The Civilian Conservation Corps built many of the facilities and access roads to the park.

Dade County had a short-lived state secessionist movement before the American Civil War. In 1860, county residents wanted to secede from the Union, but lawmakers for the state of Georgia were cautious. Legend has it that in 1860, the people of Dade County were so impatient that they announced their own secession from both Georgia and the United States.[7] On July 4, 1945, a telegram from President Harry S. Truman was read at a celebration marking the county's "rejoining" the Union. Historians say Dade's individual secession and readmission were symbolic and had no legal effect. They say that officially, Dade County seceded along with the state of Georgia in 1861 and re-entered the Union with the state in 1870.[8][9]

The noted Southern humorist, author and seminal writer of Southern humor George Washington Harris (1814-1869) is buried in the Brock Cemetery in Trenton. Although he greatly influenced the literary works of Mark Twain, William Faulkner,[10] and Flannery O'Connor,[11] his grave was not verified and given a marker until 2008.

In 1964, Covenant College established a campus at Lookout Mountain. Founded in 1955 in California, it was ready to expand after a year. Several professors led Covenant to move to St. Louis, Missouri, where it developed for eight years. After outgrowing its facilities there, the college decided to move to Dade County.

Quarter controversy

[edit]
Georgia State Quarter without Dade County.

Shortly after the Georgia State Quarter was released by the US Mint, Dade County gained attention because of an apparent mistake in the design. As shown on the quarter, the state appears to lack Dade County, in the extreme northwestern part of the state. Some accounts in 2012 suggest the exclusion was intended to refer to the local legend of Dade County's secession from Georgia.[12]

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 174 square miles (450 km2), of which 174 square miles (450 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.1%) is water.[13]

The county, like most of northwest Georgia, is entrenched in the southern Appalachian Mountains. In addition, a vast majority of the county is located in the Middle Tennessee-Chickamauga sub-basin of the Middle Tennessee-Hiwassee basin. A very small part of the southernmost tip of the county is located in the Upper Coosa River sub-basin in the ACT River Basin (Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin), while a small part of the westernmost portion of Dade County is located in the Guntersville Lake sub-basin in the Middle Tennessee-Elk basin.[14]

Major highways

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Cloudland Canyon State Park

Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18401,364—
18502,68096.5%
18603,06914.5%
18703,033−1.2%
18804,70255.0%
18905,70721.4%
19004,578−19.8%
19104,139−9.6%
19203,918−5.3%
19304,1465.8%
19405,89442.2%
19507,36424.9%
19608,66617.7%
19709,91014.4%
198012,31824.3%
199013,1476.7%
200015,15415.3%
201016,6339.8%
202016,251−2.3%
2023 (est.)16,165[15]−0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[16]
1790–1880[17] 1890-1910[18]
1920-1930[19] 1930-1940[20]
1940-1950[21] 1960-1980[22]
1980-2000[23] 2010[24] 2020[25]

2020 Census

[edit]
Dade County, Georgia – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[26] Pop 2010[24] Pop 2020[25] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 14,685 15,796 14,786 96.91% 94.97% 90.99%
Black or African American alone (NH) 96 142 141 0.63% 0.85% 0.87%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 67 65 68 0.44% 0.39% 0.42%
Asian alone (NH) 56 114 129 0.37% 0.69% 0.79%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 4 5 5 0.03% 0.03% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 1 24 31 0.01% 0.14% 0.19%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 108 195 727 0.71% 1.17% 4.47%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 137 292 364 0.90% 1.76% 2.24%
Total 15,154 16,633 16,251 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,251 people, 6,195 households, and 4,539 families residing in the county.

2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16,633 people, 6,291 households, and 4,462 families living in the county.[27] The population density was 95.6 inhabitants per square mile (36.9/km2). There were 7,305 housing units at an average density of 42.0 per square mile (16.2/km2).[28] The racial makeup of the county was 96.0% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population.[27] In terms of ancestry, 21.2% were American, 18.1% were Irish, 11.4% were German, and 9.4% were English.[29]

Of the 6,291 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.1% were non-families, and 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 39.0 years.[27]

The median income for a household in the county was $39,760 and the median income for a family was $48,881. Males had a median income of $41,618 versus $26,521 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,168. About 10.7% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.[30]

2000 census

[edit]

As of the census[31] of 2000, there were 15,154 people, 5,633 households, and 4,264 families living in the county. The population density was 87 inhabitants per square mile (34/km2). There were 6,224 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile (14/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.51% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.20% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 0.90% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,633 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.70% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.30% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,259, and the median income for a family was $39,481. Males had a median income of $31,534 versus $21,753 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,127. About 7.50% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.40% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

Education

[edit]
Main article: Trenton, Georgia § Education

Georgia water supply

[edit]

Dade County lies just south of Nickajack Lake on the Tennessee River, which was created by the Nickajack Dam, constructed by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The city of Atlanta, Georgia wanted to gain rights to the water in Nickajack Lake to supplement their sources from Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona. In addition, in 2008 Georgia lawmakers wanted to change the Tennessee-Georgia state line, as they say it is based on a flawed 1818 survey, which mistakenly placed Georgia's northern line just short of the Tennessee River.[32][33] Changing the boundary would give Georgia rights to the water, but they were unsuccessful.

Politics

[edit]

Although it contained many opponents of the Confederacy during the Civil War, Dade County – unlike more easterly Fannin, Towns, Pickens and Gilmer – is a typical “Solid South” county in its political history. It voted Democratic in every presidential election until 1964, when the county turned towards conservative Republican Barry Goldwater. Since then, only twice has a Republican presidential candidate lost Dade County: when segregationist former and future Alabama Governor George Wallace carried the county in 1968 and when favorite son Jimmy Carter won in 1976. In 1972, Dade was Richard Nixon’s strongest county nationwide in his 2,900-plus-county landslide over George McGovern.[34]

United States presidential election results for Dade County, Georgia[35]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 6,066 81.46% 1,261 16.93% 120 1.61%
2016 5,051 79.41% 965 15.17% 345 5.42%
2012 4,471 73.94% 1,411 23.33% 165 2.73%
2008 4,703 73.01% 1,612 25.02% 127 1.97%
2004 4,368 69.83% 1,823 29.14% 64 1.02%
2000 3,333 66.01% 1,628 32.24% 88 1.74%
1996 2,295 49.16% 1,737 37.21% 636 13.62%
1992 2,191 45.61% 1,782 37.09% 831 17.30%
1988 2,539 69.16% 1,120 30.51% 12 0.33%
1984 2,750 70.51% 1,150 29.49% 0 0.00%
1980 2,114 53.81% 1,735 44.16% 80 2.04%
1976 1,388 38.02% 2,263 61.98% 0 0.00%
1972 2,110 93.45% 148 6.55% 0 0.00%
1968 613 18.27% 282 8.41% 2,460 73.32%
1964 1,378 52.84% 1,227 47.05% 3 0.12%
1960 909 49.08% 943 50.92% 0 0.00%
1956 723 45.59% 863 54.41% 0 0.00%
1952 686 34.61% 1,296 65.39% 0 0.00%
1948 338 16.68% 1,488 73.45% 200 9.87%
1944 169 15.20% 943 84.80% 0 0.00%
1940 151 13.33% 982 86.67% 0 0.00%
1936 127 12.89% 857 87.01% 1 0.10%
1932 103 11.61% 770 86.81% 14 1.58%
1928 328 42.00% 453 58.00% 0 0.00%
1924 119 16.06% 563 75.98% 59 7.96%
1920 114 18.75% 494 81.25% 0 0.00%
1916 25 3.61% 616 88.89% 52 7.50%
1912 18 5.16% 287 82.23% 44 12.61%

Communities

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Cities

[edit]

Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

[edit]

Ghost towns

[edit]

Notable people from Dade County

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See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "QuickFacts Dade County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Dade County, Georgia. "The State Of Dade". Dade County, Georgia. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  4. ^ Krakow, Kenneth K. (1975). Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins (PDF). Macon, GA: Winship Press. p. 57. ISBN 0-915430-00-2. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 17, 2003.
  5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 98.
  6. ^ Cooksey, Elizabeth (2009). "Dade County". The New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council/University of Georgia Press. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
  7. ^ Bluestein, Greg (April 28, 2008). "Forgotten Ga. county now in spotlight over water rights". Fox News. Fox Entertainment Group. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  8. ^ "The Independent State Of Dade Is Fixin' To Rise Again". Dade County Sentinel. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  9. ^ Coulter, E. Merton. "The Myth of Dade County's Seceding from Georgia in 1860", Resources at Rootsweb
  10. ^ Faulkner, William. "The Art of Fiction no. 12: William Faulkner". The Paris Review. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  11. ^ Donald Day, "The Life of George Washington Harris," Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 6, No. 1 (March 1947), pp. 3-38.
  12. ^ "Georgia quarters are really quite peachy, but not in Dade County". Valuable-coin-stories.com. Archived from the original on November 22, 2012. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
  13. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  14. ^ "Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience". Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Archived from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2015.
  15. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
  16. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "1880 Census Population by Counties 1790-1800" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1880.
  18. ^ "1910 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1910.
  19. ^ "1930 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1930.
  20. ^ "1940 Census of Population - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1940.
  21. ^ "1950 Census of Population - Georgia -" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1950.
  22. ^ "1980 Census of Population - Number of Inhabitants - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 1980.
  23. ^ "2000 Census of Population - Population and Housing Unit Counts - Georgia" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. 2000.
  24. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dade County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dade County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "P004 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dade County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau.
  27. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  28. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  29. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  30. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
  31. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  32. ^ Bluestein, Greg - Forgotten Ga. county now in spotlight over water rights, Associated Press, April 28, 2008
  33. ^ Shearer, Lee - "Tennessee-Georgia border dispute derided" Archived April 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Athens Banner-Herald, March 3, 2008
  34. ^ "1972 Presidential Election Statistics". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  35. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
[edit]

34°51′N 85°30′W / 34.85°N 85.50°W / 34.85; -85.50

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