History |
Georgia's 61st county was named for Colonel John Baker, a Puritan and noted patriot of the Revolutionary War. Baker County was created from Early County in 1825.
The Baker County Courthouse has been damaged by floods three times, once in 1925, once in 1929, and most recently in 1994.
Newton, the county seat, was named for Sergeant John Newton of South Carolina, a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
The last battle of the Creek Indian War of 1836 was fought in Baker County at Chickasawhatchee Swamp near Red Bluff. Indian villages were first recorded in the Baker County area by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto in 1540.
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Points of Interest |
Primarily an agricultural community, Baker County produces peanuts, cotton, canola, poultry, and beef.
Baker County is home to several plantations, ranging in size from 5,000 to 28,000 acres. The largest is Ichauway Plantation, once owned by Coca-Cola magnate Robert Woodruff. The plantation now houses the Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, one of the largest outdoor research centers in the world. Scientists study local vegetation, water systems, and wildlife, including 32 species of endangered plants and animals found on the plantation.
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