History

Oglethorpe County was created in 1793. Georgia's 19th county is named for the state's founder, General James E. Oglethorpe.

Lexington, the county seat, is named in honor of the Revolutionary War battle. The largest city is Crawford, named for William H. Crawford, former Governor, U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Treasury and Minister to France.

Points of Interest

The site known as Cherokee Corner was once an angle in the boundary between Creek and Cherokee lands. At one time, the site was important to surveying in the region.

Other important sites are the home of Governor Gilmer and Watson Mill Bridge State Park, which is shared with Madison County. The bridge, which is located on the South Fork Broad River, is the largest in Georgia, and was in the past the site of a grist mill and power generation plant.

Bartram Buffalo Lick, located in Philomath, is an iron-bearing clay pit of about 1.5 acres. This site was often visited by buffalo, deer and cattle, although it has no saline properties. It was a meeting place for the area's Indians.

Oglethorpe County Courthouse, Lexington

Downtown Lexington