History

Putnam County was created in 1807 from a portion of Baldwin County. Georgia's 33rd county was named to honor General Israel Putnam of Connecticut one of the Patriot commanders at Breeds Hill, in the engagement misnamed the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Eatonton is home to the Uncle Remus Museum, as well as a Brer Rabbit Statue standing on the courthouse square.

Points of Interest

Rock Eagle State 4-H Club Center and the Oconee National Forest are located in the county. Rock Eagle is an eagle-shaped mound of white quartz boulders created by the early Indians.

Portions of Lake Oconee and Lake Sinclair are in the county, providing an impetus for growth and development.

Notable Citizens

Joel Chandler Harris, author of The Uncle Remus Tales , was born and grew up in Putnam County.

Pulitzer Prize winning author, Alice Walker,was born in Putnam County. Her novel ,The Color Purple , was later made into a hit box office movie and hit broadway musical.

Higher Education

S. Truett Cathy,the founder, chairman and CEO of Chick-fil-A, Inc., is also originally from Putnam County.

Annual Events

The two main special events in Putnam County are the Dairy Festival and the Christmas Celebration. The Dairy Festival is held every June to celebrate the importance of the dairy industry to Putnam County. The county claims the title of "Dairy Capital of Georgia," although there are several other contenders to that title.

Downtown Eatonton

Dairy cows in field