History

Terrell County was carved from portions of Randolph and Lee counties in 1856. Georgia's 113th county was named for Dr. William Terrell of Sparta, who had served in both the state legislature and Congress.

Shortly after Atlanta's capture in the Civil War, Governor Joseph E. Brown arranged for a refugee camp at Dawson to shelter some 300 women and children who had fled the city. The "Exile Camp" was later used to house a detachment of 50 Union soldiers assigned to keep order in the area. Their kind behavior toward local citizens was long noted by the community.

The Battle of Echouanotchaway Swamp was fought here in 1836. This battle was part of the Creek Indian uprisings after the burning of Richmond.

Points of Interest

Once virtually a ghost town, historic Parrott has been reborn. This historic downtown offers many unique showing experiences. Parrott, a picturesque little town has been used for several western movies including "The Long Riders".

There are two sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Terrell County Courthouse and the Garden Club House.

Another interesting building is the Chickasawhatchee Primitive Baptist Church which was built in 1858. It is the oldest church still standing on its original site in Terrell County.

Annual Events

The annual tour of historic homes, sponsored by the Dawson Restoration Society, is held the first Saturday in May featuring Victorian architecture at its best.

Dawson is in the process of renovating the downtown historic district. A tour of homes, held every May allows visitors to see the inside of some of the city's antebellum and Victorian style homes.

Chamber of Commerce building

Scene of downtown Parrot