Bryan County, Georgia

History

Bryan County was created on December 19, 1793, named after Jonathan Bryan (1708–1788), an American Revolutionary War partisan.

South Bryan County is home to the earthen Civil War installation Fort McAllister (now Fort McAllister Historic Park) which Gen. William Sherman captured on his March to the Sea.

The colonial town of Hardwick, laid out in 1755, served as the initial county seat. In 1797, the Georgia General Assembly moved the county seat to Cross Roads near modern Richmond Hil. On November 18, 1814, the county seat was moved to Mansford on the Canoochee River. In 1860, the seat was known as Eden. By the 1880s the county seat was known as Bryan. By 1895 it was in Clyde, which may have been the same location formerly known as Eden and Mansford. Clyde served as the seat to 1935; in 1937 Pembroke took on that role. The only remaining sign of Clyde is a cemetery on the Fort Stewart U.S. Army installation.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 454 sqmi, of which 436 sqmi is land and 18 sqmi (4.1%) is water.

A triangular area in the northeast of Bryan County, from northwest of Pembroke to north of Richmond Hill, is located in the Lower Ogeechee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin, as is the northern half of the remaining area in the county south of Richmond Hill. The northwestern portion of the county, from east of Daisy to Richmond Hill, is located in the Canoochee River sub-basin of the Ogeechee River basin. The rest of Bryan County is located in the Ogeechee Coastal sub-basin of the same Ogeechee River basin. The Ogeechee River forms the northeastern border of the country, while the Jerico River forms the southeast border.

Bryan County is unique in that it is totally divided by the military installation at Ft. Stewart. Pembroke is in more rural north Bryan, while Richmond Hill in south Bryan County is a suburb of Savannah. To travel between the two on public roads, it is necessary to leave the county.

Major highways

• (Interstate 16)
• (Interstate 95)
• (unsigned designation for I-16)
• (unsigned designation for I-95)

Adjacent counties

• Effingham County, Georgia - north
• Chatham County, Georgia - northeast
• Liberty County, Georgia - south/southwest
• Evans County, Georgia - west
• Bulloch County, Georgia - northwest

Communities

Cities

• Pembroke (County Seat)
• Richmond Hill (Biggest City)

Census-designated place

• Buckhead

Unincorporated communities

• Black Creek
• Blitchton
• Ellabell
• Keller
• Lanier

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1880 1890-1910 1920-1930 1930-1940 1940-1950 1960-1980 1980-2000 2010

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, the county had a population of 44,738, 15,445 households, and 10,140 families residing in the county. Of the residents, 28.9% were under the age of 18 and 11.4% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 35.5 years. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 91.3 males. 53.2% of residents lived in urban areas and 46.8% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 72.0% White, 14.5% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.2% from some other race, and 8.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.3% of the population.

Of the 15,445 households in the county, 44.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 16,703 housing units, of which 7.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.9% were owner-occupied and 27.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.

Economy

Bryan County is the location of Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), a large production site for electric vehicles (EV), which became operational in 2024. It is by far the largest employer of the county.

Education

Main article: Bryan County School District

Bryan County School District is the designated school district for grades K-12 for the county, except parts in Fort Stewart. Fort Stewart has the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) as its local school district, for the elementary level. Students at the secondary level on Fort Stewart attend public schools operated by county school districts.

Politics

As of the 2020s, Bryan County is a Republican stronghold, voting 68% for Donald Trump in 2024. For elections to the United States House of Representatives, Bryan County is part of Georgia's 1st congressional district, currently represented by Buddy Carter. For elections to the Georgia State Senate, Bryan County is part of district 1. For elections to the Georgia House of Representatives, Bryan County is divided between districts 160 and 164.

Notable people

• Gregg Allman, musician, Allman Brothers Band
• Mattie Belle Davis, first woman judge of Metropolitan Court of Dade County, Florida
• Justin Smiley, pro football player, All-American at University of Alabama
• John Smoltz, MLB pitcher, owned a summer home here while playing for the Atlanta Braves

References

References

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2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. Krakow, Kenneth K.. (1975). "Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins". Winship Press.
4. . ["Acts of the General Assembly of the State of Georgia; Passed in October and November, 1814."](http://metis.galib.uga.edu/ssp/cgi-bin/legis-idx.pl?sessionid=9e0115c1-1e87c56357-0346&type=law&byte=3064054).
5. (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". [[United States Census Bureau]].
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16. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
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18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
19. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
20. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
21. (2024-10-07). "Hyundai has begun producing electric SUVs at its $7.6 billion plant in Georgia". [[Associated Press News]].
22. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Bryan County, GA". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
23. "Fort Stewart Schools". [[Department of Defense Education Activity]].
24. "Fort Stewart Education". [[Military One Source]].
25. "Georgia General Assembly".
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27. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".