Location: Tifton
Date Built: 1912-13
Architectural Style: Beaux Arts Classicism
Designer: W.A. Edwards
Other Information: This courthouse is the only one in Tift County history. In addition to the courthouse, which is used strictly for judicial functions, there is the Charles A. Kent Administration Building located less than a block away. That facility served as home of Tifton High School from 1917 to 1962. In 1974, it was converted into use as an administrative office building for county government.
County Courthouse Historical Marker: Click here
County History: Tift County was created on Aug. 17, 1905 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1905, p. 60). Formed from portions of Berrien, Irwin, and Worth counties, Georgia's 141st county was named for Nelson Tift, who helped found the city of Albany. Tift became a important local businessman, local judge, militia commander, member of the Georgia House of Representatives, newspaper publisher, railroad official, and member of Congress (1868-69). Although he did not live in the county that would take his name, Tift was well known for his efforts to promote the economic resources of south Georgia. Although there is some rationale for the name of Tift County also being to honor Nelson Tift's nephew, Henry Harding Tift, who in 1872 founded the community that became known as Tifton, the legislation creating Tift County specifically credits the name to Nelson Tift.
County Seat: Tifton. In 1872, Henry Hardin Tift built a saw mill and commissary at the crossing of the Brunswick & Western Railroad and the Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad in Berrien County. Tift named the settlement Lena (a former sweetheart), but a sawmill worker placed the name "Tifton" on a wooden board and nailed it to a tree -- and the name stuck. The worker had meant to recognize Henry Tift with the name, but Henry disavowed credit. Instead, he insisted that the name honor his uncle, Nelson Tift. On Dec. 28, 1890, the legislature incorporated Tifton. In the 1905 legislation creating Tift County, the legislature designated Tifton as the new county seat.
Maps
Size of County (Total Area): 268.9 square miles
County Rank in Total Area: 114th out of 159
Population:
Tift County
City of Tifton
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