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Houston County
Courthouse | |
|---|---|
View large image
Source: David Seibert | |
| Location | Perry |
| Date Built | 2000-2002 |
| Architecture Style | |
| Designer | HDR Architecture; JMA Architecture; and Hayes, Michael + Associates Architecture |
| Seat Information | The Dec. 24, 1821 act organizing Houston County authorized the justices of the inferior court to select the location of the county seat. In 1823, Houston County's inferior court designated land lot 49 in the tenth district as the site of the county seat. On Dec. 21, 1823, the legislature designated this site as permanent county seat and named it Perry (Ga. Laws 1823, p. 172). The name honored U.S. Navy Capt. Oliver H. Perry, who defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie. On Dec. 9, 1824, the legislature incorporated Perry as a town (Ga. Laws 1824, p. 148). |
| Courthouse Details | An act of Dec. 24, 1821 organizing Houston (pronounced "HOUSE - ton") County authorized the five justices of the county's inferior court to select a county seat and provide for erection of a courthouse and jail (Ga. Laws 1821, p. 44). Until a courthouse could be build, court sessions were to be held at such places as designated by the inferior court. It is not clear what served as Houston County courthouse for the next three decades. In Mar. 1856, the legislature authorized Houston County to levy a special tax in 1856 and 1857 to finance construction of a new courthouse and jail (Ga. Laws 1855-56, p. 547). This new courthouse may be the one seen in a photograph taken at some time prior to 190 . This structure was replaced by a new courthouse in 1948. Because of the need for a larger and more modern facility, Houston County voters approved a special-purpose local option sales tax to fund construction of a new courthouse in Perry. Construction of the new courthouse began in 2000, with the new courthouse dedicated in November 2002. |
County Data | |
|---|---|
| Population | 139,900 |
| Population 2000 | 110,765 |
| Population Growth | 26.3 |
| County Seat | Perry |
| County Area | 379.9 Square Miles |
| Location Map |  |
| History | Houston County was created on May 15, 1821 by an act of the General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1821 Extra. Session, p. 3). [Click here to read the legal description of Houston County’s original boundaries.] Dooly, Houston, Monroe, Fayette, and Henry County were created in that order by the Georgia Land Lottery Act of 1821 , which was enacted at a special session of the General Assembly four months after the Creek Indians ceded lands between the Ocmulgee and Flint rivers on Jan. 8, 1821 in the first Treaty of Indian Springs. Houston County was organized by an act of the legislature approved Dec. 24, 1821 (Ga. Laws 1821, p. 44). Later, portions of Houston County were used to create the following counties: DeKalb, Bibb, Pike, and Crawford (1822); Macon (1837); and Peach (1924). Georgia’s 49th county was named for Gov. John Houstoun (1744-1796). |
| Web Site | Visit Web Site |
| Legal Organ | The Houston Home Journal |
| Chamber of Commerce Web Site | Visit Web Site |
Historical Population | |
|---|---|
| Year | Population |
| 2010 | 139,900 |
| 2000 | 110,765 |
| 1990 | 89,208 |
| 1980 | 77,605 |
| 1970 | 62,924 |
| 1960 | 39,154 |
| 1950 | 20,964 |
| 1940 | 11,303 |
| 1930 | 11,280 |
| 1920 | 21,964 |
| 1910 | 23,609 |
| 1900 | 22,641 |
| 1890 | 21,613 |
| 1880 | 22,414 |
| 1870 | 20,406 |
| 1860 | 15,611 |
| 1850 | 16,450 |
| 1840 | 9,711 |
| 1830 | 7,369 |
