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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Ware County, Georgia
Ware County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,251. The county seat and only incorporated place is Waycross. Ware County is part of the Waycross, Georgia micropolitan statistical area.

History

Ware County, Georgia's 60th county, was created on December 15, 1824, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly from land that was originally part of Appling County.

The county is named for Nicholas Ware, the mayor of Augusta, Georgia from (1819–1821) and United States Senator who represented Georgia from 1821 until his death in 1824.

Several counties were later created from parts of the original Ware County borders:

Ware County was home to Laura S. Walker (1861-1955) a noted author and conservationist. Walker promoted a comprehensive program of forestry activity, including the establishment of forest parks. She erected markers and monuments along old trails and at historic sites, in Waycross and Ware County so that local history would not be forgotten. Walker wrote three books about the land and history of her home. They are: History of Ware County, Georgia About "Old Okefenåok" and Doctors of Primitive Times and Horse and Buggy Days of Ware County.

An effort to recognize her work culminated in President Franklin D. Roosevelt issuing a proclamation to establish the Laura S. Walker National Park, located in Ware County, in her honor. She was the only living person for whom a state or national park was named. In 1937, the federal government purchased distressed farmland for the park. Work on the park was undertaken by the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1941, the national park was deeded over to Georgia, becoming the State's 13th state park.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 908 square miles (2,350 km), of which 892 square miles (2,310 km) is land and 16 square miles (41 km) (1.7%) is water. It is the largest county in Georgia by area. A large portion of the county lies within the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected areas.

More than half of Ware County, made up by the western half of the southern portion of the county, the land bridge to the northern portion of the county, and the southern and western portion of the northern section of the county, is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the Suwannee River basin. The eastern half of the southern portion of Ware County is located in the St. Marys River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin. The rest of the county, from just southeast to north and west of Waycross, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the same St. Marys-Satilla River basin.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Communities

City

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18301,205—
18402,32392.8%
18503,88867.4%
18602,200−43.4%
18702,2863.9%
18804,15981.9%
18908,811111.9%
190013,76156.2%
191022,95766.8%
192028,36123.5%
193026,558−6.4%
194027,9295.2%
195030,2898.4%
196034,21913.0%
197033,525−2.0%
198037,18010.9%
199035,471−4.6%
200035,4830.0%
201036,3122.3%
202036,251−0.2%
2023 (est.)36,2430.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1880 1890-1910
1920-1930 1930-1940
1940-1950 1960-1980
1980-2000 2010
Ware County racial composition (2020)
Race Num. Perc.
White 22,275 61.45%
Black or African American 10,703 29.52%
Native American 77 0.21%
Asian 333 0.92%
Pacific Islander 18 0.05%
Other/Mixed 1,233 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1,612 4.45%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 36,251 people, 13,823 households, and 8,909 families residing in the county.

Education

High schools

Middle schools

  • Ware County Middle School, Waycross
  • Waycross Middle School, Waycross

Elementary schools

  • Wacona Elementary School, Waycross
  • Center Elementary School, Waycross
  • Williams Heights Elementary School, Waycross
  • Memorial Drive Elementary School, Waycross
  • Ruskin Elementary School, Waycross
  • Waresboro Elementary School, Waycross

Preschools

  • DAFFODIL Preschool, Waycross

Private schools

  • Southside Christian School

Higher education

Politics

United States presidential election results for Ware County, Georgia
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 9,903 69.79% 4,169 29.38% 117 0.82%
2016 8,513 69.87% 3,440 28.23% 231 1.90%
2012 7,941 66.44% 3,900 32.63% 112 0.94%
2008 8,311 66.83% 4,034 32.44% 91 0.73%
2004 7,790 68.99% 3,449 30.55% 52 0.46%
2000 6,099 63.35% 3,480 36.14% 49 0.51%
1996 4,746 49.55% 4,171 43.54% 662 6.91%
1992 4,573 43.87% 4,573 43.87% 1,278 12.26%
1988 4,819 52.59% 4,292 46.84% 52 0.57%
1984 5,547 55.57% 4,435 44.43% 0 0.00%
1980 3,715 36.65% 6,307 62.22% 115 1.13%
1976 2,661 25.64% 7,719 74.36% 0 0.00%
1972 6,578 79.23% 1,724 20.77% 0 0.00%
1968 2,047 20.07% 2,255 22.11% 5,895 57.81%
1964 4,948 48.81% 5,189 51.19% 0 0.00%
1960 2,235 30.47% 5,099 69.53% 0 0.00%
1956 2,276 27.88% 5,888 72.12% 0 0.00%
1952 2,418 30.06% 5,627 69.94% 0 0.00%
1948 655 14.09% 2,611 56.15% 1,384 29.76%
1944 459 16.59% 2,306 83.34% 2 0.07%
1940 308 10.31% 2,672 89.48% 6 0.20%
1936 256 9.06% 2,566 90.77% 5 0.18%
1932 205 7.53% 2,504 91.96% 14 0.51%
1928 1,339 48.60% 1,416 51.40% 0 0.00%
1924 216 10.82% 1,497 75.00% 283 14.18%
1920 215 19.27% 901 80.73% 0 0.00%
1916 59 4.69% 1,066 84.74% 133 10.57%
1912 39 3.66% 972 91.27% 54 5.07%
1908 190 18.85% 771 76.49% 47 4.66%
1904 158 19.46% 635 78.20% 19 2.34%
1900 107 15.11% 601 84.89% 0 0.00%
1896 330 36.11% 545 59.63% 39 4.27%
1892 262 23.06% 775 68.22% 99 8.71%
1888 186 32.52% 369 64.51% 17 2.97%
1884 179 32.90% 365 67.10% 0 0.00%
1880 201 36.28% 353 63.72% 0 0.00%

See also