Camden County is a
countyA county is a land area of local government within a country. A county may have cities and towns within its area. Originally, in continental Europe, a county was the land under the jurisdiction of a count .Counts are called earls in post-Celtic Britain, Ireland and France—the term is from Old...
located in the
U.S. stateA U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government . Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile...
of
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2000, the population was 43,664. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 48,689
http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2007-01-13.xls. The
county seatA county seat is a term for an administrative center for a county or civil parish, primarily used in the United States. In the Northeast United States, the statutory term often is shire town, but colloquially county seat is the term in use there...
is
WoodbineWoodbine is a city in Camden County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,218 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Camden County.-Geography:Woodbine is located at ....
,
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
.
History
The first European to land on what is today Camden County was Captain
Jean RibaultJean Ribault was a French naval officer, navigator, and a colonizer of what would become the southeastern United States...
of
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
in 1562. Ribault was sent out by French Huguenots to find a suitable place for a settlement. Ribault named the rivers he saw the Seine and the Some. Today these rivers, the former of which forms the southern border of Camden County, are known as the St. Marys and Satilla Rivers. Ribault described the area as, "Fairest, fruitfulest and pleasantest of all the world."
Spanish missionaries
In 1565,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
became alarmed by the French settlements and sent out a large force to take over and settle the area. The Spanish held the area for the next 100 years. During that time, the Spaniards attempted to convert all the native Indians they came across to
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented by the revelations in the New Testament....
. One
FranciscanThe term Franciscan is commonly used to refer to members of Catholic religious orders, also known as the Orders of Friars Minor, that follow a body of regulations known as "The rule of St. Francis", or a member of one of these orders. As well as Roman Catholic there are also small Old Catholic and...
party built a mission in what is now St. Marys. The missionaries received permission to build by the Indian Queen Hiacaia, the ruler over a large Indian village in the area.
After many years, the Spaniards abandoned the settlements due to troubles with the Indians. The Indians had risen up against the Spanish and slaughtered many of the priests. After the abandonment, the
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
felt the area was now open to their claims. During this time, Spain also continued to claim the area. They lost their claim in 1742 during the decisive
Battle of Bloody MarshThe Battle of Bloody Marsh took place on July 7, 1742. The battle involved two forts, Fort Frederica and Fort St. Simons, on St. Simons Island on land that later was calimed as part of the Province of Georgia and is now in U.S. state of Georgia. These forts lay about seven miles apart...
(off St. Simons Island).
Oglethorpe
General OglethorpeJames Edward Oglethorpe was a British general, a philanthropist, and was the founder of the colony of Georgia...
had quite an influence in this area aside from leading battles. He founded a town on St. Simons Island, Frederica, named after a member of the royal family. Oglethorpe designed the town of
SavannahSavannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia...
and his work can still be seen in the historic district. He was at
Cumberland IslandCumberland Island is one of the Sea Islands. Cumberland is the largest in terms of continuously exposed land area of Georgia's barrier islands, It is located on the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the U.S. state of Georgia and is part of Camden County...
when an Indian gave the barrier island its name. Later, he erected a hunting lodge on Cumberland named Dungeness, which was predecessor to the famous Greene and Carnegie Dungeness Mansions. He also founded St. Andrews Fort on the north end of Cumberland Island as well as a strong battery, Fort Williams, on the south end. Fort Williams commanded the entrance to the St. Marys River.
In 1763, Spain, under a treaty of peace with
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, ceded
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
to
BritainThe Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a sovereign state in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1801...
. After this, the boundaries of
GeorgiaGeorgia is a state in the United States. One of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution, it had been the last of the Thirteen Colonies to be established, in 1733. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January...
were extended from the Altamaha (now the southern boundary of McIntosh County) to the St. Marys River (the current southern boundary of Camden). In 1765, four towns were laid off between the Altamaha and St. Marys Rivers. These were St. Davids, St. Patricks, St. Marys and St. Thomas. The Parish of Camden, named for Charles Pratt, Earl of Camden in England, was then formed from the St. Marys and St. Thomas townships. At first, the community of St. Patrick was the County Seat of Camden. Later, the county seat was moved further south to St. Marys.
The American Revolution
Georgia was the last state to join in the
War for IndependenceThe American Revolutionary War , also sometimes known as the American War of Independence, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen united former British colonies in North America, and concluded in a global war between several European great powers...
in 1775. It was then that the people renamed the area Camden County.
During this time, the brothers of Governor Wright of Georgia, Charles and German Wright - who were English Loyalists - built a fort on their land. The brothers built this fort, which was on the St. Marys River, in order to protect their land during the war. Wright's Fort became a rendezvous for a group of loyalists called the "Florida Rangers". They robbed many south Georgians and stored their loot in Wright's Fort.
Two skirmishes were fought by Loyalist and Continental forces over Wright's Fort, and both times American troops failed to rout the Loyalists from the area. Finally, retreating British soldiers burned it down in 1778. The Americans rebuilt it when they invaded East Florida, and then burned it down to prevent it falling into enemy hands. The remains were finally discovered in 1975.
By 1783, the British had lost the war and turned Florida over to the Spanish. The English loyalists came home to Camden to find that their property had become property of the state. Despite the population loss during the war, abandoned settlements were soon repopulated, and the area recovered as people were again drawn to the rich Camden County land.
The Civil War
During the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several other names, was a civil war in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America...
, Camden sent out two companies of
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
of its men to fight in the Confederate Army. This was a huge amount of men to leave such a sparsely populated area. At the beginning of the Civil War, the population was 5,482 of which only 1,721 were white. The war devastated the area. Several families lost their sons in the fighting.
Today
After the War, especially during Reconstruction, the local residents learned to live without slave labor and eventually began to prosper again. Even so, many plantation owners left the area, leaving only their slaves, their dead and their name. Today, their influence can be seen by the surnames of local African American families such as the Parrishes and the Holzendorfs.
Camden County seemed able to deal with the changes easier than some other areas. By the turn of the century, about half the land in the county was owned by blacks. The freeing of the slaves appears to be yet another change that the blacks and whites of this county dealt with in a relatively positive manner. Integration in the 1960s was peaceful.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 783 square miles (2,027 km²), of which, 630 square miles (1,631 km²) of it is land and 153 square miles (395 km²) of it (19.50%) is water.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Glynn County
Glynn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 67,568. The 2008 Census Estimate showed a population of 75,884...
(north)
- Nassau County
Nassau County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 57,663. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county was 69,835. Its county seat is Fernandina Beach, Florida....
, FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
(south)
- Charlton County (southwest)
- Brantley County (northwest)
Education
Camden is home to one comprehensive high school (with a separate center for ninth graders), two middle schools, nine elementary schools and an alternative school. The system serves approximately 9,600 students. The school board is run by the following members:
- Superintendent of Schools - Dr. Will Hardin
- Deputy Superintendent - Gary Blount
- Assistant Superintendent - Dr. Liz Jordan
Camden County High School is the single public high school in Camden County, offering a comprehensive curriculum (9–12) with a variety of classes for both College Preparatory and Career Technology Preparatory. The high school campus is one of the largest in the state of Georgia. It consists of a main building (9-12 building) that holds eight hallways, one media center, one gymnasium, one cafeteria, and one auditorium (although not exactly connected to the high school building itself); as well as a ninth grade center that holds two additional hallways, one gymnasium, one cafeteria, and one media center. The school has also recently constructed an additional building consisting of classrooms, conference rooms, and a large weight room. The school offers AP classes and joint-enrollment with College of Coastal Georgia and the
Valdosta State UniversityValdosta State University is a public university located in the city of Valdosta, Georgia, in the United States, and is part of the University System of Georgia....
Kings Bay Campus. The school is part of the Georgia 5A Class. In 2003, the Wildcats won the Georgia 5A Football State Championship by defeating
Valdosta High SchoolValdosta High School is a public high school located in Valdosta, Georgia, United States. The school colors are gold and black. The official school mascot is the "Wildcat".-Athletics:...
.
There are two middle schools in the county serving grades sixth through eighth grade:
- Camden Middle School
- St. Mary's Middle School
There also nine elementary schools throughout the county serving grades Pre-K through fifth grade:
- Crooked River Elementary
- David L. Rainer Elementary
- Kingsland Elementary
- Mamie Lou Gross Elementary
- Mary Lee Clark Elementary
- Matilda Harris Elementary
- St. Marys Elementary
- Sugarmill Elementary
- Woodbine Elementary
The federal government provides a substantial part of the school system's budget as the high density of military dependents who attend school there.
Demographics
As of the
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
of 2000, there were 43,664 people, 14,705 households, and 11,381 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans. It is a key term used in geography....
was 69 people per square mile (27/km²). There were 16,958 housing units at an average density of 27 per square mile (10/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 75.04%
WhiteRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 20.11%
BlackRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
African AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.49%
Native AmericanRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.01%
AsianRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.08%
Pacific IslanderRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.37% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.88% from two or more races. 3.63% of the population were
HispanicRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or
LatinoRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the United States Census Bureau and the Federal Office of Management and Budget , are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 14,705 households out of which 46.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.20% were married couples living together, 11.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.60% were non-families. 17.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.70% under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 33.90% from 25 to 44, 16.30% from 45 to 64, and 5.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 107.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,056, and the median income for a family was $45,005. Males had a median income of $31,582 versus $22,104 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income means how much each individual receives, in monetary terms, of the yearly income generated in the country. This is what each citizen is to receive if the yearly national income is divided equally among everyone. Per capita income is usually reported in units of currency per year...
for the county was $16,445. About 8.40% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.30% of those under age 18 and 15.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Kings Bay
Kings Bay is a small unincorporated community located at 30.804 N, 81.560 W in Camden County on the southern coast of the U.S. state of Georgia....
- Kings Bay Base
Kings Bay Base is a census-designated place in Camden County, Georgia, United States; it is a US Navy Base. The population was 2,599 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kings Bay Base is located at ....
- Kingsland
Kingsland is a city in Camden County, Georgia, United States. The population was 10,506 at the 2000 census.The City of Kingsland hosts an annual Catfish Festival on Labor Day weekend each year.-Geography:Kingsland is located at ....
- St. Marys
St. Marys is a city in Camden County, Georgia, United States. The city is the gateway to Cumberland Island National Seashore, the largest of the Georgia Coast's barrier islands. The Island’s visitor center and boat access are both located at the St. Marys waterfront. The city is also home to the...
- Spring Bluff
Spring Bluff is an unincorporated community in Camden County, Georgia, United States. Located at , it lies at an elevation of 20 feet ....
- Woodbine
Woodbine is a city in Camden County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,218 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Camden County.-Geography:Woodbine is located at ....
- Waverly
Waverly is an unincorporated community in Camden County, Georgia, United States. Its altitude is 20 feet , and it is located at ....
External links