Butts County, Georgia, USA
Created | Updated Oct 17, 2002
Butts County is a small rural county south of Atlanta, Georgia along I-75.
Butts County has numerous oppertunities for recreation. There are two state parks, Indian Springs State Park, High Falls State Park, and Dauset Trails Nature Center. There is also Jackson Lake, a large recreational lake, created by the Lloyd Shoals Dam.
History
Butts County was formed in 1825 from portions of Henry and Monroe Counties. When the county was created, there were already people in the county and small communities. The county was named afters Captain Samuel Butts, who died fighting the Creek Indians in 1814 during the War of 1812. The couty seat was named Jackson after President Andrew Jackson. He led campagins against the Creek and he was famous for his battle against the British in New Orleans.
After the founding, mills and ferries popped up in the 1820s. Ther was one on the Towaliga where High Falls State Park is now. The larsgest mill was Planter's Manufacturing Company on the Ocmulgee at Seven Islands. It was destroyed during Sherman's March to the Sea.
The sulfer springs that are now at Indian Springs State Park were also a regional attraction. Used by the indians for centuries, Georgians also believed in the healing powers of the Springs1. Many people came to viits it in the 1800s, and a railline from the city of Flovilla was established in 1882.
In 1910, the Lloyd Shoals Dam was built on the Ocmulgee River, and it supplied cheap power throught middle Gerogia. This also formed Lake Jackson, a large lake that is used extensivly for recreation.
From 1900 to 1920, farming declined in the county, and since World War II, the county has largely become a sparsly populated bedroom community.