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Dodge County, Georgia
Dodge County Courthouse
Dodge County Courthouse in Eastman
Map of Georgia highlighting Dodge County
Location in the state of Georgia (U.S. state)
Map of the U.S
Georgia's location in the U.S.
Founded 1870; 153 years ago (1870)
Named for William E. Dodge
Seat Eastman
Largest city Eastman
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

503 sq mi (1,303 km²)
496 sq mi (1,285 km²)
7.2 sq mi (19 km²), 1.4%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

19,925
44/sq mi (17/km²)
Congressional district 8th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.dodgecountyga.com

Dodge County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2020, the population was 19,925.[1] The county seat is Eastman.[2] Dodge County lies in the Historic South and Black Belt region of Georgia, an area that was devoted to cotton production in the antebellum years. It has significant historic buildings and plantations, has a substantial African-American population, and shows cultural aspects of the South.

History[]

Prior to 1802, this section of Georgia was owned by the Creek Indians. Treaties were made in 1802-1805 by which all lands east of the Ocmulgee River were taken from the Creek Indians. This land was distributed by lottery to the citizens of Georgia. In 1803 Wilkinson County was organized under that treaty. Telfair and Laurens counties were formed from Wilkinson County. In 1808 Pulaski County was formed from Laurens. In 1869, the Macon and Brunswick Railroad was built. Towns began to spring up all up and down the line, and, as this section was so far removed from the county seat, Hawkinsville, it was deemed expedient to create a new county and place the county seat at this point.[3] A large portion of the county was taken from Laurens County, and also smaller portions from Pulaski, Montgomery, and Telfair counties. Dodge County was organized on October 26, 1870, during the Reconstruction era. The county was named by the Republican-dominated legislature for William E. Dodge.[4] The county courthouse was built by Dodge and used until 1908, on the same area the courthouse stands now.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 503 square miles (1,300 km2), of which 496 square miles (1,280 km2) is land and 7.2 square miles (19 km2) (1.4%) is water.[5]

The western half of Dodge County, roughly west of Eastman, is located in the Lower Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The eastern half of the county is located in the Little Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin, with a small northern corner of Dodge County, north and west of Chester, located in the Lower Oconee River sub-basin of the larger Alamaha River basin.[6] The rivers were important for trade, carrying cotton and timber downriver to markets.

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1880 5,358
1890 11,452 113.7%
1900 13,975 22.0%
1910 20,127 44.0%
1920 22,540 12.0%
1930 21,599 −4.2%
1940 21,022 −2.7%
1950 17,865 −15.0%
1960 16,483 −7.7%
1970 15,658 −5.0%
1980 16,955 8.3%
1990 17,607 3.8%
2000 19,171 8.9%
2010 21,796 13.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census[]

Dodge County racial composition[11]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 12,865 64.57%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 5,847 29.35%
Native American 21 0.11%
Asian 95 0.48%
Pacific Islander 8 0.04%
Other/Mixed 469 2.35%
Hispanic or Latino 620 3.11%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,925 people, 7,628 households, and 5,167 families residing in the county.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 21,796 people, 8,177 households, and 5,528 families residing in the county.[12] The population density was 44.0 inhabitants per square mile (17.0 /km2). There were 9,857 housing units at an average density of 19.9 per square mile (7.7 /km2).[13] The racial makeup of the county was 66.8% white, 29.8% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population.[12] In terms of ancestry, 33.5% were English, and 12.9% were American.[14]

Of the 8,177 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 16.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.4% were non-families, and 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 38.5 years.[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $33,580 and the median income for a family was $46,460. Males had a median income of $38,050 versus $28,418 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,288. About 17.1% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.[15]


Transportation[]

Major highways[]

  • US 23 U.S. Route 23
  • US 280 U.S. Route 280
  • US 319 U.S. Route 319
  • US 341 U.S. Route 341
  • Business plate
    US 341 U.S. Route 341 Business
  • US 441 U.S. Route 441
  • Georgia 27 State Route 27
  • Georgia 27 Business State Route 27 Business
  • Georgia 30 State Route 30
  • Georgia 31 State Route 31
  • Georgia 46 State Route 46
  • Georgia 46 Connector State Route 46 Connector
  • Georgia 87 State Route 87
  • Georgia 117 State Route 117
  • Georgia 126 State Route 126
  • Georgia 165 State Route 165
  • Georgia 230 State Route 230
  • Georgia 257 State Route 257

Airport[]

The Heart of Georgia Regional Airport[16] is located three miles east of Eastman off of State Route 46. Elevation 304'. Runway 02/20 is 6,506'x100'and has a precision instrument landing system. The airport is owned by the Heart of Georgia Regional Airport Authority and is home to the Middle Georgia State College Georgia Aviation campus. Middle Georgia State College operates the Federal Aviation Administration's #1 ranked student control tower in the United States.[17] Other businesses at the airport include aircraft manufacturing, aircraft metal finishing, and general metal fabrication. The airport's fixed-base operator is located in the terminal building midfield. The terminal building is named after W. S. Stuckey Sr., founder of Stuckey's Candy Company[18] (now Standard Candy) an aviation pioneer who is from Eastman.

Education[]

Communities[]

Cities[]

  • Chauncey
  • Eastman
  • Milan

Towns[]

  • Chester
  • Rhine

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Empire
  • Plainfield
  • Ontario

Politics[]

Vote-buying controversy[]

Dodge County has been at the center of several voter fraud and vote buying controversies over the past several decades.

1990s[]

The most notable incident of voter fraud in Dodge County in the 1990s is the case of United States vs. McCranie. In this case, there were two defendants being tried together for several different methods of voter fraud.[19] These methods included vote buying, vote selling, multiple voting, and votes cast by felons and deceased voters.[20] The case involved the winners of the July 9, 1996, races for Dodge County Sheriff and Dodge County Commissioner. The races were decided by 9 votes and 31 votes, respectively. The original results of the election had been contested, and a secondary election took place in an attempt to resolve the issue. In the secondary election, the Dodge County Sheriff's race was overturned, but the results of the Dodge County Commissioner's race remained the same.

A joint federal-state investigation into the events of this election found that the defendants likely worked together to buy votes. This was backed up with bank records that showed that the defendants had each obtained $15,000 in cash in $20 bills from the Bank of Eastman.[20] The two defendants were accused of voter fraud and sentenced on March 12, 1999.[20] Many federal officials described the 1996 election trial as the largest election-fraud prosecution in United States history.[21][22]

2000s[]

The most notable case of voter fraud in the 2000s is the case of the 2004 Dodge County Sheriff's race. Former Dodge County Sheriff Lawton Douglas Jr. was indicted on two counts of conspiracy and four counts of vote buying in July 2009.[23] This indictment came due to an investigation of the 2004 election, and did not include any charges for the potentially fraudulent 2008 election.[21] Former Sheriff Lawton Douglas received a maximum sentence. The sentencing cited Douglas's use of cash, liquor, and drugs to buy votes in the election.[24] Also, Douglas had people accompany voters into the polling booths to ensure that the vote actually went to him.[25] His sentence was 18 months in federal prison.[26]

Election results[]

United States presidential election results for Dodge County, Georgia[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,843 72.39% 2,172 26.91% 57 0.71%
2016 5,021 71.64% 1,839 26.24% 149 2.13%
2012 5,214 67.24% 2,442 31.49% 98 1.26%
2008 5,543 67.40% 2,595 31.55% 86 1.05%
2004 4,584 65.52% 2,384 34.08% 28 0.40%
2000 3,472 59.08% 2,326 39.58% 79 1.34%
1996 2,478 42.86% 2,696 46.64% 607 10.50%
1992 2,287 36.43% 3,002 47.82% 989 15.75%
1988 2,677 54.95% 2,164 44.42% 31 0.64%
1984 2,765 52.39% 2,513 47.61% 0 0.00%
1980 1,719 26.64% 4,635 71.83% 99 1.53%
1976 848 13.87% 5,267 86.13% 0 0.00%
1972 4,346 83.10% 884 16.90% 0 0.00%
1968 1,055 18.54% 1,230 21.61% 3,406 59.85%
1964 3,285 58.03% 2,376 41.97% 0 0.00%
1960 1,134 23.80% 3,630 76.20% 0 0.00%
1956 738 17.50% 3,479 82.50% 0 0.00%
1952 454 11.64% 3,445 88.36% 0 0.00%
1948 210 8.49% 1,725 69.75% 538 21.75%
1944 237 14.16% 1,437 85.84% 0 0.00%
1940 171 11.74% 1,280 87.91% 5 0.34%
1936 71 5.31% 1,259 94.24% 6 0.45%
1932 33 1.16% 2,809 98.80% 1 0.04%
1928 273 28.74% 677 71.26% 0 0.00%
1924 91 5.19% 1,654 94.30% 9 0.51%
1920 177 22.01% 627 77.99% 0 0.00%
1916 64 7.22% 788 88.84% 35 3.95%
1912 12 1.66% 684 94.48% 28 3.87%
1908 177 22.63% 544 69.57% 61 7.80%
1904 98 12.22% 688 85.79% 16 2.00%
1900 211 27.84% 541 71.37% 6 0.79%
1896 315 33.09% 568 59.66% 69 7.25%
1892 209 20.65% 795 78.56% 8 0.79%
1888 406 44.42% 496 54.27% 12 1.31%
1884 343 41.88% 476 58.12% 0 0.00%
1880 65 15.19% 363 84.81% 0 0.00%



See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Dodge County, Georgia

References[]

  1. ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13091.html. 
  2. ^ National Association of Counties. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ Cobb, Addie Davis (1979). History of Dodge County. Spartanburg, SC: Reprint Co. ISBN 0871522934. OCLC 4774891. 
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. pp. 107. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  5. ^ United States Census Bureau (February 12, 2011). "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. 
  6. ^ Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission. Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission Interactive Mapping Experience (Map). http://www.gaswcc.org/maps/. 
  7. ^ United States Census Bureau. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  8. ^ University of Virginia Library. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  9. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ga190090.txt. 
  10. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  11. ^ "Explore Census Data". https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US13091&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2. 
  12. ^ a b c United States Census Bureau. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US13091. 
  13. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US13091. 
  14. ^ United States Census Bureau. "DP02 Selected Social Characteristics in the United States". 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US13091. 
  15. ^ United States Census Bureau. "DP03 Selected Economic Characteristics". 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US13091. 
  16. ^ Heart of Georgia Regional Airport. "Heart of Georgia Regional Airport". Heart of Georgia Regional Airport. http://www.heartofgeorgiaregionalairport.com. 
  17. ^ Pace, Ramey. "Air Traffic Management". Middle Georgia College. http://www.mgc.edu/aviation/atc/. 
  18. ^ Stuckey's Candy Company. "Stuckey's Candy Company". Stuckey's Candy Company. http://www.stuckeys.com/candy.php. 
  19. ^ "UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Don McCRANIE, Jackson Jones, Defendants-Appellants" (in en-US). FindLaw's United States Eleventh Circuit case and opinions.. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-11th-circuit/1374910.html. 
  20. ^ a b c "FindLaw's United States Eleventh Circuit case and opinions.". https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-11th-circuit/1374910.html. 
  21. ^ a b "Dodge sheriff pleads not guilty; voter fraud probe ongoing". macon. http://www.macon.com/news/article28573060.html. 
  22. ^ "Former Sheriff Sentenced For Vote Buying". Georgia Public Broadcasting. June 29, 2010. http://www.gpb.org/news/2010/06/29/former-sheriff-sentenced-for-vote-buying. 
  23. ^ "Former Dodge County Sheriff and Deputy Plead Guilty to 2004 Election Fraud" (in en-us). https://www.fbi.gov/atlanta/press-releases/2010/at031210b.htm. 
  24. ^ "Ex-Dodge sheriff gets 18 months for voter-fraud". macon. http://www.macon.com/news/article28587751.html. 
  25. ^ Manley, Rodney (October 2, 2009). "JP Attitude". http://www.jpattitude.com/FraudDocs/ThreeCharged_DodgeCountyGeorgia.pdf. 
  26. ^ "Former Dodge County, Ga. sheriff sentenced". Associated Press. http://www.wrdw.com/home/headlines/97401929.html. 
  27. ^ Leip, David (2020). "United States Presidential Election Results". David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. David Leip. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 32°10′N 83°10′W / 32.17, -83.17


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Dodge County, Georgia. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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