Ben Hill County, Georgia

Ben Hill County Education, Geography, and History

Ben Hill County is a county located in the state of Georgia. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 17,634. Ben Hill County was created on July 31, 1906 from Irwin County and Wilcox County. The county seat is Fitzgerald. The county is named after Benjamin Harvey Hill, a former Confederate and United States Senator.

Ben Hill County comprises the Fitzgerald, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Ben Hill County Courthouse and Ben Hill County Jail are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Etymology - Origin of Ben Hill County Name

 The county is named for Benjamin Harvey Hill, US Senator from Georgia, a Whig leader, and a staunch opponent of Reconstruction.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Ben Hill County History

Ben Hill County was created in 1906, from Irwin and Wilcox counties, and was named for Benjamin Harvey Hill, US Senator from Georgia, a Whig leader, and a staunch opponent of Reconstruction.

The Historic District on South Lee and South Main streets in Fitzgerald is listed on the National Register. The old railroad depot is now home to the Blue/Gray Museum.

The county has only one incorporated city, Fitzgerald, which was founded by former Union soldiers on a 50,000 acre tract owned by the non-profit American Tribune Soldiers Colony Company. The citizens of Fitzgerald, pledging unity with their former enemies, named streets after leaders of both armies. The early concentration of population in the city aided the county's industrial development. The colony also founded the first public school in Georgia to offer free books and tuition.

Points of Interest

Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County maintain nine recreational parks and one river access park at the Ocmulgee River. These facilities offer playgrounds, team sports, natural areas, meeting and concert shelters, and public boat ramps.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 254 square miles (660 km²), of which 250 square miles (650 km²) is land and 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²) (1.5%) is water.

 Ben Hill county is located close to the center of Georgia.     The county is in the Ocmulgee River basin, the Suwannee River basin and the Satilla River basin

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Telfair County
• Southeast: Coffee County
• Southwest: Irwin County
• West: Turner County
• Northwest: Wilcox County

Education

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