Bryan County, Georgia

Bryan County Education, Geography, and History

Bryan County is a county located in the state of Georgia. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 30,233. Bryan County was created on December 19, 1793. The county seat is Pembroke. The county is named in honor of Jonathan Bryan (1708-1788), a colonial settler and famous state representative.

Bryan County is part of the Savannah, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Bryan County is separated into two parts (North Bryan and South Bryan) due to the location of Fort Stewart in the middle of the county. The Bryan County Courthouse (Pembroke, Georgia) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Etymology - Origin of Bryan County Name

The county is named for Jonathan Bryan, a member of the King's Council who accompanied Oglethorpe and was an early critic of oppressive English rule.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Bryan County History

Bryan County was the 16th county formed in Georgia, from parts of Chatham county. The county is named for Jonathan Bryan, a member of the King's Council who accompanied Oglethorpe and was an early critic of oppressive English rule.

Fort Argyle, established by General Oglethorpe on the Ogeechee River, was to protect Savannah from Florida's Spaniards. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Also listed on the Register is Fort McAllister, a Civil War fort with the best preserved earthwork fabrications of the Confederate period.

Points of Interest

Fort Stewart, a large US Army training facility, completely divides the northern and southern portions of the county. The northern portion of the county is served by an east-west rail line and Interstate 16 which links Atlanta, Macon and Savannah. The southern portion is crossed by Interstate 95, which follows the coast from New York to Florida.

The Civil War movie Glory, starring award winning actor, Denzel Washington, was filmed in Bryan County.

Henry Ford bought a home in Bryan County, Richmond Hill Plantation, in the 1920s. He provided health care and educational opportunities for many county residents. Also of interest to tourists are the Ford Kindergarten Building (1937), St. Anne's Church (1925), and the Henry Ford Community House.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 454 square miles (1,180 km²), of which 436 square miles (1,130 km²) is land and 18 square miles (47 km²) (4.1%) is water.

 Bryan county is located in east Georgia. The county is in the Ogeechee River basin.

Bryan County is unique in that it is totally divided by the military installation at Ft. Stewart. Pembroke is in more rural north Bryan, while Richmond Hill in south Bryan county is a suburb of Savannah. To travel between the two on public roads, it is necessary to leave the county.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Effingham County; Chatham County
• Southeast: North Atlantic Ocean
• Southwest: Liberty County
• Northwest: Evans County; Bulloch County

Education

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