Chatham County, Georgia

Chatham County Education, Geography, and History

Chatham County is a county located in the state of Georgia. The US Census Bureau's 2014 population estimate was 283,379 residents. One of the original counties of Georgia, Chatham County was created February 5, 1777.  The county seat and largest city is Savannah. The county is named after William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham

Chatham County is included in the Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Chatham County Name

The county was named for one of England's most celebrated prime ministers, William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Chatham County History

Chatham County, the 3rd county formed in Georgia, was created from what had been Christ Church Parish and part of St. Phillip's Parish, dating from 1758. The county was named for one of England's most celebrated prime ministers, William Pitt, the Earl of Chatham.

Comprising the state's northern most coastal area, at the mouth of the Savannah River, Chatham County includes the site on which General James Oglethorpe landed in 1733 to establish the Georgia Colony.

Points of Interest

Savannah is home to a National Historic Landmark District of 2.5 square miles, and more than 1,100 architecturally significant buildings. The Victorian District is one of the nation's largest collections of that period's architecture.

Notable Citizens

Chatham County claims many notable people. James Habersham was the Secretary and Acting Governor of the Colony, and Joseph Habersham was the first Postmaster of the United States. Joseph also was the leader of a group known as the Liberty Boys who stole British ammunition and sent it to Boston at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Juliette Gordon Lowe, the founder of the Girl Scouts, was from Savannah. Also, famous songwriter and musician Johnny Mercer hails from the county.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 632 square miles (1,640 km²), of which 426 square miles (1,100 km²) is land and 206 square miles (530 km²) (32.6%) is water.

Chatham County is the northernmost of Georgia's coastal counties on the Atlantic Ocean. The county is bounded on the northeast by the Savannah River, and in the southwest bounded by the Ogeechee River. Chatham is in the Ogeechee River basin and the Savannah River basin.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• North: Jasper County, S.C.
• Southeast: North Atlantic Ocean
• Southwest: Bryan County
• Northwest: Effingham County

Education

Armstrong Atlantic State University, South College, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Savannah State University.

Compare More Colleges and Universities

Find more schools to match to your needs.

Start Now