Upson County is a county in the West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,700. The county seat is Thomaston. The county was created on December 15, 1824. Upson County comprises the Thomaston, GA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs CSA.

History

Upson County was formed in 1824 and named after Stephen Upson, a state legislator.

Emancipation Day

On May 29, 1865, following the conclusion of the American Civil War, enslaved African Americans in the county were notified in Thomaston that they had been emancipated. By the following year, celebrations were held on that date, which continue to this day. It is considered one of the largest Emancipation Day celebrations in Georgia and one of the oldest continuously celebrated ones in the United States.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 328 sqmi, of which 323 sqmi is land and 4.1 sqmi (1.3%) is water. Upson County boasts the lowest average summer humidity in the state. The vast majority of Upson County is located in the Upper Flint River sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin), with just a tiny northeastern corner of the county, north of Yatesville, located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Communities

City

Town

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 27,700 people, 10,154 households, and 6,100 families residing in the county.

Politics

Notable people