Cook

Formed November 5, 1918 (152^nd county)

Cook County (17,230), Adel (5,573)

The white stucco and brick courthouse was built in 1939 on Hutchison Street between 2^nd and 3^rd streets.  United States Highway 41 is Hutchinson Street.  The style is Stripped Classical and provided by William J. J. Chase.  The building was enlarged in 1973.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  The county is established on November 5, 1918 from Berrien County as the 152^nd county with Adel as the only county seat.  The county was named for Georgia Senator Philip Cook.  Tradition says Adel comes from the middle letters of Philadelphia.  The county center is 1.4 miles North-Northwest of Adel nearer Sparks. 

Cook County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, a coroner, a clerk, and a tax commissioner (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Sixteen Superior Court Judges serve Cook, Atkinson, Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Clinch, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties and Six County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Cook County (judicial.) The county is in southern Georgia immediately north of Valdosta, Georgia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Tift, Berrien, Lowndes, Brooks, and Colquitt counties. 

The area of the county is 229 square miles.  It is 129 of 159 in size in the state.  It ranks 100 out of 159 in population in the state.  It has a density of 75.2 persons per square mile making it 71 out of 159 in the state.  Cook County has 50.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 75 crosses from north to south Tift County to Lowndes County.  United States Highway 41 parallels Interstate Highway 75 from Tift County to Lowndes County.  The county’s shape is a vase turned upside down.  Adel is located in the southern third of the county.  Adel is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.3% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced AE-DEL.

Sparks