Gilmer

Formed December 3, 1832 (84^th county)

Gilmer County (31,354), Ellijay (1,869)

The Modern style red brick courthouse was built in 2007 next to the 1934 courthouse.  It is located on Dalton Street between River and Broad streets.  Dalton Street is Georgia State Highway 52.  JKH Architects are the designers of this courthouse with columns.  The Justice Center is connected to the courthouse.  The veterans memorials are across the street.  The county was founded on December 3, 1832 from Cherokee County as the 84^th county.  Ellijay has been the only county seat.  The county is named for Governor George Rockingham Gilmer.  The county seat is the Native American name for “green earth.”  Gilmer County was the birthplace of 1 Georgia Governor, William Y. Atkinson.  The county center is 2.1 miles East of Ellijay in East Ellijay. 

The area of the county is 427 square miles.  It is 50 out of 159 in the state.  It ranks 58 out of 159 in population in the state.  It has a density of 73.4 persons per square mile making it 76 out of 159 in the state.  Gilmer County has 8.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 76 comes in from the north, Fannin County, and goes out to the west, Murray County.  The county is shaped like a bird’s head.  Ellijay is located slightly west of center in the county.  Ellijay is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 6.0% of the county population. 

Gilmer County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, a coroner, a clerk, and a tax commissioner (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-eight Superior Court Judges serve Gilmer, Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Pickens, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White counties and Six County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Gilmer County (judicial.) Gilmer County is located in the northern part of the state.  Chattanooga, Tennessee is northwest and Atlanta, Georgia is southwest.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Fannin, Dawson, Pickens, Gordon and Murray counties.