Mitchell

Formed December 21, 1857 (121^st county)

Mitchell County (21,762), Camilla (5,187)                

The Art Deco and Stripped Classical masonry courthouse was built in 1937 to replace the 1890 building.  William J. J. Chase is the architect.  The county was organized on December 21, 1857 from Baker County as the 121^st county with Camilla as the only county seat.  The building sits on a square at Court, Oakland, Harney, and Broad streets.  Georgia State Highway 37 is Broad Street.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  One theory gives the county’s name source to Revolutionary War General Henry Mitchell while another theory gives it to Governor David Brydie Mitchell.  The county seat is named for the daughter of David Mitchell.  The county center is in Camilla 1.9 miles Northwest of the city center.  The Flint River forms the county’s western border. 

Mitchell 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 Mitchell, Atkinson, Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Clinch, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties and a State Judge and Three County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Mitchell County (judicial.) Mitchell County is in southwest Georgia directly south of Albany, Georgia and northwest of Valdosta, Georgia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Dougherty, Worth, Colquitt, Thomas, Grady, Decatur, and Baker counties. 

The area of the county is 512 square miles.  It is 21 out of 159 counties in the state.  It ranks 83 out of 159 in population in the state.  It has a density of 42.5 persons per square mile making it 99 out of 159 in the state.  Mitchell County has 45.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 19 goes north to south in the county from Dougherty County to Thomas County.  The county is overall triangular shaped.  Camilla is located slightly southeast of geographical center.  Camilla is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 23.8% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced KA-MIL-A.