Formed December 15, 1853 (102nd county)
Dougherty County (85,790), Albany (69,652)
The Modern style masonry courthouse is three blocks north of United States Highway 82 at Pine and Hall streets. The facility was built in 1968 using the designs of Harry A. MacEwen and Edmond V. Jones. An Administration Center was added in 1999 and a Government Center in 1993. The courthouse features columns with an eternal flame and veteran memorials on the grounds. The county was established on December 15, 1853 as the 102nd county with a 1904 earlier courthouse in Albany the only county seat. The county was carved from Baker and Worth counties. The county was named for Judge Charles Dougherty. One source says the county seat was named for the Duke of Albany while another source says it was named for Albany, New York. The county center is in Albany 6.2 miles Southwest of the city center.
The area of the county is 330 square miles. It is 87 of 159 in size in the state. It ranks 29 out of 159 in population in the state. It has a density of 260.0 persons per square mile making it 28 out of 159 in the state. Dougherty County has 81.2% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 19 crosses the county north to south from Lee County to Mitchell County. United States Highway 82 goes southeast to northwest through the county, Worth County to Lee County. The county has an overall rectangular shape with Albany being in the northern part touching the northern border. Albany is the county seat and the largest and only incorporated city. It is 81.2% of the county population.
Dougherty County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, a coroner, a clerk, and a tax commissioner (executive). It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.) Sixteen Superior Court Judges serve Dougherty, Atkinson, Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Clinch, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, and Worth counties and a State Judge and Four County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Dougherty County (judicial.) Dougherty County is in southwest Georgia to the southeast of Columbus, Georgia and northwest of Valdosta, Georgia. The county is surrounded clockwise by Lee, Worth, Mitchell, Baker, Calhoun, and Terrell counties. The Flint River flows through the middle of the county. The county is pronounced DA-UR-TEE. This county is in the Albany Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Albany
