Formed December 15, 1818 (41st county)
Early County (10,855), Blakely (5,375)
The Neo-Classical Revival-style Early County courthouse was built in 1904. The building was renovated in 1994. Since the county was created on December 15, 1818 as the 41st county, Richard Grimsley’s house served as the county courthouse until 1826 when Blakely became the county seat. The county was taken from Creek lands. This courthouse is built of red brick using the designs of Morgan & Dillon. It is on the square formed by the intersection of Magnolia and Main streets. The courthouse features columns and a dome with working clock. Veteran memorials are on the grounds. United States Highway 27 Business is Main Street. The county center is 6.5 miles Southeast of Blakely.
Early 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 Early, Atkinson, Baker, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Clinch, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Dougherty, 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 Early County (judicial.) The county is located in southwest Georgia south of Columbus, Georgia and southwest of Albany, Georgia. The county is surrounded clockwise by Clay, Calhoun, Baker, Miller, and Seminole counties and Alabama. The county’s namesake was Governor Peter Early. The county seat was named for War of 1812 Naval Hero Captain Johnson Blakely.
The area of the county is 511 square miles. It is 22 of 159 in size in the state. It ranks 122 out of 159 in population in the state. It has a density of 21.2 persons per square mile making it 139 out of 159 in the state. Early County has 55.6% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 27 crosses north to south in the county from Clay County to Miller County. United States Highway 84 clips the southwest corner from Seminole County to Alabama, east to west. The county is shaped like a comma with Blakely located in the northwest quarter of the county. Blakely is the county seat and the largest city. It is 49.5% of the county population.
Blakely
Damascus
Jakin
Arlington
