Emanuel

Formed December 10, 1812 (39^th county)

Emanuel County (22,769), Swainsboro (7,426)

Four courthouses have been in Emanuel County since it was organized on December 10, 1812.  There were 1895, 1920, and 1940 versions prior to the latest one built in 2003.  Swainsboro has been the only county seat.  James W. Buckley is the courthouse architect for this Modern style brown brick structure.  The latest structure incorporates an old 1936 post office and federal courthouse into the overall complex.  It sits on Main Street at Court Street.  United States Highway 1 Business is Main Street.  The courthouse features columns and veteran memorials.  Emanuel County was originally part of Bulloch and Montgomery counties until it became the 39^th county.  Johnson, Jenkins, Toombs, Candler, and Treutlen counties were later cut out of Emanuel County.  This modern courthouse structure is made of red brick and concrete. 

Emanuel County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, a coroner, a clerk, and a tax commissioner (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Fifteen Superior Court Judges serve Emanuel, Bleckley, Baldwin, Ben Hill, Candler, Crisp, Dodge, Dooly, Greene, Hancock, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Laurens, Montgomery, Morgan, Pulaski, Putnam, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Twiggs, Washington, Wheeler, Wilcox, and Wilkinson counties and a State Judge and Three County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Emanuel County (judicial.) Governor David Emanuel provided his name to the county.  The county seat was named for Colonel Stephen Swain.  The county center is 3.8 miles East of Swainsboro.  The county is in eastern Georgia.  The Ohoopee River is part of the county’s western border.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Jefferson, Burke, Jenkins, Candler, Tattnall, Toombs, Treutlen, and Johnson counties. 

The area of the county is 686 square miles.  It is 6 of 159 in size in the state.  It ranks 81 out of 159 in population in the state.  It has a density of 33.2 persons per square mile making it 118 out of 159 in the state.  Emanuel County has 47.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 16 cuts the southern tip of the county east to west from Candler County to Treutlen County.  United States Highway 1 goes north to south through the county from Jefferson County to Toombs County.  United States Highway 80 parallels Interstate Highway 16 from Candler County to Treutlen County.  United States Highway 221 passes north to south in the western part of the county from Johnson County to Treutlen County.  The county is funnel shaped with Swainsboro slightly west of center in the county.  Swainsboro is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.6% of the county population.