Evans

Formed November 3, 1914 (150^th county)

Evans County (10,772), Claxton (2,605)

The 1923 tan brick structure is the only courthouse for Evans County since its November 3, 1914 founding.  The county was carved from parts of Bulloch and Tattnall counties as the 150^th county.  The building is located on a square at Courthouse, Freeman, Grady and Main streets.  United States Highway 280 is Main Street in the city.  The white columns stand out on the building designed by James J. Baldwin in Neo-Classical Revival style.  The courthouse has a tower with a working clock and veteran memorials on the grounds.  An Annex supports the courthouse from 1975.  Civil War General Clement A. Evans was the inspiration for the county’s name.  Actress Kate Claxton is the namesake for the county seat’s name.  The county center is 1.5 miles East of Claxton.  The Canoochee River forms the county’s northern border. 

Evans County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, a coroner, a clerk, and a tax commissioner (executive).  It has 6 Commissioners (legislative.)  Twenty-one Superior Court Judges serve Evans, Appling, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Coffee, Effingham, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Jenkins, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Screven, Tattnall, Ware, and Wayne counties and a State Judge and Five County Judges, court clerk, and county attorney serve Evans County (judicial.) The county is located in southeastern Georgia.  Savannah, Georgia is southeast and Macon, Georgia is northwest of the county.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Bulloch, Bryan, Liberty, Tattnall, and Candler counties. 

The area of the county is 185 square miles.  It is 146 of 159 in size in the state.  It ranks 123 out of 159 in population in the state.  It has a density of 58.2 persons per square mile making it 85 out of 159 in the state.  Evans County has 35.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 25/301 cross north to south through the county from Bulloch County to Tattnall County.  United States Highway 280 goes east to west in the county from Bryan County to Tattnall County.  The county has a slight fat letter L shape.  Claxton is located in the western third of the county.  Claxton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 24.2% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced CLAKS-TON.

Hagan