Elbert County was originally settled before the American Revolution (1775-83) by pioneers traveling into the area from Virginia and the Carolinas. One of the American Revolution’s most famous heroines, Nancy Hart, single-handedly defeated a party of Tories who invaded her log cabin here on the Broad River, earning her a place in history books.
The county was officially established in 1790, becoming Georgia’s 13th county, and named for Gen. Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary soldier and Governor of Georgia (1785-1786). Elbert County is situated on 374 square miles of rolling hills on the border with South Carolina, bounded on three sides by Hart, Lincoln, Madison, Oglethorpe, and Wilkes counties.
Elbert County has a population of more than 19,000 people. Communities in the county include Elberton (the county seat), Bowman, and the unincorporated areas of Dewy Rose, Fortsonia, Hard Cash, Middleton, Ruckersville, Rock Branch, and Petersburg.
Elbert County’s primary industry and natural resource is granite. High-quality stone is quarried here and finished by many manufacturing companies before being shipped worldwide. Many of the buildings in Elberton and Elbert County were constructed from granite, including the 20,000-seat Granite Bowl, home of the Elbert County Blue Devils. Agriculture is another major industry in Elbert County, with poultry operations leading the way.
In addition to employment opportunities, Elbert County has many resources for entertainment and recreation, including community theater, sports leagues, colonial homes, Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course, Richard B. Russell and Clark's Hill lakes, Bobby Brown Park, wildlife management areas for hunting, and much more.
Elberton Utilities is a full-service department of the City of Elberton, providing Electric, Natural Gas, Water and Wastewater services to homes and businesses in the City of Elberton and to a large portion of Elbert County. Elberton Utilities is a community-owned utility where 100% of all profits and proceeds are reinvested in the community. The Public Works Department also provides Solid Waste and recycling services to homes and businesses inside the Elberton city limits.
Hart Electric Membership Corp. provides electricity to some Elbert County residents and businesses that do not fall within Elberton Utilities’ service area.
ElbertonNET offers fiber-optic broadband telecommunications (high speed internet, cable TV, and digital telephone) to more than 4,200 homes and residences in all parts of Elbert County. Over time, the network has grown from the city limits of Elberton to include communities from Montevideo to Fortsonia, from Lake Russell to the Broad River, and many locations in between, including the Elberton Industrial Park. ElbertonNET is a part of the Georgia Public Web, connected to its 3,000-mile self-healing SONET fiber system. In addition to high-speed internet, several business products are available, such as Point-to-Point private line connections and a 24-hour a day, seven days a week Network Operations Center.
Hart Telephone Company provides internet, cable TV, phone, home security and computer services to some areas of Elbert County.
· 3 interstate truck lines
· 20 inter/intrastate truck lines
· Norfolk Southern piggyback at Atlanta (96 miles)
· CSX piggyback at Atlanta (96 miles)
· Seaport: Savannah (211 miles) with a maintained channel depth of 42 feet
· Commercial: Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (64 miles) served by seven carriers to 23 destinations; Augusta Regional Airport (82 miles) served by Delta Air Lines and American Airlines; Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (119 miles) serving more than 150 U.S. destinations and more than 70 international destinations in 43 countries via 23 airlines
· Public: Elbert County-Patz Field (local) with 4,000 feet bituminous runway, aircraft tiedown, hangar, lighted runway; Athens-Ben Epps Airport (32 miles), charter services available
· There are currently 5 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations within a 10-mile radius of the center of Elberton, GA.
Elbert County Public Schools consistently boasts a four-year graduation rate above 90%, outpacing the state average. Advanced academic opportunities at Elbert County Comprehensive High School include honors courses, AP courses and dual enrollment.
Elbert County Campus of Athens Technical College serves more than 500 credit students from Elbert, Hart and Wilkes counties, and surrounding counties. Athens Technical College provides technical education, career training and economic development resources such as customized training, continuing education and industry certifications.
Elbert County is 35 miles from the University of Georgia, Anderson University, Emmanuel University, and 49 miles from Clemson University
Elbert Memorial Hospital is a 52-bed acute care general hospital offering a full range of surgical, inpatient/outpatient, and emergency services through highly trained professionals and state-of-the-art equipment. Only 35 miles from Elberton are two high-level regional medical centers. Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center is a 360-bed regional referral center with a Level 2 Trauma Center and a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. St. Mary’s Health Care System has 196 beds and provides emergency care, surgical services and extensive cardiac services, along with a host of other programs.
Elbert County has a solid mix of housing options, including ranch-style starter homes, large residences on countryside acreage, and waterside retreats. With housing costs about 65% lower than the national average and nearly 50% less than the state average, carving out your homeplace in Elbert County is a natural choice.
| Entity | Rate |
|---|---|
| State of Georgia | 4% |
| Elbert County (1% Local, 1% Special, | 4% |
| 1% Education, 1% Transportation) | |
| Total | 8% |
| Entity | Millage (Incorporated) |
Millage (Unincorporated) |
|---|---|---|
| State | 0 | 0 |
| County General (M&O) | 10.602 | 9.978 |
| School General | 14.000 | 14.000 |
| Total Millage Rate | 24.602 | 23.978 |
No local income tax for city or county residents.
