Wilkinson County, Georgia
Home of the

Swampland Opera House

Wilkinson County, the 29th county formed in Georgia, was named for General James Wilkinson, an officer of the Revolutionary War and a native of Maryland. It was created 11 May 1803 from part of the lands acquired from the Creeks by the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson (on the Oconee) at which General Wilkinson was a US Commissioner. The county seat is Irwinton. Courthouses were lost to fire in 1829, 1854, 1864, and 1924. The picture below was taken in 2002.


The incorporated cities of Wilkinson County are Allentown, Danville, Gordon, Irwinton, Ivey, McIntyre, and Toomsboro. The Swampland Opera House pictured at the top of this page is located in Toomsboro. It was built in 1916 by Edwin Boone and originally housed the town's main dry goods store. In 1975, Joe Boone, Jr. started the Swampland Opera House as a weekend venue for musicians throughout the southeast. Along with a stage, dance floor, restaurant, and vintage bank and vault, there is a loft area that was once used as a movie theater. Back in the 1980's I was lucky to perform with the "James Gang Cloggers" at the Swampland Opera House. I remember, then, thinking stepping inside was stepping back in time. I'm not sure what remains of this historic property, but it provided me with some wonderful and lasting memories.



Addresses:

Probate Court Vital Records PO Box 201 100 Main St. Irwinton, GA 31042 Ph: (912) 946-2222

Wilkinson County Courthouse PO Box 161 Irwinton, GA 31042-0161 Ph: (912) 946-2236 FAX: (912) 946-3767

Wilkinson County Chamber of Commerce PO Box 207 Irwinton, GA 31042 Ph: (912) 946-1122

Biographies:
- 1934 Members of the American Bar (biographical sketches)
- Descendants of Carolus ANDERSON
- Dr. Robert H. BASKIN
- Reverand Charles CULPEPPER
- I. H. HAND
- Descendants of Robert WARREN

Cemeteries:

Asbury Methodist Church	Balls Church	Bethel	Big Sandy	Branan-Vinson	Brundage
Byington	Clear Creek Baptist Church	Criswell	David Clay	Davis	Ebenezer Church
Fairchild	Friendship	Friendship Baptist Church Allentown	Hardy	Harvill	Hawthorne
Holliman	Hughes	Joel Butler	Jordan Stream Baptist Church Founded 1871	King	Lee
Leona Payne	Liberty	Lord Family	Macedonia	Massey	McArthur-Robinson
Mt. Nebo	Mt. Olive	Myrtle Springs Primitive Baptist Old Balls Ferry Rd	Nunn-Wheeler	Pleasant Plains	Poplar Springs
Price-Council-Carr	Ramah Church	Red Level	Rose Hill	Ryle	Salem
Shepherd	Snow Hill	Stevens-Cason	Stubbs	Temples	Thomas Dupree
Union Hill Baptist Church	Wall	Walnut Creek Baptist Church	Walters	Wesley	Whipple
White Springs	Whitehurst	-	-	-	-

Census:
- 1820 Federal Census
- 1850 Federal Census Index
- 1860 Federal Census
- 1880 Georgia Census for CHAMBERS Surname

Churches:
- Clear Creek Baptist Church
- Nunn-Wheeler Church
- Ramah Primitive Baptist
- Union Church
- Current List for Danville
- Current List for Irwinton
- Current List for McIntyre
- Current List for Toomsboro

Cities, Towns, and Communities (Past and Present):

Allentown	Beech Hill	Brooks	Carr Corners	Clayfields	Cooktown
Danville	Dedrich	Edgars	Goldens Mill	Gordon	Irwinton
Ivey	Lewiston	Lindsey	Massey Hill	McIntyre	Mount Carmel
	Nicklesville	Toomsboro	Wriley	Youngblood Corners

Government:
- Among the first county officers were Sheriff Edmund HOGAN, Clerk of
Superior Court Archibald MCINTIRE, Clerk of Inferior Court William BROWN,
Ordinary Drury GILBERT, Tax Receiver Arthur BURNEY, Tax Collector William
O'NEAL, Coroner Charles RAY, and Surveyor Britton MCCULLERS.

Industry:
- Wilkinson County has substantial kaolin deposits, which are mined.
Kaolin was discovered near Gordon about 1916 and the first mining company
was Columbia Kaolin and Aluminum Company.
- Medical Doctors and Dentists of Wilkinson County
- In 1910, the Pynetree Paper Company built one of the largest paper mills
in the country in Gordon. The only reminder left is the water tank and a
very tall, colored brick smoke stack.

Lookups:
- 1920 Georgia Federal Census

Mailing List Hosted by Rootsweb for Wilkinson County

Maps:
- Georgia Historical Atlas - Years available:
1822-1823, 1830, 1834, 1839, 1846, 1855, 1863-1865, 1874, 1883, 1885, 1895,
1904, 1910, 1915, 1952, 1970
- County Militia Districts
- Early Maps from Georgia's Virtual Vault

Military:
- Civil War Units:
3rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company F, Wilkinson Rifles
3rd Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company I, Carswell Guards
14th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company B, Ramah Guards
49th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Company A, Wilkinson Invincibles
57th Georgia Volunteer Infantry

Miscellaneous Data:
- Georgia Crime & Criminals Blog

Neighboring Counties:
- Jones - Baldwin - Washington - Johnson - Laurens - Bleckley - Twiggs

Newspapers:

established 1922

Wilkinson County News 100 High Hill St Irwinton, GA 31042-2610 Ph: (478) 946-2218

- Historical Georgia Newspaper Items
  - Confederate Soldiers' Home of Atlanta News Article

Photos:
- WEAVER Brothers

Reference Books:
- Wilkinson County, Georgia History and Biographies (can be purchased here)
- Wilkinson County Georgia Marriages 1820-1862 (can be purchased here)
- 1840 Wilkinson County, Georgia Census Index (can be purchased here)
- 1860 Wilkinson County, Georgia Census Index by Frances Ingmire (can be purchased here)
- The Freemasons: A History of the World's Most Powerful Secret Society

Schools (Historical):

Cool Springs Academy	Hazeltine	Kemp	Lavender	Liberty	Mt. Pleasant Academy	Poplar Head
Snow Hill	Talmadge Normal Academy	Thompson	Turkey Creek Academy	Union Hill	Wilkinson County Academy	Woodlawn

Social History:
- Battle of Griswoldville
- Social History Books and Links

Social Organizations:
- Irwinton Masonic Lodge (Photo, a few names, Freemasonry background)

Societies:
- Wilkinson County Historical Society

Websites:
- EUBANKS Genealogy maintained by Scott Eubanks
- Toomsboro, Georgia maintained by Bobill Weaver

Wills / Probate:
- Will Book A (1806-1829)

Submit Your Wilkinson County, Georgia Information!
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total history surrounding my family, the places they lived, the things they
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