Walton County is a county located in the East Central region of the U.S. - State of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 96,673. It is located about 30 miles east of the state capital, the city of Atlanta. Monroe is the county seat; Loganville is another major city.
Walton County is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metropolitan statistical area.
History
Walton County was created on December 15, 1818. It is named for George Walton, one of the three men from Georgia who signed the United States Declaration of Independence. The other two were Button Gwinnett and Lyman Hall.
A Supreme Court ruling in April 1946 had ruled that white primaries were unconstitutional, enabling some black citizens in Georgia to cast ballots for the first time during the primary race later that summer. This increased social tensions in many areas, as whites continued to oppose voting by blacks. In addition, many whites resisted black veterans' efforts to gain expanded freedoms following their service during World War II.
Moore's Ford lynchings (1946)
In July 1946, four African Americans were lynched in Walton County, Georgia. The victims were two married couples: George and Mae Murray Dorsey, and Roger and Dorothy Dorsey Malcom (reportedly pregnant).</blockquote>
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.3%) is water. The county is located in the Piedmont region of the state.
The western half of Walton County, in a half circle from Social Circle through Monroe to northeast of Loganville, is located in the Upper Ocmulgee River sub-basin of the Altamaha River basin. The eastern part of the county, east of that curve, is located in the Upper Oconee River sub-basin of the same Altamaha River basin.
Adjacent counties
- Barrow County – north
- Oconee County – northeast
- Morgan County – southeast
- Newton County – south
- Rockdale County – southwest
- Gwinnett County – northwest
Communities
Cities
- Good Hope
- Jersey
- Loganville
- Monroe
- Social Circle
- Walnut Grove
Towns
- Between
Unincorporated communities
- Bold Springs
- Campton
- Gratis
- Mt. Vernon
- Pannell
- Windsor
- Youth
- Split Silk
- Whatley