You will find that just twenty miles south of Atlanta, Henry County is the perfect getaway. It is close to the action, but worlds away from ordinary. NASCAR fans, history buffs, animal lovers, outdoorsy types and die-hard shoppers will find Henry County ... Read More

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About > History

The Story

Henry County has a long, rich history beginning with its formation in 1821 from land acquired from the Creek Indian Nation during the First Treaty of Indian Springs. Its borders originally extended from Indian Springs to the south and north to the Chattahoochee River near Sandy Springs. Within a year of its creation Henry County began being broken apart to form additional counties. In fact, it is known as the “Mother of Counties” as Butts, Clayton, DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Spalding counties were all created from pieces of Henry County.

During the early pioneer era there were no roads, schools, doctors or stores. Early pioneers carved their farms out of the vast wilderness and laid out the system of roads used today. From these early farms agriculture developed as Henry County’s main industry. During the Civil War the bountiful harvests from residents’ lands became an important food source for Confederate soldiers. This made Henry County a prime target for General Sherman and the Union Army. In fact, one of the largest cavalry raids in Georgia’s history and one of the last battles in the Battle of Atlanta was fought on Henry County soil. Since then Henry County has grown with the established towns and settlements. It prospered with the coming of the railroad in 1880 increasing its prominence as a major cotton market. Forty years later the county experienced the boll weevil depression forcing families to move away, reducing Henry County’s population from 20,000 to 15,000. Following World War II, Henry County began to gain strength as textile and industrial plants located to the county bringing with them jobs and income causing the economy to flourish.

By the 1960 an ambitious interstate program was announced that soon would be traveling right through the heart of Henry County promising an even brighter future to come. Construction of I-75 began in 1966 and began to move Henry County from an agrarian community to a bedroom community. In the more than 40 years since construction on I-75 began Henry County has transformed from a small farming community with just over 20,000 residents to a rapidly growing industrial hub with more than 190,000 citizens. It has consistently been one of the fastest growing counties in Georgia and in the nation. According to the 2008 Census estimates, Henry County is the 9th most populous county in Georgia and home to several major industries.

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