Baldwin County

Baldwin County sits on lands originally inhabited by Creek Indians in central Georgia. Established in 1803, the county honors Abraham Baldwin, a Continental Congress member who authored legislation creating America's first state-supported university system - the University of Georgia.

Milledgeville, the county seat, served as Georgia's capital for 61 years. It was named for John Milledge, a prominent statesman, congressman, Georgia governor, and donor of the land where the university was constructed.

The first Baldwin County court session took place in a log cabin in Hillsborough (now part of Jasper County) in June 1806. By December 1807, the legislature had created four new counties from Baldwin's territory and designated Milledgeville as the county seat.

Baldwin County's courthouse history began with that Hillsborough log cabin owned by George Hill, where the initial court session occurred on June 26, 1806. The first permanent courthouse was completed in 1814 at a cost of $3,975 and served until replaced by a larger structure in 1847. After this building burned in 1861, court sessions rotated between the Georgia Capitol, Milledgeville Opera House, and local Masonic Hall.

In 1883, the legislature authorized Baldwin County to raise up to $25,000 for new county offices and a courthouse. Construction began in 1885 and finished in 1887. This historic courthouse underwent renovations in 1937 and 1965. Following local option sales tax approvals in the early 1990s, the current courthouse was built between 1995-1997.

The CDC provides essential guidance on safe water usage and potential health impacts of various contaminants found in municipal supplies. Their resources help residents understand water quality issues specific to Baldwin County.