HELLO, WORLD!

Welcome to the first blog of the Meriwether County Historical Society! Whether you are just surfing the internet for historical matters, or looking for specific Meriwether County information, we hope you find something that sparks your interest here. Some quick information about our great county:

Meriwether County was created on December 14, 1827 the 73rd county created. The county was named for General David Meriwether, a state militiaman often called on by the federal government to negotiate with the Indians. General Meriwether served in the Revolutionary War and was a state legislator and a member of congress. 

The first courthouse in Meriwether County was destroyed in 1893 by a cyclone. 

The county seat is Greenville, named for Revolutionary war hero General Nathaniel Greene. Warm Springs--site of President Roosevelt's "Little White House"--is in the county. The historic site, operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, draws over 100,000 visitors annually. The warm springs pools used by Roosevelt and others in the 1930s and 1940s have been renovated.

The springs' waters stay naturally at 90 degrees, and were used by Indians as a healing spring and later as a spa for white settlers. More recently, Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as other polio victims, have benefited from the therapeutic water. The Warm Springs Foundation opened its doors to people suffering from other types of crippling disease and conditions after the invention of the polio vaccination.

The Red Oak Creek flows through Meriwether County into the Flint River. It is named for the beautiful red oak trees that grow in this area. The Chattahooche-Flint Highway, a scenic highway, runs through Coweta, Troup and Meriwether counties.

As of 2000, the population was 22,534. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 22,748.

The Meriwether County Courthouse
Greenville, Georgia