Telfair County, Georgia

Telfair County
Telfair County Courthouse in McRae-Helena
Telfair County Courthouse in McRae-Helena
Map of Georgia highlighting Telfair County
Location within the U.S. state of Georgia
Map of the United States highlighting Georgia
Georgia's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°56′N 82°56′W / 31.93°N 82.94°W / 31.93; -82.94
Country United States
State Georgia
FoundedDecember 10, 1807; 217 years ago (1807)
Named forEdward Telfair
SeatMcRae-Helena
Largest cityMcRae-Helena
Area
 • Total
444 sq mi (1,150 km2)
 • Land437 sq mi (1,130 km2)
 • Water6.7 sq mi (17 km2)  1.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
12,477
 • Density29/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district8th
Websitetelfaircounty.georgia.gov

Telfair County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 12,477.[1] The largest city and county seat is McRae-Helena.[2]

In 2009, researchers from the Fernbank Museum of Natural History announced having found artifacts they associated with the 1541 Hernando de Soto Expedition at a private site near the Ocmulgee River, the first such find between Tallahassee, Florida and western North Carolina. De Soto's expedition was well recorded, but researchers have had difficulties finding artifacts from sites where he stopped. This site was an indigenous village occupied by the historic Creek people from the early 15th century into the 16th century. It was located further southeast than de Soto's expedition was thought to go in Georgia.[3]

  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Telfair County, Georgia". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Hudson, Charles M. (1997). Knights of Spain, Warriors of the Sun. University of Georgia Press. pp. 157–162.