History of Pike County
Pike County, Georgia was established on December 9, 1822. It is Georgia's 57th county. Originally formed from part of Monroe County, it now includes the cities of Concord, Meansville, Molena, Williamson, and Zebulon, the county seat.
Pike County is located in the west-central part of Georgia. It includes 218.4 square miles, and is bordered by Spalding, Butts, Lamar, Upson and Meriwether counties. Pike County lies approximately 50 miles south of downtown Atlanta and approximately 50 miles northwest of Macon. The 2010 Census estimates Pike County as having a population of approximately 17,869. Pike County is one of the 28 counties that are included in the Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).
Pike County's first courthouse was a simple wooden structure built in a township that no longer exists, since the original legislation creating the county made no provision for selecting a county seat. After Zebulon was designated the county seat in 1825, a brick courthouse was erected on the public square. The current Pike County Courthouse is the pride of downtown Zebulon. Designed by Golucke & Stewart in the Romanesque Revival/Colonial Revival style, the current courthouse was built in 1895 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Recent renovations and expansion have further enhanced the presence of the structure, and redevelopment and revitalization of the surrounding square have contributed to the charming atmosphere unique to a thriving rural community.
Pike County, and its county seat, Zebulon, are both named after the famous explorer, Zebulon Montgomery Pike, a general in the War of 1812 (1812-15) and an explorer of the Louisiana Territory. Pike's expedition in 1805 tried unsuccessfully to follow the Mississippi river to its source. This was the same expedition in which he was made famous by his discovery of a Colorado mountain, subsequently named Pikes Peak. Although there are no direct ties between the famed explorer or the county, it seems fitting that the culture of Pike County is full of desire for outdoor adventure, and that the pursuit of a rustic lifestyle is a priority for many of the citizens who inhabit the county to this day.
Agriculture and forest products have traditionally been the economic mainstay in Pike County. Early crops were cotton and peaches, and poultry and soybeans became important farm products as well. Beginning in the 1970s, the county emerged as one of metropolitan Atlanta's bedroom communities, and the agritourism industry has slowly been cultivated from the desire of urban residents to conveniently escape the city and enjoy nature. In the early 2000s the county began to position itself for business and industrial growth, initially accommodating sectors that included textiles, structural steel fabrication, and advanced manufacturing.
