Located 254 miles southeast of Atlanta, Chatham County is the northernmost of six coastal counties belonging to the state of Georgia. Named for William Pitt, first Earl of Chatham, it was formed in 1777 and is the fifth-oldest county in Georgiaand and one of its original counties. Chatham County was occupied by the British in 1778, during the American Revolution. In October 1779 they successfully defended Savannah from the colonial as well as French armies during the Siege of Savannah.
After the war Savannah and all of Chatham County grew in population, as the city became one of the South’s most important ports. Today, the Savannah River ports of Savannah, Garden City and Port Wentworth service thousands of ships each year from around the world.
Nestled between the Savannah River and the Ogeechee River, Chatham County is bordered by Effingham County, Bryan County and the state of South Carolina. Towns in Chatham include Bloomingdale; Garden City; Pooler; Port Wentworth; Thunderbolt; Vernonburg; Tybee Island, a popular tourist destination with one of the few public beaches in Georgia; and Savannah, the county seat and largest city.
The population of Chatham County is 265,128; that represents a 14 percent increase in residents within the last decade, and makes Chatham the most populous Georgia county outside the Atlanta metro area. The median annual household income for the county is $41,022, higher than the state’s overall average of $35,217, and a bit higher than the national average of $40,673.
Modern Chatham County is an important industrial and transportation center. Major companies like International Paper and Kerr-McGee have plants here. The Savannah–Hilton Head International Airport serves both coastal Georgia and South Carolina and is home to Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.
Educational opportunities include two technical colleges: Ogeechee at Statesboro, with 2,237 students; and local Savannah Technical College with 3,600 students. Coastal Georgia Community College at Brunswick, 83 miles away, offers two-year technical degrees and has an enrollment of 2,210 students.
Four-year degree schools in the county include Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah College of Art & Design at Savannah, Savannah State University, Georgia Southern University and South University at Savannah.
The county is served by Savannah Airport, hosting a number of carriers including ASA, AirTran, COExpress, Delta, Pinnacle, United Express, US Airways and US Airways Express.
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