Richmond County, Georgia (Augusta, Georgia)

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Consolidated city-county with an estimated 2008 population of 192,851. The city was originally a crossing point used by Native Americans. In 1735 James Oglethorpe dispatched a contingent of soldiers up the river from Savannah to settle at the highest navigable point on the river. They settled here to provide frontier protection against the French and Spanish. The town was named Augusta after Augusta, Princess of Wales, daughter-in-law of King George II. Augusta served as territorial capital from 1778-80, during the Revolution, and then as state capital from 1786 to 1796.

Richmond county was formed in 1777 and named for Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond, who was British Secretary of State and sympathetic to the cause of the American colonies. Augusta served as the county seat until 1996, when the city and most of Richmond County consolidated.

County Area: 324 sq. mi. (839 km. sq.); 91st largest county in Georgia.

www.augustaga.gov/