Creation

Georgia’s 1877 constitution prohibited the creation of new counties. Of course, several counties were created after that date, but in each case a constitutional amendment was required. The amendment creating Barrow County was approved by the state legislature on July 7, 1914 and ratified by the voters on November 3, 1914. The boundaries of the new county were specified as follows:

Beginning at a point amid stream where the Mulberry River crosses the Hall County line joining Jackson County; thence following the line between Hall and Jackson Counties to the corner of Hall, Gwinnett and Jackson Counties; thence in a direct line to the center of the Appalachia River at Freeman’s mill; thence following the middle of the current of said Appalachia River down to the line of Walton and Oconee Counties; thence following the line between Walton and Oconee counties to the common corner of Walton, Jackson and Oconee Counties; thence following the line between Jackson and Oconee counties to the Clarke County line dividing Oconee and Clarke Counties; thence in a direct line to McClesky’s Bridge at the central point over the Mulberry River; and thence up the said Mulberry River to the beginning point on the Hall County line.

This map is an attempt to plot these boundaries on a 1909 map so that you can see what portions of Gwinnett, Jackson, and Walton counties were taken to form Barrow County:

1909 map showing boundaries of Barrow County