While we love and adore our great state of Georgia, there may be a few things that turn our cheeks a bright shade of red. From insanely ridiculous laws to weird pieces of history, take a look at these 11 embarrassing facts about Georgia that you may have never known.
1. The Georgia Colony originally spanned all the way to the Mississippi River.
So for all those Georgians who hate on Alabama for one reason or another, those Alabamians may have been Georgians at one point in time (insert scratching head emoji).
Besides the longer version "Atlantic-Pacifica", it was also previously named Terminus and Marthaville. I can only imagine the type of city pride everyone would have in Marthaville.
3. Carrying an ice cream cone in your pocket on Sundays is illegal.
Probably one of the more embarrassing laws in Georgia, it’s fun to even imagine how this law was enacted in the first place and what that time could have been spent on otherwise.
You’ve probably said this before at some point or another. But the phrase actually originated in Georgia because of Georgian colonials who would use Spanish moss to bind their mattresses together, bringing tiny little creepy crawly bed bugs in. How embarrassing.
While beautiful in their own right, it is slightly embarrassing that we had to make our own lakes. Darn you Mother Earth! (Just kidding, we have a much larger list to be thanking you for, starting with Amicalola Falls…)
6. There is only ONE county in Georgia named after a woman.
Only one, guys?! Out of 159?! This…..(sigh)…..is pretty embarrassing. Nancy Hart, a Revolutionary war rebel received the honor of having Hart County named after her. While wonderful, we need some more female recognition!!
7. Every citizen in Acworth must own a rake—by law!
I don’t know what’s more embarrassing though, that fact, or the rumor that they should really be named after an old Indian village called "Standing Pitch Tree" instead.
11. In the Chicken Capital of the World, Gainesville, Georgia, it is illegal to eat chicken with a fork.
What is embarrassing is that we spent time drafting up this joke of a law when all people want to do is enjoy their darn chicken!
Care to share your own embarrassing Georgia facts? Add some to the comments below! Otherwise, if you're interested in learning a bit more about our lovely state, then check out 12 Strange Habits Every Georgian Will Defend To The Death.
We all know that there are tons of famous people from Georgia, ranging from actors and singers to even a U.S. President. But the Peach State has also stood at the forefront of many firsts in the country, and even in the world! Many things invented in the state of Georgia have gone on to change history, and there's no shortage of Georgia inventions that deserve celebration. Check out a few of our favorite inventions from Georgia and notable firsts and see how many you are familiar with:
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1. Did you know that Georgia was the first United States colony to cultivate grapes?
The colonies of Virginia and both Carolinas tried and failed at colonial attempts at wine-making, but Georgia began cultivating grapes in 1735. By the turn of the 20th century, Georgia was a major producer of wines. This is surprising since it was also one of the earliest states to prohibit alcohol, in 1907. Today, Georgia is again a leading producer of wines. Varieties from the Muscadine grape are especially popular.
2. Another fun alcohol fact: Georgia was the first British colony to outlaw the sale of rum, in 1738.
The leaders of the Georgia colony in the 1700s prohibited the import and manufacturing of rum. They feared it would promote idleness, which is an understandable worry. In a time when working literally meant life or death, it's easy to see how this rule came about!
3. The first silk to be sent from the colonies to Britain came from Savannah. It was made into a dress for the queen.
Interestingly enough, the University of Georgia has several famous firsts of its own. Did you know UGA was the first school in the south to open up a school of forestry?
5. The first cotton gin was invented not far from Savannah, by Eli Whitney. It was then put into operation a few hours north near Washington, Georgia.
The cotton gin truly revolutionized the cotton industry, paving way for the South to move into economic powerhouse territory. This invention from Georgia was made in 1793.
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6. Wesleyan College in Macon was the first college in the entire world chartered to grant degrees to women.
This private liberal arts college for women was originally named the Georgia Female College when it was chartered in 1836. Wesleyan has the country's oldest alumnae association and also founded some of the earliest sororities in the United States.
7. In 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower the legal voting age from 21 to 18.
"Old enough to fight, old enough to vote" was a rallying cry during World War II. It was one that Georgia heard well, as the state was the first to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. The law wasn't passed nationally until 1971 - the Peach State was way ahead of the curve on this one!
8. Another fun thing from Georgia: John Wesley started the first Protestant Sunday school in America in 1736 in Savannah.
The great state that we now know of as Georgia was discovered by Hernando de Soto. He traveled to the Ocmulgee River in 1540, where he discovered an abandoned village.
10. The largest pig ever found, nicknamed Hogzilla, was found and killed in Alapaha, Georgia.
Hogzilla weighed 1,000 pounds and was 12 feet long! Feral hogs are pigs that escaped from farms many generations ago and now roam freely throughout the South. They can be aggressive and also are damaging to the environment. Hunting them is a popular sport, especially in South Georgia.
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11. Here's another important Georgia invention: ours was the first state to give women full property rights, back in 1866.
At a time when human rights were a hotly-debated topic, women in the South fully expected to have rights just like their husbands. In 1866, Georgia passed legislation allowing married women to have property rights.
12. The first newspaper to be written in a Native American language, The Cherokee Phoenix, was founded in Georgia in 1828.
The first Native American newspaper was printed in New Echota, Georgia, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. The newspaper disbanded in 1834. Pictured is the New Echota Historic Site, which stands today where the Cherokee Phoenix was once printed.
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13. In 1905, the Georgia Supreme Court was the first in the nation to recognize a constitutional right to privacy.
One of the defining aspects of our country is our privacy rights, and it's pretty cool that Georgia was the first state to realize this.
Did you know about any of these things invented in Georgia? Do you know of any other cool inventions from Georgia? Share your thoughts in the comments!
13 Quirky Facts About Georgia That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate
Georgia is rich in history and unique facts, including having the most counties east of the Mississippi and being home to the nation's first gold rush.
It goes without saying that there's a lot of history in Georgia. After all, we're one of the original 13 colonies, we've been involved in multiple wars, and a lot has happened here. Some fun facts about Georgia seem almost too weird to be true, though. We've gathered up a few of our favorites:
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1. Georgia has 159 counties, more than any other state east of the Mississippi River.
The only state in the country with more counties is Texas, which has 254. Some of Georgia's counties were created early in the state's history and were intended to be small enough that travelers could reach the county courthouse and back within a day on horseback. In modern times, the number of counties has become cumbersome. Rural counties with low population are required to have expensive county services on hand, causing inefficiencies and waste. Over the last few years, Georgia lawmakers have begun to discuss consolidating some of these smaller counties.
2. Georgia is (arguably) home to the nation's oldest state park.
This one's a bit of a historical debate. Indian Springs State Park in Butts County was not officially designated as a state park until 1931. However, the park was acquired from the local Creek tribe in 1825 and operated as a public park ever since. New York's Niagara Falls State Park was technically designated as a state park in 1885, so really, it depends on your definition of the term.
3. Approximately 350 species of birds live in Georgia at some point during their lifespan.
The Okefenokee Swamp spans 438,000 acres of south Georgia and northern Florida. Due to its immense size and array of natural diversity, it's considered one of Georgia's natural wonders. It's also the largest blackwater swamp in North America. Florida's Everglades are larger, but they're technically a river and not considered a swamp.
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6. Georgia once simultaneously had three governors.
We may think today's elections are wild, but they're nothing compared to the Georgia gubernatorial race of 1946. The race was won by controversial three-term governor Eugene Talmadge (pictured on right), but he passed away from liver sclerosis prior to being sworn in. Lieutenant governor-elect Melvin Thompson believed that thanks to the order of succession, he should be sworn in as governor.
A clause in the state constitution stated that in the event of the death of a governor prior to being sworn in, the state's general assembly would choose from the first two runners-up.
Thanks to this clause, the Georgia General Assembly named Herman Talmadge, Eugene Talmadge's son, as governor, claiming he had more than the minimum of 1,000 votes required to be considered a third runner-up. However, sitting governor Ellis Arnall claimed that he was governor until a successor was named, and he intended to fight against Herman Talmadge.
After a myriad of lawsuits, it was discovered by a journalist that some of Herman Talmadge's votes were fraudulent and he had not actually received 1,000 write-in votes, thus deeming him ineligible for the title of governor. The Supreme Court declared that Thompson was the true governor, but called for a special election in 1948. Thompson ruled as governor for that brief time period, but suffered a devastating defeat in the special election, which was won by Herman Talmadge with over 97% of the vote.
7. Georgia was home to the nation's first gold rush.
The California gold rush of 1848 was one of the most famous events in history, but the first major gold rush in American history actually took place about 20 years prior. The Dahlonega gold rush of 1829 was the nation's first major gold rush, attracting thousands of fortune-seekers to the North Georgia area.
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8. The famous Forsyth Park fountain in Savannah was ordered from a catalog.
Savannah's fountain in Forsyth Park is one of the most famous symbols of this historic city. Those who love Savannah tend to think of it as a unique part of the city's culture and imagery, but it was actually ordered from a catalog! Several others like it survive all over the world.
9. Savannah was given as a Christmas gift to President Lincoln in 1864.
Speaking of Savannah, the city was captured by General Sherman in his infamous March to the Sea during the Civil War. Much of the South was destroyed during the campaign, but the final destination, Savannah, was spared. Sherman famously wired President Lincoln a message on December 22, 1864 offering him the city as a Christmas gift (along with guns, ammunition, and 25,000 bales of cotton).
10. Georgia could fit into the state of Alaska 10 times.
We all know Alaska is the largest state, but because it's close to the North Pole, the size is distorted on maps. It often appears much smaller than it actually is. Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River, but even so, it would still be able to fit into Alaska nearly 11 times!
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11. Hart County is the only county in Georgia named after a woman.
Nearly all of Georgia's 159 counties are named after people. Namesakes run the gauntlet from Robert Fulton (inventor of the steamship) to Jefferson Davis (president of the Confederacy) to Archibald Bulloch (provincial governor of Georgia). However, only Hart County is named for a woman: Nancy Hart. This rebel frontierswoman was a hero during the Revolutionary War. So many legends surround her heroics that it's impossible to tell fact from fiction, but what's known for sure is that Lake Hartwell and Hart County are both named for her.
We have no shortage of great lakes in Georgia, so many people are surprised to learn that nearly all of them are man-made. We do have some smaller natural lakes, but most of the lakes that are popular for recreation, like Lake Allatoona, Lake Lanier, and Lake Rabun were reservoirs formed by humans. Most natural lakes are the result of glacier movement thousands of years ago, so they are rarer to find in the south than they are in the northern areas of the country.
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13. Georgia was not actually founded as a penal colony.
This persistent myth has lived on through the years. In truth, founder James Oglethorpe did intend for Georgia to be a debtors' colony where those who were imprisoned for debt could work off their debts. However, King George II demanded that the colony make money for Britain, so Oglethorpe's dreams fell by the wayside and Georgia was established as a traditional royal colony.
How many of these fun facts about Georgia did you already know? Do you have any other Georgia facts to share? Let us know in the comments below! And, if you're feeling proud to hail from Georgia, check out this unique collection of apparel from Wear Your Roots.
