History of Rabun County, Georgia: Explore 1775 until present…

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Take a step back in time with this Rabun County Historical Timeline from 1775 through present day. Be sure to keep checking back for new information as the page grows.
Explore the Rich History of Rabun County Georgia:

1700’s

May, 1775– William Bartram, explorer and naturalist crossed the Chattooga River into Georgia near the point where it joins with Warwoman Creek. The Bartrum Trail memorialized his journey into and through what eventually became Clayton, Mountain City, and other parts of Rabun County and Northeast Georgia.
1794- Some of the first documented settlers were recorded in the area, including John Dillard and his family. This land was received as a land grant for his service in the American Revolution.

1800’s

December 21, 1819- The Georgia General Assembly passed an act to create Rabun County from lands ceded by the Cherokee Indians, making it the states forty-seventh county. The county was named for Georgia governor William Rabun.
1820– Population: 524
1821– legislature established the county seat of Rabun County, naming it Claytonsville, after judge Augustin Smith Clayton.
1823– The location of the county seat changed at the citizens request, and the town’s name was shortened to Clayton.
1828- The Georgia General Assembly transferred a portion of Habersham County to Rabun County.
1830– Population: 2,176
1838– Legislature redefined the Rabun County, Habersham County line.
1840– Population: 1,912
1850– Population: 2,448
1856- Portions of Rabun and Union Counties were divided out to create Towns County.
1860– Population: 3,271
1870– Population: 3,256
1880– Population: 4,634
1884– The town of Tallulah Falls, which straddles the border between Rabun and Habersham Counties, was incorporated. Most of it’s population resides on the Rabun County side.
1890– Population: 5,606
1896- The York House, which is the state’s oldest continuously operating bed-and-breakfast, was founded.
1898– The Tallulah Falls Railway was constructed. This railway continued to operate for over 60 years.

1900’s

1900– Population: 6,285
1904– Tiger was incorporated as a town in Rabun County.
1906– Dillard, Georgia was incorporated as a town in Rabun County, and was named for Revolutionary War veterans John and James Dillard.
1907– Mountain City, originally called Passover after the place where travelers passed over the Blue Ridge divide, was incorporated.
1908– Thomas E. Roane, a local entrepreneur, applied for a charter under the name of Clayton Light and Water Works Company; he built his own hydroelectric plant on Stekoa Creek.
1910– Population: 5,562
1913– Tallulah Falls hydroelectric plant first began generating electricity. This was on the the first hydroelectric plants in the United States.
1914– By now, Thomas E. Roane, had run power lines to Clayton from his hydroelectric plant on Stekoa Creek, providing power to more than fifty businesses and homes in the Rabun County area.
1919– Burton Dam was constructed.
1920– Population: 5,746
June 14, 1920– Lands purchased in 1911 became a part of the Cherokee National Scenic Area.
1924– Mathis Dam was constructed.
1926– The Nacoochee Dam was constructed.
1928– J.B. McCrary, built a dam and generation plant on Mud Creek at the base of Estatoah Falls, to provide electrical services to the city of Dillard and the surrounding community which included the Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. Known as Rabun Land and Water Company, the plant served the community its for decades, until sold to Georgia Power in 1960.
December 1928– Thomas E. Roane sold his company, Clayton Light and Water Works Company, to Georgia Power.
September 1929– Georgia Power completed running power lines to Rabun County and the first street lights were installed in Clayton, Georgia.
1930– Population: 6,331
1938– Habersham Electric Membership Cooperative was formed in order to bring electricity to the rural areas of Habersham, Hall, White, Stephens, Rabun and Lumpkin counties.
1940– Population: 7,821
1946- Passenger services ended at the Tallulah Falls Train Depot, however, freight hauls continued til 1961 when the line was abandoned.
1956- The Tallulah Falls Railway was featured in the filming of The Great Locomotive Chase, a Disney movie filmed in Rabun County.
1960– Population: 7,456
1966– Foxfire Magazine was first published. Elliot Wigginton and the students in his English class at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School began a project to engage students in writing. The magazine now covers topics of the lifestyle, culture, crafts, and skills of people in southern Appalachia.
1967– The present day county courthouse was originally built in Clayton. Since its construction a second floor and other remodeling projects have been completed.
1970– Population: 8,327
1972– The popular film, Deliverance, was filmed largely in Rabun County; once the film was released, tourism in the area increased greatly bringing newcomer and vast revenue to the county.
1978- Sky Valley was incorporated as a town in Rabun County.
1980– Population: 10,466
1982– Rabun County was used as one of the settings for the Broadway premiere, Foxfire. The play was later turned into a Hallmark TV movie. Both the play and the movie contains several references to Rabun County and it’s surrounding areas.
1990– Population: 11,648
1991– Larry Burkett’s fantasy novel The Illuminati was set partly in Rabun County.

2000’s

2000– Population: 15,050
March 2006- Fruit of the Loom announced it would close the Rabun Apparel plant and laid of all 930 employees.
2010– Population: 16,276
June 2012– Rabun County held the Chattooga River Festival, to bring awareness and encourage preservation of the Chattooga River and its environment.

For More Information on Rabun County, Georgia:
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