Our frontier town in the early 1800's was a precursor of what was to come fifty years later in the west.
The new capital was a rather crude frontier community with simple clapboard houses, a multitude of inns and taverns, law offices, bordellos, and hostelries. The town attracted several blacksmiths, whitesmiths, apothecaries, dry-goods merchants, and even booksellers. Travelers to the town were generally unimpressed, noting the ill-kept and overcrowded inns, the gambling, the dueling, and the bitter political feuds.
The land in Baldwin County was distributed by the 1805 Land Lottery. The Second (1807) Lottery of Georgia, Act of Legislature was passed on June 26, 1806. It added lands ceded by the Creeks to Baldwin and Wilkinson counties. On Dec. 10, 1807, the legislature divided Baldwin County into four new counties -- Morgan, Jones, Putnam, and Randolph (which was renamed Jasper). In the same act, Baldwin County was given land east of the Oconee River from Hancock and Washington counties.
Portions of Hancock County were added in 1807. Portions of Washington County were added in 1807, 1812 and 1826. Portions of Jones County were added in 1856.
