About Wayne County

Size of County: 28.895 County Seat: Jesup (9279) Total Area: 644.7 Square Miles Annual Budget:  16.8 Mil. Number of Employees:  271 Total 171 permanent & 100 part-time

Incorporated: May 11, 1803

History:  Georgia's 28th county, Wayne County, was created in 1803 from Creek Indian land. The county bears the name of a flamboyant Pennsylvania commander in the Revolutionary War, General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. Until 1850, the county bragged that it had no jails and needed none.

The county seat was moved to Jesup in 1874. The current courthouse, built in 1803, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Often called "the town that trains made," Jesup's history is full of railway lore. In 1890, 57 trains per day made stops in Jesup, passenger fares collected averaged $1,000 per day, and the rail yard could hold 500 cars. Residents relied on the trains to set their clocks, provide entertainment, and sound alarms in emergencies. By 1924, Jesup was known as the railway center of South Coast Georgia. Trains still stop for passenger service three times daily.

For recreation, residents of Wayne County may choose from many water sports. The Altamaha River offers canoeing, boating and fishing. Skiing competitions on Lake Kenerly attract national athletes.

Wayne County is home to two Wildlife Management Areas: Little Satilla and Tyler Tract.

Wayne County hosts four annual festivals: Jesup's Dogwood Arts and Crafts Festival, the Fourth of July Celebration in Screven, Odum's Homecoming Day, and the Jesup Arch Fest.