Sumter County, in southwest Georgia, was established by an act of the state legislature on December 26, 1831, just four years after the Creek Indians vacated the region when the state acquired the territory from them in the 1825 Treaty of Indian Springs. Sumter, the state’s eightieth county, was created entirely from Lee County, now situated to its south. The county was named for General Thomas Sumter (1734-1832) of South Carolina.

Hercules Inc. in Brunswick, pictured in 2004, is an active chemical processing plant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified the plant as a Superfund site because of contamination from toxic waste. The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Suzuki Manufacturing of America is one of the companies contributing to the growing industry of technical metals and automotive parts in Rome. This industry has largely replaced the textile and carpet industry that was prominent in the area during much of the twentieth century. Photograph by George Pullen The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print.

Noble Jones used tabby, a mixture of limestone, sand, and shells, to build fortifications at Wormsloe in 1740 for the defense of Savannah. In 1793 he began construction on a new tabby home, the ruins of which are still standing. The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to the rights holder.

Ted Turner, a media magnate, philanthropist, and restauranteur, has played a significant role in the Atlanta business and entertainment communities since the establishment of his Turner Broadcasting System in 1970. As the creator of CNN, the owner of the Atlanta Braves, and cofounder of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, Turner has influenced a variety of arenas from the local to the international. The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print.