Oconee is a city in Washington County, Georgia, United States. The population was 197 in 2020.
History
The city's name derives from the Oconee, a Hitchiti-speaking tribe who inhabited central Georgia from 1692 until 1715. The Oconee lived in present-day Baldwin County, Georgia at a settlement known as Oconee Old Town, later moving to the Chattahoochee River in the early 18th century. The name exists in several variations, including Ocone, Oconi, Ocony, and Ekwoni.
The city of Oconee was named after the river that bears the tribe's name. It was founded in the early 1840s, when the railroad was extended to that point.
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Oconee as a town in 1876.
Notable natives
- Berry Gordy Sr. and wife, Bertha Fuller Gordy, the parents of legendary music producer and Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr., left Oconee in 1922.
Geography
Oconee is located at 32°51′23″N 82°57′16″W (32.856310, -82.954316). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km2), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 280 people, 94 households, and 67 families living in the city. By 2020, its population was 197.
See also
- Central Savannah River Area
References
