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    Ware County

Established in 1824

From Appling to Ware

Ware County, Georgia was the 60th Georgia county and was formed on December 15, 1824, when cut from a portion of Appling. Ware County was named for Georgia Senator Nicholas Ware 1769-1824. With just over 900 square miles of land, Ware remains the largest county in Georgia.

In the late 1700s, Georgia officials designated this region as part of the Appling District, which was organized to govern the territory between the Ocmulgee and St. Marys rivers. The county was officially created on December 15, 1824, and was named in honor of Nicholas Ware, a United States Senator from Georgia.

map ware county georgia

Cemeteries

A listing of cemeteries in Ware County along with the index of interments.

Records

Review the records available for our Ware County ancestors.

Photos

Ware County residents from yesteryear: known and unknown.

Local Area

County Seat: Waycross

Waycross is the Ware County seat. Though once known as Tebeauville. In the late 19th century, the railroad industry was expanding rapidly in the southeastern United States. The Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, which was later absorbed into the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, planned to build a new rail line through southern Georgia. As part of this project, the railroad company founded a new town at the intersection of the new rail line and an existing rail line.

The town was named Waycross because it was located at the "way cross" of the two rail lines. The first train arrived in Waycross on December 15, 1874, and the town grew quickly as a center for rail transportation and commerce. In 1875, Waycross was officially incorporated as a city.

Waycross is known as the "Gateway to the Okefenokee Swamp," which is a large, protected wetland area located just south of the city. The swamp is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including alligators, snakes, and birds.

waycross georia
county map georgia us

Area

Neighboring Counties

The following counties surround Ware County:

The southern border is shared with the State of Florida.