HISTORY OF GWINNETT COUNTY
Gwinnett County was created by act of legislature on December 15, 1818 and named for Button Gwinnett (1735-1777), one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The first government was convened at Elisha Winn's home (the Winn House). Land for the new county came from Jackson (formerly Franklin) County and from the Indian Cession of 1818. In the east, the land was given out as Headrights. The majority of the county was divided into three districts (5, 6, 7) and distributed through the 1820 Land Lottery in lots of 250 acres each.
BECOME A PART OF OUR FAMILY
At the Gwinnett Historical Society we strive to preserve and
perpetuate the historic heritage of Gwinnett and we need you. You will receive our quarterly newsletter, The Heritage, exclusive access to our library and archives (of over five thousand historic photographs, documents and genealogy records) and10% off of any of our publications.
History in a Timeline
Gwinnett Archives
The Gwinnett Historical Society has a collection of more than four thousand images and over 300 documents ranging from old photos from Gwinnett families, churches and homes to a collection of documents of historical or genealogical importance such as deeds, marriage certificates, family bibles. There are items that were never meant to last and usually weren't kept called ephemera (e.g. tax receipts, movie tickets, playbills, advertising, &c.), interviews and audio files and even original court books donated from the Gwinnett courthouse and others. We also have tutorial guides to scanning your photos, slides, and negatives for archiving.
Library & Resources
The library at the Gwinnett Historical Society boasts a collection of over two thousand items ranging from published County and State histories to other society newsletters, individual family histories, DAR research, and military history. The emphasis of our collection is Gwinnett and Northeast Georgia history along with those states that our pioneer settlers migrated from including but not limited to South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
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Gwinnett County Cemeteries
External Site Disclaimer: By clicking the button above, you are leaving the Gwinnett Historical Society (GHS) website. This links to “Find A Grave” which is a nonaffiliated website; therefore, GHS cannot attest to its accuracy. However, GHS Members can find a more comprehensive list of over 400+ cemeteries along with a corresponding death index in our 'Members Only' section.**
Publications
These publications written from historians and Gwinnett County family lineage, are available for purchase from the Society's office in-person, by phone, by PayPal (click Buy Now), or by mail. Any of the SOLD OUT books are available in our library at the Gwinnett Historical Society for research only.
Guest Speaker Series
Gwinnett Historical Society Guest Speaker Series
During Gwinnett County’s Bicentennial Celebration, we collaborated with the County’s Communications Division to record Gwinnett residents sharing their stories about how we came to be and where we were in our 200th year. The featured video collection presents a few of these guest speakers from our Society’s General Membership Meetings that year. Our General Membership Meetings continue to have guest speakers such as Dacula native, Rubye Neal, as seen here, whose topics explore the past, and relate how it impacts the present and the future,
(These meetings are open are to the public. For more information, view our Meeting Calendar under “Events” in the navigation bar.)
Interactive Historical Map Series
Historic Gwinnett Driving Tour
The tour begins on the square in Lawrenceville at the old, historic courthouse. Allow at least five hours if actually driving in a car. The tour includes historic buildings, markers, monuments, churches and cemeteries. (Click 'ok' in the pop-up prompt to visit the page).
Historic Maps of Gwinnett County
Here is a sample of some of the historic maps of Gwinnett County. The maps consist of Gwinnett County's selected Historic Sites with Indian Trails, Stage Coach, and Georgia Militia Districts including historic buildings, markers, monuments, churches and cemeteries.
