Dougherty County Tax Commissioner

About Dougherty

Albany, located in southwest Georgia along the Flint River, developed from a planned trading settlement into one of the region’s most influential agricultural and economic centers. The area was originally inhabited by the Creek Nation, who used the river system for travel and commerce. The city was founded in 1836 by Nelson Tift, a merchant and entrepreneur who envisioned a river-based trading hub similar to Albany, New York—hence the name. Tift promoted commerce, navigation, and orderly development, helping shape the area’s early growth.
Dougherty County, carved out of Baker County in 1853, quickly became part of Georgia’s plantation economy. Fertile soil and an accessible river made the region ideal for cotton production, and enslaved labor formed the backbone of local agriculture before the Civil War. After emancipation, Black farmers and laborers remained central to the economy, and Albany became a major location for sharecropping and tenant farming during Reconstruction and into the early 20th century.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the arrival of multiple railroads strengthened Albany’s commercial role, allowing it to expand agricultural markets and attract new industry. The city’s strategic location also led to the establishment of military installations during World War II, including the Naval Air Station and later the Marine Corps Logistics Base, which became one of the region’s largest employers.
Albany also played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Albany Movement (1961–1962), involving local activists, the NAACP, SNCC, and national figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sought to desegregate public facilities and challenge discriminatory practices. Although it faced resistance, the movement marked a significant chapter in the struggle for civil rights in Georgia.
Today, Albany and Dougherty County remain important regional centers for healthcare, education, logistics, and agriculture, shaped by a complex legacy of commerce, culture, and resilience.