Phone: 478-862-3637
Tax Due Date(s): December 20
Notes:
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Taylor County, located in west-central Georgia, was established on January 15, 1852, from portions of Macon, Marion, and Talbot counties. It was named in honor of Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States and a hero of the Mexican-American War. The county seat, Butler, followed shortly after, incorporated in 1854 and named for General William Orlando Butler, another distinguished figure from the same conflict.
Long before European-American settlement, the area was home to the Creek Nation, who were displaced in the 19th century. Taylor County’s growth was fueled by the expansion of the Central of Georgia Railway in the 1850s, with Butler becoming a vital stop nicknamed the “Fifty Mile Station” for its location midway between Macon and Columbus.
Agriculture quickly became, and remains, the backbone of Taylor County’s economy. The sandy soils have long supported thriving crops like cotton, vegetables, and especially peaches. Taylor County peaches earned a reputation for excellence, reaching markets across the North and East.
Taylor County’s story also intersects with the broader history of civil rights in America. In 1946, Maceo Snipes, a World War II veteran and the first African American to vote in the county, was tragically murdered by the Ku Klux Klan, an event that captured national attention and inspired Martin Luther King Jr. to write his first published letter condemning racial violence.
Today, visitors can experience Taylor County’s rich heritage through attractions like the Taylor County Courthouse in Butler, a Neoclassical Revival landmark built in 1935. Annual events such as the Georgia Strawberry Festival in Reynolds celebrate the county’s agricultural traditions and strong community spirit. With its deep historical roots and enduring rural charm, Taylor County offers a window into the heart of Georgia’s past and present.