History:

Originally part of Wilkes County, its neighbor to the west, Lincoln County was created on February 20, 1796. Lincoln County was named after Revolutionary War hero General Benjamin Lincoln, who was a distinguished American patriot, when it became the twenty-fourth county created in Georgia.

The county seat is located in Lincolnton, the only municipality in Lincoln County. Lincolnton was selected in 1798 as a central location for the county courthouse and jail. Incorporated in December 1817, the city of Lincolnton extends in a one-mile radius that originates at a Confederate Monument which marks the site of the original courthouse.

Formerly serving as the agricultural and government service center for the county, Lincolnton is currently evolving into the recreational, tourism and manufacturing employment center for the Clarks Hill Lake Area.

Lincoln County has experienced significant change during the past three decades. Clarks Hill Lake has become a popular sports area for northeast Georgia, and particularly for the Augusta Metropolitan area. This factor, coupled with increasing manufacturing opportunities, has led to a steadily increasing rate of population growth and a dramatic change of image for Lincoln County.

Lincoln County has the distinction of being the first county-wide listing in Georgia in the National Register of Historical Places. On September 21, 1993, over 160 historic buildings in Lincoln County were listed in the National Register through the Department of the Interior, National Park Services. The National Register is the federal government's official list of historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts worthy of preservation. The historic buildings must be fifty years or older possessing historic integrity and meeting one or more of four criteria. The historic districts listed were named as Lincolnton, Double Branches, and Woodlawn The Amity School was listed individually because of its isolated location.

The nomination, sponsored by Lincoln County and the Lincoln County Historical Society, is called a multiple property nomination because of the different types of historic properties listed: commercial, residential, rural, educational, religious, etc. Being listed in the National Register recognizes a property's significance and ensures that the property will be taken into account in the planning of federally funded or licensed projects. In addition, owners of income-producing National Register properties may be eligible for rehabilitation tax incentives.