The Georgia legislature created Monroe County on May 15, 1821, so 2021 marks Monroe County’s 200th birthday. To commemorate the historic event, Monroe County Commissioners in 2019 established a steering committee, led by local historian Ralph Bass, to plan the occasion.
MISSION STATEMENT
To develop and implement all the plans needed for a celebration of Monroe County’s 200th anniversary. This includes appointing volunteer teams with captains to implement the various activities needed for a successful celebration.
The Bicentennial Commission initially intended to hold its main two-day festival in mid-May 2021 on the exact 200th birthday of the county. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world in 2020, the Bicentennial Commission decided to postpone the May festival until fall 2021, selecting the weekend of September 25-26, 2021.
Thanks largely to financial assistance from sponsor Georgia Power, the Commission has erected a year-long historical exhibit in the lobby of the Monroe County Administration Building that will run until the end of 2021. The theme of the exhibit changes monthly, starting the year with Communities in January, followed by Railroads in February and Medical History in March. Other bicentennial celebration activities are in the works, and all information about dates and locations will be provided under the Events.
