From the record
3 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
13 topographic sheets and 5 fire insurance atlases across 1 place.
3 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Taken for the Office of War Information and the Farm Security Administration, who photographed the country between 1935 and 1944. Works of United States government photographers, with no known restriction on use. Each opens its catalogue record.
Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Cook County Courthouse | building | 1995 | 95000714 |
![]() | SOWEGA Building | building | 1990 | 90000546 |
![]() | United States Post Office-Adel, Georgia | building | 2009 | 08001319 |
Selected from the Digital Public Library of America's 1 image records catalogued for this county. Every one shown here carries a public-domain status or a licence that permits reuse on a site that carries advertising; non-commercial, share-alike and restricted images are excluded. The selection is spread across the county's towns (at most eight per town), so no single institution's bulk upload crowds out the rest. Each opens the holding library's record, and the complete set at the Digital Public Library of America is one click away.
Flown by the U.S. Geological Survey between 1937 and 1989, the Aerial Photo Single Frames collection is the definitive mid-century view of the land: fields, roads and rivers as the camera saw them. The Survey holds 318 frames inside the rectangle that bounds this county; the 13 frames below were taken over the county itself, chosen across the decades of flights (at most four a year from that rectangle), so one flight cannot crowd out the rest. The full set is free to browse and download at EarthExplorer under the dataset Aerial Photo Single Frames.













The thermometers that kept this county's weather, and the gages that measured the flow of its streams, as the federal records hold them. The extremes below are measured values from those records, not estimates.
Who lived here in 1950, one enumeration district at a time, as the Census Bureau described each district. Each row opens its official National Archives result, with Population Schedules and ED Maps available there.
Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 1,443 of them, burning about 5,232 acres. 37 started naturally and 90 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 1012 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 189 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 90 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 39 |
| Natural | 37 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 26 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 21 |
| Smoking | 16 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 13 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 July 1993 | Natural | 702 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 19 January 2002 | Debris and open burning | 190 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2002-COOK-044 |
| 16 March 2016 | Debris and open burning | 120 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2016-COOK-005 |
| 7 April 2007 | Debris and open burning | 103 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 8 August 2002 | Debris and open burning | 94 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2003-COOK-015 |
| 20 March 2004 | Debris and open burning | 91 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
| 20 March 2011 | Debris and open burning | 88 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | FY2011-COOK-057 |
| 11 March 2006 | Debris and open burning | 88 acres | Georgia Forestry Commission | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 147 reports for this county, causing 7 deaths, 48 injuries and about $3,696,420 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 93 |
| Hail | 20 |
| Tornado | 17 |
| Flash Flood | 9 |
| Lightning | 6 |
| Flood | 1 |
| Winter Storm | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2017 | Tornado (EF3) | Greggs | 7 killed, 45 hurt, $1,500,000 | This is a continuation of the northeast Brooks county tornado. The tornado then continued into Cook County. Still at EF-3 strength, it swept about 35 manufactured homes into a pile of rubble at the far end of the Sunshine Acres mobile home park. Seven people lost their lives. The tornado then went on to destroy about two thirds of a brick home on Val Del Road, collapsing in two walls and removing most of the second story. Another home built of concrete blocks was destroyed. A nearby farm had several concrete anchors for a large metal structure pulled from the ground. Max winds were estimated near 140 mph. Damage cost was estimated. |
| June 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | 1 hurt, $30,000 | A restaurant in downtown Adele at the intersection of Highway 37 and Highway 41 had its roof peeled back by downburst winds. Three homes were also damage by falling trees with one injury reported in one home due to a fallen tree. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| June 1972 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | 1 hurt, $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Pine Valley | 1 hurt, $20,000 | A trailer was overturned with one injury. Multiple trees and power lines were also blown down. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| January 2023 | Tornado (EF2) | Sparks | $500,000 | The tornado began just west of Interstate-75 before crossing through portions of Adel, GA in Cook County. The first significant structural damage consistent with EF2 intensity was done to a single-family home-style building on W Mitchell St between I-75 and N Elm St. Half of the structure was shifted off its slab and bolted foundation. Adjacent mini trailers were also flipped in addition to sheets of metal lofted about a hundred feet from the property. The second location of EF2 damage was off US-Highway 41 and South Ave near Carr Dr where a large metal structure building was shifted off its bolted foundation. Some steel beams were also ripped off with a couple lofted to a nearby residential area. Multiple large trees on the property had their trunks snapped, while others were uprooted. Numerous damaged/fallen trees, some uprooted, had snapped and twisted trunks in a residential neighborhood along Kent Dr. Several of these trees fell on top of a few homes. The damages in that area were consistent with EF1 intensity. Continued tree damage was observed throughout the east side of the county along with a series of knocked over centerline irrigation pivots. The tornado then destroyed a motorhome and snapped several trees along Joiner Rd before lifting near the Cook County/Berrien County border. Max winds were estimated at 115 mph. |
| March 1993 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $500,000 | Thunderstorm winds severely damaged a manufacturing plant in Adel. Approximately 35,000 square feet of the building was destroyed while another 20,000 square feet was heavily damaged. In a trailer park in Adel, one trailer was flipped over and another had its roof removed. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $175,000 | Severe thunderstorm winds raked the Cook County Airport in Adel, damaging four planes and two hangars. The winds knocked out power to 1,000 Sparks residents. A few billboards near Interstate 75 were damaged. |
| June 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lenox | $150,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees along a line from Lenox to Adel. Several trees fell on houses. Three large trees were uprooted at a residence on Concord Church Circle near Sparks, with one falling on a trailer. Winds also tore the top off a shelter. |
| December 2021 | Tornado (EF1) | Massee | $100,000 | An NWS survey team determined an EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 90 mph occurred northeast of Adel, GA on Thursday, December 30. The tornado initially touched down on Boone Road, west of Rowan Road where it snapped multiple trees. As the tornado crossed Rowan Road, it caused roof damage to several homes and outbuildings. In addition, several outbuildings were destroyed near this location. The tornado continued to track northeast and eventually lifted north of the intersection of Lonnie Grimsley Road and Tarrant Road. The tornado was on the ground for approximately 2.2 miles. |
| April 2020 | Tornado (EF1) | Pine Valley | $100,000 | This long-track tornado was produced by the same thunderstorm that spawned a tornado in upstream Pelham, GA. The tornado touched down south of Moultrie, GA just west of U.S. 319 and produced damage consistent with EF-1 winds through most of its|long track. Most of the damage was in the form of snapped or uprooted trees. As the tornado crossed GA route 133, it caused significant damage to a warehouse at the Farmer's Gin and Peanut Company. The tornado reached its maximum intensity of 110 mph, which is just shy of EF-2, at the east end of Pike Creek Turf Circle. Here it snapped many large pine trees at their base. The tornado caused some minor roof damage to a home on McConnell Bridge Road before flipping a small plane upside down at the Cook County Airport. The tornado crossed I-75 at the Adel, GA exit damaging several billboards and tall signs. In downtown Adel, the tornado ripped off large sections of two warehouses on 3rd Street belonging to the Adel Ice Company. Many trees were toppled onto homes in the vicinity of East 9th and 10th Streets. Winds were|estimated to be 95-100 mph in Adel. The tornado continued eastward snapping a few trees on GA Highway 37 East and in the Indian Creek Road subdivision. The tornado then snapped trees on Register Road and significantly damaged a large shed before|lifting.It should be noted that a large swath of straight-line wind damage occurred to the south of the tornado track along much of its length from the Langdale Parkway in Colquitt County through Cecil, GA and eastward into northwestern Lanier County. These winds were estimated to be 90-95 mph in Cecil. |
| January 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $50,000 | The Colquitt Electric Membership Corporation reported numerous power poles and power lines down through portions of Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, and Lowndes counties. |
| June 2009 | Lightning | Adel | $50,000 | Numerous lightning strikes damaged fuses in the City of Adel's electrical system. About 350 electric customers were without power for a few hours. |
| May 1998 | Hail | Adel | $50,000 | Golfball to baseball sized hail damaged numerous vehicles and residences in and around Adel. |
| August 2015 | Lightning | Lenox | $37,920 | Ten cows were killed when a pine tree they were standing under was struck by lightning. According to the 2010 farming and ranch guide, the average value of a cow is about $1.58 per pound. The average cow weighs about 2,400 pounds. Thus the damage loss is estimated at about $37,920. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $30,000 | no account filed |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Flat Ford | $25,000 | Several boats were capsized and several trees were blown over at Reed Bingham State park. |
| August 2008 | Tornado (EF1) | Staunton | $25,000 | A tornado touched down just north of Lenox near U.S. Highway 41 and Darden Road. It traveled northwest and passed over Interstate 75. Along its path, it downed numerous trees and heavily damaged a barn near Sugar Hill Road. |
| March 1989 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1978 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1977 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 1973 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| February 1971 | Tornado (F1) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| June 1970 | Tornado (F2) | not stated | $25,000 | no account filed |
| April 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel-Cook Arpt | $20,000 | Multiple trees were blown down with one tree on top of a mobile home. A traffic light was also blown down. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| August 2008 | Lightning | Adel | $15,000 | Lightning struck a communications tower in Adel and burned some components. The damage caused 200 customers to lose Internet service. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $15,000 | Numerous trees were down across the southwest portion of the county. There was minor damage to a few homes. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $10,000 | There were a couple of downed power lines as well as one tree that fell on a vehicle. In addition, a couple of tree tops broke off and landed on roofs. |
| May 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lenox | $10,000 | Roof damage occurred at Rebels Road and Bobby Road. |
| June 2011 | Lightning | Adel | $10,000 | Lightning caused a house fire in Adel. The monetary damage figure provided is a rough estimate. |
| March 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $10,000 | Some downed trees and power lines reported by the Cook County EMA. |
| June 2022 | Lightning | Adel | $5,000 | A lightning strike to a gas line near 816 S Gordon Ave resulted in a fire. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel-Cook Arpt | $5,000 | A tin roof was blown off a mobile home along John Keigens Memorial Road. |
| May 2017 | Tornado (EF0) | Massee | $5,000 | This tornado started near the intersection of Hutchinson Parrish and Howard Bennett Roads and moved north-northeast across an open field, growing in size to roughly 0.3 miles wide. The tornado then impacted an irrigation pivot along the south side of Boone Road, before impacting several residences on the north side of Boone Road. While there were sporadic instances of trees uprooted or snapped, all structural damage associated with this tornado was minor and mainly limited to the loss of metal roofs and shingles. Damage cost was estimated. |
| July 2017 | Lightning | Pine Valley | $5,000 | Damage occurred to Springhead Baptist Church due to lightning. |
| June 2016 | Tornado (EF0) | Flat Ford | $5,000 | Video taken by the public and posted on social media confirmed that a very brief tornado occurred near Reed Bingham State Park. The tornado appeared to last around one minute or less. The only damage as reported by the emergency manager was part of a tree that fell on a house. The tornado was rated EF0. |
| February 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $5,000 | The Cook county 911 call center reported trees down and power outages around Adel. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Adel | $5,000 | Several county roads surrounding Adel were flooded. Two to four inches of rain fell in two hours, which caused a half-foot rise in the Little River basin. Reported by the Cook County EMA. |
| December 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $5,000 | Numerous downed trees, with some blocking county roads. Reported by the Cook County Sheriff. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $5,000 | Trees and power lines down countywide. |
| November 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $5,000 | Sheriff's office reports trees and power lines down across the county. |
| May 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Sparks | $3,000 | A roof was blown off a small shed and multiple trees were blown down. |
| April 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Staunton | $3,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down. |
| June 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel-Cook Arpt | $3,000 | County dispatch reported trees down on Antioch Road near Adel. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| April 1991 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Massee | $2,000 | A tree was blown down on a power line on Overstreet Road. |
| April 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Massee | $2,000 | A couple of trees and power lines were blown down on Register Road. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cecil | $2,000 | Minor structural damage was reported along Cowart Dr in association with a downburst. |
| June 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cecil | $2,000 | A tree and a power line were blown down. |
| May 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $2,000 | A power line was blown down in Adel. |
| December 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cecil | $2,000 | A tree and a power line were blown down along Harris Road. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Countywide | $2,000 | Numerous downed trees in Sparks and Lenox reported by the Cook County Sheriff. |
| January 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Staunton | $1,000 | A tree landed on the corner of an outbuilding on Darden Road with minor damage to the corner of it. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Staunton | $1,000 | A tree was blown down and resulted in a power outage along Sugar Hill Road. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Massee | $1,000 | The Cook county EM reported several trees down. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lenox | $1,000 | The Cook county EM reported several large trees down. |
| July 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel-Cook Arpt | $1,000 | A tree was blown down onto a power line on Morrison Creek Road. |
| June 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cecil | $1,000 | The public reported via social media that at least 2 large pecan trees were blown down in Cook county. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Adel | $1,000 | The Cook county 911 dispatch reported a tree down on Caulie Harris Road. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| July 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | Cecil | $1,000 | A tree was blown down across Shady Grove Road. Monetary damage was estimated. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lenox | $1,000 | The Cook County EMA reported trees down on Nelson Road. |
The Survey's mineral resources record lists 2 workings inside this county. 1 still produces and 1 is closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.
| Commodity | Workings |
|---|---|
| Sand and Gravel, Construction | 1 |
| Phosphorus-Phosphates | 1 |
The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adel Milling Co/ Adel, Ga. | Phosphorus-Phosphates | Unknown | ||
| Adel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer |
Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on. The 1 place that was also surveyed for fire insurance comes first, with the number of atlases and photographs held for them.
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · On Giddens Mill Creek · Adel quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Fire insurance: 5 atlases
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · On Moccasin Slough · Nashville West quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · Adel quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
No longer a settlement
Lenox census division · 31647 · On Rosin Dam Branch · Nashville West quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Adel-Sparks census division · 31647 · On Big Branch · Ellenton quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · On Morrison Creek · Cecil quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · Cecil quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
No longer a settlement
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · Cecil quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
No longer a settlement
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · On Moccasin Slough · Nashville West quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
Adel-Sparks census division · 31620 · Ellenton quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
No longer a settlement
Adel-Sparks census division · 31647 · On Giddens Mill Creek · Adel quadrangle
8 sheets, 1953 to 1988
The vanished settlements of Cook County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
8 topographic sheets and 5 fire insurance atlases, 1903 to 1938