For pre-formatted natality & mortality data please see Vital Statistics Reports (VSR).

For other health data resources please see the Health Data & Info section.

Health Care
Ware County had 12.5 licensed nursing home beds per 100 persons in 1999, compared with the state average of 5.5 per 100 persons. In 1999, the number of physicians in the county per 10,000 persons was 22.9, compared to the state average of 19.3. For more community indicators, please go to OASIS .

History*

Ware County was created in 1824 from a part of the original landlot county, Appling. Georgia's 60th county is named for Nicholas Ware, who served as mayor of Augusta and as a U.S. Senator.

Ware County contains a significant portion of the Okefenokee Swamp, which is roughly 20 by 40 miles in size. The swamp was called the "Land of the Quaking Earth" by the Indians and served as a hiding place for both the Seminole Indians and escaped slaves.

Laura S. Walker State Park, located near Waycross, is one of the few state parks in Georgia named for a woman. Walker was a Georgia writer, teacher, civil leader and naturalist who worked diligently to preserve the trees and habitats around her.