Warthen is the oldest settlement in Washington County. Among the early settlers was Richard Warthen (1742-1806) who came from Virginia in 1784 to claim land that had been granted to him for his service in the Revolutionary War. That land surrounded what is now Hamburg Park. The settlement grew to have three mills - grist, woolen, and a cotton gin. He brought with him his wife, Ellafair Burrow Wart
hen and his two sons, Elijah and William. Thus began the Warthen family in Washington County. This family has lived here for over 200 years. Warthen served as the county seat from 1784-1796. The first Superior Court Session was held at the home of Mr. Benjamin Tennille. Court Sessions continued to be held in this vicinity until 1798 when a more central point was selected. A small log jail was built in 1785. It was made of hand-hewn logs and is considered the oldest log jail in Georgia. In 1981, the jail was deeded to the Washington County Historic Society to restore and preserve it. The entire village of Warthen was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Many lovely Southern homes continue to showcase their tradition and charm. The old jail attracts visitors. The Warthen family cemetery, local churches and their cemeteries, and the building which was once called Bethlehem Academy all still evoke memories of a by-gone era.
