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VINCE DESILVA , SR . VP, MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
THE EXECUTIVE – Q2 2015
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When signed into creation on December 15, 1818, Gwinnett County, Georgia consisted of
a cluster of agrarian communities. By 1850, Lawrenceville was a thriving metropolis with a
census count of 11,257. A cotton mill was founded in 1851 (Union troops burned it in 1864).
A railroad line was built through the county in 1871, bringing about the founding of new cities:
Norcross, Duluth, Suwanee, and Buford.
The county’s first major industry came in 1868 when the R.H. Allen Tannery was
established. The Bona Allen Tannery soon followed, which later purchased R.H. Allen
Co. Both tanneries made leather goods, harnesses, whips, shoes, and became famous for
handmade saddles. During the Depression of the 1930s when a number of farms began to
decline, the tannery employed 2,400.
Gwinnett County entered the modern era in 1950 when the U.S. Congress authorized
the construction of Buford Dam to provide hydroelectric power, flood control, water supply,
navigation and recreational facilities.
For three consecutive years, 1986 through 1988, Gwinnett ranked as the fastest growing
county in the U.S. During that period, voters passed the 1986 bond issue, and the 1985 and
1988 one-percent special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST)—mechanism developed
for providing funds for significant capital investments. The late 1980s witnessed a dramatic
increase in the County’s road construction program, the development of a countywide Parks
and Recreation system, construction of the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center,
renovation of the historic courthouse, construction of new public libraries and other capital
improvements.
Growth slowed during the recessions of 1990 and 2007, but the influx of new residents
and businesses continued. The county’s population in 2010 stood at 805,321, an increase of
more than 216,000 residents from the 2000 count of 588,448. The 2030 Gwinnett County
Unified Plan projects the county will reach a population of just over one million residents by
the year 2030.
Why this incredibly brief history of the place we call home? Because it’s important to
remember where you’ve been in order to see how far you’ve come. As Dr. Kaufman likes to
say, hope is not a method. Thoughtful and deliberate action is required to build a community
like ours. Read on to learn about a few of our Chairman’s Club organizations that are
building Gwinnett.
Sincerely,
Vince DeSilva
A (Really) Brief History of Gwinnett