The Polk County Georgia map covers a northwest Georgia county divided between Cedartown in the west and the Rockmart–Aragon corridor in the east. Polk County was created on December 20, 1851, and named for eleventh U.S. president James K. Polk. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 45,514 residents on July 1, 2025.
Big Spring, Cherokee removal history, iron ore, slate, cotton mills, railroads, industrial parks, and the Silver Comet Trail represent different periods of county development. Cedartown is the county seat, while Rockmart is the major eastern industrial and commercial center.
Table of Contents
Big Spring and the origins of Cedartown
Big Spring is a large limestone spring that supported Indigenous settlement and later the growth of Cedartown. Its dependable water supply made the site valuable long before the county was created.
When Polk County was formed in 1851, Cedartown became the seat. Government offices, courts, schools, medical services, and commerce remain concentrated there around the historic urban core.
Places and map files included
This Polk County Georgia map identifies Cedartown, Rockmart, Aragon, and Braswell. Color and black-and-white versions retain place names, while the outline file removes labels and fills for custom annotation.
Cherokee removal and the Cedartown camp
Before county formation, the area was part of the Cherokee Nation. A Cherokee settlement existed near Big Spring, and a removal camp was established near Cedartown during the 1838 forced roundup.
The camp served as one of the southern collection points for Cherokee people forced west on the Trail of Tears. Big Spring and local markers preserve this earlier history beneath the later industrial city.
Rockmart, slate, and rail transport
Rockmart grew around railroad access and nearby slate deposits. The name reflects the connection between local stone and a market center, while warehouses, shops, and factories clustered near the tracks.
Slate and iron ore supported extraction and processing, and the railroad carried heavy materials to outside markets. Textile and other manufacturing later broadened Rockmart’s industrial role.
Aragon and the cotton-mill era
Aragon developed as a textile mill town in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Mill buildings, worker housing, schools, stores, and community facilities formed a planned industrial settlement.
Cotton farming and textile production linked rural Polk County to southern and national markets. Modern manufacturing is more diverse, but the town’s built environment still reflects that period.
Silver Comet Trail and rail-corridor reuse
The Silver Comet Trail follows a former Seaboard Air Line railroad corridor through Rockmart and toward Braswell. It connects east through Paulding and Cobb counties and west to the Alabama state line.
A route once used for freight and passengers now supports walking, cycling, trail tourism, and nonmotorized regional travel. Rockmart provides one of the trail’s main town access points.
From iron and cotton to industrial parks
Hematite iron ore was mined in western Polk County, while slate extraction concentrated farther east. Cotton farming and textile mills became major employers after the turn of the twentieth century.
Modern industrial parks in Cedartown and Rockmart now support diversified manufacturing. Agriculture, timber, trucking, public services, and small businesses remain part of the county economy.
Four municipalities and an interstate border
- Cedartown: county seat, Big Spring, and western service center
- Rockmart: eastern rail, slate, manufacturing, and trail center
- Aragon: historic textile-mill town
- Braswell: small city near the Paulding County line
Polk County borders Floyd, Bartow, Paulding, and Haralson counties in Georgia and Cleburne and Cherokee counties in Alabama. Cedartown and Rockmart form the county’s two principal settlement and employment zones.
Color map
The color file separates western Cedartown from eastern Rockmart, Aragon, and Braswell.
Black and white map
The monochrome version retains place names and boundary lines. Cedartown, Rockmart, Aragon, and Braswell remain visible for grayscale reference.
Outline map
The outline file leaves county and internal lines without labels. Users can add Big Spring, the Silver Comet Trail, mining and mill districts, rail lines, or custom town markers.
Download the county map
The Polk County Georgia map is available in color, black-and-white, and outline A3 JPG formats. Choose a labeled version for reference or the outline file for custom annotation.
County Map File Information
The download contains three A3 JPG versions of the Polk County map.
- Included Versions: Color, Black and White, Outline
- File Type: JPG
- Printable Size: A3
- Map Detail: County boundary, internal lines, and surrounding area
- Intended Use: Printing, classes, presentations, documents, and annotations
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the county seat of Polk County?
Cedartown is the county seat and the county’s western government and service center.
How many incorporated cities are in the county?
There are four: Cedartown, Rockmart, Aragon, and Braswell.
How much did the population grow after 2020?
The July 1, 2025 estimate was 6.2 percent higher than the April 2020 estimates base.
References
Polk County government’s history page documents the 1851 creation date, Big Spring, Cherokee removal, mining, textiles, and the Silver Comet Trail.
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts provides the 2020 census count and July 1, 2025 estimate.
The New Georgia Encyclopedia entry for Polk County covers Cedartown, Rockmart, industries, and county development.
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