First Baptist church in upper Georgia at Fishing Creek, 1783

First Methodist church in Georgia was organized at Grant's Meeting House in Wilkes County, 1787.

First Presbyterian minister ordained in Georgia was John Springer in Wilkes County, 1790.

First Episcopal conference not under the Church of England, 1788

First successful cotton gin perfected and set up by Eli Whitney in Wilkes county, 1795.

First woman newspaper editor in U.S. was Sarah Hillhouse who became the editor of the Monitor in 1804.

First cotton mill in Georgia erected on Upton Creek in Wilkes County, 1811

First woman hanged in Georgia occurred in Washington in 1806. She was Polly Barclay.

First stamp mill for gold in the world was invented and put into use near Washington by Jeremiah Griffin, 1831-1832.

One of the first plastic garments ever cut in the world was in Wilkes County by Margo and Alfred Moses in February 1946.