Visitors to Swainsboro and Emanuel County will find themselves in a gently rolling landscape of fields, woods and sandy soil. Under a canopy of piney woods, the forest floor is still carpeted with wiregrass, flora and fauna. The native deer, rabbits, raccoons, opossums, alligators, fish, bobcats, quail, foxes, snakes, turtles, and other wildlife compete with recent immigrants such as coyotes and armadillos. The Ohoopee, Ogeechee, and Canoochee rivers flow through the county, and the smaller streams and innumerable ponds make the region an excellent recreation and fishing area. Along the waterways and low-lying areas are stands of hardwoods. The original inhabitants were, of course, Native Americans. In historical times, Creek Indians lived in the area and, although little material evidence remains to document them here, the names of rivers, historical accounts, and archaeological artifacts testify to their presence. The Indian cessions of 1773 and 1783 conveyed the land that now comprises Emanuel County to the state of Georgia. [Source: http://www.exploregeorgia.org/city/swainsboro]