Walton County was created by the Lottery Act of 1818, and was organized in 1819. Georgia's 46th county was named for George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who also served as governor of Georgia and as a U.S. Senator.

Walton County has an unusually rich assemblage of historic sites and structures. Near Monroe is Jacks Creek, the site of the massacre by whites of a large encampment of Creek Indians in 1787. Some other historical sites worth visiting are the Brodnax House and Thompson's Mill.

The Walton County courthouse, built in 1883, is an outstanding example of the architectural style known as Second Empire, and has been totally restored.