Of the 159 counties in Georgia today, Cook County was the 153rd to be formed.  By an act of the Georgia legislature in 1918, Cook County was created entirely from territory within Berrien County.  Cook County was named for General Philip Cook, who fought in the Seminole and Civil Wars and later became a congressman.  He also served as Secretary of State.  The Cook County Courthouse houses offices and a court room as part of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit.

Cook County lies just 40 miles north of the Florida line, halfway between Atlanta, Georgia and Orlando, Florida.  It is located in the center of the southernmost portion of the state, equidistant from the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west.

Adel, the county seat and Georgia's Official City of Daylilies, was incorporated in 1889. The citys name was derived from the center letters from the word PhilADELphia.  Its former name was Puddleville because of the puddles of water that stood in the streets after big rains. Of course, this was before the streets were paved and a modern drainage system was installed.

Cecil is located six miles south of Adel on U.S. 41 and I-75.  It was incorporated on August 11, 1914, although the township was laid out in 1891.  Cecils original main street, Old Coffee Road, is now a historic landmark.  One of the first roads cut through the Wiregrass Territory, it served the early settlers traveling to and through this area.

Lenox is located on US 41 in northern Cook County.  It was incorporated in 1902.  The city derived its name from the lean-ox many early settlers used for plowing and pulling oxcarts.  The annual Lean-Ox Festival is held in November of each year in celebration of the town's history. The 2015 Lean-Ox Festival is slated for November 20th & 21st.

Sparks is located one mile north of Adel on U.S. 41 and I-75.  Named in honor of President Sparks of the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad, it is now a part of the Norfolk-Southern Railway System and was incorporated on December 26, 1888.  Sparks is home to the Cook County Work Force Development Center which is a campus of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

Cook County is the birthplace of Eugene Patterson, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing.  He was affiliated with the Atlanta Constitution, Associated Press, Georgia Trend Magazine and Florida Trend and the author of several books.

The first, last and only military engagement of any consequence fought in what is present-day Cook County took place in 1836.  The Battle of Brushy Creek was to be the end of the Creek and Cherokee Indian inhabitation in the immediate area. A historical marker designates the vicinity of the battle.