Donalsonville, Georgia, is named after John Ernest Donalson (1846-1920), who was a prominent businessman in the area.
Donalson built the first lumber mill in the area, which was the catalyst for the town’s growth.
Donalsonville was first chartered as a town in Georgia on Dec. 8, 1897. Donalsonville became the Seminole County seat in 1920. On Aug. 19, 1922, a charter passed changing Donalsonville from a town to a city.
The Seminole County Courthouse in Donalsonville was constructed in 1922 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.