It thrived in the upland areas, where plantations were developed and worked by the field labor of thousands of African-American slaves.

During the 1919 Red Summer there were many incidents of racial violence including an arson attack where almost a dozen black community buildings were burnt down in late May 1919.

[4] The Wheeling Intelligencer claimed the buildings were burnt down because of a "minor racial clash at Dennis Station.

The county population dropped by more than half during this period following mechanization of agriculture and as rural workers moved into cities.

[citation needed] In the 21st century, dairy farming is more important to Putnam County than cotton.