Georgia Natural Wonder #222 - Little Ocmulgee State Park-Wheeler Co.-Telfair Co. 603

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #222 - Little Ocmulgee State Park - Wheeler County - Telfair County

Sticking with State Parks way down here at Georgia Natural Wonder #221, we come to a park that straddles two counties. The counties are some of the poorest in the country and there are only a few historical Markers and National Historic sites in each. Therefore, we can do a (2 for 1) history tangent on both counties. Little Ocmulgee State Park is a 1,360-acre Georgia state park located 2 miles north of McRae - Helena on the Little Ocmulgee River. Part of the park was initially built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, around the natural diversion of the Little Ocmulgee River into a lake.



This 256-acre lake has a beach, and the park includes a 60 room lodge and a championship 18-hole golf course with pro shop, known as the Wallace Adams Memorial Golf Course. The soil around the Ocmulgee River and the Little Ocmulgee is a fine white sand, and therefore the lake has its own "beach sand". Also within the park is the 2.6-mile long Oak Ridge Trail, allowing visitors to see native wildlife and plants.

Little Ocmulgee Lake

When fishing, anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish including Channel Catfish and Bass Bream Crappie.



The standing timber left in the lake during construction concentrates both crappie and bass for anglers. Crappie will utilize the shade that the timber provides as cover during the day time.Fishing minnows or jigs to these suspended fish is a good technique. Bass will suspend in the thicker cover as they lay in ambush for passing prey. Early in the morning, top-water baits fished around the edges of the thicker brush may fool hungry bass. Later in the day, fishing swimming lures around the edges of the thicker timber or pitching weedless baits right into the thick cover can be productive.



Bluegill and shell crackers (bream) like to spawn over sandy areas with good hard bottoms. The old submerged haul road that lies just under water and runs along shore from the boat ramp down to the east end of the dam is excellent spawning habitat. Just up-lake of the dam on the west side, a large sandy flat with scattered cypress trees is another prime bedding location.Try fishing crickets or earthworms just at or on the bottom in these areas during the late spring and summer for these spawning fish. When the bluegill aren't bedding, try casting small artificial lures,spinners and top-water poppers around the shallow edges.



The aeration system creates a current in the lake that also tends to concentrate game fish. Points and high spots underwater that concentrate current flow will also be ambush points for game fish. The narrow break in the old pond dam just down lake of the upper fishing pier is a good example. Underwater features and cover in the general vicinity of the aeration heads themselves also are likely locations where bass and other game fish will be found. Crank baits or worms fished in these type areas when the aeration system is operational will be productive.



Hours: Open year - round, 7 days/week, sunrise to sunset.
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The Lodge

With a stay at Little Ocmulgee State Park and Lodge in Helena, you'll be a 4-minute walk from Wallace Adams Golf Course and 7 minutes by foot from Little Ocmulgee State Park. This lodge is 2.6 miles from Statue of Liberty Replica in McRae and 3.7 miles from the Telfair Historical Museum. Make yourself at home in one of the 60 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and microwaves. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment.



Bathrooms with shower/tub combinations are provided. Conveniences include minibars and coffee/tea makers, and housekeeping is provided daily. Enjoy a range of recreational amenities, including an outdoor pool, an outdoor tennis court, and bicycles to rent. Additional amenities at this lodge include wedding services, and a picnic area. At Little Ocmulgee State Park and Lodge, enjoy a satisfying meal at the restaurant. Featured amenities include express check-in, complimentary newspapers in the lobby, and a 24-hour front desk. Free self parking is available onsite.

Explore Georgia

One of the distinctive features of the park is the soil, which is a fine white sand, providing the lake with a delightful beach. The park features the 2.6-mile Oak Ridge Trail. Two rare species, the harmless Indigo snake and the gopher tortoise may be seen from the trail.



The Fairway Grill restaurant overlooks the 6th and 7th holes of the Wallace Adams Golf Course, and is open year-round for breakfast, lunch and dinner.



Camping

Just a few miles off of Interstate 16 in central Georgia lies one of the Peach State’s finest state-run campgrounds. Between the cities of Macon and Savannah, this area gives people who rent an RV near Little Ocmulgee Campground lots to do and even more to see during their camping vacations.



Road trips to Atlanta, excursions to the fabulous Atlantic coastline, and tours through the many state parks and national forests of the state make Georgia an excellent RV camping destination, especially during the summer and fall.Little Ocmulgee Campground is unique, as it offers guests a variety of ways to stay. Dazzling campsites surrounded by oak trees and Spanish moss dot the campground and are ideal for RV rentals. Aside from these excellent camping spots equipped with water, electricity, and cable TV hookups, there are cozy camping cabins, group camping sites, and a large lodge overlooking Little Ocmulgee Lake. When you camp in a travel trailer at Little Ocmulgee Campground, you’ll find that it’s a lot like a nature resort and less like a rustic campground. Guests are greeted with a host of amenities to make them feel at home, like lovely, white-sand beaches lining the adjacent lake. A full-size conference center, a golf course, a restaurant, a golf pro shop, a mini-golf course, a playground, volleyball courts, fishing docks, and boat ramps can also be found when you're RV camping at Little Ocmulgee Campground in McRae.



No matter what direction you're heading in the motor home rental, Georgia will impress you with a slew of gorgeous parks and cozy recreation areas. Little Ocmulgee Campground is within Little Ocmulgee State Park, so you'll have a lot to explore just beyond your camper rental door. The championship golf course attracts golf enthusiasts from all over Georgia, and families can enjoy the fishing and swimming lake next door. Whether it's camping, hiking, or lounging by the water, Little Ocmulgee State Park has a lot to offer visitors.



When you book an RV in Wheeler County, you can head to Georgia Veterans State Park to the west. This incredible place is named in honor of the courageous soldiers who fought during several conflicts in American history. Dedicated just after World War II, this park is run by a private company, complete with a resort, a golf course, a disc golf course, an archery range, and lots of space to hunt or fish. Lake Blackshear is great for boating and swimming, and lots of hiking trails wrap around the lake.


Georgia Veterans State Park

To the east, Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park (GNW #220) is found on the Altamaha River, which helps give the park its name. The nearly extinct Gordonia tree is found inside this small park on the coastal plains of Georgia, one of the only places to see the protected species. Twenty million years ago, the park was underwater, and one million years ago, the park looked like a tropical jungle in Africa. These things can be detected by scientists digging in the soil and finding ancient species of plants and marine life. A golf course, campground, picnic shelter, and fishing boat rentals further add to the park’s appeal.


Gordonia-Alatamaha State Park

Another place to consider visiting when you rent an RV near Little Ocmulgee Campground is the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park (GNW #66 - Part 1)  near Macon. This exciting historic site is full of prehistoric mound structures left behind a civilization thought to inhabit the area 17,000 years ago.


Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park

Ancient temples, unbelievable dig sites, and a whole lot of artifacts can be seen at this small but fascinating nature park.

Friends of Ocmulgee State Park

Supported by a local Friends chapter and conveniently located off Highway 441 in south Georgia, this park features a wide variety of amenities. Golfers can test their skills on the 18-hole Wallace Adams Course with clubhouse, golf pro and junior/senior discounts. The park’s 2.6-mile Oak Ridge Trail winds through sand hills, scrub oaks and pines, taking hikers to a short boardwalk.



Little Ocmulgee’s campground is nestled among live oaks and Spanish moss, while rental cottages have beautiful lake views. A 60-room lodge offers hotel-style guest rooms, meeting facilities and a restaurant with golf-course view. Little Ocmulgee State Park is a beautiful and affordable location for meetings, reunions, weddings and other group gatherings.



Little Ocmulgee State Park is an active family’s dream vacation destination. With available bike rentals, children’s splash pad, mini golf, canoe rentals, hiking trails, lake swimming, tennis courts and playground, this park offers a wealth of opportunities for all ages.


Mini Golf

For the camping family, pitching a tent among live oaks and Spanish moss is a special treat! However, it wasn’t until recently that the campground met some new features.

 

Friends of Little Ocmulgee State Park recently provided new playground equipment in the campground.  Toddler swings and “big kid swings” are ready for use along with a bench for mom and dad.  This new play area is easily accessible to both the upper and lower loop campers, near the restrooms. Friends was able to raise funds to provide the equipment for camping families to better their experiences at the park.


During summer, children will especially enjoy the splash pad where they can run through fountains and squirt their friends.

Hiking

The best place to hike in Little Ocmulgee State Park and Lodge is Oak Ridge Trail which has a 4.4 star rating from 58 reviews. This trail is 1.8 mi long with an elevation gain of 62 ft. It takes an average of 35 min to hike.



The Oak Ridge Trail winds through scrub oaks and pines towards a vulture roost and boardwalk.



This loop trail provides an easy winding route through the sandhill and longleaf pine ecosystems.



The trail also includes a boardwalk out onto the blackwater streams of the Little Ocmulgee River where tupelo and bay trees grow.



Flora & Fauna

Keep your eyes peeled for longleaf pine, wiregrass, gopher tortoises, wild turkeys, Spanish moss and several species of snakes.



Get to know this trail near Mc Rae Helena, Georgia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 35 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.

Hiker Comments

White sand 95% of the trail.



Beautiful cypress tree section.



Great trail. Low difficulty, sandy hills. Lots of markers to keep you on trail. Cool boardwalk in bald cypress stand. Restrooms available at group shelter 2 at the start of the trail. Fun for the whole family.



Hike through several habitats. The boardwalk in the swamp took you into a dark canopy. Seeing the tortoise was an extra bonus!



This was a nice, sandy trail. A good walk in the woods. It is marked with yellow for the short loop trail and red for the longer trail.



This trail transverses several types of vegetation in a short distance. The turkey oaks on a sandy ridge and the cypress swamp could hardly be more different.



Pretty trail, easy hike, but the BUGS. I didn’t really get bitten but they swarmed my head, buzzing in my ears the whole time.



It starts near Group Shelter 2. There were several benches if you wanted to rest.


Gators .... Gaaators .... how'd you like to bite my ass?

Golf at Little Ocmulgee’s Wallace Adams Course

Wallace Adams Golf Course is an affordable, peaceful, yet challenging experience golfers won’t soon forget. The classic 18-hole course is surrounded by loblolly pines, willows, and magnolias, in the secluded setting of Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge. Whether you’re planning a full-fledged golf getaway or playing a quick nine after work, Wallace Adams will quickly become one of your favorite golf courses in Georgia.



The top-flight venue features the well-maintained Bermuda fairways and Eagle Bermuda greens that you’d expect from a golf resort. While most players opt for traversing the course in a cart, walking is permitted year-round. The full-service pro shop offers all golf accessories including club rentals, along with a snack and beverage bar. Wallace Adams also boasts a driving range, chipping area and practice green for players to warm up in advance of their round.

Pristine Setting, Classic Design

Once golfers are on the course, they not only bask in the pristine natural setting of Little Ocmulgee State Park, they appreciate the straightforward design of Wallace Adams. Free from distractions, players can take on a fair course with no hidden water hazards or secret sand traps.



The front nine is tight and requires players to bring their shot-making skills. The less restrictive back nine – originally designed by O.C. Jones of the renowned Robert Trent Jones family – tests players with smaller, sloped greens and doglegs on the fairways.



Commonly described as ‘friendly’, the course design does not exclude any playing style and is suitable for golfers of all ages and abilities. The many doglegs throughout the 18-hole course mean golfers are more likely to play to a spot on the fairway to set up skillful second and third shots. Although long-ball hitters willing to take a chance may choose to air it out around the bends, Wallace Adams rewards a thoughtful approach to each stroke.



One round is all it will take to see why golfers around the Southeast continue to hail Wallace Adams as one of their favorite courses in Georgia.

Wheeler County

Since most of the park and the golf course is in Wheeler County, let's start our county history tangent there. Wheeler County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 7,421. The county seat is Alamo. The county is one of the most impoverished counties in the nation.



The American Community Survey's 2009–2013 average reports that the county's per-capita income of $8,948 makes it the second-poorest county in the United States by this metric. The measurement however is misleading as Wheeler County is the site of Wheeler Correctional Facility, a large prison with a capacity of 3,028 prisoners, about 40 percent of the county's total population. Most prisoners have little income.

History

Wheeler County is named after Confederate General Joseph Wheeler. The constitutional amendment to create the county was proposed August 14, 1912, and ratified November 5, 1912.


Young Wheeler Old Wheeler.

Georgia’s 148th county, Wheeler County, located in the central part of the state, was created from Montgomery County in 1912. The 298-square-mile county is named after Joseph Wheeler, a general who served in the Confederate cavalry during the Civil War (1861-65) and later in the Spanish-American War (1898).


Wheeler up front with Teddy (Right) and the Rough Riders.

The area’s first inhabitants were Indians of the Lower Creek Nation. Most of the first white settlers to the region came shortly after the end of the American Revolution (1775-83); many were from North Carolina. Wheeler County is located in the “three rivers” area, framed on the west by the Little Ocmulgee River, on the east by the Oconee River, and on the south by the Ocmulgee River.



The county seat is Alamo, which established its post office in 1890. It was incorporated in 1909. The name, honoring the Alamo mission in Texas, was suggested by Christina McCrae Brightto, daughter of Judge John McCrae, a prominent local landowner and future state senator. (Originally “McCrae” had been suggested as an appropriate name for the new town, but it was found to be in use elsewhere.) Alamo is Spanish for cottonwood or poplar. The first mayor of Alamo was J. M. Fordham.


Alamo

The first location for Wheeler County’s court sessions is unknown. The first official courthouse was built in 1914. It burned down in 1916 and was replaced a year later by the current courthouse, which was completely restored in 1961. The only other incorporated town in the county is Glenwood, incorporated in 1908.



Railroad  service came to the area in 1890, when the Savannah, Americus, and Montgomery Railroad (later the Seaboard Air Line Railway) extended its line from Abbeville to Lyons, traversing what became Wheeler County. Alamo developed around a railroad depot on this line, and the growth of both Alamo and Glenwood led inhabitants to petition for the division from Montgomery County, which led to the new county.


Park downtown Glenwood.

From its earliest days, saw milling and the production of naval stores were principal economic mainstays in Wheeler County, which remains covered with forest. In 2005 nearly 60 percent of the county’s employed residents worked outside the county. Those who work in the county are chiefly employed in the educational, health, and social services sector. According to the 2010 U.S. census, the population of Wheeler County was 7,421, an increase from the 2000 population of 6,179.


The prison was opened in 1998 and the prison population may also account for the increased population of the county in the early 2000s.

National Register of Historic Places listings in Wheeler County, Georgia

Glenwood High School

Glenwood High School, also known as Old Glenwood School, is a historic school in Glenwood, Georgia.



It has been used in recent years as the Transitional Alternative Prep School.



It is located at 505 3rd Avenue.


Backside.

It was constructed as a one-story school building in 1920 and expanded with a two-story addition in 1930 and 1933, and an auditorium was added in 1951.



It includes aspects of the Colonial Revival, Craftsman, bungalow, and Spanish Mission Revival architectural styles.



In 1996 a Georgia Heritage Grant was awarded to repair the school's windows.



It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.



As of 2017, it houses the TAPS.


The front entrance has a Spanish Colonial Revival-style parapet.

Wheeler County Courthouse

Wheeler County Courthouse is a historic county courthouse in Alamo, Georgia. It is located at 119 Pearl Street.



The courthouse is brick and has a columned facade on all four sides.



The town of Alamo was incorporated in 1909, and Wheeler County was formed, with Alamo as its county seat, in 1912. In 1914 a courthouse was built, designed the previous year by Ed Hosford as his last Georgia courthouse design. The courthouse burned down in 1916 and was rebuilt in 1917, in a design by Frank P. Milburn in the Neoclassical style. It was renovated in 1961. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1980.



The courthouse is "relatively lavishly ornamented", relative to other Georgia courthouses, including in its pilasters and the elaborateness of its Corinthian capitals.


Inside courthouse, no NRHP images.

Woodland



Woodland is a two-story Victorian Eclectic-style house on 4 acres of property in rural Wheeler County, Georgia.



It was built in c.1877 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



Its NRHP nomination noted that it has "outstanding Gothic-style scroll-sawn detailing".



It has an L-shaped main section and a rectangular rear addition.



The house was built by Walter T. McArthur (1837-1894), who inherited the property in 1877 and developed it as an element of the family's lumber plantation.



The property was sold in 1917 to Emory Winship (1872-1932) who used it as a hunting estate.



Tour of Woodland at time of NRHP designation.




Kitchen around chimney and bedroom upstairs.

Historical Markers Wheeler County

There are only three Historical Markers in Wheeler County. The first about the county name above, and another stone marker about the Nancy Hart Memorial Highway. The only other marker is as follows.

Methodism at Spring Hill 1807 




Looking west on County Highway 197. Spring Hill United Methodist Church dates from 1879. It stands on Spring Hill Loop near the marker.

Recreation Wheeler County

While the charming parks and the abundance of nature make Wheeler County a great place for families, the outdoorsman can find it all! When it comes to hunting, the acres and acres of forest land make a perfect habitat for many game species. Anglers find opportunity in the beautiful lakes, streams and rivers where an abundance of fish lay in wait.


Lot of wetland with three rivers in county.

Wheeler County is home to Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge as noted above. The lodge and restaurant have made this a true State Park, fishing, and golf destination for many years.

Communities Wheeler County

Alamo

Alamo is a city in Wheeler County, Georgia.



As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 771. The city is the county seat of Wheeler County.

History

Alamo was founded in 1890 as a stop on the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. It was named for the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas. Alamo was chartered in 1909.



Alamo's courthouse was built in 1917 and is on the National Register of Historical Places.



The Lamplighter Little Theater dates back to 1919. No images found.
   
Glenwood

Glenwood is a city in Wheeler County, Georgia. The population was 747 at the 2010 census.


Glenwood

Glenwood has a nursing home and two public parks. The hospital, Lower Oconee Community Hospital, closed in 2014, citing costs related to the Affordable Care Act. Hospital reopened, then in 2015 Lower Oconee Community Hospital closed down for second time.


Glenwood City Hall

There are five major churches in the city; Glenwood African Methodist Episcopal, Glenwood United Methodist, Glenwood Baptist, Glenwood Church of God, and Friendship Baptist.

Telfair County

Telfair County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,500. The largest city and county seat is McRae-Helena.



In 2009, researchers from the Fernbank Museum of Natural History announced having found artifacts they associated with the 1541 Hernando de Soto Expedition at a private site near the Ocmulgee River, the first such find between Tallahassee, Florida and western North Carolina.


De Soto

De Soto's expedition was well recorded, but researchers have had difficulties finding artifacts from sites where he stopped. This site was an indigenous village occupied by the historic Creek people from the early 15th century into the 16th century. It was located further southeast than de Soto's expedition was thought to go in Georgia.

History

The archaeologists have excavated a 2,000-acre plot near McRae-Helena and approximately a mile from the Ocmulgee River, beginning in 2005. In 2009 they announced finding evidence of a Spanish settlement dating to the first half of the 16th century. The archaeologists originally believed that the artifacts may have come from a settlement founded by Spanish leader Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón from Hispaniola in 1526 and briefly occupied by hundreds of colonists.



The group encountered hard conditions and fewer than 200 survived to return to Hispaniola.


Ayllón and his map of Georgia Coast.

Additional research suggests that the site instead was one visited in 1541 by the de Soto Expedition. Researchers have recovered Murano glass beads, made in Venice, Italy, and brought by the Spanish for trading with Native Americans; pottery fragments, and iron weapons. Some of the beads bear a chevron pattern. Such beads have been identified as a hallmark of the de Soto expedition, due to the limited period of time in which they were produced. Excavations have also produced six metal objects, including three iron tools and a silver pendant.



The site is further west than scholars had earlier believed that the De Soto expedition had traveled, based on documentation from his expedition.



This was the first evidence found of his expedition between Tallahassee, Florida, where excavations have revealed artifacts of his expedition, and western North Carolina where another site has been found.

What we have now is the best-documented collection of Spanish artifacts in Georgia; many are unique, and they are the only examples of certain artifacts ever found outside Florida.
    — Archaeologist Dennis Blanton, 2009

This site is believed to have been a Native American community, occupied from the end of the 15th century through the first decades of the 16th century. At that time, they had neither glass nor metal goods.



The historic Creek people occupied much of this area of Georgia. Telfair County was established by European Americans on December 10, 1807, as part of Georgia. Development of the county largely took place after Indian Removal in the 1830s of the Creek Confederacy, who had occupied a large territory, including the southern two thirds of present-day Georgia, for thousands of years. They were removed to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River, in today's Oklahoma. The county is named for Edward Telfair, the sixteenth governor of Georgia and a member of the Continental Congress. He was one of Georgia’s signers of the Articles of Confederation.


Georgians signed bottom left.

May 1775, when news of the New England battles of Lexington and Concord reached Savannah, Telfair joined Joseph Habersham, Noble W. Jones, John Milledge, and other Liberty Boys in breaking into the royal magazine and making off with 600 pounds of powder. In July 1780 a bill of attainder named certain rebels against the Crown as guilty of high treason and barred them from holding office in Georgia. Telfair, as a member of the rebel Congress, was among those named, though that did not stop him from seeking office. Hell, New Georgia Encyclopedia gives a better biography of Edward Telfair. Savannah's St. James Square was renamed Telfair Square. GNW Post #106 (Part 6)


Telfair and historical marker Augusta where his home stood there.

Many of the first European-American settlers were Scottish immigrants and Scots-Irish migrants who traveled down the back country from Pennsylvania and Virginia.


Damn there were a lot more towns in 1911.

National Register of Historic Places listings in Telfair County, Georgia

Max and Emma Sue McRae House



The Max and Emma Sue McRae House in McRae, Georgia is a Classical Revival-style house built in 1897.

Judge Maxwell Lamar McRae (1875-1951) read law under the Honorable Tom Eason and was admitted to the bar in 1895. In 1902 he was appointed city judge by Governor Terrell, a position he held until 1907. He was Secretary and Treasurer of the McRae Grocery Co., which he organized in 1906 and President of the Telfair Fertilzer Company, which he organized on 1910. In 1921 he returned to farming, owning about 3,000 acres of land. He was a member of the Georgia Legislature from 1898-1899, served as Mayor of McRae for several terms and was vice-president of the board of trustees of South Georgia College. He was a 1st Lieutenant during the Spanish-American War. Judge McRae was also a co-founder of Brewton Parker College in Mt.Vernon.



It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places March 1, 2007.



It was built in anticipation of the wedding of Max McRae and Emma Sue Griffith.



The couple married in 1898 and moved into the home.



It is located at 405 S. Second Ave. in McRae in Telfair County, Georgia.



The listing included two other contributing buildings: an early 1900s gardening shed and a 1930's garage.



Inside the home you will find a grand foyer with a main staircase and a parlor and a main hall with dining and drawing rooms. The entrance retains its historic wainscoting, chair rail molding, and door and window surrounds.



Southern charm and history near downtown McRae - Helena, sold for $295,000 on 5/5/22.



South Georgia College Administration Building



The Telfair Center for the Arts now occupies the historic South Georgia College Administration Building of South Georgia College on College St. in McRae, Georgia.



The building was renovated for its use,



The building is Late Victorian-style and was built in 1892. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It is two-story brick building supported by load-bearing brick masonry and also by a heavy timber frame.



It has third level with an attic room and a tower, and there is an attached auditorium wing.



Its front facade includes a central recessed two-story entrance with a balcony on its second level. It was deemed significant in architecture

As an example of the main building of a co-educational institution that was organized and sponsored by the Methodist Church....The architect's use of brick and simplistic details for this late Victorian building emphasize the un-ostentatious approach the church sought for the curriculum itself. The strict Christian ethics to be taught at South Georgia College appear to be outlined in the earliest photographs of the building. It certainly gave the impression of a building where authority was imposed and was modeled, no doubt, after earlier college buildings within the state and elsewhere.

It was also deemed

Significant in the history of education in Georgia because of the role the school played in the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church. The need for a school of higher education in the region crystalized at a meeting of the Conference in May of 1891 in nearby Montgomery County. Once the Conference decided to sponsor a school that included two years of college, several towns vied for the honor of its location. At the annual conference in 1892, McRae won the vote, since it offered the best proposal and had a "high moral tone."

The school opened in January 1893 with 65 students.

Telfair County Courthouse and Jail



The Telfair County, Georgia Courthouse in McRae-Helena was built in 1934 using the walls of the previous courthouse, lost to fire earlier that year. It was designed by architects Dennis & Dennis. The nearby Telfair County Jail was built in 1902. The courthouse and jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

History

Telfair county, named for Governor Edward Telfair, was established in 1807. Its first two courthouses, one of log, the other a two-story wooden building, were located in the original county seat at Jacksonville. Jacksonville, with its plantation economy and river landing, was replaced as county seat in 1870 by McRae, located on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad.



The third courthouse, the first in McRae, was a frame building built in 1872 or 1873, and was replaced by a brick courthouse in 1888. That courthouse burned around 1900 and was replaced by Telfair's fifth courthouse, again of brick, in 1904. It burned in 1934 and was replaced by the current, sixth, courthouse later that year using the walls of the 1904 building.



The jail was built in 1902 near the eventual location of the 1904 courthouse.



It was the first brick jail in the county.

Architecture

The courthouse, in the Colonial Revival-style, is a two-story brick building. The main entrance features three arched entryways and an in antis portico. The side and rear entrances are pedimented with transoms and double doors.



The jail is a two-story brick building with hipped roof, four chimneys, center front gable, and an enclosed front porch. There is decorative brick detailing along the cornice.



The Macon, Georgia architecture firm of Dennis & Dennis designed the courthouse, as well as the Emanuel County and Peach County courthouses, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Telfair County Courthouse and Jail were added to the register in 1995


The old jail in 2016, with modern additions.

Historical Markers Telfair County

There are ten markers in Telfair County, I selected the following for this post.

Marion Bayard Folsom




Marker, Folsom, and Folsom with Ike.

Jacksonville



Little Ocmulgee's Visitor Center




Once the rafters were in place, men laid sheeting in preparation for cypress shingles. Applying the cypress shingles began on what was then the kitchen end of the building.


Today. Now this part of State Park is in Telfair County.

Major General James E. Livingston



For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade in action against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 2 May 1968, Company E launched a determined assault on the heavily fortified village of Dai Do, which had been seized by the enemy on the preceding evening isolating a Marine company from the remainder of the battalion. Skillfully employing screening agents, Captain Livingston maneuvered his men to assault positions across 500 meters of dangerous open rice paddy while under intense enemy fire. Ignoring hostile rounds impacting near him, he fearlessly led his men in a savage assault against enemy emplacements within the village. While adjusting supporting arms fire, Captain Livingston moved to the points of heaviest resistance, shouting words of encouragement to his Marines, directing their fire, and spurring the dwindling momentum of the attack on repeated occasions. Although twice painfully wounded by grenade fragments, he refused medical treatment and courageously led his men in the destruction of over 100 mutually supporting bunkers, driving the remaining enemy from their positions, and relieving the pressure on the stranded Marine company. As the two companies consolidated positions and evacuated casualties, a third company passed through the friendly lines launching an assault on the adjacent village of Dinh To, only to be halted by a furious counterattack of an enemy battalion. Swiftly assessing the situation and disregarding the heavy volume of enemy fire, Captain Livingston boldly maneuvered the remaining effective men of his company forward, joined forces with the heavily engaged Marines, and halted the enemy's counterattack. Wounded a third time and unable to walk, he steadfastly remained in a dangerously exposed area, deploying his men to more tenable positions and supervising the evacuation of casualties. Only when assured of the safety of his men did he allow himself to be evacuated.


Major General James E. Livingston Marker a small roadside Memorial Park, at intersection of Golden Isles Hwy. and at Glenwood Rd.

Talmadge House




Governor Eugene Talmadge Senator Herman Talmadge


The marker and the stand of pine trees hiding the home from the road.


Internet images of home.

World Record Bass



George Perry and this fish have caused controversy still to this day.


Grave pretty elaborate and he cashed in on fame.

In 2012 the marker and post are missing, leaving no trace the marker ever existed.


Both claim to be images of fish.

Communities of Telfair County

Cities
   
McRae - Helena (county seat)

McRae–Helena is a city in the U.S. state of Georgia, formed on January 1, 2015, by the merger of the two cities of McRae and Helena. McRae – Helena is the county seat of Telfair County.



It is the largest city in Telfair County, with an estimated population of 8,380 in 2018.



This includes the population held as inmates at McRae Correctional Institution.



Telfair State Prison is a Georgia Department of Corrections state prison for men in Helena. The facility opened in 1992 and currently has a capacity of 1420 prisoners.

Notable inmates

Wayne Williams, believed by police to be responsible for at least 23 of the 30 Atlanta murders of 1979–1981




They stopped after he was detained.

Aeman Presley, serial killer responsible for four murders.


Three homeless men and this 44 year old gal. Taurus Raging Judge, the weapon used in the murders.

McRae Correctional Facility is a privately managed, low-security prison for men, owned and operated by the CoreCivic since 2000 under contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons for federal prisoners.



The maximum capacity of the prison is 2275.

Notable Inmates

Jamaican musician Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton cocaine trafficking. Banton was released on 7 December 2018.


Considered one of the most significant and well-regarded artists in Jamaican music. Prison, and Redemption. Speaking of Jamaica, you know Marcus Garvey did time at the Atlanta Federal Pen.

History McRae - Helena

On January 1, 2015, McRae and the adjacent town of Helena merged to form McRae – Helena. This merge was initiated when Helena discovered it could no longer manage its wastewater supply.


Historic Storefronts Helena

While it seemed to make sense to have nearby McRae take over Helena's water services, it would have not only reduced Helena's revenue, but left Helena with only two municipal services.



The cities were united under House Bill 967, sponsored by Representative Jimmy Pruett of the 149th district.


Architect Bernard Webb, Jr., designed the Geno theater to honor Telfair native and four-time Georgia governor Eugene Talmadge.

It was signed into law by Governor Nathan Deal on April 10, 2014.

Sites of interest

Located in downtown McRae – Helena is Liberty Square, home of a Statue of Liberty replica that is one-twelfth the size of the original. The square is also the site of a replica of the Liberty Bell and a marble memorial to Telfair County residents who died in military service.



This local version of the Statue of Liberty was built by the Lions Club of found and recycled materials in 1986, as a tribute to the national Statue in New York, during its centennial year. It is a well-known landmark to travelers through McRae, and though not a perfect replica, is a great example of hometown ingenuity. It’s the centerpiece of a small park honoring Telfair County’s fallen soldiers, which also features a replica of the Liberty Bell.



On the outskirts of McRae – Helena is the Talmadge Home. This historic home was occupied by two former Georgia governors, Eugene Talmadge and Herman Eugene Talmadge. McRae – Helena was the birthplace of Marion B. Folsom (1893–1976), a longtime executive of the Eastman Kodak Company who served as the United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare during the Eisenhower administration. (See above)



Famous railfan (railway enthusiast or buff) photographer William B. Folsom is buried in McRae – Helena.



Image Overload Helena McRae


Walton - Dennis House, 1907, Helena. It was built from heart pine wood that was as hard as stone. It also had a magnificent 200 year old oak in the front yard that grew over the highway until the idiots from DOT cut it down. As of 2011, the house was dismantled.


Queen Anne House McRae. Neoclassical Revival House, McRae.


Known for the longest time as the Hotel Willard, but also was called the Brick Inn and the Telfair Hotel, as well as serving for a time as the VFW Hall and at least one restaurant.


It cost just 2 dollars a day to stay. The chandelier in the dining room was so large it took a boom from a Georgia Power truck to get it placed and installed.


Shame these sites falling by wayside, some last images. As of 2019 they are still trying to restore it.


McRae Eclectic House. Tudor Style cottage McRae.


Helena historic Seaboard Air Line Railway Freight depot. McRae Southern Railway depot. Helena’s restored Seaboard freight depot is now home to the Telfair Museum of History.
 
Lumber City

Lumber City is a town in Telfair County Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 967.


Historic Lumber City

History

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Lumber City as a town in 1889.


Coca Cola Mural red brick Lumber City

The community was named for a sawmill near the original town site.


Captain John L. Day House, Circa 1880
 
This spectacular Italianate is said to be the first brick house ever built in Telfair County, though I can’t confirm this. I’m hopeful that someone in Telfair County will work toward having it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The cast iron fence and porch rails and columns were meant to replicate the rails of a steamship, and considering Captain Day’s machine shop background, he may have even designed them himself. While it was long said that Captain Day built the identical “triplets” a street over from this home for his three daughters, that has now been proven incorrect. Captain Day only had one daughter. They are now thought to have been built by Matt Cook. Captain Day did, however, own them at the time of his death.


Triplets Lumber City

Milan

Milan is a city in Dodge and Telfair counties. The population was 700 at the 2010 census, down from 1,012 in 2000.


Earl Theater and storefronts Milan
   
History

Milan was founded in the 1880s when the railroad was extended to that point. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Milan as a town in 1891. The city was named after Milan, in Italy.


Bank of Milan

On May 25, 1919, at the age of 72, a black man named Berry Washington defended two young black girls who were attacked by two drunken white men. A mob of 75 to 100 white men hung him from a post, then shot his corpse to pieces.



In spite of a $1,000 reward offered by Governor Dorsey, no one was ever arrested.

Scotland

Scotland is a city in Telfair and Wheeler counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 300.


Historic Scotland

History

The community was named after Scotland, the ancestral home of a large share of the first settlers. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Scotland as a town in 1911.


Eclectic home Scotland

Towns of Telfair County
   
Jacksonville

Jacksonville is a town in Telfair County, Georgia, United States. The population was 140 at the 2010 census.


Downtown Jacksonville today.

History

Jacksonville was the original county seat of Telfair County. Land lot 340 in land district 8 was declared to be the permanent county seat in 1814. On November 25, 1815, the Georgia General Assembly declared that the new county seat be named Jacksonville after the hero of the recent Battle of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson. At the time it was located in the center of the county, but when Coffee County was created from the part of Telfair County below the Ocmulgee River in 1854, the town became near the southwestern boundary of the county. In 1856, a referendum was called for the change of the county seat. The results are unknown, but the county seat remained at Jacksonville until after the American Civil War.



The world record large mouth bass was caught near Jacksonville on June 2, 1932 by George Perry. (See above)


Montgomery Lake

Old Jacksonville, Ga.- Where History Lives


This old courthouse was built in 1860, the same year the steamboat Manning blew up just down the river from Jacksonville.

Before this a log courthouse was present, being built around 1812. This county seat courthouse was located in Jacksonville where the Jacksonville Methodist Church now sits and some say, on its original foundation. Court sessions and church services were held here and great clerics, such as The Rev. Wilson Conner, preached and "exhorted" here. With the coming of the railroads in the early 1870's the county seat was moved to McRae. Before this, the State Legislature passed a bill saying it would be moved to the center of the county to a place to be named "Ridgley" -- but the Civil War came, and so did the railroads, and "Ridgley" never was.



This web site Old Jacksonville, Ga.- Where History Lives gives a lot of hidden history.



Long line of Georgia historical figures have ties to old Jacksonville.



In 1871, the seat was transferred from Jacksonville to McRae, which had been established as a station on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad a year before.


Jacksonville Methodist Church With Two Stories, one story now.


Here in the quietness and beauty of the Jacksonville Cemetery, in the northeast corner, under two oak trees, is Cenotaph Place Of Three Generals to honor three men who had strong connections with Jacksonville, Ga. From left to right: General John Clark, Rev. War, who owned a plantation next to where Blockhouse Church sits (he was later Governor of Georgia); Gen. John Coffee, War of 1812, who built the Coffee Road with Thomas Swain (from Jacksonville, Ga. to Tallahassee, Fl.); General Mark Willcox, Indian Wars, who was also a co-founder of the Georgia Supreme Court. As a youth, he was shot by the Indians at Breakfast Branch but was rescued by Nat Statham.


Can't find anything on Wilcox but this image and some feel Wilcox County is named after him.

Unincorporated communities of Telfair County
   
Towns

Towns is an unincorporated community in Telfair County, in the U.S. state of Georgia.

History

A post office called Towns was established in 1870, and remained in operation until 1953.


30 minute Google search for images of Towns Georgia, and this is all I found.

Johnson C. Towns, an early postmaster, gave the community his last name.
   
Workmore

Workmore is an unincorporated community in Telfair County, Georgia, United States.


Vintage hotel postcard and highway art in Workmore Georgia.

Workmore is located at about the center of the county, between McRae-Helena (the county seat) and Jacksonville, and between Milan and Lumber City. Because Workmore is unincorporated, it is serviced totally by the county government. The town was named after a large working farm named Workmore, which was one of several farms owned by William Henry Reviere (1862-1936) of Rochelle in Wilcox County, Georgia. The Revieres donated the land for the Workmore High School which opened in 1922, and a reunion at the Workmore High School is held annually.





Whew! 244 images at a state Park and two Counties. TRD is comprehensive.


Telfair County.

Now I used my imagination for today's Georgia Natural Wonder Gal theme. We present 18 Wheeler GNW Gal drivers with Telfair (Tails that are fair).


The first image is Emily Weymouth, Overdrive‘s most beautiful female driver 2014.

Google Warning there are many pages of women 18 Wheeler truck drivers with Telfair (Fair Tail) images.

 

And the Grand Finale.


Breaker Breaker 1 - 9.