text:
Dublin, Georgia

Dublin is a city and county seat of Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 16,074 at the 2020 census.

History
The original settlement was named after Dublin, Ireland.

Dublin, according to a historical marker at the town's main Oconee River bridge, was one of the last encampments at which Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his family stayed before being captured by Union forces in May 1865.

In the Dublin riot of July 1919 there were a series of violent racial riots between white and black members of the community. These were part of a larger series of racial violence during the 1919 Red Summer.

On April 17, 1944, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his first public speech, "The Negro and the Constitution" at First African Baptist Church in Dublin.

Geography
Dublin is located in north-central Laurens County. The town, named such because the Middle Georgia Piedmont reminded Irish settlers of terrain in their native country, was founded on the Oconee River, which starts in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in northern Georgia before combining with the Ocmulgee River to form the Altamaha, a river which then proceeds to its mouth on the Atlantic Ocean. The Oconee forms the eastern boundary of Dublin, separating it from the city of East Dublin.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 41.5 km2, of which 41.2 km2 are land and 0.24 km2, or 0.59%, are water.

Location
The city is located in the central part of the state along Interstate 16. Access to the city can be found from exits 49, 51, 54, and 58. Via I-16, Savannah is 117 mi east, and Macon is 53 mi northwest. US routes 80, 319, and 441 also run through the city. US 441 connects the city to Milledgeville, 47 mi northwest, and McRae–Helena, 35 mi south. Numerous state and local highways also run through the city.

Historic districts
Dublin has two historic districts designated by the National Register of Historic Places: the Dublin Commercial Historic District and the Stubbs Park–Stonewall Street Historic District. The Dublin Commercial Historic District consists of the original downtown commercial core, including the earliest extant building in the district: the Hicks Building, dating to 1893. The historic district contains 78 contributing properties, including the Dublin Carnegie Library First National Bank Building, and the former United States Post Office building. Structures within the district represent a wide range of architectural styles, including Colonial Revival, Neoclassical, Commercial, and Art Deco.

The Stubbs Park-Stonewall Street Historic District is located west of Dublin's central business district. The district contains 470 contributing properties, most of which are residential homes constructed between the late 1910s to the early 1940s. The predominant architectural styles of the area consist of Craftsman, Gothic Revival, Folk Victorian, and Georgian Cottage. In addition to historic residences, the district contains properties including historic churches, historic cemeteries, and Dublin's first public park, Stubbs Park.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census, there were 16,074 people, 6,459 households, and 3,944 families residing in the city. The population density was 1009.4 PD/sqmi. There were 7,224 housing units.

Dublin micropolitan statistical area
Dublin is the principal city of the Dublin micropolitan statistical area, a micropolitan area that covers Johnson and Laurens counties, and had a combined population of 58,759 at the 2020 census.

Government
Dublin's city government is made up of a mayor and a city council composed of seven council members. Four of the council members represent wards, or districts, within the city boundaries; the remaining three members are considered council members at large, representing the entire city as legislative members.

Dublin was chosen as a City of Excellence by the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Trend magazine in 2000. This distinction recognized Dublin as one of the ten best managed and most livable cities in Georgia when evaluated on areas like public safety, cultural activities, fiscal management, and downtown viability.

In 2005, Dublin was designated as a "Signature Community" by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Dublin was also recognized by the American Association of Retirement Communities (AARC) as a Seal of Approval Community in 2009.

The United States Postal Service operates the Dublin Post Office and the Court Square Station in Dublin.

The Carl Vinson Veterans Administration Medical Center is located in Dublin. It was originally commissioned as Naval Hospital Dublin on January 22, 1945, as an ideal location for convalescence from rheumatic fever. As such it was the site of the commissioning of Naval Medical Research Unit Four on May 31, 1946, to study the disease. The Navy transferred the hospital to the Veterans Affairs Department in November 1947, and it was subsequently named for congressman Carl Vinson who was responsible for getting it built in Dublin. Today, the medical center provides a range of services to veterans in Middle and South Georgia, including primary care, mental health, ambulatory and urgent care, optometry, women's health, and extended care. The medical center features a 340 operating-bed facility and has approximately 1,100 employees.

Dublin's Laurens County Library is known for its genealogy department, with archives and records going back two hundred years.

Theatre Dublin
Theatre Dublin, originally known as the Martin Theater, was constructed in 1934 in Dublin's Historic Downtown Commercial District. The theatre features Art Deco architectural design, with flat symmetrical wall surfacing and horizontal bands, in addition to an overhanging marquee and neon sign.

Since its renovation in 1996, Theatre Dublin has served as a performing arts center for Dublin-Laurens County and surrounding areas. The theatre houses a regular variety of events and performances, including musical artists, plays and performances, orchestras, concerts, and showings of both classical and contemporary films.

Dublin Carnegie Library
The Dublin Carnegie Library was built in 1904 by a grant from Andrew Carnegie. It is located in Dublin's Historic Downtown Commercial District, and the Dublin Carnegie is one of only three surviving Carnegie Libraries in the state of Georgia listed on the National Register of Historic Places and still in its original form. The Dublin Carnegie served as public library for the region until the 1960s, at which point the city and county constructed a larger public library. In the late 1970s, the Dublin Carnegie Library was structurally stabilized and maintained by the Dublin-Laurens Historical Society. For more than 35 years, the building served as the home of the Dublin-Laurens Museum.

In 2014, the Dublin-Laurens Museum moved to a new location, leaving the Dublin Carnegie Library unoccupied. The Dublin Downtown Development Authority then renovated the building to its historic stature, restoring many of the building's original features. Since the renovation by the DDA in 2014, the Dublin Carnegie has served as an event space and fine arts gallery, featuring local and statewide art displays.

Public schools
The Dublin City School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, and an alternative school. The district has approximately 2,400 students as of 2016.
 * Hillcrest Elementary School
 * Susie Dasher Elementary School
 * Dublin Middle School
 * Dublin High School
 * Moore Street School (Alternative)

The Laurens County School District holds grades pre-school to grade twelve, and serves areas outside of the Dublin city limits.

Private schools

 * Trinity Christian School

Higher education

 * Georgia Military College - Dublin Campus
 * Oconee Fall Line Technical College - South Campus
 * Middle Georgia State University - Dublin Campus

Festivals
Dublin is known for its St Patrick's festival which takes place annually during March.

Sister city

 * Osaki, Miyagi, Japan

Pageants
Dublin is home to several scholarship pageants, which are largely popular in the southern United States:
 * The Miss Saint Patrick's Scholarship pageant, sponsored by the Pilot Club, is held every year in March in conjunction with the Saint Patrick's Day celebration.
 * Dublin and Laurens County's America's Junior Miss Pageant is a scholarship competition held yearly for high school juniors. The winners of both the Dublin and Laurens County pageants advance to the state pageant. Its new name is Distinguished Young Women.

In literature
Dublin, the Oconee River, and Laurens County are mentioned in the opening page of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake: "nor had topsawyer's rocks by the stream Oconee exaggerated themselves to Laurens County's gorgios while they went doublin their mumper all the time." (Joyce explained in a letter: "Dublin, Laurens Co, Georgia, founded by a Dubliner, Peter Sawyer, on r. Oconee. Its motto: Doubling all the time.")

Notable people

 * Jamel Ashley, retired track athlete who competed in the sprint events
 * Jermaine Hall, basketball player for Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Matt Hatchett - Businessman and politician. He is a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 150th District.
 * Eleanor Ison Franklin (1929–1998), medical physiologist and endocrinologist
 * Anthony Kewoa Johnson, retired American mixed martial artist who competed in the light heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
 * Marcos Knight, professional basketball player
 * J. Roy Rowland, congressman from 1983 to 1995 and a resident of Dublin
 * Imagene Stewart (1942–2012), Baptist clergywoman and activist
 * Demaryius Thomas, football player in the NFL for the Denver Broncos
 * Quincy Trouppe, baseball player in the Negro leagues
 * Erik Walden, National Football League player
 * Darrell Williams Jr., football player in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers
 * Leh Keen, racing driver

title: Dublin, Georgia


text:
Dudley, Georgia

Dudley is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 593 in 2020.

History
Dudley had its start in 1891 when the railroad was extended to that point. The city was named for Senator Dudley Mays Hughes.

Geography
Dudley is located in western Laurens County at 32.53833°N, -83.07611°W (32.538345, -83.076179). U.S. Route 80 passes just north of the center of town, leading east 10 mi to Dublin, the county seat, and west 5 mi to Montrose. Interstate 16 passes through the south end of the city, with access from Exit 42. I-16 leads northwest 40 mi to Macon and east 125 mi to Savannah.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Dudley has a total area of 8.9 km2, of which 0.03 km2, or 0.38%, are water. The north side of the town drains to Turkey Creek, an east-flowing tributary of the Oconee River, and the south side drains via Little Rocky Creek to Rocky Creek, a tributary of Turkey Creek.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 593 people, 273 households, and 196 families residing in the city.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Dudley, Georgia


text:
East Dublin, Georgia

East Dublin is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,492 in 2020.

Geography
East Dublin is located in north-central Laurens County at 32.55083°N, -82.86861°W (32.550854, -82.868661), on the east bank of the Oconee River. It is bordered to the west, across the river, by the city of Dublin, the Laurens county seat.

U.S. Routes 80 and 319 pass through East Dublin as Central Drive. US 80 leads east 33 mi to Swainsboro, while US 319 leads northeast 16 mi to Wrightsville. The two highways lead west together into Dublin. Interstate 16 passes 6 mi south of East Dublin, with access from Exit 58 (State Route 199).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.4 km2, of which 10.9 km2 are land and 0.5 km2, or 4.46%, are water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,492 people, 982 households, and 643 families residing in the city.

Education
It is in the Laurens County School District:
 * East Laurens Primary School
 * East Laurens Elementary School
 * East Laurens Middle School
 * East Laurens High School

title: East Dublin, Georgia


text:
Montrose, Georgia

Montrose is a town in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 203 in 2020.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Montrose as a town in 1929.

Geography
Montrose is located at 32.55833°N, -83.15222°W (32.558253, -83.152311).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.6 sqmi, all land.

Montrose is US Route 80 at the junction of State Highway 278 and is north of Interstate 16.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 154 people, 55 households and 44 families residing in the town. By 2020, its population was 203.

Notable people

 * Jeralean Talley
 * Demaryius Thomas

title: Montrose, Georgia


text:
Rentz, Georgia

Rentz is a city in Laurens County, Georgia, United States. The population was 312 in 2020.

History
The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Rentz as a town in 1905. The community was named after E. P. Rentz, a businessperson in the local lumber industry. A post office has been in operation at Rentz since 1905.

Geography
Rentz is located in southwestern Laurens County at 32.38417°N, -82.99167°W (32.384064, -82.991633). Georgia State Route 117 (Proctor Street) runs through the center of town; it leads northeast 4 mi to U.S. Route 441 and southwest the same distance to Cadwell. Dublin, the county seat, is 13 mi northeast of Rentz via Routes 117 and 441.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Rentz has a total area of 2.7 km2, of which 0.02 sqkm, or 0.67%, are water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 304 people, 142 households, and 94 families residing in the town. By 2020, its population grew to 312.

Education
Though Rentz once had a grade 1-12 school, it closed many years ago. Laurens County Schools opened Southwest Laurens Elementary just outside town in the fall of 2000.

title: Rentz, Georgia


text:
Leesburg, Georgia

Leesburg is a city and the county seat of Lee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,480 at the 2020 census, up from 2,896 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan statistical area.

History
Leesburg, originally known as "Wooten Station", was founded in 1870 as the Central of Georgia Railway arrived in the area. In 1872, the town was renamed "Wooten", and the seat was transferred from Starksville. In 1874, the town was incorporated and renamed again to its present form of Leesburg.

Leesburg is the site of the Leesburg Stockade incident, in which a group of African-American teenage and pre-teen girls were arrested for protesting racial segregation in Americus, Georgia, and were imprisoned without charges for 60 days in poor conditions in the Lee County Public Works building.

Geography
Leesburg is in south-central Lee County. U.S. Route 19 passes through the city, leading north 26 mi to Americus and south 11 mi to Albany. State Route 32 is Leesburg's Main Street; it leads east 32 mi to Ashburn and west 18 mi to Dawson. State Route 195 leads northeast from Leesburg 17 mi to Leslie.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Leesburg has a total area of 12.9 km2, of which 0.14 km2, or 1.06%, are water. Kinchafoonee Creek flows through a western corner of the city; it leads south to the Flint River, part of the Apalachicola River watershed.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,480 people, 884 households, and 666 families residing in the city.

Education
The Lee County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two primary schools, two elementary schools, two middle schools, and a high school. The district has 330 full-time teachers and over 5,350 students.
 * Kinchafoonee Primary School
 * Lee County Elementary School
 * Lee County Primary School
 * Twin Oaks Elementary
 * Lee County Middle School East Campus
 * Lee County Middle School West Campus
 * Lee County High School
 * Lee County High School 9th Grade Campus

Notable people

 * Hal Breeden, former Major League Baseball player, former sheriff of Lee County
 * Luke Bryan, country music artist
 * Tic Forrester, congressman
 * Roy Hamilton, singer of R&B, soul, show tunes and rock 'n' roll music
 * Carly Mathis, Miss Georgia 2013
 * Marion Motley, Pro Football Hall of Fame running back
 * Phillip Phillips, American Idol season 11 winner
 * Buster Posey, NL MVP San Francisco Giants catcher
 * Merritt Ranew, former Major League Baseball player

title: Leesburg, Georgia


text:
Smithville, Georgia

Smithville is a city in Lee County, Georgia, United States. The population was 593 in 2020. It is part of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan statistical area.

History
A post office was established at Smithville in 1871. The community was named after the local Smith family. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Smithville as a town in 1863.

Geography
Smithville is located in northwestern Lee County at 31.90194°N, -84.25528°W (31.902073, -84.255336). It is bordered to the north by the Sumter County line.

U.S. Route 19 runs through the west side of the city, leading south 12 mi to Leesburg, the Lee county seat, and north 13 mi to Americus. Georgia State Route 118 passes through the center of Smithville, leading east 12 mi to Leslie and southwest 14 mi to Dawson.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.5 km2, all of it recorded as land. Muckaloochee Creek forms the northeast border of the city. The creek is a south-flowing tributary of Muckalee Creek and part of the Flint River watershed.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 593 people, 239 households, and 143 families residing in the city.

Education
Public schools are operated by the Lee County School District. Students are zoned to Lee County High School.

Notable people

 * Bessie Jones (1902-1984), gospel and folk singer
 * Bill McAfee (1907-1958), baseball player and mayor
 * William J. Sears (1874-1944), congressman from Florida
 * Jeffery Waters (1989-2019), second African American to serve as Command Master Chief of Naval Air Station Jacksonville (2016-2019)
 * Ja'Lia Taylor (1989–Present) First woman to run for Mayor of Smithville. First African American to receive a PhD in Special Education from Smithville, Ga. Founder of KimRose Brown Academy and Founder of Rare Genetics by Lia Jai'
 * Hudson Woodbridge (1904-1981), aka Tampa Red, musician in Blues Hall of Fame

title: Smithville, Georgia


text:
Allenhurst, Georgia

Allenhurst is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 816.

History
Allenhurst was platted in 1910 by B. H. Allen, the proprietor of a local sawmill. A post office has been in operation since 1909.

Geography
Allenhurst is located at 31.78139°N, -81.60833°W (31.781311, -81.608470).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.1 sqmi, of which 1.1 sqmi is land and 0.88% is water.

Demographics
In 2020, its population was 816.

Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal Service operates the Allenhurst Post Office. The current Mayor of Allenhurst is James Willis.

Education
The Liberty County School District operates public schools that serve Allenhurst.

title: Allenhurst, Georgia


text:
Flemington, Georgia

Flemington is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. The population was 825 in 2020.

History
A post office called Flemington was established in 1889, and remained in operation until 1966. The community was named after William Fleming, a pioneer settler. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Flemington in 1941.

Geography
Flemington is located in central Liberty County at 31.85636°N, -81.56115°W. It is bordered to the west by Hinesville, the county seat. U.S. Route 84 passes through the center of Flemington, leading west into Hinesville and east 12 mi to Interstate 95 on the east side of Midway.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Flemington has a total area of 12.3 km2, of which 3485 sqm, or 0.03%, are water.

Demographics
In 2020, its population was 825.

Education
The Liberty County School District operates public schools that serve Flemington.

title: Flemington, Georgia


text:
Fort Stewart

Fort Stewart is a United States Army post in the U.S. state of Georgia. It lies primarily in Liberty and Bryan counties, but also extends into smaller portions of Evans, Long and Tattnall counties. The nearby city of Hinesville, along with Ft. Stewart and the rest of Liberty and Long Counties, comprise the Hinesville metropolitan area. Many of Fort Stewart's residents are members of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The Fort Stewart Military Reservation includes approximately 280000 acre. This includes land that was formerly the town of Clyde, Georgia.

Geography
Fort Stewart is located along the Canoochee River.

Units
Units assigned to Fort Stewart are:

3rd Infantry Division

 * 3rd_Infantry_Division_DUI.svg Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion
 * 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (1st ABCT), 3rd Infantry Division "Raider" – regionally allocated to Europe
 * Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 1st ABCT
 * 7_Cav_Rgt_DUI.jpg 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment–Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) "Warpaint"
 * 7th_Infantry_Regiment_DUI.png 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment "Cottonbalers"
 * 64th_Armor_DUI.png 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment "Desert Rogue"
 * 069_Armored_Regiment_DUI.png 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment "Speed & Power"
 * 41st_Field_Artillery_Regiment_DUI.svg 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment (1-41st FAR) "Glory's Guns"
 * US_10th_Brigade_Engineer_Battalion_emblem.jpg 10th Brigade Engineer Battalion (10th BEB) "Bridge the Sky"
 * 3rd_Brigade_Support_Battalion_Emblem.png 3rd Brigade Support Battalion (3rd BSB) "Ready to Roll"
 * 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (2nd ABCT) "Spartans" as of March 2023, 2nd ABCT is the 'most modern' ABCT
 * Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 2nd ABCT
 * 1-8cav.gif 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment "Mustang"
 * 15_Inf_Regt_DUI.jpg 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment "Old China Hands"
 * 67_Armor_Rgt_DUI.jpg 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment ”Hounds of Hell"
 * 069_Armored_Regiment_DUI.png 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment "Panthers"
 * 9_FA_Rgt_DUI.svg 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment (1-9th FAR)"Battlekings"
 * 9_Eng_Bn_DUI.jpg 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion (9th BEB) "Gila"
 * 703BSB_2ABCT_3ID.png 703rd Brigade Support Battalion (703rd BSB) "Maintain"
 * 3rd Division Artillery (DIVARTY) "Marne Thunder" has training and readiness oversight of field artillery battalions, which remain organic to their brigade combat teams.
 * 3d_Inf_Div_Arty.png Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, DIVARTY
 * 63rd_SIG_Coat_of_Arms.jpg 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion (located at Fort Stewart, but part to 35th Signal Brigade
 * 83ChemBnDUI.jpg 83rd Chemical Battalion (assigned to the division as part of the Army 2030 reform)
 * 92_Eng_Bn_DUI.jpg 92nd Engineer Battalion (assigned to the division as part of the Army 2030 reform)
 * 103_MI_Bn_DUI.png 103rd Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion (reactivated 16 September 2022 as part of the Army 2030 reform)
 * 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade
 * 3SustainBdeDUI.jpg Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 3rd Division Sustainment Brigade
 * Stb_3id.jpg Division Sustainment Troops Battalion
 * 87_Spt_Bn_DUI.png 87th Division Sustainment Support Battalion

History
Fort Stewart is named for Brigadier General Daniel Stewart, a hero of the Revolutionary War and a political leader from Liberty County, Georgia. It is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River, covering 280000 acre, which include parts of Liberty, Long, Bryan, Evans and Tattnall Counties. The reservation is about 39 mi across from east to west, and 19 mi from north to south. During World War II, the camp had billeting space for 2,705 officers, and 37,267 enlisted men. It is close to the East Coast, and two deepwater ports: Savannah, Georgia (42 mi), and Charleston, South Carolina (142 mi). Tank, field artillery, helicopter gunnery, and small arms ranges operate simultaneously throughout the year with little time lost to bad weather.

Anti-Aircraft Artillery Center
In June 1940, Congress authorized funding for the purchase of property in coastal Georgia for the purpose of building an anti-aircraft artillery training center. It was to be located just outside Hinesville, Georgia, some 40 mi southwest of Savannah.

On 1 July 1940 the first 5,000 acres (20 km$2$) were bought and subsequent purchases followed. Eventually the reservation would include over 280,000 acres (1100 km$2$) and stretch over five counties. The large expanse of property was required for the firing ranges and impact areas which an anti-aircraft artillery training center would need for live-fire training.

In November 1940, the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Center was officially designated as Camp Stewart, in honor of General Daniel Stewart, a native of Liberty County, who had fought with Francis Marion during the American Revolution, and who became one of the county's military heroes. An announcement of the new post's name was made in January 1941.

During the early months, training was done on wooden mock-ups, since real anti-aircraft guns were in short supply. Live-firing exercises were conducted on the beaches of St. Augustine and Amelia Island, Florida, since the necessary ranges and impact areas had not been completed at Camp Stewart. This live-fire training over the ocean continued until September 1941, while at Camp Stewart practice firing and searchlight training progressed.

In fall of 1941, the Carolina Maneuvers were held, and all the anti-aircraft units from Camp Stewart participated.

Savannah's First Bryan Baptist Church had a special service for soldiers from the Savannah Air Base and Camp Stewart December 21, 1941. Reverend Terrill wrote a letter to Asa H. Gordon, director of the Colored SSSS, extending the invitation to the soldiers. Church members took at least one soldier home from the service for Sunday dinner. Reverend Terrill, at the special service for soldiers, preached on "The Negro's Place in National Defence." Thelma Lee Stevens gave the welcome address. Scout Westley W. Law was master of ceremonies (source: page 71, Dr. Charles J. Elmore, "First Bryan 1788–2001 The Oldest Continuous Black Baptist Church in America.")

The National Guard units departed and new units came in for training. Facilities were expanded and improved. Anti-aircraft artillery training was upgraded and soon a detachment of Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP's) arrived at the air facility on post, Liberty Field, to fly planes to tow targets for the live-fire exercises. Eventually radio-controlled airplane targets came into use as a more effective and safer means of live-fire practice.

As the war progressed, Camp Stewart's training programs continued expanding to keep pace with the needs placed upon it. Units were shipped out promptly upon completion of their training, and new units received in their place. The camp provided well-trained soldiers for duty in the European, Mediterranean, North African, and Pacific Theaters.

POW camp
By late 1943, Camp Stewart assumed a new responsibility as one of many holding areas designated in the United States for German and Italian prisoners of war (POWs), who had fallen into Allied hands during fighting in North Africa. These men were held in two separate POW facilities on post, and they were used as a labor force for base operations, construction projects, and area farming.

Beside its initial purposes as an anti-aircraft artillery training center, Camp Stewart also served as a Cooks' and Bakers' School, and as a staging area for a number of Army postal units. By spring 1944, the camp was bulging at its seams as more than 55,000 soldiers occupied the facility during the build-up for the D-Day invasion. However, almost overnight, the post was virtually empty as these units shipped out for England. With the D-Day invasion and Allied control of the air over Europe, the need for anti-aircraft units diminished, and in response the anti-aircraft training at Camp Stewart was phased out. By January 1945 only the POW camp was still functioning.

Post World War II
With the end of the war, Camp Stewart came to life briefly as a separation center for redeployed soldiers, but on 30 September 1945, the post was inactivated. Only two officers, 10 enlisted men, and 50 civilian employees maintained the facilities, and the Georgia National Guard only did training during summer months.

Korean War
With the outbreak of hostilities in Korea in June 1950, the U.S. once again found itself with the need to update training and to prepare new soldiers to meet the crisis in Korea. Camp Stewart was reopened on 9 August 1950, its facilities repaired, and National Guard troops brought in for training. On 28 December 1950, Camp Stewart was redesignated as the 3rd Army Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Center. Intensive training of soldiers destined for service in Korea began. Since control of the air in Korea wasn't seriously challenged by the Communist forces, in late 1953 Camp Stewart's role changed from solely anti-aircraft training to include armor and tank firing as well.

When the Korean War eventually cooled down, it was recognized that the U.S. would be required to maintain a ready and able military force to deal with any potential threat to itself and its allies. Camp Stewart would have a role to play in that mission. The decision was made that the post would no longer be viewed as a temporary installation. On 21 March 1956, it was redesignated as Fort Stewart. Its role would continue to evolve in response to specific needs and world events.

In 1959, Fort Stewart was redesignated as an Armor and Artillery Firing Center, since its old anti-aircraft ranges and impact areas were better suited for this purpose in the new age of missiles. By 1961, there was a feeling that Fort Stewart may have served its usefulness, and there was movement afoot to deactivate the post again. However, the age of missiles brought with it new threats and a new mission for Fort Stewart.

Cuban Missile Crisis
As a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the 1st Armored Division was ordered to Fort Stewart for staging, and in the short span of two weeks the population of the fort rose from 3,500 personnel to over 30,000.

The country prepared for the worst, but in the end a compromise was reached, and the crisis passed. Shortly after, word was received at Fort Stewart that a VIP would be visiting the post and that the post conference room wasn't worthy of a person of this stature. Thus, preparations were rapidly made to convert this conference room into a more suitable one. The command group at Fort Stewart quickly discerned that this VIP would be none other than Commander in Chief, President John F. Kennedy. He arrived at Hunter Field on 26 Nov. 1962 and flew to Donovan Parade Field at Fort Stewart, where he reviewed the entire 1st Armored Division. From there he was taken to the new conference room where he was briefed on armed forces readiness to respond to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and then he visited troops in nearby training areas.

Vietnam War
After the Cuban Missile Crisis had passed, the Cold War situation kept Fort Stewart in an active training role. During the late 1960s, another developing situation would bring about yet another change in Fort Stewart's mission. With tensions growing in the divided country of Vietnam, the U.S. found itself becoming increasingly involved in that conflict.

The Vietnamese terrain and the type of war being fought there demanded an increased aviation capability through the use of helicopters and light, fixed-wing aircraft. This brought about a need for more aviators. In response to this need, an element of the U.S. Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, was transferred to Fort Stewart in 1966. Helicopter pilot training and helicopter gunnery courses became Fort Stewart's new mission. In an ironic twist, now instead of training soldiers to shoot down aircraft, Fort Stewart was training soldiers to fly them.

Hunter Army Airfield
When the U.S. Air Force closed its base at Hunter Field in Savannah in 1967, the Army promptly assumed control and in conjunction with the flight training being conducted at Fort Stewart, the U.S. Army Flight Training Center came into being. The helicopter pilot training was rapidly accelerated and pilots were trained and soon sent to duty all over the world, with a large percentage seeing active duty in Vietnam.

The Army established the first dedicated attack helicopter training school at Hunter in July 1967. The Attack Helicopter Training Department (AHTD) trained Army, Marine and a few foreign officers (principally Spanish Navy) in the AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter.

Hunter Army Airfield, covers about 5400 acre and is also the home of the U.S. Coast Guard Station, Savannah – the largest helicopter unit in the Coast Guard. It provides Savannah and the Southeast United States with round-the-clock search-and-rescue coverage of its coastal areas.

In 1969 President Nixon planned to reduce American involvement in Vietnam by training the Vietnamese military to take over the war. In conjunction with this, helicopter flight training for Vietnamese pilots began at the Training Center in 1970 and continued until 1972.

Gradually America's involvement in Vietnam dwindled and by mid-1972 the flight training aspect of Fort Stewart's mission was terminated, and both Hunter Field and Fort Stewart reverted to garrison status. The following year Hunter Field was closed entirely and Fort Stewart sat idle, with the exception of the National Guard training which continued to be conducted at the installation.

Post-Vietnam era

On 1 July 1974, the soon-to-be reactivated 1st Battalion, 75th Infantry Regiment (Ranger), parachuted into Fort Stewart. The battalion was formally reactivated the following month. It was the first Army Ranger battalion activated since the Second World War. Hunter Army Airfield was reopened to support the training and activities of the Rangers.

In October 1974, Headquarters, 24th Infantry Division was activated at Fort Stewart. This historic unit, which had seen active and arduous service in the Pacific during WW II and in the Korean War, and served as an element of NATO forces defending western Europe, had been inactive since 1970. The "Victory" Division, as it was known, was going to make Fort Stewart its home. It was perhaps fitting that the V-shaped layout of the main post itself represented the "V" for the Victory Division. The 24th Infantry Division would make Fort Stewart uniquely its own.

With the reactivation of the 24th Infantry Division, the post entered a new phase in its history. Facilities were upgraded, and new permanent structures replaced many of the old World War II-era wooden buildings from the days of Camp Stewart. On 1 October 1980, the 24th Infantry Division was designated a mechanized infantry division, and assigned as the heavy division of the XVIII Airborne Corps, the core element of the newly organized Rapid Deployment Force. This designation was the fruition of that potential first realized by those who served at the post during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

The 24th Infantry Division began intensive training over the expanse of piney woods and lowlands of the post, and conducted live-fire exercises on many of the old Camp Stewart anti-aircraft ranges. Additional deployment training and exercises took Division units from Georgia's woodlands to the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California, as well as to other areas of the world such as Egypt and Turkey. The division was regularly seen in REFORGER exercises in Germany and BRIGHT STAR in Egypt. Its training was continuous. The mission of the Rapid Deployment Force was to be prepared to deploy to practically any point on the globe at a moment's notice, to deal with whatever threat might be discerned.

In August 1990, Iraq invaded and overran neighboring Kuwait, and threatened to do the same to Saudi Arabia. The Port of Savannah worked around the clock to load and ship the division's heavy equipment, while aircraft shuttles from Hunter Field flew the division's personnel to Saudi Arabia. Within a month, the entire division had been reassembled in Saudi Arabia to face the possible invasion of that country by Iraqi forces. Fort Stewart saw a growing influx of National Guard and Reserve units who were being mobilized to support the operations in Saudi Arabia and to assume the tasks at the post which had formerly been accomplished by 24th Infantry Division personnel. In many ways, Fort Stewart appeared to be almost a ghost town, as never before had the entire division been deployed from the post at one time. Within eight months, the crisis at the Persian Gulf had concluded, and the 24th Infantry Division triumphantly returned to its home in coastal Georgia.

The post-Cold War drawdown of forces in Europe resulted in many storied units coming home to the US. On 25 April 1996, "ownership" of Fort Stewart passed as the 24th Infantry Division was inactivated and the 3rd Infantry Division was reactivated. Thus began a new chapter in the history of Fort Stewart.

Fort Stewart also was a leading mobilization station for Army units preparing for tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom as well as two-week National Guard annual training.

Demographics
A small portion of the base has been designated as a census-designated place (CDP) for statistical purposes, with a residential population at the 2020 census of 8,821. Fort Stewart was first listed as an unincorporated place in the 1970 U.S. Census and designated a census designated place in the 1980 U.S. Census.

2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 4,924 people living in the base. The racial makeup of the base was 58.7% White, 23.2% Black, 0.6% Native American, 1.6% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 0.1% from some other race and 3.6% from two or more races. 11.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,205 people, 1,849 households, and 1,791 families living in the base. The population density was 1,697.1 /mi2. There were 1,936 housing units at an average density of 293.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the base was 50.00% White, 36.75% African American, 0.72% Native American, 1.91% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 6.75% from other races, and 3.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.12% of the population.

There were 1,849 households, out of which 81.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 88.0% were married couples living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 3.1% were non-families. 2.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.65 and the average family size was 3.68.

The age distribution is: 27.3% under the age of 18, 39.9% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 1.1% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 197.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 251.8 males. All these statistics are consistent with Fort Stewart's military status.

The median income for a base household is $30,441, and the median income for a family was $29,507. Males had a median income of $18,514 versus $17,250 for females. The per capita income for the base was $11,594. About 9.7% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.0% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Education
Fort Stewart's school district is the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).

The DoDEA operates the following elementary schools on-post:
 * Diamond Elementary School (PreKindergarten to Grade 5)
 * Kessler Elementary School (PreKindergarten to Grade 6)
 * Murray Elementary School (PreKindergarten to Grade 5)

Students at the secondary level attend public schools operated by county school districts. Liberty County School District operates the public schools in Liberty County.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fort Stewart has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Fort Stewart was 110 F on July 15, 1986, while the coldest temperature recorded was 0 F on January 21, 1985.

title: Fort Stewart


text:
Gumbranch, Georgia

Gumbranch, alternatively spelled Gum Branch, is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. The population was 264 at the 2010 census, and 235 in 2020.

History
Gumbranch was incorporated on January 1, 1979. While officially incorporated as "Gumbranch", the alternative spelling "Gum Branch" is often used, such as with the nearby Gum Branch Park and Gum Branch Baptist Church.

Geography
Gumbranch is located in western Liberty County at 31.83889°N, -81.68444°W (31.838765, -81.684384). Georgia State Route 196 passes through the community, leading east 7 mi to Hinesville, the county seat, and northwest 19 mi to Glennville.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Gumbranch has a total area of 2.1 km2, all of it recorded as land.

Demographics
In 2020, its population was 235.

Government and infrastructure
Liberty County Fire Services operates Station 15 Gumbranch.

Education
The Liberty County School District operates public schools that serve Gumbranch.

title: Gumbranch, Georgia


text:
Hinesville, Georgia

Hinesville is a city and county seat of Liberty County, Georgia, United States, located on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 33,437 at the 2010 census and an estimated 33,273 in 2019. By 2020, its population was 34,891. It is the principal city of the Hinesville metropolitan area, which comprises all of Liberty County, including the Fort Stewart army installation, plus neighboring Long County.

History
Hinesville was founded in 1837. That same year, the seat of Liberty County was transferred to Hinesville from Riceboro. It was incorporated as a city in 1916. The city is named for Charleton Hines, a state senator.

A 2017 report by Business Insider listed Hinesville as the most boring city in Georgia, noting that there were only 25 full-service restaurants, four bars, 13 hotels, and no museums in the Hinesville metropolitan area.

Geography
Hinesville is located west of the center of Liberty County, on the south side of Fort Stewart, the largest U.S. Army installation by area in the eastern United States. The city is bordered to the east by Flemington and to the south by Allenhurst and Walthourville. To the southwest the city limits extend to the Long County line.

U.S. Route 84 passes through the city, leading east 15 mi to Interstate 95 near Midway and southwest 14 mi to U.S. Route 301 at Ludowici. Hinesville is the second largest city on US 84 in Georgia after Valdosta. Savannah is 39 mi northeast of Hinesville, and Brunswick is 55 mi to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 47.2 km2, of which 0.2 km2, or 0.40%, are water. Most of Hinesville drains east via Peacock Creek to the tidal North Newport River, while the west side of the city drains north via Mill Creek, part of the Canoochee River watershed flowing east to the tidal Ogeechee River.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 34,891 people, 13,332 households, and 9,354 families residing in the city.

Government and infrastructure
The U.S. Postal Service operates the Hinesville Post Office. The Liberty County Courthouse is in Hinesville and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Education
The Liberty County School District, based in Hinesville, holds pre-school to 12th grade, and consists of seven elementary schools, three middle schools, and two high schools. the district has 674 full-time teachers and over 11,274 students. the superintendent is Dr. Valya S. Lee. Liberty County High School and Bradwell Institute are the comprehensive high schools serving the community.

Georgia Southern University's Liberty campus is in the community.

Live Oak Public Libraries operates the Hinesville Library.

Newspaper

 * Coastal Courier

Sister cities
Hinesville is paired with the following cities:
 * 🇨🇳 Yichun, China
 * 🇰🇪 Marsabit, Kenya

title: Hinesville, Georgia


text:
Midway, Georgia

Midway is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area. The population was 2,141 in 2020.

Midway has several museums, including the Midway Museum and the Dorchester Academy Museum. The Midway Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History
Midway's history dates back to the 18th century. Puritans migrated to St. John's Parish, Georgia, from Dorchester, South Carolina, in 1752 and established several settlements, including what became the Midway community. The Council of Georgia granted them 31950 acre, as colonial officials wanted a large number of settlers in the area to help protect them from the Creek Indians. The original Midway settlers were primarily rice planters and developed a strong agricultural economy, aided by the 1,500 slaves they brought from South Carolina.

The city of Midway was incorporated in 1925.

In 1973, the Midway Historic District, encompassing the Midway Congregational Church and Cemetery, the Midway Museum, and the Old Sunbury Road, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Midway is located in eastern Liberty County at 31.79987°N, -81.4123°W (31.799873, -81.412298). The current city limits include the former unincorporated community of Dorchester. The city limits extend east to include Exit 76 on Interstate 95, at the eastern terminus of U.S. Route 84. Via I-95 it is 32 mi northeast to Savannah and 45 mi south to Brunswick. US 84 leads west from I-95 through Midway 15 mi to Hinesville, the Liberty county seat. To the east from I-95, Islands Highway continues 10 mi to Colonels Island among the Atlantic coastal marshes.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Midway has a total area of 16.7 km2, of which 7053 sqm, or 0.04%, are water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,141 people, 615 households, and 457 families residing in the city.

Industry
Midway has an industrial park with nine manufacturing facilities. In 2007, Target Corporation opened a 1500000 sqft regional distribution center, with two sections to the facility being present: Tradeport East and Tradeport West

Culture
The Midway Museum is home to documents, exhibits, and furnishings associated with the Midway Society from the Colonial period through its last meeting in December 1865. The Midway Museum was Georgia's first colonial museum.

Lemonade stand shutdown
In July 2011 Midway received national attention after city police shut down a lemonade stand run by young girls attempting to earn money for a waterpark trip. Police and city officials maintained the girls were required to obtain a business license. Neighboring Richmond Hill allowed the girls to set up their lemonade stand at its first farmer's market later that month.

In the media
The 2014 award-winning independent film A Promise was filmed in Liberty County.

In 1980 key scenes for the Italian horror film City of the Living Dead were shot within Midway Cemetery across the road from Midway Congregational Church.

Education
Public education is provided by the Liberty County School System. Public schools located in Midway are:

 * Liberty Elementary School (grades K through 5)
 * Midway Middle School (grades 6 through 8)

Notable people

 * Moses Allen, minister (d. 1779)
 * Benjamin Andrew, planter (d. 1790)
 * Daniel Baker, Presbyterian minister (d. 1857)
 * Nathan Brownson, physician and statesman (d. 1796)
 * Lyman Hall, physician and statesman (d. 1790)
 * Abiel Holmes, clergyman and historian (d. 1837)
 * Raekwon McMillan, American football linebacker (b. 1995)
 * Daniel Stewart (Brigadier General), politician and brigadier general, (d. 1829)
 * John W. Wilcox Jr., rear admiral in the U.S. Navy (d. 1942)

title: Midway, Georgia


text:
Riceboro, Georgia

Riceboro is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. The population was 809 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area.

History
The community was named for the early rice industry in the area. Riceboro served as the second seat of Liberty County from 1789 until 1837.

The Georgia General Assembly first incorporated the place as the "Village of Riceborough" in 1819.

Geography
Riceboro is located at 31.73528°N, -81.44028°W (31.735411, -81.440240).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.4 sqmi, of which 11.1 sqmi is land and 0.3 sqmi (2.72%) is water.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 615 people, 310 households, and 193 families residing in the city.

Notable people

 * DeLisha Milton-Jones, WNBA player and Olympic gold medalist, head coach at Old Dominion
 * Richard LeCounte III, (b 1998) NFL safety for the Cleveland Browns and at the University of Georgia

title: Riceboro, Georgia


text:
Walthourville, Georgia

Walthourville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, United States. When it was incorporated in 1974, it had a government entirely composed of women; and in 1978 it elected Carrie Kent, the first African-American woman mayor in Georgia history. Walthourville is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The population was 3,680 at the 2020 Census.

History
Walthourville draws its name from Andrew Walthour, a revolutionary soldier and a physician who established a plantation in the area circa 1795. The Walthourville Presbyterian Church was originally housed in a structure, erected in 1820, which served as a meeting place for both Baptists and Presbyterians. In 1845 a Presbyterian church was erected, which was destroyed by fire in 1877. The following year a new church was completed, with that structure being destroyed in a storm in 1881. The present church was dedicated in July 1884.

The Walthourville Academy, a non-sectarian co-educational school, was founded in 1823. A post office was established on July 3, 1837

By the 1840s the town was one of the most prosperous towns in south Georgia. In 1854 the North Newport Church moved to Walthourville.

The tracks of the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad reached Walthourville in 1857. The railroad merged with the Atlantic & Gulf Railroad and traversed south Georgia from Savannah to Bainbridge. The Walthourville depot was Station No. 4, the fourth to be constructed on the line from Savannah.

An 1862 guide to Confederate railroads provided the following description of Walthourville, "a post-town in Liberty county, Georgia, forty miles South-west of Savannah, is the largest place in the county. It contains two flourishing academies, and about 400 inhabitants."

By 1974 the town had an airstrip and an industrial park, and there was some concern the area might be annexed by nearby Hinesville, Georgia. Although the town was 179 years old, it was not officially chartered by the state. An attempt to do so by the male leaders of the town some 12 years earlier had failed due in part to "bickering."

A committee entirely composed of women completed the necessary census and circulated a petition as required, getting 300 signatures. When they filed the paperwork with the Georgia General Assembly for approval they named themselves the incorporating officers. "We thought it was all just on paper", said Mayor Lyndol Anderson. But when the approved papers arrived (signed by then-Governor Jimmy Carter) they realized they were required to serve as town government until the first election in December.

They were sworn into office in April 1974 becoming the one of the first all-woman governments of a municipality in Georgia history. (The first known instance was Oak Park in 1934). Coming as it did at the height of the women's liberation movement, the all-woman government of the town attracted much attention including national coverage by A.P., UPI, NBC Nightly News with John Chancellor and CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. The women of Walthourville, however, reportedly rejected the label of "women's libbers".

In December 1974 the all-woman slate ran in its first election, and were challenged by a slate of male candidates, none of whom succeeded. The women had proven themselves good campaigners as well as good governors. They had gotten streetlights installed in the town and put up street signs, and had not only levied no new taxes, but they had donated their own (nominal) official salaries back to the town.

Four years later, one man did join the council in the 1978 election. In the same election, council member Carrie Kent was elected mayor - the first African-american woman to be elected mayor in Georgia. In 2007 the town erected a historical marker commemorating the history of its incorporation (see photo).

Points of interest
In the vicinity of Walthourville across the county line near the intersection of Tibet Highway and Griffin Road lies Tea Grove Plantation, an outdoor collection of historic buildings, vehicles, and farming equipment open to the public.

Walthourville Presbyterian Church is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Walthourville is located at 31.77611°N, -81.62417°W (31.776124, -81.624229).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km$2$), all land.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,680 people, 1,652 households, and 1,006 families residing in the city.

Government and infrastructure
The United States Postal Service operates the Walthourville Post Office.

Education
The Liberty County School District operates public schools serving Walthourville.

Notable people

 * William Bennett Fleming (1803 – 1886), U.S. Representative retired here
 * Patrick Hues Mell (1814 – 1888), Southern Baptist Convention President, University of Georgia chancellor
 * Robert Walthour (1878 – 1949), World Champion cyclist

title: Walthourville, Georgia


text:
Lincolnton, Georgia

Lincolnton is a city and the county seat of Lincoln County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2020 census. It contains numerous houses and historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both the city and the county were named for General Benjamin Lincoln, who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

History
Lincolnton was founded in 1798 as seat of the newly formed Lincoln County. It was incorporated as a town in 1817 and as a city in 1953.

Geography
Lincolnton is located in central Lincoln County at 33.79444°N, -82.47639°W (33.794414, -82.476450). U.S. Route 378 passes through the center of town as Washington Street, leading southwest 17 mi to Washington, and northeast 14 mi to McCormick, South Carolina. Georgia State Route 79 leads northwest 38 mi to Elberton, while State Route 43 leads south 24 mi to Thomson. Augusta is 39 mi to the southeast via State Routes 47 and 104. A historical site, Elijah Clark State Park, is 7 mi northeast of Lincolnton at the Savannah River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lincolnton has a total area of 9.1 km2, of which 0.03 sqkm, or 0.35%, are water. The west side of the city drains to Florence Creek, while the east side drains to Dry Fork Creek, both of which flow to Soap Creek, an arm of the Savannah River within Lake Strom Thurmond (Clarks Hill Lake).

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,480 people, 708 households, and 442 families residing in the city.

Lincoln County School District
The Lincoln County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 98 full-time teachers and over 1,450 students.
 * Lincoln County Elementary School
 * Lincoln County Middle School
 * Lincoln County High School

Notable people

 * Barney Bussey, former NFL player
 * Jeff and Sheri Easter, musicians
 * Garrison Hearst, former NFL player
 * Little Roy Lewis and The Lewis Family, gospel bluegrass musicians
 * Lizzy Long, bluegrass/gospel musician, The Little Roy and Lizzy Show
 * Pettis Norman, former NFL player
 * Jarius Wynn, Buffalo Bills defensive end

title: Lincolnton, Georgia


text:
Ludowici, Georgia

Ludowici is a city in Long County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,703 at the 2010 Census and an estimated 2,221 in 2018. The city is the county seat of Long County. It is a part of the Hinesville-Fort Stewart metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

The town, which was originally called Johnston Station, had its beginnings in the 1840s when the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad established a stop referred to as "Four and a Half". The station was constructed across from the house of a landowner named Allen Johnston.

The Long County Courthouse and Ludowici Well Pavilion are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

History
In 1900, the population was about 300 and Johnston Station had a telegraph, post, and express offices. H. F. McKay, an African American Republican, was elected to the Georgia Senate to represent Liberty County the same year. He lived in the area of Johnston Station.

In 1902, the Ludowici Roofing Tile Company built their "Dixie" plant in Johnson Station. In 1905, when the town erected a new high school, the Ludowici company donated towards its construction costs and provided the roofing tile. In return, on August 23, 1905, the town was renamed and incorporated as Ludowici.

The Ludowici Dixie Plant in its heyday covered more than 1100 acre and employed most people who resided in Long County. Tiles manufactured from this plant were stamped "Ludowici Dixie". "Dixie" tile can still be found throughout Georgia and Florida, on such prominent buildings as the U.S. Federal Building in Savannah and Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, as well as numerous homes in Ludowici and the surrounding communities. The plant closed in 1914. The Ludowici Roof Tile Company still exists, but the company's plant is in New Lexington, Ohio.

Before interstate highways were constructed, all motorists traveled on regular U.S. highways. Ludowici was at the crossroads of three U.S. highways, Routes 25, 82 and 301. Many vacationers on their way to Florida passed through Ludowici.

Speed trap designation
The city gained notoriety during the 1950s and 1960s for its aggressive traffic enforcement policies. The AAA went so far as to specifically label Ludowici as a speed trap. Members of the local police force were allegedly engaging in manipulation of the timing of the traffic signal downtown, so as to catch unsuspecting out-of-area motorists "running" a suddenly changed red light. The switch for the stop light was located in the barber shop. The traffic light was at an intersection that was bypassed by a shortcut (Main Street – see a local map) so that local residents would not even come to the light when making the turn at the light. Thus, all the tickets went to nonresidents without the police having to be selective since no locals would be at the light. A song was also written about the town.

Then-Governor Lester Maddox posted billboards warning tourists to avoid the town because ticket-related corruption was so bad. Word of mouth and media exposure caused many motorists to detour around Ludowici. A 1970 TIME article said that Ludowici was "one of the last remaining speed traps in the country."

Reason reported that it wasn't the activity of Governor Maddox that ultimately ended the speed trap activities of the town, but rather that, "In the end, Ludowici was brought down not by Maddox, but by Interstate 95. Tourists no longer had to run a gauntlet of cops and flim-flam men to reach Florida's sunnier climes, and the town faded into well-deserved obscurity."

Geography
Ludowici, in southeast Georgia, is located 30 mi from the Atlantic coast. Nearby communities include Jesup 11 mi to the southwest via US Routes 301, 84, and 25; Darien 32 mi to the southeast via State Route 57; Hinesville/Fort Stewart 15 mi to the northeast via US 84; and Glennville 21 mi to the northwest via US 301 and 25.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ludowici has a total area of 6.1 sqkm, of which 0.03 sqkm, or 0.54%, are water. The city drains west to Jones Creek and east to Doctors Creek, both tributaries of the Altamaha River.

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,590 people, 763 households, and 573 families residing in the city.

Long County School District
The Long County School District holds pre-school to grade twelve, and consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school. The district has 119 full-time teachers and over 3,285 students.
 * Smiley Elementary School
 * McClelland Elementary School
 * Long County Middle School
 * Long County High School

Private education

 * Faith Baptist Christian School

title: Ludowici, Georgia


text:
Dasher, Georgia

Dasher is a town in Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 890 in 2020.

History
Dasher was established as a station on the route of the newly completed Georgia Southern and Florida Railway in 1889 at the residence of V. F. Dasher. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Dasher in 1968.

Geography
Dasher is located in southeastern Lowndes County at 30.74528°N, -83.22306°W (30.745391, -83.222919). U.S. Route 41 passes through the town, leading northwest 7 mi to Valdosta, the county seat, and southeast 6 mi to Lake Park.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 12.9 km2, of which 11.8 km2 are land and 1.1 km2, or 8.44%, are water.

Demographics
In 2000, there were 834 people, 298 households, and 230 families residing in the town; in 2010, its population was 912. By the 2020 census, its population was 890.

title: Dasher, Georgia


text:
Hahira, Georgia

Hahira is a city in northwest Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,384 at the 2020 census, up from 1,626 at the 2000 census.

Hahira has a mayor-council form of elected government. As of 2023, the city is led by Mayor Bruce Cain and the four members of the City Council, who are elected from single-member districts.

The city is mentioned in several songs by the American singer and comedian Ray Stevens, most notably in the song "Shriner's Convention."

History
According to legend, the town of Hahira was named after a local cotton plantation. The planter was said to have named his estate after a West African village, Hairaairee, which was described to him by an English traveler. The name may be derived from Pi-HaHiroth, a place mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. According to a local legend, the name originated with a locomotive engineer called Hira, who was hailed by friends with, "Hey, Hira."

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Hahira in 1891, with Henry Briggs Lawson serving as the first mayor until 1907. By the time of its incorporation, several stores had already been established due to an influx of residents in the mid-1880s. In 1904, a bank was opened, followed by a newspaper in 1906. Prior to 1904, there was one practicing doctor in the town during the 1890s.

As a predominantly agricultural area, Hahira residents largely relied on their own vegetable gardens, raised hogs for meat, and owned milk cows. The primary cash crop was cotton, which remained so until the early 1920s when a Boll weevil infestation devastated the crop. Subsequently, tobacco became the main source of income for farmers despite traditionally only been grown in Virginia and North Carolina.

In the late 1920s, a group of tobacco businessmen in Hahira established a cigarette manufacturing facility instead of shipping their products to the northern U.S. Their cigarette packs featured a Native American man on the front and a wigwam on the back. However, during the Great Depression, the cigarette manufacturers sold their shares in the company to the Julep Cigarette Company. Hahira then became the manufacturing site for nationally distributed "Happy Days" cigarettes for several years. The cigarette factory was situated alongside the Norfolk Southern Railroad on Coleman Road and remained in operation until 1998. In 2002, the building was demolished, and many of its old bricks, as well as heart pine lumber from its foundation beams and flooring, were salvaged for reuse.

Additionally, timber and its by-products played a significant role in the local economy, with woodlands abundant in large yellow pine or heart pine trees. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Hahira also gained prominence in the boxing scene through local fight promotions. This period also marked the growth of the beekeeping industry in the area. When settlers first arrived in South Georgia, there were no honeybees to pollinate their crops. Beekeeping was introduced by W. L. Morgan in Troupville. The black bee was brought from Germany or Holland, while the yellow bee originated from Italy. J. E. Williams established an apiary in the region that is now Cook County, near Sparks, Georgia, and became the first recorded commercial beekeeper in Lowndes County. The Puett Co. and Garnett Puett Sr. are recognized as pioneers in the Hahira beekeeping industry.

Hahira has largely remained an agricultural community, with tobacco cultivation continuing as one of its main crops, though production has fallen significantly since its peak in the 20th century.

Geography
Hahira is located at 30.99056°N, -83.37139°W (30.990537, -83.371433). U.S. Route 41 passes through the center of town as Church Street, leading north 4 mi to Cecil and south 14 mi to Valdosta, the county seat. Interstate 75 passes through the west side of Hahira, with access from Exit 29 (Georgia State Route 122). I-75 leads north 33 mi to Tifton and south past Valdosta 74 mi to Lake City, Florida. State Route 122 is Hahira's Main Street and leads east 18 mi to Lakeland and west 22 mi to Pavo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Hahira has a total area of 7.26 km2, of which 6.97 km2 are land and 0.29 km2, or 4.00%, are water. Franks Creek runs through the westernmost part of the city and is part of the Little River–Withlachoochee River–Suwannee River watershed, flowing to the Gulf of Mexico.

Demographics
In 2000, there were 1,626 people, 643 households, and 448 families residing in the city. The population density was 739.4 PD/sqmi. There were 715 housing units at an average density of 325.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 73.49% White, 22.32% African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 1.97% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.43% of the population.

There were 643 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 18.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,946, and the median income for a family was $37,188. Males had a median income of $27,121 versus $18,981 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,899. About 13.9% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.1% of those under age 18 and 19.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Students in Hahira are part of the Lowndes County School District. The following schools are in Hahira:

 * Hahira Elementary School
 * Hahira Middle School

The South Georgia Regional Library operates the Walter R. & Dorothy Salter Hahira Library. For years, the public library of Hahira consisted of a few thousand books in a small room in City Hall, operated by Jackie Matthews and open only on Thursday afternoons. The state of Georgia then launched a grant program to its cities, promising funds that would pay 90 percent of construction and furnishings to local governments that matched funds and provided land. Hahira citizens were divided, torn between serious water and sewage issues and their own public library. Ultimately, Hahira, which was known during the 1920s as the Queen Bee Capital of the World, built a library, which opened on March 12, 1989.

The library acquired its name from Walter R. Salter, a former mayor, councilman, and local business owner who had long desired a library for the community. Upon his death in 1984, his wife Dorothy came forward with a gift of $30,000. Dorothy was present at the library's formal dedication and Clara Vinson was named as its first manager. Salter Hahira Library is widely used by educators and home school families in the community. The Salter Hahira Library has earned a reputation of friendliness and hospitality. It serves as a community center for Hahira, and a touchstone for local storytelling. In 2010, the library received an $80,000 renovation, completed by Cauthan Construction Company, of the exterior and interior.

Clothing ordinance
Citing public safety concerns, in March 2008, the Hahira City Council, with a vote by the mayor, passed a clothing ordinance that bans residents from wearing pants that have a top falling below the waist in fit and reveal skin or undergarments. The council was split 2–2, and their tie was broken by the mayor in favor of the ordinance.

Notable people

 * Stephen Drew, J. D. Drew, and Tim Drew, brothers and Major League Baseball players
 * Althea Garrison, former city councilor in Boston, Massachusetts
 * Jerry Manuel, Major League Baseball manager
 * Mark and Dean Mathis, singers in the pop trio, The Newbeats, known for the song "Bread and Butter"
 * Gabe Nabers, National Football League football player
 * Lizz Wright, jazz singer and composer

Hahira Honey Bee Festival
The Hahira Honeybee Festival is an annual event held in the city during the first week of October. Established in 1981 by Mamie Sorrell and Adeline Landrum, its aim was to revitalize Hahira through an event including arts, crafts, food, entertainment, a beauty pageant, and a parade. Since its inception, the festival has grown from a single weekend into a week-long event. It has become one of the largest festivals of its kind in South Georgia. Attendance estimates for the parade and the festival's street activities include as many as 36,000 visitors, making it a significant attraction for the town.

Often, the festival has an annual theme. For example, in 2022, the theme was "Living a Life Without Limits: Honoring Those With Special Abilities in Our Community," and the theme for 2023 honored lineworkers. In 2024, the festival will honor school bus drivers.

In October 2022, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp became the first governor to serve as grand marshal in the festival's parade.

Great Hahira Pick-In
From the early 1980s to the mid-1990s, Wilby and Gloria Coleman of Valdosta, together with family and friends, sponsored an annual bluegrass festival in Hahira. The Pick-In featured a weekend of bluegrass bands on the mountain stage as well as pickers and grinners in camp sites throughout the city. Citing falling revenues, organizers ended the Pick-Ins in the mid-1990s. In the Fall of 2009, Harvey's Supermarket sponsored a "Great Hahira Pick-In," before building a store on the traditional site of the festival.

title: Hahira, Georgia


text:
Lake Park, Georgia

Lake Park is a city in Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 932 in 2020, up from 733 in 2010.

History
Lake Park was laid out in 1889 along the route of the newly completed Georgia Southern and Florida Railway. It was originally named Lawrence after its founder, Lawrence A. Wisenbaker. However, the name Lawrenceville was rejected due to the existence of another town with the same name in Georgia. Subsequently, in April 1890, it was renamed Lake Park in reference to the numerous lakes surrounding the original town site. The Georgia General Assembly officially incorporated Lake Park in December 1890.

Geography
Lake Park is located in southeastern Lowndes County at 30.68472°N, -83.18778°W (30.684704, -83.187639). It is bordered to the northwest by the unincorporated community of Twin Lakes.

U.S. Route 41 passes through the center of town as Marion Avenue. It leads northwest 13 mi to Valdosta, the county seat, and southeast 7 mi to Jennings, Florida. Georgia State Route 376 leads east 10 mi to Statenville and west 8 mi to Clyattville. Interstate 75 passes west and south of Lake Park, with access from Exits 2 (Belville Road) and 5 (State Route 376). I-75 leads north past Valdosta 57 mi to Tifton and southeast 47 mi to Lake City, Florida.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Lake Park has a total area of 3.7 km2, of which 0.05 km2, or 1.48%, are water. There are several natural lakes west and north of the city, including two (Ocean Pond and Long Pond) within the city limits.

Demographics
In 2000, there were 549 people, 224 households, and 140 families residing in the city. In 2020, its population grew to 932.

Education
The Lowndes County School District operates Lake Park Elementary School. High school students attend Lowndes High School.

South Georgia Regional Library operates the Edith Garlow Johnston Lakes Library in Lake Park. Country Johnson, a property developer in the area, donated the land for the library. It was named after his wife, Edith Garlow Johnson, and opened on March 4, 1990.

title: Lake Park, Georgia


text:
Remerton, Georgia

Remerton is a city in Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,123 at the 2010 census, and 1,334 in 2020. It was incorporated as a town in 1951, and chartered as a city under Georgia law in 2000. Remerton is an enclave of Valdosta and is a popular place for Valdosta State University students to live.

History
Remerton was founded in 1899 as a company town for workers at the Strickland Cotton Mill. It was named for banker Remer Y. Lane. In 1951 Remerton was incorporated as municipality. In January 1979, Strickland Cotton Mills closed. Two months later the mill was purchased by Wipo Inc. and the mill began to operate as Sugar Creek Textiles.

During the 1980s Remerton underwent many changes. Apartments began being built to attract students from what was then known as Valdosta State College. Also, businesses including a Piggly Wiggly were built. In 1985 the L.E. Davis family purchased the Strickland Cotton Mill building from Sugar Creek Textiles. The next year Fred Wilkinson purchased the building and used the building for his Wilkinson Textile Company.

On 1 November 2005, the Strickland Cotton Mill building was purchased by Remerton Mills, LLC. Remerton Mills, LLC is a corporation with local businessman Joseph H. Tillman, Sr. as the registered agent. In 2006 Remerton Mills, LLC announced plans for renovating the Strickland Cotton Mill building into residential and commercial spaces.

In 2012 plans for the demolition of the historic Strickland Cotton Mill were put in motion by Remerton Mills, LLC despite calls from preservationists and locals to save it. Plans were announced to build a park at the site. The demolition of the mill building began in June 2013.

Geography
Remerton is located at 30.84333°N, -83.30833°W (30.843572, -83.308492).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.2 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
In 2000, there were 847 people, 440 households, and 124 families residing in the city. In 2020, its population increased to 1,334.

title: Remerton, Georgia