2014 Thomasville Georgia Visitors Guide Proof by ClayByars

2014 Visitors Guide (229) 228-7977

Toll Free (866) 577-3600

www.thomasvillega.com Scan with your smartphone for more info

Photo: Van Jones Martin

...where history & heritage meet southern grace and charm...

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 2

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

CAR Atlanta Tallahassee Jacksonville Albany Valdosta

228 miles 35 miles 167 miles 61 miles 43 miles

AIR

Welcome to Thomasville! I invite you to tour our museums, have your picture taken beside the majestic Big Oak, visit our charming downtown, tour a plantation or spend time discovering the homes in our historical district. Stop by our Rose Garden that sits beside one of our greatest treasures — Cherokee Lake where you can fish from the banks of the lake or from the 80 foot fishing pier or take a leisurely stroll around the area. Both of these attractions are located right in the heart of Thomasville. Whether you are here for a weekend get-a-way or searching for a place to live and work, I am sure you will enjoy Thomasville’s outstanding atmosphere of pride in our heritage with a progressive attention to our future. On behalf of the City of Thomasville, I welcome you and hope you will plan to visit again and again. I think you will find that Thomasville is indeed Worth the Trip!

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (800) 897-1910 Tallahassee Regional Airport (TLH) (850) 891-7802 Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) (904) 741-4902 Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (ABY) (229) 430-5175 Valdosta Regional Airport (VLD) (229) 333-1833 Thomasville Regional Airport (TVI) Private Aircraft (229) 225-4313

Max Beverly Mayor Of Thomasville

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 3

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Have your picture taken by the Big Oak with the Big Oak Cam. Stand by the white sign, dial (229) 236-0053 with your cell phone and follow the directions. Find your picture online at www.thomasvillega.com/bigoak.

2014 Visitors Guide P.O. Box 3319 144 East Jackson Street Thomasville, Georgia 31792 (866) 577-3600 Phone (229) 228-7977 Fax (229) 228-4188 www.thomasvillega.com email visitus@rose.net

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 4

Contents

3 Mayor’s Welcome 5 Did You Know? 6 Visitors Center 7 Getaways 8, 10 Thomasville Dining 11 Downtown Shopping 12 Art & Antiques Shopping Guide 14 History & Timeline 16 Walking & Driving Tour 28 Downtown Map Guide 29 Downtown Map 30 Thomasville Area Map Guide 31 Thomasville Area Map 32 Experience Thomasville 34 Historic Cemeteries 35 Local Area Agritourism 36 Parks, Hunting & Golf 37 Hunting In Thomasville 38 Cultural Events & Venues 40 Annual Events & Festivals 42 More Family Fun 43 Nature Adventures 44 Where To Stay 46 Hotel Ammenities

Did You Know? 1993 Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward, Jr. is a native of Thomasville and graduate of Thomas County Central High School. After he graduated Florida State University, Ward by-passed the NFL and played professional basketball for the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockets before retiring in 2005. His Heisman Trophy, earned playing quarterback for the Seminoles, is on display at the public library. Four-Star General Lloyd J. Austin III, appointed Commanding General of the United States Forces in Iraq in July of 2010, was born in Thomasville, Georgia on August 8, 1953. Upon his return from Iraq, General Austin became the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army in January of 2012. His remarkable military career includes service as director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, Commander of Fort Bragg and the 18th Airborne Corps, and head of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq in which he was second in command to General D. Petraeus. In addition to these achievements, he was awarded a Silver Star for his service during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is distinguished as the first African-American to command a corps in combat. Jacqueline Kennedy chose to stay on a Thomasville plantation following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. She arrived in February 1964 and was the guest of Mrs. John Hay Whitney of Greenwood Plantation. She attended mass at the local Catholic Church (now All Saints Episcopal Church). President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Thomasville five times between 1952 and 1961. In 1956 he visited to rest after an illness and to decide whether or not to run for a second term. The local Glen Arven golf course, one of America’s oldest, was a favorite of the president. Joanne Woodward, Oscar-winning actress and wife of the late actor Paul Newman, was born in Thomasville, February 27, 1930. WPAX Radio Station is the third oldest station in Georgia and the twentieth oldest station in the U.S. It’s first air date was in 1922. The Thomas County Museum of History has the second oldest known private bowling alley in the country, built of heartpine lumber in 1896. Born into slavery in Thomasville in 1856, Lt. Henry O. Flipper was the first African American graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1877 and became the Army’s first African American officer of the 10th Calvary. Pinetree Boulevard is the oldest perimeter road in the United States. It was originally established as a “country drive” for visiting Northerners in the late 1800s. It is situated 2.5 miles from the center of town. Thomasville Visitors Guide — 5

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

VISITORS CENTER P.O. Box 3319 144 East Jackson Street (inside the Municipal Building) Thomasville, GA 31792

HOURS Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

(229) 228-7977 or toll free (866) 577-3600

Thomasville Visitors Center The City of Thomasville’s award-winning downtown, Victorian homes and beautiful architecture converge to weave the historic fabric which makes it truly worth the trip. Live history as you stroll back in time on brick-paved streets in Downtown Thomasville, tour a museum depicting the authentic south or a plantation from the 1800s era. In Southwest Georgia, all roads lead to Thomasville and for good reasons. The City of Thomasville is progressive with amenities you’d expect and a lot of treasures you don’t — such as its old-world ambiance, southern hospitality and graceful charm. You can walk to over 75 unique retail shops and eat at any of the fine or casual dining restaurants where many ingredients are farm fresh — all in our downtown. Thomasville has something for the whole family to enjoy. Known as the “Winter Resort of the South,” Thomasville is home to swaying tall pine trees and majestic oaks, ponds, nature, parks, hunting, fishing and more. Plantations, museums, historic homes, and antebellum bed and breakfasts are located throughout Thomasville. You can also enjoy the movies, skate park, disc golf or a round of golf. If it’s culture you’re looking for, Thomasville hosts acclaimed artists and performers from around the world! While you’re here, enjoy our parks. Thomasville’s Rose Garden has a stunning array of over 500 rose bushes that burst into bloom each spring just in time for the Annual Rose Show and Festival in April. While visiting the garden, relax in the charming gazebo and smell the aromas of Thomasville’s favorite flower — the rose. Adjacent to the garden is Cherokee Lake Park where you can enjoy the walking trail, playground and covered pavilions. We’re anxiously awaiting your visit, so please stop by the Thomasville Visitors Center located in the heart of Downtown Thomasville at the corner of Jackson and Crawford Streets inside the Municipal Auditorium Building. As our Thomasville guest, we commit to offering you good ole’ southern hospitality with a smile, assistance in helping you learn the lay of the land and excellent customer service. We’re here to serve, so if you have any questions, we’re a phone call away. Stop by the Visitors Center and buy yourself the perfect souvenir or gift to take home to those who couldn’t make the trip. We have locally made jellies, cookbooks, t-shirts, and more! Contact us before your trip to ask about special discounts or seasonal packages.

PURCHASE $30 DOWNTOWN DOLLARS

To be spent in over 75 shops, boutiques and restaurants in Downtown Thomasville and receive a free Thomasville coﬀee mug!

Limit one cup per visit.

Bring your Thomasville Coffee Mug to one of the participating downtown shops listed below along with this coupon and receive 10% off one cup of regular coffee.

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 6

The Bookshelf, Grassroots Coffee, Jonah’s Fish and Grits, Liam’s, Relish & Dash

Thomasville Getaways Enjoy a one night stay for two at one of our participating hotels (most with complimentary breakfast), two tickets to tour beautiful Pebble Hill Plantation that includes a guided tour of the Main House and Art Gallery, two tickets to visit the Thomas County Museum of History where you’ll be introduced to the fascinating past that made Thomasville famous, and $20 in Downtown Dollars to spend any way you like in over seventy five shops, boutiques and restaurants in downtown Thomasville. Just choose your accommodations, call us and we’ll take care of the rest! Participating Hotels with Total Package Prices:* Baymont Inn and Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $127.08 Best Western & Rose City Conference Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $143.88 Comfort Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $103.56 Days Inn (Queen Room) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $103.56 Days Inn (King Room) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $110.28 EconoLodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99.08 EconoLodge (Two Room Suite) . . . . . . . . . . . $115.88 Hampton Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $158.44 Holiday Inn Express (Friday-Sunday) . . . . . . . $143.88 Holiday Inn Express (Monday-Thursday) . . . . $148.36 Quality Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $106.92 Quality Inn (Two Room Suite) . . . . . . . . . . . . . $123.72 Thomasville Inn (Sunday-Thursday, Queen) . . $89.00 Thomasville Inn (Sunday-Thursday, King) . . . . $94.68 Thomasville Inn (Friday-Saturday, Queen) . . . $93.48 Thomasville Inn (Friday-Saturday, King) . . . . . $96.68 Western Motel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99.08 Call the Thomasville Visitors Center

(866) 577-3600

and make your reservations now! We require a 48 hour advance notice to book your package. *Note: Hotels reserve the right to blackout dates and to change rates without prior notice. Thomasville Visitors Guide — 7

Thomasville Dining Downtown Bacchus Wine Bar

229 W. Jackson St. (229) 236-9463 CC D$ www.bacchusthomasville.com

Billiard Academy

Old Mexico Mexican Restaurant 116 N. Broad St. (229) 228-6767 CC L$ D$$

Paulies Brick Oven Pizza

121 S. Broad St. (229) 226-9981 CC L$ D$

134 S. Madison St. (229) 225-9866 CC L$ D$$ www.pauliespizza.net

Blue Coop

The Plaza Restaurant

Chop House On The Bricks

Q Cafe

123 S. Broad St. (229) 384-0014 CC L$$ D$$$

123 N. Broad St. (229) 236-2467 CC D$$$ www.chophouseonthebricks.com

George & Louie’s Seafood 217 Remington Ave. (229) 226-1218 CC L$ D$$ www.georgeandlouies.com

Grassroots Coﬀee

118 S. Broad St. (229) 226-3388 CC B$ L$ www.grassrootscoffee.com

Hong Yip Oriental Restaurant

217 S. Broad St. (229) 226-5153 CC B$ L$ D$$ www.thomasvilleplaza.com 122 N. Broad St. (229) 236-3663 CC B$ L$$ D$$

Savannah Moon Bakery & Cafe 109 N. Broad St. (229) 227-0081 CC B$ L$$ www.savannahmoonbakery.com

Smallcakes Cupcakery

127 N. Broad St. (229) 233-8180 CC $ www.smallcakescupcakery.com

Someplace Else Café and Depot Garden Lounge

141 E. Jackson St. (229) 226-3543 CC L$ D$

420-1 W. Jackson St. (229) 236-7732 CC L$$ D$$$

Jonah’s Fish & Grits

Subway Sandwiches & Salads

109 E. Jackson St. (229) 226-0508 CC L$$ D$$$ www.jonahsfish.com

Lucy & Leo’s

126 S. Broad St. (inside The Bookshelf) (850) 765-0374 CC $ www.lucyandleoscupcakery.com

Liam’s Restaurant

113 E. Jackson St. (229) 226-9944 CC B$ L$$ D$$$ www.liamsthomasville.com

Moonspin Pizza

133 N. Crawford St. (229) 226-4488 CC L$ D$$ www.moonspinpizza.com

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 8

131 S. Broad St. (229) 226-8899 B$ L$ D$ www.subway.com

Sweet Grass Dairy Cheese Shop 106 N. Broad St. (229) 228-6704 CC L$ D$$ www.sweetgrassdairy.com

The Scoop Ice Cream & Deli 115 W. Jefferson St. (229) 551-0012 CC L$ www.thescoopdeli.webs.com

Symbols & Prices

B - Breakfast L - Lunch D - Dinner $ - Under $10 $$ - $10-$15 $$$ - $16-$25 CC - Major Credit Cards Accepted

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 9

Thomasville Dining Around Town Applebee’s

Olive Garden

Barberitos Southwestern Grill

Red Lobster

Beef O’Brady’s

Rock Bottom Seafood & Grill

Fallin’s BBQ

Rose City Pick Up Meals

13765 Highway 19 S. (229) 227-0811 CC L$ D$$ 1428 Remington Ave. (229) 225-9277 CC L$ D$

1508 E. Jackson St. (229) 551-9464 CC L$ D$$ 2614 E. Pinetree Blvd. (229) 236-4000 CC L$ D$

Granddaddy’s Barbeque

2128 Smith Ave. (229) 225-9500 CC B$ L$ D$$

Hawaii Snow & Deli 430 Smith Ave. (229) 227-1440 CC L$

Henderson’s Grill

415 Smith Ave. (229) 226-3376 CC B$ L$ D$

Homecoming Restaurant 14010 Highway 19 S. (229) 551-0972 CC L$$ D$$

La Fogata Mexican Restaurant 14418 Highway 19 S. (229) 228-9787 CC L$ D$$

Longhorn Steakhouse

21 Constitution Ave. (229) 228-6744 CC L$$ D$$$

The Market Diner

502 Smith Ave. (229) 225-1777 L$ D$$

Masato Express

1428 Remington Ave. (229) 226-1615 CC L$ D$

Mom & Dad’s Italian Restaurant 1800 Smith Ave. (229) 226-6265 CC D$$$

Nanee’s Donut Hole

254 Liberty St. (229) 225-2112 CC L$$ D$$$ 256 Liberty St. (229) 225-1915 CC L$$ D$$$ 2115 Smith Ave. (229) 236-5656 CC L$ D$$

325 North Blvd. (229) 228-1948 CC L$

Ruby Tuesday’s

15047 Highway 19 S. (229) 227-9670 CC L$$ D$$

Seminole Wind Restaurant 14815 Hwy 19 S. (229) 227-0622 CC L$ D$$

Sistah’s Homestyle Southern Cooking

1102 E. Jackson St. (229) 233-8049 CC B$ L$

Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q 14293 Hwy 19 S. (229) 558-9000 CC L$ D$$

Super Hibachi

15300 Hwy 19 S. (229) 226-8111 CC L$ D$$$

Vic’s Smokehouse Barbeque 427 Smith Ave. (229) 551-9303 CC L$ D$$

Waﬄe House (24 hours) 10401 Highway 84 E. (229) 226-4433 15228 Highway 19 S. (229) 226-6796 CC B$ L$ D$

Yummi Express

1604 E. Jackson St. (229) 227-9338 CC L$ D$

1100 E. Jackson St Thomasville, GA 31792 (229) 558-9833 CC B$

O’Neil’s Country Buﬀet 620 W. Jackson St. (229) 551-0092 CC L$

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 10

Photo: Georgia Department of Economic Development

Downtown Shopping Thomasville’s Historic Downtown is a shopper’s dream come true, offering dozens of charming retail shops, antiques, specialty stores and restaurants. Our award-winning Main Street Program has spurred the rehabilitation of a number of downtown buildings and has been a catalyst for hundreds of new businesses. Thomasville was designated a Great American Main Street City in 1998 and was named a dozen top places to visit in the U.S. by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1999. Thomasville is unique in that it has not only preserved many of its original downtown buildings, but many of its original downtown businesses as well. The restored Victorian storefronts put a lovely face on a fun variety of stores offering everything from proper hunting attire to the perfect little black dress — and great shoes to go with both. The city’s brick-paved streets lend an Old World feel to the bustling shopping district, which draws visitors from throughout South Georgia and North Florida, as well as visitors from around the country and the world. Downtown Thomasville prides itself on excellent service, quality of merchandise, convenient free parking and home-spun atmosphere. Visit Downtown Thomasville for shopping, dining (see our Dining Guide on pg. 8) and a little piece of history. For downtown events, visit the community calendar at www.thomasvillega.com.

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Thomasville Main Street Office 144 E. Jackson St., Corner of Jackson and Crawford St. (inside the Municipal Building) For downtown information, special events and municipal auditorium reservations or schedule, please call the Downtown Thomasville Main Street Office

(229) 227-7020 or visit online at www.downtownthomasville.com.

Photo: Georgia Department of Economic Development

Photo: Ursula Page Photography

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 11

Art & Antiques Downtown Thomasville is home to dozens of unique antique shops, charming retail shops and quaint restaurants. A premier destination for antique shopping, Thomasville offers quality antiques not found within hundreds of miles. Discover dozens of treasures, featuring unique furniture, collectibles, jewelry, artwork and more all within walking distance of each other. 1. A Diﬀerent Drummer

206 S. Broad St. (229) 227-6060 www.adifferentdrummergallery.com

2. Big Oak Rug Gallery

108 Gordon Ave. (229) 236-0270

8. IMwithLOVE Designs 108 N. Broad St. (229) 585-9003

102 W. Jackson St. (229) 228-9244

9. James S. Mason Antiques 309 W. Remington Ave. (229) 226-4454

3. The Brass Ring

10. Relic’s

138 S. Madison St. (229) 228-4181

4. C.H. Whitney

F AW

124 S. Stevens St. (229) 226-0029

11. Thomasville Antique Mall

118 Remington Ave. (229) 227-1005

132 S. Broad St. (229) 225-9231

5. Firefly

125 S. Broad St. (229) 226-6363

12. TOSCOGA Market Place

209 S. Broad St. (229) 227-6777

BR DS T.

13. Town & Country Antiques WS DA

O DIS MA

119 S. Madison St. (229) 226-5863

318 S. Broad St. . ST(229) 236-0885

6. ForeveRetro

ON GT

7. Gordon Avenue Market

. ST

S. F AW CR

DS OR

DS T.

SMITH AV

E. N AV

ING

REM

. ST

4 BR

11 S.

DIS

J ST

O KS

N AV

GTO

IN REM

. ST

J ST

N SO

6 Photo: Georgia Department of Economic Development

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 12

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 13

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

History Timeline

Thomas County was formed in 1825 by legislation introduced by Thomas J. Johnson, owner-builder of Pebble Hill Plantation. One year later, on December 22, 1826, a location was established for the new county seat, Thomasville. The city and county are believed to have been named for Major General Jett Thomas, a member of the State Militia during the war of 1812. Without a railroad until 1861, Thomas County residents became largely self-sufficient. Agriculture was diversified and business methods were modernized. As the terminus for the railroad, Thomasville was accessible from the north and, during the late 1800s, became known as the “Winter Resort of the South.” In the beginning of this era, Northerners and other visitors came to Thomasville for their health, breathing the pine-scented air as a curative for pulmonary ailments. They were soon joined by friends to enjoy hunting, fishing, and an active social life, including golf, horse racing, and bicycling. Thomasville came to represent the best of Southern hospitality with the lavishness of the resort lifestyle. Thomasville’s luxurious hotels regularly hosted America’s wealthiest families as their guests. Once discovered that it cost less to purchase land than rent hotel rooms, these wealthy families bought property and built grand Victorian mansions and plantation homes. Many of these plantations are still owned by the families who built them and are visited year round. Many of the “winter cottages” built during the 1880s have been lovingly restored and are included on the Historic Walking and Driving Tour of Thomasville’s Historic Districts contained in this book (See page 16). Although the grand hotel era ended with the extension of the railroad into southern Florida, Thomasville and Thomas County have continued the long-standing tradition of cultural and economic diversity and the preservation of the area’s rich heritage.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 14

1877 1825 – 1831 Thomas Jefferson Johnson Thomas County is created when a bill is introduced in 1825 by Thomas Jefferson Johnson, founder of Pebble Hill Plantation. Thomasville is chartered in 1831 and named the county seat.

Henry Ossian Flipper born into slavery, Henry O. Flipper of Thomasville becomes the first African American graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Army’s first black officer of the 10th Calvary, Buffalo Soldier regiment. For more information, visit the Jack Hadley Black History Museum 214 Alexander St.; the Thomas County Museum of History 725 N. Dawson St.; and The Old Magnolia Cemetery Corner of Madison & Webster Streets.

1800’s 1861 Thomasville Train Depot Representatives of Thomas County hesitantly vote in support of succession at a Milledgeville, Georgia convention. The Atlantic & Gulf Railroad is completed connecting Thomasville to Savannah. Later, wealthy Northerners travel to Thomasville by rail transforming the town into an international, grand winter resort Built 1916. 420 W. Jackson St.

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

1895 Hanna-McKinley House At his winter home on Dawson St., Marcus Hanna, senior U.S. Senator from Ohio, discussed campaign strategy with southern Republicans and Ohio Governor presidential candidate William McKinley. A year later, McKinley is elected President. In 1899, McKinley returns to Thomasville as President, fulfilling a promise he made during his earlier visit. 830 N. Dawson St.

1919 Flowers Baking Company is founded and a new factory is built on Madison Street. Today, Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE: FLO) is the secondlargest producer and marketer of packaged bakery foods for retail and foodservice customers in the United States with 2012 sales of $3.05 billion. 300 S. Madison St.

1964

1925 John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital opens. The hospital was given as a gift to the Thomasville and south Georgia/ north Florida community by John F. Archbold in memory of his father, John D. (Dustin) Archbold. 915 Gordon Ave.

Jacqueline Kennedy stays with her friends John & Betty Whitney at Whitney’s Greenwood Plantation following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy. Mrs. Kennedy leaving St. Augustine Catholic Church during her visit to Thomasville. The church is the current location of All Saints Episcopal Church. 443 S. Hansell St.

1900’s

2007 The City of Thomasville’s Community Network Services (CNS) begins offering telephony services to residential and small business customers.

2000’s

1889 – 1922

1922

1942

1996-1999

The William T. “Tom” Berry Building (old power generation plant). Electricity is introduced to Thomasville. In 1906, the City of Thomasville purchases a privatelyowned electric system for $32,000. At that time, the existing water system and the new electric plant were combined into the Water and Light Department. In 1922, the power generation plant is completed. 326 Fletcher St.

Local gardeners hold Thomasville’s first Rose Show. Over the years, Thomasville became known as The City of Roses. The Rose Show and Festival, voted a Southeastern Tourism Society Top 20 Event, is held annually the weekend of the fourth Friday in April in downtown Thomasville.

The Thomasville Army Airbase opens. In 1959, after the end of World War II, the Department of Defense transferred ownership of the airbase to the City of Thomasville. It was opened in 1961 as the Thomasville Municipal Airport. 882 Airport Rd.

The City of Thomasville begins providing telecommunications and Internet services to its community with Rose.net, which provides interactive distance learning capabilities to local schools and connects the local schools to the Internet. In 1999, Community Network Services (CNS) expands to offer cable television and high speed Internet service to citizens.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 15

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

To access the mobile version of the Walking and Driving Tour from your smart device, scan the barcode below or go to www.thomasvillega.com on your smart device and click on Tours.

Flowers - Altman House

Downtown Walking Tour Thomasville is a unique town full of historic homes and buildings, many of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This tour will guide you through Thomasville’s historic districts where you will see a variety of architectural styles dating from the 1800s. You will notice historic markers on buildings and homes that tell you the year of construction and the original business or family that occupied the structure. Many of the homes you will see are private residences and are not open to the public. While we must respect the owner’s privacy, feel free to admire the outside structure. The tour length is approximately 4.3 miles and depending on your stamina, you may wish to break down the tour into smaller, shorter segments. We hope you enjoy your peek into the past through this tour of Historic Thomasville!

Thomasville Genealogical Library

Watt House

Pebble Hill Plantation

Cherokee Lake

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 16

Downtown Walking Tour

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

1. Thomas County Courthouse 225 N. Broad St.

The original Thomas County Courthouse was built in 1827 of rough logs. That structure was replaced with a brick structure, which was badly damaged by a storm. The current courthouse was constructed in 1858 and remodeled in 1888. The architecture is Neoclassical in style, with scored stucco and curved, arched window hoods, huge cornices, capitals on pilasters with fanlight and gable decorations. One monument of interest located on the courthouse square is the Confederate Monument, erected in 1879. Also located on the lawn of the Courthouse is the beautiful T.C. Mitchell Fountain. It was originally on the grounds of the Mitchell House Hotel. One local tradition associated with this fountain is that every political candidate elected to office receives a congratulatory “dunk” in this historic fountain. A full restoration of the courthouse was completed in 2013.

2. First Baptist Church 210 N. Broad St.

This is the largest church in Thomasville, encompassing an entire city block. The Baptist religion is the second oldest in Thomas County, having been established in the 1840s after the Methodists of the 1830s. The original First Baptist Church was a frame building on Smith Avenue. It was moved to its present location at the corner of Jefferson St. and Broad St. in 1894. That structure burned in 1927 and was rebuilt to face the Courthouse. In May, 1982 that building was destroyed by fire. Fortunately, however, the huge oak tree in front of the church was spared by the fire. This oak is known as the Harris Oak. Shortly after the turn of the century, there was a minister of the church named Rev. Robert H. Harris. The city entertained the idea of cutting this tree down for road improvements but the Reverend’s wife was determined to keep this from happening. Local folklore has it that Mrs. Harris actually took her rocking chair and placed it beneath the tree, where she sat with her shotgun across her lap! Whether or not this part of the tale is true, Mrs. Harris was instrumental in saving this wonderful tree.

3. Thomasville Genealogical, History & Fine Arts Library 135 N. Broad St.

This building was constructed in 1915 and housed the post office until 1962, when it became the public library. In 1997, it was refurbished and the Genealogical Library opened on the first floor. The building was built in Beaux Arts style featuring fanlights, pilasters and a cornice. Terra cotta panels around the building feature swags and flowers.

4. Business Exchange 125 N. Broad St.

Originally known as the “Masonic Building” because of the use of its top floor by the Free Masons, this building was also known as the Upchurch Building. Constructed in 1916 by W. J. Upchurch, many doctors, dentists, and lawyers had offices in this building. In the early 60s, the upper floors were vacated and neglected, and fell into ruin. The property was eventually purchased and restored and the fifth floor returned to its original splendor as a magnificent ballroom.

5. Mitchell House Hotel (Trolly’s Designer Fabrics /Mitchell House Condominiums) 101 N. Broad St.

A showpiece of the Grand Hotel Era once occupied this spot. Known as the Mitchell House, the hotel and grounds extended from here to the end of the block and catered to the elite of society with lavish parties and dances. It provided luxury lodging during the late 1800s for wealthy northern visitors, including the Vanderbilt and Goodrich families. The hotel even boasted two entrances, so that polite ladies didn’t have to upset themselves by walking past the saloon to enter. Today, the Mitchell House Hotel has been restored into upscale condominiums and lofts. Much of the original hotel remains, including the interior brick walls, staircases, and hardwood floors.

6. Steyerman’s Building (Coffee Interiors) 104 S. Broad St.

Originally the site of three buildings in the 1800s. Mr. Steyerman owned the corner building; the adjoining buildings were a bank and saloon. Steyerman purchased and combined the other properties in 1926. The style is Italian Renaissance, featuring a smooth stone face, tile roof, fancy window hoods and the original metal awning.

7. Thomas Drug Store 108 S. Broad St.

This business has been operating under the name Thomas Drug Store since 1881 and is downtown’s oldest continuous business, having been a drugstore since 1859.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 17

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Walking Tour

8. Hollybrook Building (At Home In Thomasville) 110 S. Broad St.

This building is a prime example of restoration and the beauty that can be uncovered. At one point, heavy blue Carerra glass panels weighing 200 pounds each covered the upper two floors. The façade now looks much like it did when originally constructed in 1882 as a brokerage exchange.

9. A Different Drummer 206 S. Broad St.

The vacant lot was purchased October 11, 1892 by Dr. Thomas Murdock MacIntosh; the building was completed by 1893. It served as a family doctors office from the 1890s-1970s, owners have included Dr. MacIntosh, Dr. Reid, Dr. Ben Grace, and Allen and Celia Lockerman. It was restored as a townhouse by Celia and Allen Lockerman, who also restored the balcony on the front facade. A walled garden was designed for the Lockermans by Mary Palmer Dargan. The garden includes three kinds of azaleas, crepe myrtles, palm trees and two small copper-roofed sheds. The sun room & English garden were added approximately 1995-1997. The current owner has operated A Different Drummer since March 2006.

10. Intersection Of Remington Ave. And Broad St.

This intersection is the original home of the Confederate Monument which is now located at the Courthouse. The monument was placed here in the center of the street with a lovely wrought iron fence surrounding it where it remained from 1879-1947. The monument is surely much safer at its new home at the Courthouse than in this busy intersection!

11. WPAX Radio Station 117 Remington Ave.

WPAX is the third-oldest radio station in Georgia and the 20th-oldest station licensed in the nation. Although founder Hoyt Wimpy broadcasted using batteries, the broadcast could be picked up hundreds of miles away. Fan mail in the station files has been received from as far away as New Zealand. Wimpy built and sold his own radios to create an audience for his station. He also built sound tracks; then Governor of New York, Franklin D. Roosevelt, used one for a political campaign speech in Warm Springs, Georgia, sending a letter expressing his delight with the system.

12. Billiard Academy 121 S. Broad St.

Back in 1886, this was the home of Griffin Isaac Harness and Saddle. Now, it is a local favorite for great chili dogs. On an average day, they may sell 200-300 hotdogs. During festivals and special downtown events, that number can easily reach 1,000. Stroll up to the window and order a nice hotdog and judge for yourself.

13. Ally B Boutique 109 S. Broad St.

This building was constructed in 1886 as only a one-story structure for Isadora Popper Wholesale Wine and Liquor. When the owners decided to add a second story, they raised the original first floor and added a new first level underneath. Because this was once Thomasville National Bank, a large hole was left where the vault had been located. A very clever thing was done with that hole in the ceiling … a skylight was created. The architectural style is exuberant Queen Anne Asymmetrical constructed with a variety of building materials (brick, stone, stained glass and wood) to give it added texture.

14. Relish 107 S. Broad St.

This building originally had a balcony on the second floor. Finding the balcony on this particular building easily dates many old photographs. In 1886, Duran & Jeffers Grocery, a dry goods store, was located here. It is in the folk Victorian style with corbelling as its main decorative element, typical of the embellishments of that era.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 18

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

15. The Gas Light Building (Formerly CoCroft Music Company) 105 S. Broad St.

In 1885, Simon Steyerman & Brothers owned a grocery and retail clothing store here. Mr. CoCroft, who took over from Mr. Steyerman, opened a music store called CoCroft Music Company around the turn of the century. His family actually composed and published popular ragtime music, several of these tunes became very popular during the era. The CoCroft Music Company lasted for over a 100 years and was considered one of the oldest music stores in the country. During the Steyerman and CoCroft years, the building had a basket system and as merchandise was sold, money was collected in the basket and raised by a pulley system up to a platform where the bookkeeper sat. The money was then removed and recorded in the books and the basket lowered again. This way, little money was left in the cash register. The architecture is folk Victorian with corbelling at the top. Of particular note are the triple-hung windows on the second story. Most windows only have two sashes but these large windows have three. The building now houses Stanley F. Smith, Architect and Spriggs. If you look in the windows you will find the original Victrola ‘Nipper’ dog statue that graced CoCroft’s store since the early 1900’s!

16. The Gift Shop 103 S. Broad St.

Shortly after the turn of the century, Inman’s Drug Store was located here. The architecture is Queen Anne featuring an oriel window located above the first floor. It also has decorative brickwork, corbelling at the top, and dog tooth brick work flanking the window. The stained glass on the oriel was common to this style of architecture.

17. Thomasville Municipal Auditorium 144 E. Jackson St.

The Thomasville Municipal Building opened May 5, 1940. A project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which provided jobs and income to the unemployed during the Great Depression in the United States, the two-story brick Greek Revival building was designed by Georgia architect Eliot Dunwoody. Built for $200,000, the building includes the Municipal Auditorium, Council Chambers, Thomasville Fire Rescue, and the Thomasville Visitors Center, which was originally designed as a library. Today, the Municipal Auditorium seats 1,171 and has hosted a variety of entertainment performances by the local community and world renown professional artists. The Auditorium is a rentable venue available for a variety of uses.

18. Shapes & More 112 N. Broad St.

Built in 1886 as a crockery (pottery store), this building was later converted to the Mode Theatre. Twenty-five cents would buy your ticket, popcorn and a drink!

19. Izzo’s Pharmacy Building (Q Cafe´) 122 N. Broad St.

This site was home to a drug store since the 1920s. Prior to that, an undertaker and then a tailor used the building in 1886. The architecture of this building is Queen Anne with corbelling (fancy brick work) and arched windows.

20. Wells Fargo Advisors 124 N. Broad St.

This building is on the site of the first Brighton Hotel, an apartment hotel built right after the Masury Hotel next door. It was demolished in 1949 and later became a dime store. The present office retains the original hardwood floors and still smells of wood oil and popcorn!

21. Downtown’s Smallest Building (Pathology Associates) 130 N. Broad St.

This “building” was actually not originally a building at all! It was an alley and someone had the idea of constructing a building to close off the alley way. It is eight feet wide and 100 feet long, and is downtown’s smallest building (and certainly one of the most charming).

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 19

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Walking Tour

22. Langdon S. Flowers Building Corner Of Jefferson And Broad St.

This example of adaptive re-use is comprised of the old Hotel Scott and J.C. Penney buildings, which were built in 1951 to replace the Masury Hotel building, which opened in 1888 and razed in 1949. The current building is named in honor of the former President of Flowers Foods.

23. Neel House 502 S. Broad St.

Elijah Leon Neel built this house in the Neoclassical style as his family home in 1907. As young teens, Elijah and his brother John joined the Confederates to fight for “the Cause.” Paroled by Union forces at the war’s end, the boys were stripped of their weapons, food, horses and manservant. Both young men walked all the way home from North Carolina. In later years, Elijah would gather all the family men on the front porch, rock and talk interminably. Women were not allowed, so they usually amused themselves in the park across the street.

24. Paradise Park 403 S. Broad St.

Originally called “Yankee Paradise” because of the Northerners who would enjoy the park which was close to their resort hotels. John Philip Sousa’s band entertained in the old band shell. Sold to the city in 1889 by S. Alex Smith for $500 per acre (26 acres total), the park has remained in a natural state for all to enjoy.

25. Bailey House 110 W. Hansell St.

The owners of Bailey’s Ice Cream in Boston built this house as their winter cottage. Picture this Classic Revival house in 1900 as the only house on this entire block with a white picket fence enclosing the entire area.

26. Strawbridge House 704 S. Broad St.

This Colonial Revival house was built in 1899 as the winter residence of Justus C. Strawbridge, co-founder of Strawbridge and Clothier of Philadelphia. A generous contributor to the city, he had the band shell erected in Paradise Park as a gift. He also began the movement in Thomasville to plant shade trees.

27. Keefer Cottage 817 S. Hansell St.

Built of heart of pine in 1893, Keefer Cottage features five fireplaces and five porches, including an upstairs sleeping porch. Note the whimsical keyhole window on the right side of the house, a clever feature of the Victorian Eclectic style.

28. George S. Cox House 801 S. Hansell St.

This is the original home of the George S. Cox family of Wisconsin, built in 1893 in the popular Queen Anne style. Note the beveled brick walk, constructed to allow drainage in inclement weather, thus keeping long Victorian skirts dry.

29. Evans House 725 S. Hansell St.

The Evans House, built in 1898, was once called the “Honeymoon” Cottage because so many honeymooners stayed here. Damaged by fire in 1908, the home was repaired as you see it today. The front porch originally wrapped around the left side of the house and the yard was enclosed by a picket fence.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 20

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

30. Forbes Cottage 717 E. Hansell St.

Patterned after an English cottage, this quaint home has always been painted red. Built in 1891 and a prime example of the Queen Anne Shingle style, Forbes Cottage was used in the 1920s as a kindergarten where children were taught foreign languages and etiquette.

31. Charles Hebard House 711 E. Hansell St.

Once referred to as “Park Front,” Charles Hebard’s home was built in 1899 in the Neoclassical style. Mr. Hebard owned a thriving lumber business around the Great Lakes and eventually came to own the great Okefenokee Swamp in Southeast Georgia. The four massive columns on the front porch are made of cypress wood. Legend has it they are 3,000-year-old cypress trunks taken from the Okefenokee. The three uppermost windows belong to a ballroom.

32. Charles S. Hebard House 701 E. Hansell St.

The Steamboat House was built by Charles S. Hebard for his son in 1899, patterning it after one of his steamboats that carried lumber across the Great Lakes. The rounded porch on the front represents the “bow” and the front extensions paddle wheel housings. Renovations in 1990 added two side dormers, extra extensions, and a porch off the back.

33. State Farmers Market 502 Smith Ave.

The Farmers Market is the second largest commercial, fresh produce market in the Southeast after Atlanta. It is also the only market in Georgia that still holds auctions for local producers (May – November). In-season fruit and vegetables are available year round at the retail produce stand. Purchase regional delicacies such as Vidalia onions and Mayhaw jelly. The “Mayhaw” berry grows on trees in swampy areas and resembles a very small crabapple. (“Haw” is a Southern term for apple and “May” refers to when the berry ripens, thus “Mayhaw.”) When cooked they have the most delicious, sweet flavor.

34. All Saints Episcopal Church 443 S. Hansell St.

All Saints (c. 1881) is the oldest original standing church in Thomasville. It was moved to its present location by Thomasville Landmarks to prevent demolition. Jacqueline Kennedy attended mass at the church at its previous location on Jefferson St. Following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, she retreated to Thomasville for privacy.

35. Balfour House 435 S. Hansell St.

R.C. Balfour owned Pearl Saloon in downtown Thomasville. When prohibition came to Thomas County in 1899, not 1919 like most of the country, Balfour created Georgia Crate and Basket, which survives today. Balfour’s sons branched off from the business and created Balfour Lumber Co. Each piece of lumber in the Balfour home (c. 1900) was hand-picked.

36. Augustin Hansell House 429 S. Hansell St.

Hansell St. was named for the original owner, Judge Hansell, who was a delegate to both the Georgia Convention that voted to secede from the Union and which voted to rejoin the Union after the War Between the States. His home, built in 1853 in the Classic Revival style, was designed by famed architect John Wind, and is the oldest home on this block.

37. James Watt House 421 S. Hansell St.

James Watt owned a hardware store in Thomasville and several others in surrounding communities. He is believed to be the first hardware chain store owner in Georgia and possibly the nation. The home was begun in 1890 with the framing left to “season,” and finished in 1893.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 21

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Walking Tour

38. McCartney House 426 S. Hansell St.

Built in 1886, this storybook cottage was severely damaged in 1985 when an ancient oak tree fell through the top floor. Immediate professional repair was needed to save this picturesque cottage.

39. David Harrell House 420 S. Hansell St.

This house was originally built in 1853 to face Remington Ave. (then, the Old Coffee Rd.). The front lot was sold, the home’s entrance relocated to Hansell St. and a second story built with the columns added to tie it together. Remains of the original porch can be seen on the right side of the house.

40. Bruce-Driver House 403 S. Hansell St.

Dr. Bruce made a name for himself treating Typhoid fever. Making a house call, Dr. Bruce was returning home during a rainstorm. The creek he needed to cross overflowed covering the bridge. Misjudging the water’s depth, Dr. Bruce drove his horse and buggy across, and was swept overboard by the swift current. The horse managed to make it home, but Dr. Bruce was found drowned in the harnessing the next day. The branch has been called “Bruce’s Creek” ever since.

41. 1884 Paxton House 445 Remington Ave.

Built as the winter residence of Col. J.W. Paxton of Wheeling, WV, in 1884, this home is a beautiful example of Victorian Gothic architecture and still has its original tower. It was constructed with heart pine subflooring, which was an advancement for the time. The home’s center hallway features a courting window and tight circular staircase. Originally the house had over 2000 sq. ft. of veranda. It was completely restored in 1997 and a rear sunroom and gazebo were added. Today, the Paxton House is a bed and breakfast inn.

42. Burbank Cottage 437 Remington Ave.

The winter residence of Mrs. Evelyn Burbank of Wisconsin, this Victorian Gothic style home was built in 1875. It was originally barn red with blue-green shutters. The board and batten siding is original.

43. John Dyson House 406 Remington Ave.

This home was built in the Classical Revival style in 1854 as a honeymoon cottage for newlyweds. The couple planted twin magnolia trees on either side of the front walk to celebrate their union. A freak storm felled the two trees in 1985 and as fate would have it, they fell away from the house and lay side by side.

44. Ransom Reid House 331 Remington Ave.

The original house was built with slave labor circa 1854 in the Classic Revival style with combined influences. The façade was changed in later years, but the back of the home retains its Victorian influence. A previous owner described the house as having a “Victorian bustle and a classic bosom!”

45. St. Thomas Episcopal Church 216 Remington Ave.

Episcopalians began meeting and holding services in their homes in Thomasville in 1859. Within ten years, they had established St. Thomas Episcopal Church and built a small frame church building. The present building was erected on the same site in 1889 with strong support from Northern visitors. St. Thomas is known for its beautiful memorial windows, including a stained-glass window designed by Tiffany & Co.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 22

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

46. Hawkins House 108 N. Dawson St.

This house was built as a replica of the house to its left in 1891 in a typical Victorian style. The new owner of this lot was so taken with the design of the Ball House, he asked permission to copy its architecture, with the exception of changing the front porch. Permission was granted and this proved to be another example of Southern hospitality at its best! The front door and tread on the home came from Thomasville’s old hospital, now demolished.

47. Ball House 116 N. Dawson St.

This was one of the first private residences in town to have city plumbing. The Piney Woods Hotel, which was located at the end of South Dawson St. allowed the owners to connect into its sewage removal pipes, which ran up Dawson Street., thus allowing the residence to become one of the more “state of the art” homes in town.

48. Thomasville Center For The Arts 600 E. Washington St.

Built in 1915, this Mission Revival building was the first public school to be built in Thomasville with tax money. Ironically, it was saved by private funds ($3.3 million) when “experts” declared it too expensive to save! Local citizens rallied and we now have a regional center for the visual and performing arts with art galleries and a 500-seat auditorium. The galleries are free and open to the public.

49. Royal Miller House 216 N. Dawson St.

Styled after the fabulous Greenwood Plantation, this Colonial Revival was built in 1903. The columns sit on piers placed out from the front porch. This affords a longer slant of shade for the front rooms and makes repairs of porch boards much easier.

50. Ephraim Ponder House 324 N. Dawson St.

This Classical Revival Eclectic style house was originally built in 1856 for Ephraim Ponder, a slave trader who enslaved the Flipper family. Henry Flipper became the first black graduate of West Point in 1877. Later the house was used as a dormitory for Young’s Female College (the large stone building behind this home). A breezeway that connected the two buildings and a large square cupola on the roof’s apex no longer exists.

51. Pittman House 412 N. Dawson St.

This home is built of heart of pine and contains doors of cypress wood. Erected in 1888 in the typical Victorian style, no changes have been made on the home’s exterior and very few have been made inside, making this as close to original as possible. Five generations of the Pittman family have enjoyed this Victorian home.

52. Brown-Cooper House 420 N. Dawson St.

The Browns built their home in 1885 to the extreme right side of their lot (the lot extends from the driveway on the right to the hedges on the left). As they intended to add a second section later as money allowed, there are no downstairs windows on the left side of the house to allow for this expansion. Mrs. Brown died before this could be accomplished and today this house is known as the “Half House.”

53. Hardaway House 522 N. Dawson St.

Designed by architect John Wind in 1856 in the Classic Revival and Italian Renaissance styles, this was the home of the first mayor of Thomasville.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 23

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Walking Tour

54. Charles Watt House 602 N. Dawson St.

Originally built in 1885 and sold for $4,000 in 1887, this home had a facelift in the 1920s from the Victorian to the Classic Revival style. A large wraparound front porch with towers was removed and the current Federal style added to replace the earlier Victorian look. Research show the house to have been won and lost in at least one poker game.

55. Lapham-Patterson House 626 N. Dawson St.

Built by Chicago shoe manufacturer Charles W. Lapham in the winter of 1884-1885, this Queen Anne style home is one of the first winter cottages built. It cost a grand $4,500 to construct. Ahead of its time, this 19-room home contained hot and cold running water, gas lighting, and built-in closets. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the house is its built-in fire safety features inspired by Mr. Lapham’s experience as a survivor of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Because of its unique qualities, the house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1975. Tours are available. Contact the Thomas County Museum of History or the Visitors Center.

56. Hanna-McKinley House 830 N. Dawson St.

This High Victorian Renaissance Revival gem was built in 1883. Influential industrialist and Ohio Senator Mark Hanna of Cleveland, Ohio, rented this home as his winter retreat. Politically powerful, Mr. Hanna invited the southern Republican delegates to his home for a “vacation.” They met in the sun parlor (on the right side of the house) and discussed William McKinley as the next Republican candidate for President. McKinley promised to visit Thomasville if elected, and did, prompting local citizens to humorously refer to him as “the only President who ever kept his word about anything!”

57. Eaton House 912 N. Dawson St.

This quaint home was built in 1856 in a Classic Revival style. The chimneys are constructed from bricks made by enslaved brick makers. When renovations were made, old beams were exposed that architects date back to the 1830s.

58. Stevens-Butler House 803 N. Dawson St.

Baron Vicco Von Strallendorf and his wife received this cottage as a wedding gift in the 1870s. They had as guests, Elizabet Ney and Dr. Montgomery. Although married, Miss Ney always referred to her husband as “Dr. Montgomery” and the doctor called her “Miss Ney.” When “Miss Ney” conceived, the town was scandalized and ostracized her on every occasion — to the point of ladies moving their skirt hems away from her so as not the be “tainted” when seeing her in town. The couple needed only to say they were married, but they refused and moved to Texas. Miss Ney, an accomplished sculptress, is recognized by an Austin museum dedicated to her work.

59. Thomas County Museum Of History 725 N. Dawson St.

Built in 1923 as a residence for the Joseph Hampton Flowers family, this Jeffersonian Revival structure is now home to the Thomas County Museum of History. The Flowers’ home replaced a cottage built on the site in 1893 by O.C. Ewart of New York. The iron fence, fountain, and single-lane bowling alley remain from the Victorian era. The Roberts family, who purchased the house in the 1940s, added a full basement and a fallout shelter. Also on the grounds: the 1870 Smith Log House, the 1877 Joyner House, the 1893 Metcalfe Courthouse and 1910 Claire Flowers Playhouse. Open for tours Monday – Saturday.

60. Ainsworth House 603 N. Dawson St.

The house built in 1882 by H.V. Ainsworth, one of the largest livery stable owners in town. The first telephone system was connected from the elegant Mitchell House Hotel to Ainsworth’s stable. Northerners would arrive by train and the livery stable would be contacted to provide first class delivery for these welcomed visitors.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 24

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

61. Reese House 515 N. Dawson St.

A turret on the left side of the house (circa 1885) above the bay window was removed in later years. Two French doors which opened onto the front porch are now used as windows.

62. B.P. Walker House 503 N. Dawson St.

Originally an ornate Victorian structure built in 1884, several gingerbread motifs have been removed from the outside through the years. However, the inside foyer still displays intricate gingerbread that can be seen from the sidewalk.

63. Seixas House 403 N. Dawson St.

Pronounced “say’ shush,” this cottage was built in 1835 and is the oldest one-story dwelling in Thomasville. It was moved to its current location by the Landmarks Program to prevent demolition, and rehabilitated from an 1850s sketch.

64. William Miller House 21 E. Monroe St.

William Miller was affectionately known in Thomasville as the “Johnny Appleseed of Thomasville.” He spent his spare time planting trees along the city streets. and even continued to plant trees when his business went bankrupt. Today, Thomasville has an official tree committee and tree ordinance that protects greenery on city property. Miller built this Victorian home in 1888.

65. First Presbyterian Church Corner Dawson And Jackson St.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower attended church here during several of his hunting and golfing trips to Thomasville. Favoring our world famous quail hunting, Eisenhower made five trips to Thomasville during his Presidency and squeezed in rounds of golf at Glen Arven Country Club, one of the oldest golf courses in the nation. The church was built in 1889 in the Queen Anne/Romanesque Revival style.

66. Hardy Bryan House 312 N. Broad St.

This house was built in 1833 in the Classical Revival style and is considered the oldest two-story house in town. It is the current headquarters for Thomasville Landmarks, Inc. Files on historic area properties are available for use by the public.

67. The Big Oak Species: Quercus Virginiana, C. 1680 124 E. Monroe St.

The Big Oak is Thomasville’s oldest and most cherished Landmark and an original member of the National Live Oak Society, enrolled in 1936. The limb span of the great oak is 165 feet and has a trunk circumference of 26 ½ feet. The tree is festooned with “resurrection fern,” which is harmless to the tree. The fern appears “dead” until rain falls and it “resurrects” to a lush green again. While you are here have your picture taken by the Big Oak Cam by calling 229236-0053! (See page 4)

68. Fannie Bottoms House 429 N. Crawford St.

This classic Queen Ann style house was completed in 1908 by builder Thomas Biggs White for Thomas J. Bottoms. Mr. Bottoms, a noted local businessman and long-term resident of Thomasville, operated a livery for a number of years and later served as the Passenger Agent for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, forerunner of today’s CSX Transportation. Mr. Bottoms died in 1909 shortly after the family occupied their new home. He was survived by his wife, Fannie Bottoms, who continued to live in the house for 34 years (1908-1942). The house is now the Freedom Oaks Bed and Breakfast.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 25

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Downtown Walking Tour

69. Woodson-Dekle House 510 N. Crawford St.

The vernacular Greek Revival Woodson-Dekle House was built c.1855 on Fletcher St. in what is now the Fletcherville National Historic District. The structure remained in the same family for 113 years. At the request of a National Trust Advisor, the house was donated to Thomasville Landmarks, following approximately 30 years of neglect. In 2005, Landmarks moved the original structure to the Dawson St. Historic District. It was restored in 2007, and now serves as a model for other property owners by proving that the character and materials of an antebellum house can be retained to display history while creating a wonderful environment for a professional or a family.

70. Sampson House 125 E. Clay St.

The fenced portion of the roof near the chimneys is popularly referred to as a “widow’s walk” in coastal cities. Romantic stories say wives would walk the area waving to their seafaring husbands as they entered or left port. For this home, built in 1900 in the Georgian style, the designed purpose of the platform was to clean the chimnies.

71. Lt. Henry O. Flipper’s Grave Corner Of Madison & Webster St.

Thomasville native Henry Ossian Flipper became the first African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877. Subjected to the “silent treatment” by his classmates during his last two years, he still managed to graduate in the top third of his class. Although Lieutenant Flipper was discharged from the Army on false embezzlement charges, he was granted a posthumous pardon by President Clinton. Henry Flipper enjoyed a long career as a surveyor, cartographer, and mining engineer; his brothers all reached remarkable levels of success, too. He died and was buried in Atlanta in 1940, and was re-interred in Thomasville in 1978. The United States Post Office off of U.S. 19 North is named in his memory. There are ongoing efforts for a U.S. Postal stamp to be issued in honor of Lt. Flipper. A Georgia state plaque marks his gravesite.

72. Amason House 503 N. Broad St.

All the materials for this home, built in the Classic Revival style in 1910, were bought locally with each piece of lumber being hand-picked. It was painted mauve a few years back because that color is believed to hide architectural flaws (and it was also the owner’s favorite color).

73. First United Methodist Church 425 N. Broad St.

This structure was built in 1885 in the Victorian Gothic manner. The original Methodist church on this site was a wooden structure that was damaged when it was used as a hospital for Union and Confederate troops. This is the third Methodist Church built on this site, and was attended by William McKinley during his 1895 and 1899 visits to Thomasville. It was said so many parishioners felt comfortable around McKinley, it was more like a visit from a brother than a President of the United States.

74. Hayes House 329 N. Broad St.

The Hayes House, a one-story brick Georgia home, was built in 1858 in the Second Empire style, unusual for the area. The brick was covered with stucco, which was scored to resemble stone, and a second story and Mansard roof were added to complete the look of a French villa. The original home was a wedding present from Tom Jones (who built Greenwood Plantation) to his daughter, who married a doctor. The property consisted of the entire block, but the home was constructed on the corner so potential patients for the doctor could ride by in a buggy and tap on the window with a buggy whip to get the doctor’s attention. This was prior to the picket fence being added.

75. Trice House 327 N. Broad St.

Originally built in 1884, the home sat behind the First Presbyterian Church and faced N. Dawson St. Church expansion called for the home to be demolished or moved. The home was moved to this site and renovated for office space.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 26

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 27

60 61 62 63 64 65

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 28

HAYES HA

CLAY

CALHOUN

WEBSTER

CALHOUN

WEBSTER

JERGER

56 57 58 59

LEWIS

49 50 51 52 53 54 55

WALCOTT

46 47 48

35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45

33 34

Charles Hebard House Charles S. Hebard House State Farmers Market N All Saints Episcopal LANSIN G Church HANSEL L Balfour House Augustin Hansell House James Watt House SUNNYLAND McCartney House W HARDAWAY David Harrell House Bruce-Driver House 1884 Paxton House Burbank Cottage YOUNG John Dyson House Ransom Reid House S St. Thomas Episcopal 54 53 55 57 56 Church 52 51 DAWSON Hawkins House 61 62 58 60 59 Ball House Thomasville Center for the Arts 69 Royal Miller House 68 Ephraim Ponder House 70 Pittman House BROOK S PARK Brown-Cooper House Hardaway House BROAD Charles Watt House 72 73 Lapham-Patterson 71 MADISON House Hanna-McKinley House Eaton House SMALLS Stevens-Butler House STEVENS Thomas County Museum of History 72 Amason House 66 Hardy Bryan House Ainsworth House 73 First United Methodist 67 The Big Oak Reese House Church 68 Fannie Bottoms House B.P. Walker House 69 Woodson-Dekle House 74 Hayes House Seixas House M 75 Trice House AR 70 Sampson House William Miller House CHURCH TI N 71 Lt. Henry O. Flipper’s First Presbyterian LU 107 (Old Cemetery) TGrave Church H M

Homes & Sites 23 Neel House 24 Paradise Park 25 Bailey House 26 Strawbridge House 27 Keefer Cottage 28 George S. Cox House 29 Evans House 30 Forbes Cottage

31 32

WILS ON

Flip per Park

Downtown 1 Thomas County Courthouse 2 First Baptist Church 3 Thomasville Genealogical, History and Fine Arts Library 4 Business Exchange 5 Mitchell House Hotel 6 Steyerman’s Building 7 Thomas Drug Store 8 Hollybrook Building 9 A Different Drummer 10 Intersection of Remington and Broad Street 11 WPAX Radio Station 12 Billiard Academy 13 Ally B Boutique 14 Relish 15 The Gas Light Building 16 The Gift Shop 17 Thomasville Municipal Building 18 Shapes and More 19 Izzo’s Pharmacy Building 20 Wells Fargo Advisors 21 Downtown’s Smallest Building 22 Langdon S. Flowers Building

Historic Thomasville - Downtow

MAC

MITCHELL

OD WO GE

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

PINE

SCHL EY

wn Map

Find us on the web

CE www.thomasvillega.com CI L E IS W

37 35

TO N

NG MI

43 39

CRAWFORD 67

EA CL M

LF CA

23 ON

GOR D

STEVENS

Family Fun 103 Thomas County Public Library 106 Everett Milton YMCA

E FL TC HE R

RIA

SO R TE

LE E

Broad Street Downtown Thomasville

T IGH WR

O ICT

S LE

Community Services 88 Thomasville Visitors Center & Downtown OAK Thomasville Main Street Office LTERS WA 89 Thomasville/Thomas County Chamber of PINE Commerce

JA CKSON

MADISON 103

89 LE

16-12 6-8

LI T T

30 29 PARK 28

PARADISE PARK 11

22-18 BROAD 3 4 5

GRADY 32

17 88 2

66 74 75

44 SNO DG RA SS

106

47 46

JEFFERSON

CO LT O

WARREN

LO VE

SEWARD

RN IT H

W RA Y

JA CKSON

MONROE MONRO E

SPAIR

WASHINGTON WASHINGT WA SHINGT

CINTYR E PARK

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 29 E

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Family Fun 100 Gateway 7 Cinemas 101 Rose Bowl Lanes 102 Roll-A-Rink Roller Inline Skating Rink 103 Thomas County Public Library 104 Butler Mason YMCA 105 Skate Park of Thomasville Thomasville Visitors Guide — 30

CAI

RD NORTH

9 BYPASS

Hotels A Best Western B Comfort Inn C Days Inn D Econolodge E Hampton Inn F Holiday Inn Express G Baymont Inn and Suites H Quality Inn I Thomasville Inn J Western Motel

HIGHWAY 31

Community Services 84 Thomasville Municipal Airport & Power of the Past Airplane Engine Museum 85 John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital 86 Archbold Urgent Care Walk-In Center 87 Doctor’s Care Walk-In Center 88 Thomasville Visitors Center & Downtown Thomasville Main Street Office 89 Thomasville/Thomas County Chamber of Commerce

106 Everett Milton YMCA 107 Francis Weston Center 108 MacIntyre Park Disc Golf Course 109 Fishing: Cassidy Pond 110 Fishing: Cherokee Lake

AY 3 HIGHW

Attractions 76 Birdsong Nature Center 77 Pebble Hill Plantation 78 Thomasville Rose Garden 79 Jack Hadley Black History Museum 80 Country Oaks Municipal Golf Course 81 Glen Arven Country Club 82 Myrtlewood Plantation 83 Civil War Prisoner Camp Historical Marker

Historic Thomasville - Area Ma

ALEXANDER ST

WOLF ST

To Myrtlewood (82)

)

(82

rtl

My To

d oo

)

7 (7 n o ti ta 6) an g (7 l P n ll Hi So S e ird l 9 bb B 31 Y Pe and A To GW I H

HIGHWAY 84

BYP HIGHWAY 84

Find us on the web

BYP www.thomasvillega.com

HIG

1 AY HW HIG

HW AY 319 N

109

EN GL

100

D OO

106

E AV

102

ON GT

104 105

110

E B

BLVD

103

HANSELL ST

107

E PINNETREE

N SO

101 H

HIGHWAY 19 S

108

ST T N S SO D W OR DA WF ST A D ST CR OS N BR ISO D MA

BLVD

ks ntry Oa To Cou 0) urse (8 Golf Co le il v s oma and Th (84) rt o p ir A al Municip

SMITH AVE

HIGHWAY 19 S

D OA ST

DON

GOR

AVE

LVD

TREE B

S PINE

HW AY

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 31

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Experience Thomasville All Saints Episcopal Church

Museums, Plantations, Inspiring Places! No matter what your interest, there is something for you in Thomasville. Take a tour through a grand plantation, visit one of our historical museums, discover products made and grown right here in Thomasville or have your photo taken beside the majestic Big Oak. For a self-guided tour of our community, turn to page 16.

443 S. Hansell St., (229) 228-9242 The oldest standing church in Thomasville, All Saint’s was formerly St. Augustine’s Catholic Church. Open to the public Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Big Oak and Big Oak Cam

124 E. Monroe St., (229) 228-7977 www.thomasvillega.com/bigoak Thomasville’s 327+ year-old Live Oak stands at 68 feet tall with a trunk circumference of 26.5 feet. Have your picture taken beside the Big Oak with the Big Oak Cam. Stand beside the white sign, dial 229-236-0053 on your cell phone, look at the white camera on the telephone pole across the street and follow the instructions you hear on your phone. Find your picture online at www.thomasvillega.com/bigoak.

Birdsong Nature Center

2106 Meridian Rd., (800) 953-2473 www.birdsongnaturecenter.org Formerly a working plantation, Birdsong’s 565 acres is now home to nature trails, gardens and a bird window. Visit the website for info on nature walks, bird watching and other events. Open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday, from 1 – 5 p.m.

Jack Hadley Black History Museum Pebble Hill Plantation - Marlane Taylor

214 Alexander St., (229) 226-5029 www.jackhadleyblackhistorymuseum.com More than 3,000 artifacts tell the story of local, state and national African-American achievers. Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Lapham Patterson House

626 N. Dawson St., (229) 226-7664 This 1885 winter resort cottage is a monument to the imagination, creative engineering, and craftsmanship of the Victorian Era. Take a tour and discover why this house is one of the most unique homes to be found from this time period! Call for tour information. Friday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Pebble Hill Plantation

Kitchen Garden - Marlane Taylor

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 32

1251 U.S. Highway 319 S., (229) 226-2344 www.pebblehill.com A prime example of a 20th-century shooting and sporting plantation, Pebble Hill offers selfguided tours of the grounds and guided tours of the Main House. Open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 1 – 5 p.m. Children under age six not admitted in the Main House.

Power of the Past Aviation Museum

882 Airport Rd., (Located at the Thomasville Municipal Airport), (229) 226-3010, www.powerofthepast.org Featuring a collection of antique airplanes and airplane motors and memorabilia. Open Saturday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday, 2 – 6 p.m., during the week by appointment.

Thomas County Museum of History

725 N. Dawson St., (229) 226-7664 www.thomascountyhistory.org Tour five historic buildings and learn about Thomasville’s rich past as the “Winter Resort of the South” and how Thomas County’s antebellum cotton plantations were transformed into hunting and sporting retreats. Tours begin Monday – Saturday between 10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Closed major holidays and the last two weeks in August.

Thomasville Rose Garden and Cherokee Lake

Corner of Smith Ave. and Covington Ave., (229) 228-7977, www.thomasvillega.com More than 500 rose bushes are in bloom April – July at the Thomasville Rose Garden. Adjacent to the garden is Cherokee Lake, with a walking trail, playground and covered pavilions.

Thomasville Genealogical Library

135 N. Broad Street, (229) 226-9640 Research family histories, war records, state and county histories and census records. Open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

WPAX Radio Station

117 Remington Ave., (229) 226-1240 WPAX Radio (c.1922) is the third-oldest station in Georgia and the 20th in the nation.

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 33

Points Of Interest Historic Cemeteries

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Less than a mile from the heart of downtown Thomasville, travelers and historians will find two historic cemeteries just off North Broad Street. The Old Magnolia Cemetery, also known as the Flipper

Cemetery, and the Old Cemetery are the oldest public burial grounds in Thomas County. Prior to their opening, burials were held at private family plots. The two cemeteries are the final resting place of several of Thomasville’s founders, as well as 38 Confederate veterans. These cemeteries served as Thomas County’s only public burial grounds until interments began at Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1873. The Flipper Cemetery was named for Thomasville native Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper, the first African-American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Both cemeteries showcase a variety of grave marker designs and architecture that represent a variety of cultural influences that helped shape our rich history. Surrounded by oak, cedar and magnolia trees, our cemeteries offer a tranquil look into the lives of people who gave our city character and definition.

Hardwick Family Plot

Initially the two cemeteries were connected, comprising one large cemetery, but as time has progressed the landscape of the grounds has been altered. During the 19th century, Jerger Street was graded through the center of the cemetery, separating it into the Old Magnolia Cemetery and the Old Cemetery. The black cast iron fence that now lines the perimeter of the Old Cemetery was moved from its original location at the Thomas County Courthouse. In the 1920s, a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall was constructed on the northern-most section of the Old Cemetery. The maintenance and preservation of these two historic cemeteries provides a constant challenge. Delicate headstones, brick walls, and monuments have suffered damage during strong winds and violent storms. Restoration efforts began in 2007 to repair decades of deterioration caused by nature and age. Open daily from dusk to dawn. Call 229-228-7977 for more information. Davies Family Plot

Prisoner of War Camp Confederate authorities, fearing a raid on Andersonville by Sherman’s marching army, chose Thomasville as a safe temporary prison camp. In December 1864, five thousand prisoners were brought and held here. Covering an area of only seven acres, the camp was defined by a ditch eight feet wide and twelve feet deep. Several hundred prisoners died of small pox, typhoid fever, diarrhea and a few from trees felled for firewood and shelter and were buried at First Methodist Church, although they were later reinterred at the Andersonville National Cemetery. Some sick prisoners were cared for at the Methodist Church and at Fletcher Institute. Local citizens helped the sick and provided prisoners with food. Once the Federal army had taken Savannah, the Thomasville prison camp was closed, and the prisoners were sent back to Andersonville, arriving on December 24, 1864. Remnants of the border ditch as well as barrier berms located on Wolfe Street are still visible. Thomasville Visitors Guide — 34

Local Area Agritourism Dillon Candy Company

KBH Farms

19927 Hwy 84 E. (Boston, GA) (229) 498-2051 or (800) 382-8338 www.dilloncandy.com

9039 US Hwy 19 S. (229) 226-1357 harvardb@bellsouth.net

Hand-making nut candies, such as pralines, pecan rolls and brittle since 1918. Taste and purchase the items at the gift shop, open Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

State Farmer’s Market 502 Smith Ave. Hwy 84 Produce Stand (229) 226-6271 Market Oﬃce (229) 225-4072

Visit the second largest commercial, freshproduce market in the Southeast and purchase in-season produce and other locally-made items at the locally-owned stand at the market. Produce stand open Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sweet Grass Dairy & Cheese Shop Cheese Shop 106 N. Broad St, (229) 228-6704 www.sweetgrassdairy.com

Visit the Cheese Shop to taste and purchase handcrafted fresh, soft-ripened and naturally aged cow cheeses that are unique and delicious and made locally. Sweet Grass Dairy is dedicated to creating old-world style cheeses that highlight the rich, high quality milk produced by their animals. Their milk comes from rotationally grazed cows that never receive growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. Sweet Grass Dairy’s soil remains the cornerstone for maintaining biological and sustainable farming practices which results in high quality food stuffs. Cheese Shop hours Monday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Tuesday – Wednesday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Thursday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Flowers Baking Company 300 S Madison St. (229) 226-5331 www.flowersfoods.com

Maker of Sunbeam bread, Nature’s Own bread, Blue Bird snack cakes and other delicious items, Flowers Foods has been headquartered in Thomasville since 1919. You may smell the scent of fresh-baked bread in the air from the bakery located in downtown. Visit the Flowers Discount Bakery to purchase fresh items made from the Thomasville Bakery, open Monday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. During the holidays, visit the Flowers Baking Company headquarters to see the Christmas lights display, located on Highway 19 South just outside of Thomasville.

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

KBH Farms produces grass-fed beef from rotationally-grazed cattle and processed in a USDA inspected facility. Available year-round and sold frozen in one-pound packages. Call for more information or to place an order.

Thompson Farms Smokehouse 2538 Dixie Rd., Dixie, GA 31629 (229) 263-9074, (866) 463-9218 www.thompsonfarms.com

Producers of all-natural pork, Thompson Farms manufactures and sells high-quality and delicious pork such as ham, bacon, pork chops, sausage and more. Visit the Smokehouse Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., to shop and pick up orders or visit the website to order.

Blackberry Patch (800) 853-5598, www.blackberrypatch.com

Harvesting fresh produce and preserving them in jams, jellies and syrups, Blackberry Patch distributes its products around the world in grocery stores, department stores and specialty shops. Select products are available at the Thomasville Visitors Center gift shop or visit the Blackberry Patch website to order online.

W.G. Hamil 289 Commercial Dr. (229) 228-9169 www.wghamil.com

W.G. Hamil is the continuation of a 4th generation family owned and operated business located in the heart of the Pecan Belt in Thomasville, Ga. The beginning of the company as it is today, spans back to the 1930s where it started as J.W. Renfroe Pecan Company. Today the company has flourished both domestically and internationally to encompass a greater need for quality products. The seasonal retail store is also a welcome addition in providing both shelled and unshelled pecans and novelty products.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 35

Thomasville Outdoors Parks, Hunting and Golf

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Whether in the mood for a picnic or an afternoon walk, Thomasville offers many places to enjoy the beautiful South Georgia weather. Spend an afternoon at Cherokee Lake Park where covered pavilions await for family reunions or afternoon picnics and a one-mile walking path makes for a leisurely stroll or jog. If you are traveling with pets Cherokee Lake is a nice place to walk with your pet or you can visit the City of Thomasville’s Dog Park at Balfour Park, where they can run free in fenced areas. During the summer you can cool off at the Thomasville YMCA Butler-Mason Center’s pool; guests can swim for the day for a nominal fee. Play a game of Disc Golf at MacIntyre Park or grab your clubs and head to Country Oaks Golf Course; rental clubs are available if you left yours at home. There are many places to play outside, get outdoors and soak up the sun. Parks

Remington Park Athletic Complex

45 Ben Grace Dr. For reservations call (229) 226-3446 or www.ymca-thomasville.org.

The Big Oak

124 E. Monroe St. To reserve the gazebo, call (229) 227-4062.

Thomasville YMCA

Balfour Park & Dog Park

Everett – Milton Center

Cherokee Lake Park And Thomasville Rose Garden And Thomasville Rose Garden

Butler – Mason Center

415 S. Pinetree Blvd.

103 S. Dawson St. (229) 226-3446

420 Covington Ave. For covered pavilion and rose garden gazebo reservations, call (229) 227-4062.

1304 Remington Ave. (229) 226-0133

Francis Weston Park

417 W. Clay St. (229) 226-7510 Call or visit www.ymca-thomasville.org for guest pass or fees information.

230 Felix St. For reservations, call (229) 227-4062.

Macintyre Park

117 Glenwood Dr. No electricity or restrooms.

Paradise Park

403 S. Broad St. No electricity or restrooms.

Thomasville Rose Garden

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 36

Cherokee Lake Park

Francis F. Weston Center

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

Golf Country Oaks Municipal Golf Course

6481 Ga Hwy 122 North Call for tee times and fee schedule. (229) 225-4333, www.countryoaksgolfcourse.org.

Glen Arven Country Club (Private)

1700 Old Monticello Rd. Call for tee times and fee schedule. (229) 226-1780.

Hunting Myrtlewood Plantation

Campbell St. /Lower Cairo Rd. Lodge rentals, fishing, sporting clays, quail hunts (229) 228-6232 or (229) 224-7502 www.myrtlewoodplantation.com

Hunting Sportsmen and conservationists have been attracted to the abundance of wildlife and clean air in the Thomasville-Thomas County area since the mid 1800s. Today, for the outdoorsman, several hunting preserves in and around Thomas County offer a range of sport hunting including duck, deer, dove, turkey and the elusive, world-renowned bob-white quail. Southwest Georgia has long been noted for its great quantity and great variety of game birds. With eagle eyes and canine companions, hunters take to the fields and forests in the fall from Albany to the Florida line. Most recently, a Barron’s columnist, Steven M. Sears (a.k.a. the Gun Whisperer) proclaimed Thomasville as “America’s quail-hunting capital.” The bob-white’s presence in the area has been the basis of Thomasville’s plantation economy for over 100 years. However, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia’s bobwhite quail population has declined by more than half since the mid-1960s. Because of this, local landowners are now taking the initiative to increase the quail population through habitat restoration. In an effort to raise awareness of the importance of the bob-white quail to Thomasville and the surrounding counties, twelve bronze quail statues have been placed in the historic downtown creating a scavenger hunt for kids and adults. Guarded by the long-leaf pine plantations around it, Downtown Thomasville has maintained the quaint charm of a small Victorian town while cultivating big-city sophistication. It’s one of those rare places where town and country live in beautiful harmony.

Myrtlewood Plantation

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 37

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Cultural Events Another Night Of Bluegrass

Entertainment Venues Performance Companies City of Thomasville Municipal Auditorium

Home of the Visitors Center 144 E. Jackson St. 229-227-7020 www.downtownthomasville.com A historic theater seating 1,171 people.

Thomasville Center For The Arts 600 E. Washington St. (229) 226-0588 www.thomasvillearts.org

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation

(229) 226-7404 www.tefconcerts.com One of the nation’s oldest non-profit concert series hosts.

Thomasville Music and Drama Troupe

427 Covington Ave. (229) 558-9470, www.thomasvillemusicand dramatroupe.com A community music and drama troupe for youth.

Thomasville On Stage and Company (TOSAC)

117 S. Broad St. (229) 226-0863 www.tosac.com Thomasville’s community theater group.

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide — 38

A series of Bluegrass concerts held in the Municipal Auditorium featuring traditional Bluegrass sounds and Southern Gospel favorites. Such acts as Monroe Crossing, Dailey & Vincent, Paul Williams & The Victory Trio and many more have performed in the 1,171 seat auditorium. The concerts are hosted by WTUF, the sister staion of WPAX (1240 AM Stereo), which is the third oldest radio station in the state of Georgia.

South Georgia Ballet Bringing classical ballet to Southwest Georgia, the South Georgia Ballet performs regionally throughout the year. SGB produces an extraordinary holiday performance of The Nutcracker each year in the Municipal Auditorium. Many of their performances throughout the year have included nationally recognized guest artists.

Thomasville Center For The Arts Home to visual and performing arts, the Thomasville Center for the Arts has it all! Galleries, performances, rotating annual exhibits, art education, history and more. Located at 600 E. Washington Street, TCA is also the home of the nationally known Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival, South Georgia Ballet and the Thomasville Entertainment Foundation.

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation With performances held in the Thomasville Center for the Arts’ 500 seat theater, TEF’s annual concert series features internationally celebrated artists and ensembles in the fields of opera, theater, dance, classical music, jazz and other forms of entertainment.

Thomasville On Stage And Company Housed in the historic Storefront Theater on Broad St., Thomasville On Stage and Company produces four shows a year. Committed to supporting artistic expression in Thomasville and the surrounding area, TOSAC has produced shows like Guys and Dolls, South Pacific, Annie and Steel Magnolias in its 80 seat theater. For a complete listing of upcoming performances and exhibits, visit online at www.thomasvillega.com and click on the Community Calendar.

Thomasville On Stage And Company 2013 - 2014 Season Now accepting play submissions for the 2015 season... To submit please visit www.tosac.com/about/season.html or call teh Box Office (229) 226-0863

2014

A Raisin In The Sun

Play by Lorraine Hansberry February 7, 8, & 9, February 14, 15, & 16

The Jungle Book

Story by Rudyard Kipling April 18, 19, & 20, 26, & 27, May 2, 3, & 4

Alice In Wonderland

Play by Lewis Carroll July 11, 12, & 13, July 18, 19, & 20 117 S. Broad St., Thomasville GA For more information visit www.tosac.com

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 39

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Annual Events & Festivals

Thomasville is truly a town for all seasons, with many unique, fun-for-the-whole-family events happening year round. Below are highlights of annual events and festivals held in Thomasville and the surrounding communities. For a complete, detailed list of events visit the Community Calendar at www.thomasvillega.com. Whatever your interest and whenever you’re here, you’ll always find that Thomasville is definitely … Worth the trip! Year Round

Thomasville Entertainment Foundation (TEF) Concert Series

In existence since 1937, TEF is one of the nation’s oldest all volunteer concert series presenters. TEF performances are held at the Thomasville Center for the Arts auditorium. For concert series information visit www.tefconcerts.com or contact the TEF Box Office at (229) 226-7404.

Thomasville Center For The Arts

A center for arts education as well as an art museum, the Center for the Arts offers educational programs and opportunities in the visual, performing, and literary arts. The Center hosts many cultural events and art exhibitions throughout the year and admission to the art galleries is free. For event information visit www.thomasvillearts.com or call (229) 226-0588.

February March

Annual Camellia Show

Hosted by Thomasville Garden Clubs, Inc., this annual show highlights the beauty and variety of the beautiful winter flower – the Camellia. For information call the Thomasville Garden Center at (229) 226-5291, www.thomasvillegardenclub.org.

Thomasville Antiques Show & Sale

The Thomasville Antiques Show Committee presents a multitude of the country’s most prestigious dealers offering the opportunity to view and purchase exquisite antiques. This event is held annually in late February or early March to provide funding for quality programs that enrich and assist children in Thomasville and Thomas County. For more information, please visit www.thomasvilleantiquesshow.com or call (229) 225-9354.

The Heritage Walk & Fun Run

Held annually in March, this 5K walk and children’s one-mile fun run is a family health event cosponsored by Thomasville YMCA and Commercial Bank. For more information visit www.ymca-thomasville.org or call (229) 226-0133.

Spring Lecture Series At Thomas County Museum Of History

Held annually on the first four Tuesday evenings in March, this free history lecture series provides a glimpse into Thomasville’s glorious past as a winter resort and other area topics. Visit www.thomascountyhistory.org or call (229) 226-7664 for more info.

April

Thomasville Rose Show & Festival

This three-day event is held in beautiful historic downtown Thomasville and has been a Southwest Georgia tradition since the 1920s. Join us for all the fun and festivities! Enjoy roses, roses, and more roses, plus parades, a street dance with live music, fantastic food, exciting sporting events, arts & crafts, and lots more! Held annually the weekend of the fourth Friday in April. For more information, visit www.thomasvillega.com or call (229) 228-7977.

Standard Flower Show At Thomasville Garden Center

Hosted by the Thomasville Garden Clubs each April to celebrate the variety and beauty of the many native regional flower species. For information call Thomasville Garden Center at (229) 226-5291. www.thomasvillegardenclub.org

Rose City 10K Run, Walk & One Mile Run

A favorite annual Rose Show and Festival event! For more information call (229) 226-3446.

Rose City Golf Classic

Held annually the weekend of the Rose Show and Festival at Country Oaks Golf Course, a municipal golf course owned and operated by the City of Thomasville. For more information call (229) 225-4333 or e-mail cogolf@rose.net.

May

Peacock Festival - Pavo

This annual festival, held on the second Saturday in May, offers a day of family fun with a parade, children’s activities, arts & crafts and entertainment. For more information visit www.peacockday.com.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 40

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

CNS Television’s Thomasville Fireworks Show & Festivities

July

Flaunt

September

Thomasville Fly-In

October

Celebrate the Fourth of July with good, old-fashioned fun and activities, including games, food, entertainment and fireworks display! Sponsored by CNS Television and held annually at Remington Ave. Park. For more information call (229) 228-7977.

Flaunt Art Walk and Exhibition brings the best local and regional artists into downtown Thomasville for the month of September, giving artists a chance to “Flaunt their stuff!” Flaunt, a juried art competition, provides a wonderful art experience for the entire community by elevating the profile of the arts in the southeast region. Each year, Flaunt’s theme changes to reflect the most exciting trends in art, and through local shops and eateries, provides the most accessible venue for acquiring new pieces from established and emerging artists. For more information call (229) 226-0588.

For over 45 years, aviation enthusiasts have been flying into Thomasville’s Regional Airport the second weekend of October for a weekend of aviation fun and activities. For more information visit www.thomasvilleflyin.com or call (229) 403-1071.

Boston Mini-Marathon And Festival - Boston, GA

Held annually the last Saturday in October in downtown Boston, this event offers something for everyone including racing events, a parade, entertainment and arts & crafts. For more information visit www.bostonga.com.

Wagon Days - Coolidge, GA

Commemorating a time when Coolidge was supplied by wagons, this festival celebrates the history of the area with entertainment, food, arts & crafts and other family activities. For more information call (229) 346-3551.

Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival

Go wild at the Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival held annually the second weekend before Thanksgiving. The festival features many of America’s premier wildlife artists. Browse through galleries filled with paintings, sculptures, photographs, jewelry and more, where artists are on hand to display, discuss, and sell their work. Wildlife exhibits, demonstrations and nature activities are included. For more information visit www.pwaf.org or call (229) 226-0588.

November

Veterans Parade

Held annually in November in downtown Thomasville, this is a wonderful parade honoring local and national veterans. For more information call (229) 228-7977.

Old South Day - Ochlocknee

Enjoy this festival that celebrates the history of the area with lots of activities for the whole family, held annually the second Saturday in November. For more information call (229) 574-5188.

Christmas Parade - Downtown Thomasville

The first Monday after Thanksgiving, usher in the holiday season with a charming down home parade and welcome Santa to Thomasville in style. For more information call (229) 226-3446.

December

Victorian Christmas - Downtown Thomasville

Historic downtown Thomasville, an award winning “Great American Main Street City,” invites you to come and make a memory this Christmas season! Take an unforgettable journey back in time to the 1890s and enjoy horse-drawn carriages, strolling carolers, holiday shopping, church choirs, musicians, holiday delicacies and, of course, Saint Nicholas! Victorian Christmas is held annually the second Thursday and Friday in December. For more information visit www.thomasvillega.com or call (229) 228-7977.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 41

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Family Fun Gateway 7 Cinemas

15023 US Hwy 19 S. Gateway Shopping Center (229) 226-6060 1650 Colonial Dr. Off US Hwy 19 (229) 228-5569 rosebowllanes.com

103 S. Dawson St. (229) 226-3446 Located in historic downtown, this center is equipped with indoor aquatics complex, cardio and free-weight centers, workout areas, racquetball courts, steam-sauna-whirlpool center and more.

Roll-A-Rink Roller/ Inline skating rink

Francis Weston Center

Rose Bowl Lanes

2408 E. Pinetree Blvd. (229) 228-0363

Thomas County Public Library

201 N. Madison St. (229) 225-5252 tcpls.org

Thomasville YMCA Facilities

YMCA Member Guest Pass Policy: Members of other YMCA’s within a 60-mile radius must pay a $5 fee. Members of other YMCA’s outside a 60mile radius may use the facility, 10 visits per year, free of charge. Anyone else may pay a $10 Guest Fee. Members may bring a guest for $10.

Butler Mason YMCA

1304 Remington Ave. (229) 226-0133 Adjacent to Remington Park Sports Complex this center is equipped with aquatic park, competition pool, game/activity room and more.

Skate Park Of Thomasville

Remington Park 304 Remington Ave. (229) 226-0133 Skate Park is free and open to the public.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 42

Everett Milton YMCA

416 W. Clay St. (229) 226-7510 This center is equipped with outdoor pool, basketball court and outdoor play area.

MacIntyre Park Disc Golf Course

201 N. Mitchell St. A beautiful, moderately hilly and wooded course that averages 300’+ per hole. A great course for novice or expert players.

Fishing: Cassidy Pond

1 Cassidy Rd. Ext. 1 mile from Thomasville off U.S. Hwy 84 Bypass Open June through November, daylight hours only. This is a three acre fishing lake with pier and picnic shelter with grill. Bank and pier fishing only.

Fishing: Cherokee Lake

420 Covington Ave. Open year round, daylight hours only. This is a 25 acre lake with boat ramp, multiple piers, and bank fishing access. Outboard motors restricted to 10 hp or less. See maps on pages 29-31 for facility locations.

Nature Adventures Birdsong Nature Center

2106 Meridian Rd. Thomasville, GA (229) 377-4408 Open Wed., Fri. & Sat. 9 am – 5 pm Sun. 1 pm – 5 pm www.birdsongnaturecenter.org Birdsong features 565 acres of wildflower meadow, old field, pine and hardwood forest, ponds and swamps, all home to a myriad of birds and other wildlife. Visit the Bird Window, Butterfly Garden, watch purple martins from Jan. – July, walk the Bluebird Trail or tune into the sounds of nature at Listening Place, a screened pavilion overlooking Big Bay Swamp. Experience Birdsong Nature Center for yourself.

Lost Creek Forest

Airport Rd., Thomasville, GA (229) 227-9844 www.lostcreekforest.org South of the Thomasville Regional Airport and east of Country Oaks

Golf Course. Five miles northeast of Thomasville, GA, off of Hwy 122 (Pavo Rd). Lost Creek Forest, near the Thomasville Regional Airport, stands today as it would have hundreds or even thousands of years ago. A transcendent environment, the forest is an example of the natural heritage of Thomas County. It includes mature hardwood slope forest, wetlands and an imperiled plant species.

Tall Timbers Research Station 13093 Henry Beadel Dr. Tallahassee, FL 32312 (850) 893-4153 www.talltimbers.org

Red Hills Region

The Red Hills Region is a 300,000acre area located between Thomasville, Georgia and Tallahassee, Florida. Known for its rolling hills and red clay soils, the region is rich in biological

Find us on the web www.thomasvillega.com

diversity, historic resources, and scenic beauty. Some 64 threatened and endangered plant and animal species find refuge while healthy forests are selectively harvested for timber. As the largest concentration of undeveloped plantation lands in the country, the Red Hills has been identified for special conservation efforts. The Nature Conservancy has designated the Red Hills as one of America’s “Last Great Places.” The decades of active game bird management have provided local settings for such rare species as the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, the gopher tortoise, and many other animals and plants. The national organization, Scenic America, identified the Red Hills canopy roads as one of the ten most scenic corridors in the United States in 1997. More than 300 miles of paved and unpaved public roads wind their way through the

plantation lands of the Red Hills, providing travelers with a close-up glimpse of an American landscape that has remained virtually unchanged since the late 1800s.

River Creek: Rolf and Alexandra Kauka Wildlife Management Area

Thomasville, GA DIRECTIONS FROM THOMASVILLE: Take US Hwy. 84 west approx. 4 miles. WMA entrance is on left approx. 0.9 mile after crossing the Ochlocknee River Bridge. GADNR Region 5 Office (229) 430-4254 This is a 2,437 acre Wildlife Management Area open to hunting deer, waterfowl, quail, dove, rabbit, squirrel, and turkey with primitive weapons, firearms, and archery. Fox squirrel hunting is prohibited. Contact Georgia DNR for more information, regulations and seasons. Camping, hiking, and fishing are also available at River Creek.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 43

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Where to stay Experience true Southern hospitality from the comfort of one of our modern hotels, historic bed and breakfast inns or from your own RV at one of our two RV Parks. Bed & Breakfast Inns

Revert back to the Victorian era and enjoy hospitality like never before at one of Thomasvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine historic inns. Truly offering unique experiences and providing unmatched services and amenities, spending the night at one of the bed and breakfast inns will be a highlight of your trip.

1884 Paxton House Inn

Fredom Oaks Bed & Breakfast

445 Remington Ave., Thomasville, GA (229) 226-5197 www.1884paxtonhouseinn.com With 18 years of exceptional Southern hospitality this magnificently restored mansion, carriage house, pool house and garden cottage provide 12 bedrooms with private bath. They will welcome you with homemade treats and spoil you with gourmet breakfast. They can accommodate honeymoon, anniversary, birthday, corporate or special events.

Freedom Oaks Bed & Breakfast

429 N. Crawford St., Thomasville, GA (229) 227-1749 www.freedomoaksbb.com Experience the romance of a bygone era in a beautifully restored Queen Ann Victorian embraced by centuries-old Live Oaks. A block from historic Broad Street and downtown, it is an easy walk to shops, restaurants and historic sites including the cherished Big Oak. Southern hospitality coupled with modern conveniences including king or queen bedrooms in elegant surroundings.

Myrtlewood Plantation

1884 Paxton House Inn

Campbell St./Lower Cairo Rd., Thomasville, GA (229) 228-6232 or (229) 224-7502 www.myrtlewoodplantation.com Four private lodges available, three with overnight accommodations, for family, corporate, and sporting outings. Sporting activities available on the plantation include fishing, sporting clays, and quail and deer hunting. The scenic location is also available for weddings, seminars, and retreats. Special deer hunt information at (229) 226-2541.

Pebble Hill Plantation

1251 US Hwy. 319 S., Thomasville, GA (229) 226-2344, www.pebblehill.com Pebble Hill Plantation offers two unique and luxurious locations for overnight accommodations on the Main Grounds. The fully furnished Overflow Cottage offers a spectacular view of the Kitchen Garden and Sunrise Field from the screened porch. The Firehouse Apartment is the perfect cozy nook for a small party. Pebble Hill Plantation offers several indoor and outdoor locations on their lush and beautiful grounds for weddings, private parties, business events, corporate retreats and conferences.

The Magnolia Leaf Bed & Business Retreat

501 E. Washington St., Thomasville, GA (229) 834-2135, www.themagnolialeaf.com An elegant Historic Greek-Revival home, The Magnolia Leaf specializes in spa retreats, banquets, business training and fundraisers. Packages available for luxurious suites or the entire house and grounds and include a delectable full breakfast and snacks. Catered dinners are also available. The Magnolia Leaf Bed & Business Retreat

www.thomasvillega.com Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 44

RV Parks

Visit Thomasville from the comfort of your own home when traveling in an RV by staying a few days at one of our nearby RV Parks. If traveling with an RV club, you may contact the Visitors Center for welcome bags and additional information.

City of Roses RV Park

277 Old Boston Rd., Thomasville, GA Business US Hwy 84 W. and Pinetree Blvd. (229) 228-7275

Sugar Mill Plantation RV Park US Hwy 19 N., 4857 McMillan Rd. Ochlocknee, GA (229) 227-1451 www.sugarmillcampground.com

Sugar Mill R.V. Park

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 45

www.facebook.com/visitthomasville

Accommodations R

3- 4

Comfort Inn

Days Inn

113

EconoLodge

1- 2

Hampton Inn

2- 3

Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites

3- 4

Quality Inn & Suites Conf. Center

2- 3

Thomasville Inn

Western Motel

Baymont Inn and Suites

1470 Remington Ave., (229) 227-9500 or (800) 337-0550, www.baymontinns.

Best Western and Rose City Conference Center 133 Liberty St., (229) 226-9998 or (800) WESTERN www.bestwestern.com

14866 US Hwy 19 S., (229) 228-5555 or (800) 4CHOICE www.cithomasville.com

15375 US Hwy 19 S., (229) 226-6025 or (800) 325-2525 www.daysinn.com

15130 US Hwy 19 S., (229) 584-0909 or (800) 4CHOICE www.econolodge.com

1950 GA Hwy 122, (229) 227-0040 or (800) HAMPTON www.hamptoninn.com

452 Liberty St., (229) 226-4666 or (800) Holiday, www.hiexpress.com/esthomasville

15138 US Hwy 19 S., (229) 225-2134 or (800) 4CHOICE www.qualityinn.com

15211 US Hwy 19 S., (229) 227-1111 www.thomasvilleinnga.com

16309 US Hwy 19 N., (229) 228-0800 www.westernmotelga.com

KEY SYMBOLS

R = Rates # = Number of Rooms H = Handicapped Accessible B = Complimentary Breakfast P = Pool E = Exercise Room W = Free Wi- Fi P = Pets Allowed S = Smoking Rooms

RATES

1 = $0- 50 2 = $51- 100 3 = $101- 150 4 = $151- 200 5 = $201+ All rates and amenities subject to change without notice.

Thomasville Visitors Guide — 46

15% Spend the Night OFF REDEEMABLE AT THESE

... stay awhile

THOMASVILLE HOTELS Baymont Inn and Suites Best Western · Comfort Inn Days Inn · EconoLodge Hampton Inn Holiday Inn Express Quality Inn and Suites Thomasville Inn · Western Motel

Coupon can be applied to regular rate only. It cannot be used during special events or with any other special offers. Blackout dates may apply.Subject to change without notice. Coupon good from December 31, 2013 thru December 31, 2014 For more information call (229) 228-7977 or (866) 577-3600.

Thomasville Visitors Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 47

2013 Visitors Guide

VACATIONS • REUNIONS • TOURS • MEETINGS

Thomasville Visitors Center P.O. Box 3319 Thomasville, GA 31799

(229) 228-7977 www.thomasvillega.com Toll Free (866) 577-3600

...where history & heritage meet southern grace and charm... 2013 Visitors Guide

www.thomasvillega.com Scan with your smartphone for more info (229) 228-7977 Thomasville Visitors Guide — 48

Toll Free (866) 577-3600