Portal was established two miles north of its present location on the Old Portal Road. There is no consensus as to the source of the name, which was approved by the post office department in 1894. The village, in northwestern Bulloch County, was near the end of a private railroad built by the E. E. Foy Company to service its sawmill at nearby Rocky Ford. Foy also built a mercantile to supply the needs of residents. Within ten years, nearly all timber in the area had been cut and Foy closed the mercantile and sold lots to those who wanted to remain in the area. When the Savannah, Augusta & Northern Railway laid a public line through the area in 1907, those who remained in Old Portal moved to the current location and it was officially incorporated in 1914. It is known today for its historic association with the turpentine industry.
Fun Fact: The geographical center of the Town of Portal is designated as the front right corner of the red building in this photo, which is known as the “old bank building”. The city limits is a circle 3/4 of a mile outwards in every direction from that point.
In Statesboro there is a local INSTITUTION called Vandy’s BBQ; you should check them out!! Boyd’s is another one you should check out!!! Trust me; three generations of my family have eaten there!! We are from Portal!
I’ve just discovered my love for the North Florida panhandle and Southern Georgia. I dig your photos !
Think you could pass along any old school BBQ places you run into ? If it’s in a old gas station or has a particularly good sign with a pig on it, the better.
Regards,
Mike
Thanks, Mike! I will keep an eye out for those BBQ joints for you. I’d love to find some myself.