I grew up on Antioch Road. One of my favorite things to do in the Summer was ride my bike to Clement’s Wash Hole and swim and rope swing all day. I long for those simpler times.
I remember Primrose and Clements Wash Hole. Just under the Primrose Bridge was a sizable amount of water which often accommodated a lot of people. We used to dive off that bridge and some of us were stupid enough to climb to the top and dive from there. I you went just north and turned right into the woods, the trail would take you to another Washhole and it was on the same creed as the Primrose Bridge. We just referred to it as Primrose. Now this was in the late 40’s and early fifties. At the same time we sometimes went over into Crisp County to Clements Wash Hole. The water there was crystal clear and cold as ice. The springs were just to the left of the swimming hole. At one time some had nailed cleats on a bit tree and you could climb up those cleats and dive off. Those were the good ole days. I actually left Worth County in 1955 and did not return to live in Georgia until 2003; however, I visited often and tried to make the homecoming at Rocky Mount the second Sunday in June each year. C.R. Gamble, who was mentioned by someone as a long time pastor at Acorn Pond, was also the pastor at Rocky Mount for some time. His daughter married Jerry Walls, who has a farm between highway 33 and Rocky Mount Church. Jerry’s father was Virgil Walls and his mother was Agnes. Virgil’s father, Adoph (sp) owned that farm when I was small (circa 1950) and he was married to Laura White Walls. Mrs Laura Walls was my father’s cousin. If you’ve read this far you will have learned that I lean toward verbosity! Sorry for that.
There is a road called Clements Wash Hole off of Warwick Arabi Road. It looks like an old field road. I was there today. Raised in Ashburn, never went to Clements Wash Hole. I’m going back!!
I have this vague notion that if you are going north from the Primrose bridge and turn right on the Warwick-Arabi Road that to get to Clements Wash Hole you turn right on a field road and go back across a field to the water. Is that right? Is Clements a spring or is it just another open place a little further up from Primrose?
I grew up swimming in “The Boils”, also known as Osciewicee Springs (near Bowens Mill). That water was so cold that we would float watermelons in it for July 4th and they’d be as cold as if they’d been in a refrigerator. Those were good times…
Fred Gleaton
Acorn Pond Road is the west boundary of the Gleaton place (now owned by a Mr. Vaughn from Conyers). It runs north from Gleaton Road and up to the Acorn Pond Church and Community Center. For many years the pastor at Acorn Pond was Rev. C.R. Gamble, who started out in life as a painter. A very kind man. The road splits and goes on to Warwick through the Middlebrooks/Odom farm, and past a pond on that property where my father caught a lot of fish. If you go straight back at the fork, the road crosses Swift Creek at a place where the water is quite clear and there was a nice swimming hole called “Primrose.” I believe that road dead ends into the Warwick-Arabi Road. Perhaps someone a little older than I am could answer this – I believe their was another swimming hole off of the Warwick-Arabi Road called Clements Wash-hole. Anyone else remember that?
I sure do. My father was Odell Odom and he owned the farm over behind Acorn Pond Church. I attended that church as a child. Don’t remember Mr C.R. as the preacher at Acorn Pond. He preached at Rocky Mount just over in Turner County for years, though. Preachers I remember at Acorn Pond were Bobby Sheffield, Amos Sellers, and my favorite, Charles Fletcher. Some other guy came along just before I left home. But as to Clements, if you are headed toward Primrose Creek from Acorn Pond, you will turn at the 4-way stop after Primrose Creek. Turn right toward Cordele. The other way will take you to Warwick. We used to go down to almost where the road curves, just past Mr. McAfee the Tax Man’s house, down to Marvin McAfee’s house and turned just before his house on the left, went down just a piece further and turned right and went up into the sticks and there was Clements Washhole. Last time I was there was in the late 80s or early 90s. I left home in 1983 and by that time the only folks that hung out down there were pot heads and underage drinkers (like me and my friends back then, alas). It had gotten pretty trashy but was a real fun place to sneak off and go skinny dipping. Cold as ice so you were definitely not naked for long!!! Those were the days!
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 
I grew up on Antioch Road. One of my favorite things to do in the Summer was ride my bike to Clement’s Wash Hole and swim and rope swing all day. I long for those simpler times.
Thanks for the article, The Clements Wash Hole was named after my family. It was once owned by them and given the name.
I remember Primrose and Clements Wash Hole. Just under the Primrose Bridge was a sizable amount of water which often accommodated a lot of people. We used to dive off that bridge and some of us were stupid enough to climb to the top and dive from there. I you went just north and turned right into the woods, the trail would take you to another Washhole and it was on the same creed as the Primrose Bridge. We just referred to it as Primrose. Now this was in the late 40’s and early fifties. At the same time we sometimes went over into Crisp County to Clements Wash Hole. The water there was crystal clear and cold as ice. The springs were just to the left of the swimming hole. At one time some had nailed cleats on a bit tree and you could climb up those cleats and dive off. Those were the good ole days. I actually left Worth County in 1955 and did not return to live in Georgia until 2003; however, I visited often and tried to make the homecoming at Rocky Mount the second Sunday in June each year. C.R. Gamble, who was mentioned by someone as a long time pastor at Acorn Pond, was also the pastor at Rocky Mount for some time. His daughter married Jerry Walls, who has a farm between highway 33 and Rocky Mount Church. Jerry’s father was Virgil Walls and his mother was Agnes. Virgil’s father, Adoph (sp) owned that farm when I was small (circa 1950) and he was married to Laura White Walls. Mrs Laura Walls was my father’s cousin. If you’ve read this far you will have learned that I lean toward verbosity! Sorry for that.
There is a road called Clements Wash Hole off of Warwick Arabi Road. It looks like an old field road. I was there today. Raised in Ashburn, never went to Clements Wash Hole. I’m going back!!
I froze in Clements. Also have Pic’s taken a few years ago.
I have this vague notion that if you are going north from the Primrose bridge and turn right on the Warwick-Arabi Road that to get to Clements Wash Hole you turn right on a field road and go back across a field to the water. Is that right? Is Clements a spring or is it just another open place a little further up from Primrose?
I remember the Clements spring water……very, very cold during the hottest days of summer! Even Goo-Goo didn’t like the cold water!
I grew up swimming in “The Boils”, also known as Osciewicee Springs (near Bowens Mill). That water was so cold that we would float watermelons in it for July 4th and they’d be as cold as if they’d been in a refrigerator. Those were good times…
Acorn Pond Road is the west boundary of the Gleaton place (now owned by a Mr. Vaughn from Conyers). It runs north from Gleaton Road and up to the Acorn Pond Church and Community Center. For many years the pastor at Acorn Pond was Rev. C.R. Gamble, who started out in life as a painter. A very kind man. The road splits and goes on to Warwick through the Middlebrooks/Odom farm, and past a pond on that property where my father caught a lot of fish. If you go straight back at the fork, the road crosses Swift Creek at a place where the water is quite clear and there was a nice swimming hole called “Primrose.” I believe that road dead ends into the Warwick-Arabi Road. Perhaps someone a little older than I am could answer this – I believe their was another swimming hole off of the Warwick-Arabi Road called Clements Wash-hole. Anyone else remember that?
I sure do. My father was Odell Odom and he owned the farm over behind Acorn Pond Church. I attended that church as a child. Don’t remember Mr C.R. as the preacher at Acorn Pond. He preached at Rocky Mount just over in Turner County for years, though. Preachers I remember at Acorn Pond were Bobby Sheffield, Amos Sellers, and my favorite, Charles Fletcher. Some other guy came along just before I left home. But as to Clements, if you are headed toward Primrose Creek from Acorn Pond, you will turn at the 4-way stop after Primrose Creek. Turn right toward Cordele. The other way will take you to Warwick. We used to go down to almost where the road curves, just past Mr. McAfee the Tax Man’s house, down to Marvin McAfee’s house and turned just before his house on the left, went down just a piece further and turned right and went up into the sticks and there was Clements Washhole. Last time I was there was in the late 80s or early 90s. I left home in 1983 and by that time the only folks that hung out down there were pot heads and underage drinkers (like me and my friends back then, alas). It had gotten pretty trashy but was a real fun place to sneak off and go skinny dipping. Cold as ice so you were definitely not naked for long!!! Those were the days!