Category Archives: –EARLY COUNTY GA–

Peanut Monument, 1954, Blakely

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A monument to the peanut might seem strange, but not so in Early County, which is one of the leading producers of this valuable crop in the entire state, with over 100 million pounds harvested in 2021. Located on the northeast lawn of the courthouse, it reads: The people of Early County, the largest peanut producing center in the world, have erected this monument in tribute to the peanut, which is so largely responsible for our growth and prosperity. Not only has it contributed to the higher living standards of the people engaged in its producing, manufacturing and marketing, but has also become important to the better health of the people of the world, as it is the source of some of our most nutritious and beneficial foods.

Peanuts remain central to the economy of Southwest Georgia.

Blakely Court Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Centerville United Methodist Church, 1898, Early County

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The community of Centerville, in Early County, is one of at least six places bearing that name in Georgia. The only one to be incorporated is located near Warner Robins, in Houston County.

From an historic marker placed by the church and the Historic Chattahoochee Commission in 1998: Ben Johnson and his wife, “Miss Ellie,” attended the DuBose Methodist Church located six miles away until they were caught in a rainstorm that frightened their horse. In an attempt to get a church nearer home, Ben Johnson and Dick Mock rode for several days before finding someone to donate land for the church. Most of the land in the area was mortgaged because of the Civil War but Elias Harper deeded four acres to church trustees, Ben Johnson, Sam Roe Johnson and John King to be used for a church and a cemetery. “Miss Ellie” named it Centerville because it was in the middle of the community.

The Centerville Methodist Church was organized in 1891, and the people of the community erected the first church building eight miles south of Blakely on the Three Notch Road. It was a pine log structure with posts in the middle section for support and two single doors for entering the church. The original floor joists and ceiling trusses, which were made of whole pine logs, are still in place. A wood stove was placed in the middle of the room to warm the congregation. The church was dedicated on August 7, 1898, with Rev. C.C. Lowe serving as its first pastor. In 1976, the social hall was added and synthetic siding installed.

Cuba, Georgia

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Cuba, Georgia, was settled circa 1875 and had a post office from 1883-1890. It was named for the Caribbean island and may have evolved around a plantation. Geographical designations based on “exotic” locales were common in the 19th century.

If you use the map to locate Cuba today, you’ll find this abandoned grocery store beside U.S. Highway 27, a couple of miles south of Blakely. But the historical settlement was actually about a quarter mile down the dirt road to the west, near Cuba Presbyterian Church.

Note: A photo search for Cuba, Georgia, on the internet will deliver images of Mrs. Roy Redd’s Grocery, Cuba, Ga, in Forsyth County, but this is misleading. No such community ever existed and in a recent article in the Forsyth County News, Kelly Whitmire explains: One of the most recognizable looks into old Forsyth is on a Coca-Cola sign in front of an old store on Friendship Circle with the words “Mrs. Roy Redd Cuba, Ga.” …locals didn’t pronounce the name the same way as the country and instead called it “Cubey.” The name came from a popular card game played at the store.

Cuba Presbyterian Church, Early County

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This little church is the most significant remaining public landmark in the Cuba settlement, south of Blakely. It’s a cruciform-shaped building, similar in style, if not age, to the Bryan Neck Presbyterian Church in coastal Bryan County, and rare for such a small structure.

The church dates to the 20th century but I haven’t found any details yet. It is still an active congregation.

Board-and-Batten Farmhouse, Early County

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This is located on a hunting club and therefore not accessible. It’s a nice old vernacular house, though.

Lucile, Georgia

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Lucile is a tiny village located along the Miller/Early County line. It only had a post office for four years, from 1899-1903, and was a typical crossroads community, centered on agriculture. Originally known as Racketville, it was changed to Lucile in honor of postmaster Charles S. Middleton’s daughter. This historic store and filling station likely dates to the 1920s or 1930s, with some modifications over time.

George Wilkerson writes…I grew up in Lucille community and still live here today…Back in the mid 1950s [this was] a country grocery store ran by Mr. Bruce Bachelor and later by the Johnson family. Miss Lucille Johnson had a bait shop in the back of it for a few years.

Feed Store, Lucile

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This is a tin-sided metal building with a cinderblock false front. George Wilkerson writes:…the building with tin wall and false front was ran as a feed store in the late 1960s and early 1970s by Byron Bruner, then he ran a store at Springfield later...

Saffold, Georgia

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Saffold is located just across the Chattahoochee River from Alabama. It was the site of the Southern Confederate States Navy Yard during the Civil War and at least one gunboat, aptly named Chattahoochee, was completed here. This structure was like a general store or grocery store, probably dating to the mid-20th century.

White Oak Pastures, Early County

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Since 1866, five generations of the Harris family have cultivated the land they call White Oak Pastures. Today, it’s the most diversified farm in the South and the gold standard of sustainable agriculture in Georgia. Their grassfed beef and lamb and pastured poultry are sold throughout the Eastern United States. Driving around the Bluffton area, it’s obvious that White Oak Pastures is having a major economic impact on the area.

A little background from the White Oak Pastures’ website:

Will Harris is a fourth generation cattleman, who tends the same land that his great-grandfather settled in 1866. Born and raised at White Oak Pastures, Will left home to attend the University of Georgia’s School of Agriculture, where he was trained in the industrial farming methods that had taken hold after World War II. Will graduated in 1976 and returned to Bluffton where he and his father continued to raise cattle using pesticides, herbicides, hormones and antibiotics. They also fed their herd a high-carbohydrate diet of corn and soy.

These tools did a fantastic job of taking the cost out of the system, but in the mid-1990’s Will became disenchanted with the excesses of these industrialized methods. They had created a monoculture for their cattle, and, as Will says, “nature abhors a monoculture.” In 1995, Will made the audacious decision to return to the farming methods his great-grandfather had used 130 years before.

Since Will has successfully implemented these changes, he has been recognized all over the world as a leader in humane animal husbandry and environmental sustainability…His favorite place in the world to be is out in pastures, where he likes to have a big coffee at sunrise and a 750ml glass of wine at sunset.

I knew it was a good sign when I saw Purple Martins (Progne subis) scouting nesting locations at one of the “apartments” near the entrance.

The organic quesadilla I had in the restaurant was literally one of the best I’ve ever eaten. We got there a bit after the normal lunch hour, so we missed the pork chops and sweet potatoes that were on the menu for the day, but this was a great substitute.

I’m glad this is one place and way of life that is not vanishing. Drive a little out of your way and have a meal, stop by the general store in Bluffton, or, if you need to escape the daily grind, spend a night in one of their on-farm accommodations.

Pollock Store, Early County

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Although the sign identifies this business as D & D Grocery, Chloe Evans Holloway writes: It was Pollock Store in the 1960’s Then it was called Bruner’s Store because Bryon Bruner bought it and he ran it for a lot of years until he died. He lived in a small house with his second wife ,Nancy. Then Debra Robinson Love purchased it. She ran it for a short time before it went out of business! Now there is nothing there at all.