Whigham Baptist Church
4 Replies
Category Archives: –GRADY COUNTY GA–
Rattlesnake Roundup Grounds, Whigham
Rattlesnake roundups are mostly a thing of the past, but I believe Whigham’s is still held each January. Jerod Maxwell writes: My Grandfather (Julian Maxwell) and his cousin (Herman Maxwell) started it inadvertently when they caught a couple of snakes and took them to the Whigham High School to show the science class the snakes in order to teach kids about them. That week at the Whigham town meeting eight men decided that they would hold a festival in order to raise money for the town and Grady County and to milk the snakes in order to make more anti-venom because many people were being bitten every year in our area. He notes that his Uncle Herman was at the meeting, but not his Grandfather, because he didn’t like politics. Most old farmers stayed a far away from politics as they could. I know my grandfather did.
The live-catch aspect of the roundup was phased out in 2022.
Zebulon Theatre, 1936, Cairo
Mrs. Ethel Blanton opened the Zebulon on 15 April 1936 . She named it Zebulon in honor of her husband, Zebulon Blanton. It was sold to the Dunn Family Theatres in 1950 and again to Larry Bearden in 1973. Mr. Bearden operated it until 2000, at which time it was purchased by the Community Foundation of South West Georgia. It’s still open and shows recent movies.
It’s the oldest single-screen theatre in operation in Georgia.
Cairo Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Cairoga Club Building, 1920, Cairo
Built for the Cairoga Club in 1920, this commercial block originally housed three businesses downstairs [Britt’s Gent Shop; the Sanitary Barber Shop, later Graco; and Tony Mike’s California Fruit Company], while the club was located upstairs. The club featured a basketball court, bleachers, a dressing room and showers, a kitchen, and a banquet room. There were also billiard tables.
From 1932-1970, the offices of the W. R. Roddenberry Company, known nationwide for its food products, from syrups to pickles, was located on the second floor. W. R. Roddenbery improved upon his father’s cane syrup recipe and in 1890 began commercial production. Roddenbery’s was sold to Dean Foods in 1993, the local factory was sold ten years later, and no Roddenbery pickles or peanut butter are to be found today. Cane Patch Syrup is still around, though, and the Cairo football team is still known as the Syrupmakers.
Today, it’s home to the Grady County History Museum. It’s free to the public and its director, Don Nickerson, is very enthusiastic about sharing his community’s history.
Cairo Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Grady County Courthouse, 1985, Cairo
In an era of agricultural boosterism, Grady County declared itself the “Original Diversified Farming County of the Southeast” in 1906. The courthouse was designed by Alexander Blair and built by the J. B. Carr Company. Designed by Jinright, Ryan & Lynn Architects and completed in 1985, to replace the previous courthouse, which burned in 1980.
Cairo Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Hall and Parlor Farmhouse, Grady County
This was originally a hall and parlor form, which was later expanded. It was likely a tenant house.