Georgia’s southernmost town, St. George, is located within the “Georgia Bend” of the St. Marys River. This historic postcard, mailed from St. George, illustrates a picnic held along the river in February 1909. I have no idea what occasion warranted such a photograph. It must have been a really mild winter, though, as a few of the boys are standing in the river.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
Located near the banks of the St. Marys River, St. George is the southernmost town in Georgia, and being 24 miles south of Folkston, it remains quite isolated. It is sometimes spelled Saint George. A historical sketch by Lois Barefoot Mays provides more information.
Established in 1904 as a “colony city” by P.H. Fitzgerald (who nine years earlier colonized the city of Fitzgerald) and his son John P. Fitzgerald, St. George was laid out near the forgotten village of Cutler. Some of the streets in the town today bear the same names as streets in Fitzgerald, notably those named for Civil War generals like Grant and Bragg. When St. George was not incorporated nor any improvements made, as Mr. Fitzgerald had promised, some of the colonists filed a lawsuit which led to the founder’s indictment.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
This congregation was established in 1909 and the church built soon thereafter.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
Though it’s been slightly modified over the years, this house is a great example of the so-called Cracker-style architecture once common throughout South Georgia and North Florida.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
This is Georgia’s southernmost post office.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
Built to replace the original St. George School (1910) which was destroyed by fire, St. George Elementary is the southernmost school in Georgia.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
Originating in the Okefenokee Swamp, the St. Marys River forms the boundary of Georgia and Florida from Charlton County to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s also the southernmost point of Georgia.
When “discovered” by Jean Ribault in 1562, it was first called the Seine River. It was later changed to St. Marys in honor of a nearby mission. The name given it by Native Americans was Thlathlothlaguphka, meaning rotten fish.
It’s a typical “blackwater” river so common throughout South Georgia and North Florida and it bears close monitoring as the human population in its watershed expands exponentially.
Though pollution is an increasing problem (so bad that it’s advised to only eat one Largemouth Bass per month and only one Redbreast per week) I saw two fisherman testing their luck yesterday. Just seeing bank-fishing is getting to be a rare thing these days.
Filed under --CHARLTON COUNTY GA--, St. George GA
