The History of Alma & Bacon County, Georgia
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Authors
Baker, Bonnie Taylor
Issue Date
1984
Type
Book
Language
en_US
Keywords
United States--Georgia--Bacon--Alma , Genealogy , Georgia--History , Wiregrass History
Alternative Title
Abstract
In 1914, Bacon County was created, and named for Senator Augustus O. Bacon, a distinguished politician of Georgia birth. In 1914 this newly created 'piney woods’ county and a handfull of pioneer settlers joined together to begin a long journey into history. Its destiny is interrupted now only long enough to record between the covers of this book the progression of past events out of which has come the Bacon County of today’s modern living. Bacon County, unlike Williamsburg, is not rich in history. There is only one historic marker in the 293 square miles of thinly populated land which lie within it’s boundaries. A million years ago the land of Bacon County lay beneath the ocean water, yet no one locally claims to have found proof or marked a spot of suspicion. Surrounding the county seat of Alma can be found 'Sand Hills’ of beautiful coarse yellow sand whom some refer to as 'the ocean bottom’ while others never question their existence.
Evidence of prehistoric life in what is now Georgia have been exposed by accident or by geological research, but none of record can be found within the area of Bacon County. Shark teeth are among the most abundant fossil remains found in South Georgia, but none are recorded as having been found in Bacon County. Between 1970 and 1980, archaeological research was done by a professional research team, mainly as a requirement of the Federal Government to justify the funds of the Model City Project which were being spent locally. Some students, as their history teacher have also, and as a class project, engaged in research in areas of the county where it was believed there was evidence of primitive, prehistoric, but most likely, Indian life. In the event discoveries were made by anyone, the resulting artifacts are not displayed as evidence that such a civilization existed.
Bacon County is today a small area centered in the southeast section of South Georgia. It is often referred to as 'Wiregrass Country’. It’s grayish sandy loam produces, among other things, several varieties of pine tree. A characteristic feature of the pinelands of the 1800’s was a wiregrass, which carpeted the ground and provided a nutritious grazing range for cattle. Later in the century and on into the 1900’s much of the land began to be developed into prosperous agriculture which produced first cotton, and later tobacco. Dur ing the same period the area was also noted for it’s valuable turpentine and forestry industries. Razorback hogs and unbranded cattle roamed the piney woods and tried to survive on the wiregrass’ tender roots. Bacon County is, in all areas except the west and northwest flat areas of sandy loam soil, ideal for farming. In the excepted area the sea level rises to form clay hills overlook ing a gully of black water, the larger of these known as 'Hurricane Creek.’ Overall, though, the county has an average elevation of 215 feet above mean sea level.
To most of the early settlers it was nothing more than a flat land of grayish loamy soil, vast areas of pine trees, occasionally interspersed with agricultural ventures of dubious profit potential which depended almost entirely on the ‘Will of God’. U.S Highway Number 1, which extends from Maine to Key West, Florida, crosses Bacon County from north to south. Georgia Highway Number 32, running from the Atlantic Ocean to the Alabama border on the west, crosses the County from east to west. In recent years Bacon County has received Federal and State money for road paving projects throughout the county, particularly since the consolidation of county and city schools. Today there are still too many dusty dirt country roads throughout Bacon County which need special attention. Many of these are firebreaks used as a public road, but constructed mainly for fighting destructive woods fires, lit most often from the cigarette of a careless smoker.
Description
Regional History Series at Valdosta State Univeristy Archives and Special Collections. Digitized 2014. The History of Alma & Bacon County, Georgia by Bonnie Taylor Baker. Exclusive digitization content. Physical copy not available. Fair Use.
Citation
Taylor, Bonnie Baker. The History of Alma & Bacon County, Georgia. vol.1. Bacon County Historical Society, 1974.
Publisher
Bacon County Historical Society