Thomasville GA

A BIT ABOUT THE CHRONICLE OF THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA

Thomasville was founded as the county seat of Thomas county in 1826. The city was named for a hero of the War of 1812, General Jett Thomas, who built the first university building in Athens, Georgia, and also built the state capitol in Milledgeville.

It has been reported that after the Civil War. Thomasville was sort of an outcast among cities and towns of the Old South because it catered to folks from the North., who came to Thomasville to enjoy the mild winters. As a matter of Fact, Thomasville was known as “America’s Riviera.” One of the most famous houses in the area, the Lapham-Patterson house was built by a wealthy Chicago shoe mogul, who ‘wintered’ in Thomasville because of the damage done to his lungs during the Great Chicago Fire.

Thomas County boasts of many plantations, still owned by younger generations of old northern money. The plantations of today are mostly hunting preserves and timber is the great product of these operations. The average temperature in January is a bit over 50 degrees. The average high during the summer months between June and August is a tad over 80 degrees. There are alligators, black bears, and once in a while, a panther roaming the county woods and wetlands. FLOWERS FOODS, INC. is one of the largest employers of the county. Another huge employer is John D. Archbold Hospital and its affiliates. Thomasville Municipal Airports airport identification is TVI and is located about nine miles in a northerly direction from the downtown area, out Highway 319, past the WalMart. Southwest Georgia Technical College, with a full-time enrollment of 882, and Thomas University, a private , not-for profit four-year university., with a full-time enrollment of 484, are the two schools of higher education. There is one public county high school (Thomas County Central High School), one public city high school (Thomasville High School), as well as a public school for students with special needs (Bishop Hall). the only private high school is Brookwood and St. Thomas Episcopal School has a private School for younger children. Four AM and four FM radio stations operate in Thomas county and Thomasville. There are 13 television Stations serving this area stretching between Tallahassee, Fl and Albany, GA.

Tallahassee, Florida, is approximately 35 miles to the south of Thomasville on Highway 319. Tallahassee, teh state capital of Florida, s the home of two major Florida Universities, Florida A&M and Florida State University. Valdosta, Georgia si about 40 miles due east of Thomasville on Highway 84 and boasts of Valdosta State University. Moody Air Force Base is just north of Valdosta.