History of Barnesville, Georgia

Founding Period 1825-1830

The area upon which Barnesville was formed was open for white settlement by the Land Lottery of 1821. The land had become available subsequent to the removal of the Creek Indians. Barnesville began as a small clearing in the wilderness by an Indian fighter named Jenks in 1825. The first white man in the area was not suited to be settled in one place. Therefore, Jenks sold out to Gideon Barnes in 1826. Barnes, a native of Southampton, Virginia, quickly went to work clearing virgin timber from the land in order to establish the area's first commercial district. He built a double log cabin on a hill where Summers cotton warehouse would later be built. This warehouse is used today as the City of Barnesville Electrical Department. In addition to the cabin, he built an inn and a tavern for travelers. People came to the village by wagon or horseback. Barnes decided to establish a passenger and a freight line between Macon and Barnes' Store and between Columbus and Barnes' Store. He also opened a post office on June 28, 1827, which was known as Barnes' Store. The post office name was changed to Barnesville in June of 1831. Barnes was the village's first postmaster.

Drivers and horses had to be secured to run the stage lines. Housing for the new families brought to town had to be provided. Stores providing clothing, hardware, food and livestock began operating and business was brisk.

The stage lines passed through Barnesville daily traveling on the Towns Road, which connected with the Alabama Road west of the village. The stage that traveled the Alabama Road connected Augusta, Georgia with Montgomery, Alabama. The stages carried freight, mail and passengers. The stage would stop at Barnes' tavern and inn to hitch fresh horses and to allow the passengers to refresh themselves with food and drink.

With the exception of the town plan/street layout, no resources survive from this early period (1825-1830).

Iron Horse Development 1830-1860

Barnesville was part of Pike County from its beginning until 1921. During its early stages of development it was not connected to any of the surrounding county seats until 1833. Forsyth, the county seat of Monroe County, was about 15 miles to the east. Zebulon, the Pike County seat, was about 12 miles west. Thomaston, the county seat of Upson County, was about fourteen miles to the southwest. In 1833, the Upson County Commissioners decided to fund the cutting of a road through the wilderness to Barnesville from the courthouse square in Thomaston.

Advent of the Railroad

With the advent of the railroad, Barnesville continued to prosper. One of Barnesville's first citizens, Benjamin Mosley Milner, helped build one of the first three railroads in Georgia. The Monroe Railroad and Banking Company was chartered Dec. 23, 1833 by the Georgia Legislature to establish a line between Macon and Forsyth. Its name was changed to the Macon and Western Railroad Company in 1845 and became the first railroad to come to Barnesville. It reached Atlanta in 1846. The Central of Georgia Railroad (also chartered in 1833) was to provide rail service between Savannah and Macon. This line connected with the Macon and Western Railroad to serve Barnesville and Thomaston. The line to Barnesville was completed in 1841, connecting the village to the main line at Forsyth. The spur line between Barnesville and Thomaston was laid in 1847. The train to Thomaston was known as "the Tom Cat" or the "Dummy" and a dummy line to Zebulon, was established. In later years, the branch to Thomaston was operated by the Central of Georgia Railroad. The Central, when completed in 1843, was the longest line built and owned by one corporation in Georgia. Other trains which were associated with service through Barnesville were the "Nancy Hanks I and II" providing service between Atlanta and Savannah; the "Goober" providing service to Griffin and on to Atlanta beginning in the late 1880s and the "Dixie Flyer" providing service between Atlanta and Miami, Florida.

Both the Atlanta to Macon and the spur lines running through Barnesville are still being used today for freight shipping. The freight trains make several stops daily at various manufacturing plants to deliver supplies and transport finished goods to distributors. Both of these lines are located on their original beds.

As the iron horse became more popular, the stagecoach became used less and less. The train was quicker, more convenient and certainly more comfortable than the stagecoach. The railroad brought new sources of growth: new merchants, new residents and new ideas. The population of Barnesville had grown to approximately 400 by the end of 1849 with 45 families. The center of the community was the depot. Everyone came to town or left town from the place, which was the heart of the community. People came to town to see the trains arrive or greet passengers. The business district grew up around the depot. As the village grew, a freight depot in addition to a passenger depot was built. The freight depot operations were later moved into the building that was later used by the old Georgia Knitting Mills which fronts the railroad tracks just east of the passenger depot. Today this building is used as a fertilizer warehouse by Akin Feed and Seed.

The stockyards were adjacent to the depot as were several cotton warehouses. The planing mill was erected along the tracks in order to receive goods and ship out finished products. The second post office building was located in a building facing the depot. This building, known as the Swatts Building, is still standing today.

The Village of Barnesville

The village of Barnesville was established by a charter granted from the Georgia Legislature in 1852. The form of government was a Mayor-Council. This form of government is still in use today. City limits were a circle with a radius of one-half mile from Stafford's Store at Main and Market Streets.

In 1859, the Barnesville Masonic Female Seminary was established by the Pinta Lodge #88. This school evolved into the current Gordon College.

During this period there were three main streets leading into and out of Barnesville: Forsyth Street, Zebulon Street, and Thomaston Street. All lead to the adjoining county seats which were within 15 miles in any direction.

Sectionalism 1860-1865

McDowell votes for secession

During the period just prior to the Civil War, Barnesville gained notoriety when its own, beloved Dr. George Montgomery McDowell represented Pike County at the secession convention in Milledgeville in January 1861. Being an ardent supporter of secession, he voted in favor of Georgia casting her lot with South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida in leaving the Union. Upon his return to Barnesville, he was elected the first Captain of the newly formed militia unit, the "Barnesville Blues." This unit was active in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.

The Civil War brought colorful action to the area. In 1864 a supply "up train" from Macon collided with a "down troop train', from Atlanta about four miles out from Barnesville at Lavender's Crossing. About thirty people lost their lives and many more were seriously injured when the two trains, the "Governor" and the "Dispatcher", wrecked.

War Hits Home

The town also saw action from Wilson's Raiders and the Dixie Rangers in a skirmish on the outskirts of town on April 19, 1865. In addition, one of Sherman's flanks, 10,000 strong, camped on the edge of town on May 15, 1865 while pursuing President Jefferson Davis.

Field hospitals were set up at the depot, in the Methodist and Baptist churches, in the schoolhouses and in tents along Zebulon and Forsyth Streets. The sick and wounded troops that were evacuated from Atlanta were sent by rail to field hospitals. These field hospitals were set up along the railroad in each little community where the train stopped. Most of the troops sent to Barnesville were casualties from the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the Battle of Atlanta. Those who died here are buried in marked graves in the Confederate section of Greenwood cemetery.

Slow Economic Times

As many of the grown men left for "the fight" to defend their economic and social life, the village of Barnesville moved into slow economic times. Manufacturing turned toward support industries and little growth took place. By the end of the Civil War (1865), Barnesville's population was about 800 people.

Rebuilding through Reconstruction 1865-1880

The men return

Shortly after the War ended and the men returned to town, several of the former businesses and trades began to flourish again and to grow. The main mode of travel by individuals was still the horse and buggy or horse and wagon. Jackson G. Smith, a blacksmith, and George L. Summers had been working together before the War at Dumas and Sullivan. This repair shop worked with harnesses, horse shoeing, and blacksmithing. Smith and Summers bought out Dumas and Sullivan and began manufacturing buggies under the firm name of Smith and Summers Buggy Company in 1866. Smith had come to Barnesville before the War from Buffalo, New York and Summers had come from Virginia.

Buggy Industry Prosperity

This period of growth brought prosperity to Barnesville as a result of the buggy industry and its related businesses. Some of these were harness manufacturing, livestock breeding and sales, feed and seed stores, livery stables and buggy body manufacturing. Nearly everyone in the community was employed in an industry that was in some way connected with the manufacturing and shipping of the buggies, wagons, carts, hearses, and coffins. At the height of the buggy business in 1900, nearly 9,000 buggies were produced annually in Barnesville.

Some of the other smaller buggy companies were Brazier and Dumas, Trio Buggy Company, and Franklin Buggy Company. The firm of Smith and Summers split in 1878 and Smith formed his own firm. Summers went into business with Murphey. This firm was known as Summers and Murphey until the fire of 1884. After Summers rebuilt, the firm was known as Summers' Buggy Company.

The various buggy firms employed hundreds of people. Barnesville became known as "the Buggy Capital of the South" because it produced more buggies than any other location south of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Buggy Capital of the South

The various buggy firms employed hundreds of people. Barnesville became known as "the Buggy Capital of the South" because it produced more buggies than any other location south of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hundreds of buggies, carts, wagons, hearses, and coffins were shipped from the railroad sidings to the market place. In addition to rail shipping, the buggies were sold throughout the countryside by Smith. He hitched up five buggies to one team and traveled through the countryside with one team of horses pulling his string of buggies. After he sold the last buggy, he would return to Barnesville by train to ready another "string of buggies." This type of marketing made the buggy accessible to the rural areas where the train did not run.

Amusements

This period saw a surge in local recreational facilities; as many as five saloons were operating at one time. Billiard parlors were filled with tobacco chewing patrons and an opera house was built on Market Street. This building, first known as Granite Hall, was built by Stafford and Blalock. Local musicians gave public programs there along with recitals and plays. Although Barnesville had a reputation of "not being a show town," various traveling companies stopped overnight in Barnesville and put on variety shows, magic shows, and theatrical performances. The advertisements in the local paper quoted the price of admission at twenty-five cents for general admission and thirty-five cents for the "better seats." The opera house was located on the north side of Market Street, just behind the corner building facing Main Street. The second story was utilized as the performing hall. After traveling companies went out of vogue, the upstairs portion of the building was used as apartments. This portion was torn away due to structural problems in the early 1960s.

Educational and Cultural Center

Barnesville's first newspaper was formed in 1867 by Lambdin and Pound. This brought the world to Barnesville. Businesses began to advertise specials and a sense of regionalism began to take hold.

Under the guidance of Charles E. Lambdin and Azmon A. Murphey, Gordon Institute was formed. This evolved out of the old Barnesville Masonic Female Seminary. As the enrollment grew, the reputation of Barnesville as an educational and cultural center also grew. Gordon became the center of all cultural and educational activity with new debating societies, literary societies, philosophical societies, and a concert band, the Silver Coronet Band. These groups were all part of the activities at Gordon. A bandstand was built in the center of the business district for the Silver Coronet Band to give Sunday afternoon concerts.

Drawing New Families

Barnesville's population had doubled since 1850 from 400 to 800 by the beginning of Reconstruction in 1865. Businesses had grown, new economic growth in local manufacturing had continued and Gordon Institute was drawing families and boarding students from all over the southeast.

These new residents arrived mostly by train. This brought revenue to the depot through fares and freight charges. New dwelling construction and boarding houses met housing demands. Some of the boarding houses of the day were the Five Oaks, The Young Ladies' Home, and the J.T. Murphey boarding house. The hotels of the day were the Matthews Hotel, the Lyon House, the Blalock House, and the Magnolia Inn.

During Gordon's commencement exercises and during the height of the summer resort season, boarding houses and hotels were filled to capacity. Visitors came from Florida to spend the summers in Barnesville because of its business, educational and cultural advantages.

Buggy Industry Flourishes

During Reconstruction (1865-1877), the buggy industry began to expand and flourish. Three of the smaller size buggy manufacturers were Trio Buggy Company, Brazier and Dumas Buggy Company, and Franklin Buggy Company. The two largest were Summers' Buggy Company and the J.G. Smith & Sons Buggy Company.

The office and the commissary of J.G. Smith & Sons Company still stand today on the northeast side of the main railroad line. The building that housed the Franklin Buggy Company is totally intact on the site adjacent to the main line of the railroad. This building was the last location of the Franklin Buggy Company. The first was a warehouse at the intersection of Zebulon and Greenwood Streets, which burned in the 1920s. The Trio Buggy Company was in that location after Franklin had moved to the larger building that stands today on the rail line. That building was built in 1897 for the Gem Knitting Mills. After they went out of business Franklin occupied it, and then an infant casket company used it as a manufacturing site.

There are three walls of the original blacksmith shop of Summers Buggy Company still standing today. Many years ago it had a fire and was rebuilt by replacing only the burned portions. It is utilized today as a storage shed for a building supply company that is owned and operated by a direct descendant of the Smith and Summers families who were engaged in the manufacturing of buggies and wagons.

The Barnesville Savings Bank was organized on October 26, 1870. The bank's first and second locations are occupied by businesses in the downtown historic district. The first site, the current location of Antiques on Main, is at the corner of Main and Zebulon Streets. After the Barnesville Savings Bank erected a new marble front building in 1897 on East Main Street, the original building was occupied by a number of retail businesses.

Rebirth after the War

The 1879 population figure for Barnesville was 2,000. The town had begun its rebirth after the War and was prospering. By 1880, Barnesville was a thriving shipping point. Many locally made products were being shipped to other areas of the state and the southern region of the United States. In addition to the buggies, wagons, carts, hearses, and coffins, many local people were involved in the fruit production business. These fruits, including peaches, melons, grapes, and pecans, were shipped from the depot by the carload.

Cotton...A Cash Crop

Another local crop was cotton. The cotton was grown, harvested, ginned, and baled locally. Some of the cash crop was shipped out by train and some was used by several local cotton mills to manufacture goods to be shipped out. One of the cotton mills was the Eagle Knitting Mill, later known as the Oxford Knitting Mill and today known as the William Carter Company. This mill employed hundreds of people when it began operation in the 1880s. It still operates the distribution center at the original site of the mill. [This mill is not in the nominated district.] Another of the cotton mills was the Barnesville Manufacturing Company. It started in the historic district in the 1800s. After a depression at the turn of the century, it moved its operations to the western edge of town. It is Barnesville's other large employer today and is known as the General Tire Company. For many years, it was known as Aldora Mills. [The current site is not within the historic district.]

The Gee-Hanson Knitting Mill, the Hanson-Crawley Knitting Mill, and the Georgia Underwear Knitting Mill were other cotton mills that operated in Barnesville during the 1850s. Several of these merged with one another. Not only did cotton bring jobs to the farmers, the cotton gins, the cotton warehouses, the shipping department, and Southern Railway Express, but it caused the erection of "operative cottages" along Brown Avenue (now Atlanta Street) and Forsyth Street. The cotton mills needed housing for the machine operators and decided to build mill houses. Aldora Village, which was built soon after the turn of the century, was provided by the Hightower family for Aldora Mill workers to live in. Each mill had its own commissary. The "Company Store" was designed to meet the needs of the company employees. Not only did the cotton mills have these conveniences, so did the buggy manufacturers. [These resources are outside the district.]

Manufacturing Plants begin to thrive

Other manufacturing plants during the 1880s began to thrive. The Stafford-Huguley Hosiery Company was started. This factory was housed in the new Murphey Building on Zebulon Street after the fire of October 17, 1884. The fire was responsible for many economic and structural changes in the downtown business district. A passing train created sparks on the tracks. The sparks caught a bale of cotton on fire. The cotton was stacked along the track behind Corley Tire Company and the Summers' cotton warehouse. The fire raged out of control because the fire pumper could not hold pressure. The fire department was quick to respond to the alarm from its shed on Market Street, but the hoses had become rotten and could not hold pressure. Thirty-three businesses and several downtown residences were destroyed by the fire.

Another of the locally manufactured products was Stafford & Sons shoes. At their height, the Stafford Shoe Company made and shipped 5,000 pairs of shoes out of Barnesville via rail freight. The shoes were manufactured in the rear of the building that today houses Rose Nails and other merchants.

The site of the ribbed underwear manufacturing plant was later used as the freight depot and today is used as a fertilizer warehouse for Akins Feed and Seed. It is standing today just behind Summers, warehouse along the railroad tracks. The Summers' cotton warehouse stands today and is used by the City of Barnesville Electrical Department.

The site of another underwear mill stands today along the railroad tracks at the northern edge of the district, across from the depot. The building was the former site of the Franklin Buggy Company and B Lloyd's Candy.

As a result of the 1884 fire, the town's configuration was changed. Originally, the town was essentially a triangle that had as its wide base the stock yards around the depot. The point of the triangle was in front of the present day Carter's Drug Store. The city fathers decided to re-design the "Square" into a rectangular pattern. The focal point of the business district would still be the depot, but access into and out of the depot area would be greater. The three main roads would still radiate from the center point.

All of Main Street, most of Forsyth Street, all of Zebulon Street is post-October 1884 due to the fire. The only portion of the old section left was on the south side of Forsyth and Market Streets. The business district was totally rebuilt in the months just after the fire. The first building to be rebuilt was the William R. Murphey building. It was stated in the local News-Gazette that the building was begun on the "glowing embers of the fire." The building was completed in twenty-one days. It was the most desirable parcel of commercial property in the business district because it fronted the depot. The building housed law offices, restaurants, meat markets, grocery stores, harness repair shops, the first "reading room" (library), the "Blues" drill room, live stock stables, and the New South Savings Bank which would open in 1890. Today it is known as the Armory Building, it remains well used today.

Boom to Bust 1880-1900

First Building Codes

The growth in the business district brought the need for some guidelines for growth. The fire had demonstrated the lack of construction control. The city council wrote the first building codes; all storerooms, storehouses and dwellings had to be made of brick. The city limits would be a circle with a radius of one-and-one half miles extending from a point in the middle of the intersection in front of Stafford's Store. Stafford's Store stands today at the corner of Market and Main Streets.

New Growth

The fire brought new growth in terms of buildings, labors and businesses. A brick factory worked night and day to supply the bricks for rebuilding. In spite of their efforts, hundreds of carloads of Chattahoochee brick were brought into town by rail. Many hired hands moved to town to work for contractors who had arrived by train. Building supplies firms were started up and temporary housing for the hired hands was in demand.

Another result of the fire was the erection of a firehouse. This new building would house the city council upstairs, the firehouse on the ground floor and a calaboose (jail) in the rear of the building on Jackson Street. This building faced the old hotel and was located near the center of town at the corner of Forsyth and Jackson Streets. Today this same building houses City Hall. The fire department is now located in new facilities built in 1992 next door. The city clock that kept the business district on time was moved from atop the old hotel in 1932 to the bell tower of city hall.

The city built a water works and a new reservoir and erected an electrical plant. A new fire engine was purchased and the town swelled with pride.

The Presbyterian Church erected a beautiful house of worship at the corner of Main and Taylor Streets in 1897.

The New South Savings Bank was chartered in 1890 and business was booming until 1901. There was a "general economic depression". The entire southern region was in economic turmoil. Not only did most local businesses collapse; the local banks closed their doors. The banks were reopened under government orders that put them under receiverships. The banks re-opened under the names of Barnesville Bank and the First National Bank in 1902. The New South Savings Bank re-opened under the firm of Citizen's Bank in 1902. The Citizen's Bank first merged with the Barnesville Bank, and later with First National Bank at the time of the "Great Depression', in 1929.

During this period the streets downtown were maintained by a street crew. The sidewalks were made with diagonal boards and underlaid with charcoal for sanitary conditions. The area around the depot was made into a park to beautify the arrival area of the train.

The Barnesville Blues re-organized during this period and became an active militia unit again. They trained for the Spanish-American War (1898) in drills at the armory that was part of Gordon Institute's campus. This campus at that time was on the original site between Thomaston Street and Greenwood Streets.

Rapid Construction

Most of the town's dwellings were erected during this time period. After the 1884 fire, residential construction was as rapid as was commercial construction. Most of the homes on Thomaston, Greenwood, Holmes, Elm and Forsyth Streets and Brown Avenue were built during this period.

Many of the business proprietors were rebuilding downtown and at the same time building residences. A great demand for building supplies was created by the fire. Also construction hands, contractors and a planing mill were in demand. The number of jobs created by the fire brought new residents to town to fill those jobs. Many of those new workers stayed on.

Local bricks were manufactured at the Parker place at the end of Elm Street, but the demand was too great. Hundreds of loads were brought in on rail from the Chattahoochee Brick Company of Atlanta.

Status Quo 1900-1920

General Depression

After the bank failures and "general depression" of 1901, the local economy struggled to survive. In 1902, the banks reopened and found few opportunities to invest their assets.

Many of the local businesses, including the cotton mills, closed, never to reopen. Some did re-organize and slowly began to recover. The most successful of these was the Barnesville Manufacturing Co. and the Oxford Knitting Mills.

City gets Library and paved streets

By 1900, the population of Barnesville was 3,000. This figure remained the same throughout the 1920's.

In 1909, the city aldermen were successful in obtaining a grant from the Carnegie Foundation for the erection of a public library. This facility operated at the site until a new library was opened across the street (at Thomaston and Holmes) in 1987. The Carnegie Library Building is currently the studio/residence of a local artist - Carol Wubbena.

In 1918 the downtown streets were paved and a new post office was built on Forsyth Street. This building is still being used today as the post office.

A & M School

Barnesville's population in the years after the turn of the century was about 3,200. This was a factor in the decision of the state legislature to grant the new Sixth Congressional District A and M School to Barnesville. Several of the towns in the district lobbied the legislature for the granting of a school, but Barnesville offered a central location, a great deal of free land, and a main line of the railroad. This district served Bibb, Butts, Clayton, Crawford, Fayette, Henry, Monroe, Pike, Spalding, and Upson counties. The Sixth District A and M School was part of a statewide school system introduced to teach mechanical and agricultural skills to high school students in rural areas. The main building was completed in Barnesville in 1906. The cornerstone was laid by the Pinta Lodge #88. The main building, although renovated, is used today as the administration building of Gordon College. The A and M campus became the Georgia Industrial College in 1929. In the later 1930s, when the industrial school was closed by the legislature, Gordon Institute moved from its original campus between Thomaston and Greenwood Streets to the A & M campus. This campus of nearly 400 acres was sold to the State of Georgia in 1972. At that point, Gordon became part of the University System of Georgia. Today, it boasts an enrollment of nearly 3,500 students annually.

World War 1

World War I (1917-1918) brought a sense of unity through the Barnesville Blues. Once again the unit was called into service. Hardly a family in town was untouched by the demand for troops. At this time many long established businesses closed and few new firms were started. Times were changing and so was transportation. The auto was gaining favor with the public and the horse and buggy along with the train was going out of vogue. The local economy had been largely dependent on the buggy industry and its related businesses. The two largest buggy manufacturers decided that it was no longer profitable to make buggies, wagons, and carriages. Summers Buggy Company dissolved due to the advanced age of Mr. Summers. The Smith Buggy Company decided to convert to furniture manufacturing. The new firm would be known as Smith Incorporated.

New Directions 1920-1945

Lamar County is formed

After several attempts to secure a new county, the city fathers were successful in bringing the issue before the State Legislature. In August of 1920, the representatives of Barnesville went by train to Atlanta to await the vote. The monies had been paid and the vote was taken. It was defeated narrowly. The men came back to Barnesville that evening on the down train and held a town meeting. After "passing the hat," the men returned to Atlanta the next morning. Another meeting took place with the "Committee" and the issue was called to a vote again. This time the bill passed creating the new County of Lamar. The county seat was to be Barnesville. The eastern portion of Pike County and the western portion of Monroe County were to make up the new county. The historic vote was held locally on August 17, 1920. The new county would begin operating as a legal entity on January 1, 1921. The M. W. Smith building across from the depot housed the county offices and court was held in the third floor ballroom. The area was leased from the Pinta Lodge #88. Business was conducted here until the courthouse was completed in 1931. The courthouse was designed by Eugene C. Wachendorff of Atlanta, architect, and built by the Barnesville Planing Mill. The cornerstone was laid in 1931 by the Pinta Lodge #88.

The Pinta Masonic Lodge #88 is the oldest continuously operating organization in Barnesville. It was chartered in 1849 and has continued to be an active and positive force in promoting and supporting the community. It has had meeting space in several historic buildings within the district.

The Great Depression & The New Deal

The Great Depression (1929-1941) was difficult for all communities including Barnesville. Many people were out of work and as businessmen drew near retirement age, many firms dissolved.

The New Deal Era (1933-1943) brought many government programs to help the people and the city. One of these, the WPA brought work to many local men. A golf course was laid out, bridges were built, and streets were paved in town. The brass WPA markers can still be seen in the middle of the streets that were paved under Roosevelt's WPA program.

Roosevelt throws the switch

In August of 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt came to town via train to literally "throw the switch" to begin the electrification of rural America. The REA (Rural Electrification Administration) was Roosevelt's pet project and he chose Barnesville as the site to turn on the electricity. Thousands of people came to town to see and hear the President. The ceremony took place on a specially constructed, raised platform at Summers Field. The switch pulled in Barnesville sent electricity over the wires into rural homes in four counties.

World War II

World War II (1941-1945) brought the "Barnesville Blues" into action again. This local unit began at the time of secession (1861). In times of peace, it would de-activate and in times of war would become active-and begin to train again. The "Blues" always served with honor and distinction. The last commanding officer, Brigadier General Homer Sappington, had the honor of having the present National Guard unit in Barnesville named after him.

When the men came back from World War II, the land beyond Gordon College was laid off and offered to the veterans for $10.00 per lot if they would agree to build a home on the lot. After completion of the home, they would be given a deed to the lot. This provided needed housing and created local construction jobs.

Conclusion 1945 - Present

The downtown business district has changed little in the past fifty years. There are only a few new structures, like the former Akins Feed and Seed. This was erected in 1950 to replace a burned building on Market Street. The police booth was removed and the gazebo replaced it in the 1980s.

History of Lamar County

Lamar County is located in west Lamar County at a Glance central Georgia, between Atlanta and Macon. The officials of the flourishing little city of Barnesville, settled in 1826, appealed to the state legislature four times—in 1869, 1906, 1912, and 1916—to create a new county with Barnesville as the county seat. Finally, in 1920, the session of the state transferred land from Monroe and Pike counties and created the county of Lamar, making a land area for Lamar County of 185 square miles. The name was Lucius Q. C. Lamar chosen for Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (1825-93), a Putnam County native who became a U.S. Senator (elected to represent Mississippi), secretary of the interior, and associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lamar County has a rolling landscape and is well drained by streams emptying into the Flint River and Ocmulgee River. Its agricultural land, with pecan and peach groves, is a little northwest of the geographic center of Georgia. Agricultural activities in the county include forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining.

After the treaty with the Lower Creek Indians was signed by Chief William McIntosh at Indian Springs in January 8, 1821, the land that comprised Monroe, Pike, and Crawford counties was ceded to the United States. English settlers came from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and older Georgia counties.

The county seat, Barnesville, was well known as the "Buggy Capital of the South" in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with several Barnesville companies producing buggies. The local Barnesville Gazette reported that Mr. Smith of the J. G. Smith and Sons Genuine Barnesville Buggies Factory anticipated "for the year 1897 he will ship at least 1,200 buggies" and "is almost sure to double this for 1898." In mid-September each year, Barnesville celebrates Buggy Days with a parade—displaying original Barnesville Buggies—and a crafts celebration bringing thousands of visitors to the town.

Population in the county grew from the 1930 census figure of 9,745 to 15,912 in the 2000 census. According to the 2010 census, the population increased again to 18,317.

Gordon College, located in Barnesville, was founded in 1872 as the Gordon Institute in honor of General John B. Gordon, Confederate soldier and statesman. Gordon Institute became Gordon Military College (1927-72) and educated and trained men who fought during World War II (1941-45), the Korean War (1950-53), and the Vietnam War (1964-73). In 1972 the college became a two-year unit of the University System of Georgia, and in 2007 it transitioned to a four-year institution.