From the Mountains to the Coast
Things to SEE & DO
Below is a list of counties along the Highway 15 corridor that are rich with Georgia history, and are packed with things to SEE & DO that you must not miss!
APPLING COUNTY
Appling County, carved in 1818 from lands the state won during treaty negotiations with the Creek Indians, sits south of the Altamaha River and covers land that produces blueberries, cotton, tobacco and pine.
Its name honors Colonel Daniel Appling, the soldier considered the state's most outstanding during the War of 1812. Baxley, named for early settler and well-known storekeeper Wilson Baxley, serves as the county seat.
CLICK HERE for the Appling County Website
HANCOCK COUNTY
Hancock County got its territory from Greene and Washington counties in 1793. Its name honors John Hancock whose signature heads the list of signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Sparta, the county seat, owes its name to the ancient Greek city, probably because its early residents realized they would need Spartan characteristics to survive so near hostile Indian territory and so far from supportive neighbors.
CLICK HERE for the Hancock County Website
JOHNSON COUNTY
Johnson County, created in 1858 from parts of Washington, Emanuel and Laurens counties, honors Herschel Vespasian Johnson, Georgia governor and Stephen Douglas' running mate in an unsuccessful bid against Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
Wrightsville, the county seat, is thought to be named for John B. Wright, a pioneer resident.
CLICK HERE for the Johnson County Website
TOOMBS COUNTY
Toombs County, designated in 1905 from portions of Tattnall, Montgomery and Emanuel counties, recognizes General Robert Toombs. During his tenure in both houses of Congress, Toombs spoke strongly for secession. Fittingly, he later accepted positions as Jefferson Davis' secretary of state and brigadier general for the Confederate Army.
Lyons, the county seat, built around a railroad depot on the line connecting Macon to Savannah.
CLICK HERE for the Toombs County Website
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Washington County, named for the nation's first president, dates to 1783. After the Revolutionary War, veterans settled the area, taking advantage of land grants the state offered them. When Creek Indian leader Alexander McGillivray renounced the treaty that gave the state rights to this land, the resultant tensions grew into the Oconee War, a dispute that kept the frontier uneasy for 20 years.
Sandersville, the county seat, is named for a local merchant who donated land for a courthouse.
CLICK HERE for the Washington County Website