10 Amazing Hidden Gems About Liberty County That Will Blow Your Mind
It’s easy to fall in love with Liberty County! With its enchanting forests of live oaks draped in Spanish moss, winding dirt roads, magical sunsets over the coastal waterways, heroes from history and true Southern charm, what’s not to love? But our slice of paradise wouldn’t be complete without a few hidden secrets that you would only learn from a day spent with local residents. So we put together some of our favorite facts and stories to share until you can come to discover more while getting out to #exploreliberty!
Photo courtesy of the Institute of Museum and Library Services
President John F. Kennedy visited Fort Stewart on November 26, 1962, to give remarks to soldiers of the First Armored Division. He commended these soldiers for their military service and their efforts related to the Soviet missile bases in Cuba.
Dorchester Academy has a long and rich African American history here in Liberty County but also made an impact on the rest of the world! After the academy was no longer in use to educate the children of the area, it was utilized to educate in a different way. It became an institute for community development and the home of political and social change movements. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other Civil Rights movement leaders utilized the space at Dorchester to plan the infamous Birmingham march. The room where Dr. King stayed is the same as it was when he last visited and offers an incredible opportunity for visitors to walk the same halls as this extraordinary leader.
Photo courtesy of the Midway Museum
Daniel Stewart is a well-known local hero from the American Revolution. At the age of 15 he left home to join in the cause to fight for our freedom and would later become deeply involved in politics, including three terms as a state senator. The passion of being a political leader would not end with Daniel Stewart. It would be passed down to his great-grandson, President Theodore Roosevelt who was the 26th President of the United States. Stewart is also the great-great-grandfather to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt!
Photo courtesy of the National Women’s History Museum
Camp Stewart was home to some of the first women trained to fly military aircraft. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), were organized at the dawn of WW2 to provide air support for combat operations. The WASP pilots played a major role in the anti-aircraft artillery training completed at Camp Stewart, as these brave women would fly over fields towing targets for the ground batteries to shoot.
Second from the left, Lyndol Anderson was born in 1922 on a farm in Bulloch County. In 1942, she married William Hollis Anderson with whom she moved to Walthourville in 1958. Walthourville is one of seven cities in Liberty County. The family opened Anderson’s Groceries which was a small store that carried everything the community needed. Anderson was known to support those in need by giving away food and other items for free. The community in returned repaid Andersons’s compassion with love and respect. Walthourville was incorporated in 1974 and Anderson became the first mayor surrounded by an all-female city council. Anderson wasn’t just the first mayor of Walthourville, she was also the first female mayor in the state of Georgia.
Photo of St. Catherines Island courtesy of Billy Harrell
Owner of Life Savers candy, Edward Noble, owned and lived on St. Catherines island, Liberty County’s barrier island that is ultimately untouched by modern society. The island was originally inhabited by the Guale tribe but later become home to Spanish monks, Declaration of Independence signer Button Gwinnett and finally Edward Noble. Mr. Noble purchased the island in 1943 and in 1968, ten years after his death, the island transferred ownership to the Edward J. Noble Foundation.
Photo courtesy of the Midway Museum
It should be no surprise that this county’s name was derived from an idea of tremendous value to those who resided here and that all three signers of the Declaration of Independence from Georgia have affiliation with this area. Lyman Hall and Button Gwinnett were Liberty County residents at the time of the Declaration signing and both went on to be deeply involved in politics within Georgia. George Walton was the third signer and although he was not a resident of Liberty County, he was held captive in Sunbury by British troops after they invaded.
Photo courtesy of Jimmy Stewart
Hinesville was once the home of a bottling factory that bottled soft drinks such as Cheri-Cola and Coca-Cola. The Hinesville Bottling Company was established in 1915 by James R. Bagley. Old green glass bottles engraved with Hinesville, GA like the one above can still be found but most are kept by longtime residents as memorabilia.
Photo courtesy of Dunham Farms
Hidden along the coastal waterways of Liberty County you will find a quiet retreat from the world known as Dunham Farms. Once a rice plantation by the name Melon Bluff, this quaint bed and breakfast sits on 3,000 acres of natural serenity that was granted to the family by King George II of England in 1735. Springfield Plantation is at the center of Dunham Farms and is the oldest plantation in Georgia to remain within one family from its construction.
Photo courtesy of the Institute of Museum and Library Services
On April 26, 1915, the U.S. Congress erected a monument in the Midway cemetery dedicated to the memory of Brig. Gen. Daniel Stewart and Gen. James Screven. Both were Liberty County natives who went on to be heroes during the American Revolution.
The Right Blend Blog is written by multiple different authors employed by the Liberty County Chamber/CVB. All content provided on The Right Blend blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site.
