Scope and Contents This issue of the Old Berrien Newsletters focuses on two distinct areas of local history: the preservation of a mile-long stretch of the original 1908 Nashville to Tifton Road in Berrien County, Georgia, and the reactivation of the Berrien Historical Foundation. The document describes the physical characteristics of the preserved roadbed, which still reflects its 1908 construction standards, and highlights the renewed public interest in local history that contributed to the Foundation’s...

Scope and Contents This issue describes one of the most tragic losses of life in Berrien County history: a train wreck in which the southbound Dixie Flyer passenger train left the tracks and plunged into the Alapaha River just east of Alapaha.Subjects (Names): Baumwart, A. F.; Culpepper, Warner; Fletcher, W. D.; Gaskins, Gladys; Griffin, Jimmy; Knight, Jack; Knight, Jane; Lee, Kenneth “Slim”; Longshore, H. J.; Parnell, Charlie J.; Patten, Maxie; Peters, Bernys W.; Powell, J. E.; Seymore, Mary Jane;...

Description This issue focuses on “The Last Hanging in the Old County Jail,” documenting the 1909 execution of Marshall Lewis in the Berrien County Jail in Nashville, Georgia. The newsletter recounts the murder of assistant postmaster Clifford Rutherford during a burglary in Lenox on April 26, 1909, Lewis’s arrest, trial, confession, and execution. It includes extensive excerpts from The Nashville Herald describing the investigation, the public response, and the legal proceedings leading to the July 9,...

Description This newsletter issue details popular early 20th-century recreational getaways in Berrien County, Georgia, highlighting Mayhaw Lake, Dixie Lake, and Lucy Lake. These resorts offered residents a means of rest and relaxation before the widespread availability of radios, televisions, or automobiles. Mayhaw Lake, built in 1914 by Elias Moore "Hun" Knight near Ray City, was known for its sulfur spring-fed swimming pool, roller skating rink, bowling alley, and baseball diamond, attracting patrons...

Description This newsletter issue details the historical evolution and significance of the Berrien County courthouses, particularly emphasizing the challenges and symbolic importance of the clock in the second, most recognizable structure. The county's judicial proceedings initially convened in a log schoolhouse in 1856, followed by the construction of the first purpose-built, wood-framed courthouse in 1858, which later served as the New Hansell Hotel before its demolition in 1925. The current brick...

Description This issue traces the full history of Nashville’s New Opera House and the later Majestic Theater, located on the south side of Courthouse Square. Built in 1912 as a three-story opera house above the Nashville Herald offices, the building hosted stage vaudeville acts and silent films accompanied by piano, organ, or small orchestras. The theater struggled with attendance and underwent multiple closures, name changes, and owners—operating at different times as Sweat’s Opera House, the DEAL, and...

Description This document investigates the local legend of the Gator Children of Berrien County, Georgia, confirming their existence and shedding light on their challenging lives. These two siblings, Madison (Mattie/Matt) and Bettie (Betty) Cook, children of Jack and Melissa M. Cook, were afflicted with a severe form of ichthyosis, a genetic skin disorder characterized by dry, scaly skin, deafness, unusual teeth, and limited mobility, often requiring them to crawl. From at least 1905, their parents...

Description This issue examines the history of “Blind Tigers” in Berrien County—local terms for individuals or locations engaged in the illegal sale of liquor during the early twentieth century. Drawing on The Nashville Herald, The Tifton Gazette, and other contemporary newspapers from the 1900s–1930s, the article traces how “Blind Tigers” operated through hidden wall openings or deceptive admission schemes that allowed alcohol to be “given away” during prohibition. The newsletter recounts major raids,...

Description This issue traces the history of the Nashville Bottling Works, beginning with its origins in 1905 when Homer J. Hall and Jackson Whitehurst established a small bottling operation in Sparks and began selling soda to customers in Nashville. By 1906 the plant moved permanently to Nashville under Joel I. Norwood, whose popular “High Life Ginger Ale” became a regional favorite. Ownership transitioned several times before Benjamin A. Deal Jr. took over in 1912 and expanded the business with...

Description This issue explores the history of two well-known Berrien County country stores—Shebargie in the New Lois community and Sheboggy near Alapaha—both of which served as important rural gathering places for several decades. Shebargie, originally known as Whispering Pines and built in the late 1920s by Otto E. Summerlin, operated as a store, grist mill, and local social center featuring the community’s first radio. Through a succession of owners including Bernys Peters, K.M. Miller, Edwin Smith,...

Description This issue compiles historical newspaper accounts and oral traditions documenting the persistent danger of snakes in Berrien County from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century. Drawing extensively from the Nashville Herald, Lanier County News, and Adel News, the article recounts encounters with rattlesnakes, moccasins, and other venomous species across farms, homes, sawmills, churches, and rural roads. Reports include near-misses, dramatic killings, and deadly strikes—such as the...

Description This issue examines the planned development and eventual decline of Nashville’s “Grand Avenue,” the ambitious civic vision laid out in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Centered on West Avenue and anchored by the 1898 brick Berrien County Courthouse, the newsletter traces how early city planners intended a broad, impressive boulevard lined with banks, public buildings, and the Nashville Public School (completed in 1904). The issue charts the rise of significant structures along the...

Description This issue presents an overview of Georgia’s early land history and the processes that shaped the territory that would become Berrien County. It begins with the vast western land claims of pre-1795 Georgia and the infamous 1795 Yazoo land fraud, where millions of acres were illegally sold to land companies before the act was repealed under Senator James Jackson. The article then traces how federal intervention and the 1802 cession of western lands led to the formation of Alabama and...

Scope and Contents This issue examines the evolution of agriculture and cash-crop production in Berrien County from the 1800s through the late 20th century. It begins with early subsistence farms carved from the former Indian Territory, where families grew only what they needed and bartered small surpluses. By the mid-19th century, cotton had become the dominant cash crop, with both white and Black families contributing to its cultivation.After the Civil War, cotton production expanded rapidly but...

Scope and Contents This issue provides historical context for the honoring of Confederate soldiers from Berrien County, Georgia. It opens with a discussion of the author’s concerns about recent acts of vandalism toward monuments and outlines the intended purpose of these memorials as commemorations of military service rather than symbols of enslavement. Drawing on census and tax records, the newsletter notes that most Berrien County residents in 1860 did not own enslaved people, though slavery was a central...

Scope and Contents This issue provides an in-depth historical account of the Leonid meteor storm of November 13, 1833, a spectacular astronomical event witnessed across the Deep South, including the area that would later become Berrien County, Georgia. Drawing on scientific studies, regional historical accounts, and 19th-century eyewitness descriptions, the newsletter discusses the nature of meteor showers and explains how Earth’s orbit intersected with debris from the Tempel-Tuttle comet, producing thousands...

Scope and Contents This issue documents the history and cultural importance of dirt track racing in Berrien County and the surrounding South Georgia region, focusing on the rise of “Jalopy” and early stock-car racing from the 1940s through the 1960s. Much of the narrative centers on Thunderbowl Speedway in North Valdosta, a 3/8-mile oval dirt track that became a major weekend destination for racing fans from the 1950s through its final closure in 1999.Through interviews, photographs, and personal...

Scope and Contents This Fall 2025 issue of the Old Berrien Newsletter focuses on the history of early Berrien County through the lens of postcards dating from the late nineteenth century through the post–World War II era. Articles discuss the earliest known street scenes of Nashville, the development of downtown architecture, the impact of the naval stores industry, and the rise of postcard culture following the 1898 postal regulation changes. Topics covered include the 1909 view of Davis Street, the 1910...

Scope and Contents This issue centers on oral history as a vital method for preserving Berrien County heritage. It recounts the editor’s earliest interview experience and shares narratives drawn from family memories, rural life, and local traditions. The newsletter highlights interviews conducted with long-time residents, including recollections of education, farm work, and community events. It also provides practical guidance and tips for planning and conducting oral history interviews. Additional sections...