Abstract The Old Berrien Newsletters series consists of seventeen issues produced by the Berrien County Historical Foundation between 2007 and the present. The newsletters document a wide range of topics relating to the history, culture, and development of Berrien County, Georgia, and the surrounding Wiregrass region. Each issue focuses on a single historical subject, drawing on archival research, family papers, oral histories, newspaper accounts, and local...

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 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...

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 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...