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Highlights Os Houston County History
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Houston County was
formed geographically by
'Legislative Act of May 15,
192 T from lands acquired
from the Creek Indians
through the Treaty of
Indian Springs.
The County was
governed by an Interior
'Court of five Justices
from 1822 to 1874.
'"'Houston had eleven
•fwllltla districts, each with
Its captain and militia
Company which furnished
protection from the In
dians. The county's militia
fought with others In
'Georgia in the Indian Wars
of the 1830 s.
■ Perry, the county seat of
Houston, was incorporated
by" Legislative Act on
November 25, 1824. All of
the county's three Court
House buildings have been
’located on Lot No. 49 In the
Tenth Land District of
‘Houston, which Is the town
square In Perry. The first
Court House was a two
story frame structure built
In 1824 25. The second was
a two story brick building
erected at a cost of $13,000
and occupied In June, 1856.
This second building,
which served the county
for-92 years, was razed In
October 1948 to clear the
site for the present Court
Hpuse which was
dedicated in May 1950.
This $325,000 building was
financed on a cash basis
without a bond Issue, loan
or grant.
Slnpe June 4, 1874, the
county has been governed
by a board of five com
missioners. These officers
were appointed by the
Grand Jury from 1874 89
and elected by the penile
since January 1889. They
had two year terms at first
and four year terms since
,tanuary 1, 1917, when all
comply offlcres were given
four-year terms.
Communities
The oldest community in
Houston Is Haynevllle
which was established In
L, -
Serving Perry For 45 Years
*m>
Beckham Brothers Operate Perry's Gulf Oil Agency
The Gulf Oil Agency in
Houston County has been
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I B A .._ Ml *3WWHHB
Perry School 1912-13 School Year
Front row, I to r; Aubrey Anderson, unknown,
unknown, Hal Gilbert, Clint Cooper, Millard Beals,
unknown, Emmett Rainey, Robert Lee Connell, Felton
Norwood, unknown, Bill Marchman, Henry Winn,
Charles King, Marion Houser, Harris Hardison,
WUiiam Bennett, John Peake, John Kegg, Lynn
Hemingway, Alfred Beals.
Ind Row: Martha Riley, Dorothy Brunson, Jennie
Lfee Duncan, Mary Peake, Dorothy Dupree, Julia Mae
Fagin, Lois Swanson, Frances Cater, Lucille Cox,
Grace Smith, Nettie Smith, Lois Bennett, Lois Dupree,
Elizabeth Culler, Helen Barfield, Katharine Driggers,
Lucille Martin, Lillian Yates.
3rd row: Essie Kegg, Ruth Connell, Mamie Haskins,
Lila Duncan, Lib Brunson, Aurelia Cooper, Sudie
Connell, Emmett Connell, Augustus Peake, Lois Boone,
Harry Warner, Tussle Bennett, unknown, Alton Rainey,
John Holtzclaw, Carolyn Hemingway, Pearle Edwards,
Dosh Houser, unknown.
4th row: Elizabeth Rushing, Rena Boone, McMurray
Rainey* Peyton Skellie, Russell Anderson, unknown,
1821, perhaps prior to that,
as the center of a large
plantation area where
many ante bellum homes
once stood. Haynevllle Is
south of Perry on U S. 341.
The next oldest is
Henderson, nine miles
south of Perry, at the
intersection of U.S. 41 and
Ga. 49, which were Indian
trails In the early days of
the county. Henderson,
named for an Indian
trader, began in 1830
Centerville, once called
Hattie, was settled In 1887
in the northwest corner of
Houston . Centerville, one
of the three incorporated
cities In the county, has
had rapid growth during
the past 25 years.
Dunbar, located between
Centerville and
Echeconnee, was settled In
1898. It is in a prosperous
farming area.
The building of the
Georgia Southern and
Florida Railroad across
the eastern part of Houston
County in 1888 89 resulted
in the formation of six post
towns where agricultural
communities had been
previously. The first of
these to be established was
Wellston which became i
station on G.S. and F. in
1888. For 53 years,
Wellston was a village of
less than 100 population. In
1941, It became a boom
town when the U.S. Army
started construction of an
Air Corps Material Depot,
which was named for
Brigadier-General Au
gustine Warner Robins.
The town took the name of
the Air Base and was in
corporated as the City of
Warner Robins by
legislative act of March 5,
1943. The population is now
40,000.
The next station on the
G.S. & F. Railroad was
Bonaire which came Into
existence in 1889. It was
called Wellborn in Its early
history and later Feagin's
operated by the Beckham
family for 45 years. The
settlement. Located at the
juncture of Georgia High
wasy 247 and 96, Bonaire
has a population of over
2,000, but is unin
corporated now.
Kathleen, the next
station is also on Ga. 247
and one mile north of the
one tin * community of
Wllna wtvch was on the
State coacr line between
Twiggs and Crawford
Counties.
Clinchfield, called
Coreen until Penn-Dixle
Cement Plant located
there In 1926, is the center
of vast mineral deposits.
Grovania, which began
in 1889, Is located in the
southern part of the county
three miles from
Haynevllle.
Elko became a station on
the G.S. & F. in 1890.
Located in a prosperous
farming section, the town
had a population of 500 at
one time and was in
corporated.
Varied Economy
Due to the topography of
its land, the fertility of its
soil, its water supply, and
the variety of its forests,
Houston County attracted
many high type settlers.
They came from older
counties in Georgia, from
South Carolina, North
Carolina and Virginia.
The seat of wealth and
culture in Houston, as in
other counties of the South
from 1820 1860, was in its
plantations where cotton
was King. With the defeat
of the Confederacy during
the War Between the
States (1861-65), this
system came to an end.
When the South was
going through trying times
economically and
politically, the peach in
dustry had its beginning in
Houston County in 1870 to
result in a new source of
income. The building of the
first Railroad (Central)
from Fort Valley to Perry
in 1870 and the second R.R.
agency now includes
Peach and Pulaski
unknown, Carlton Pierce, Claude Andrew, Lawton
Duncan, Robert Marchman, unknown, unknown, Grace
Felder, Annie Mae Andrews, Stella Boughton, Allie
Cox, Florine Rainey.
sth row: Henry Warner, Frank King, Joe Gilbert,
Dreyfus Smith, Henry Edwards, Henry Heard, Louise
Ingram, Pauline Warner, Ruby Short, Mattie Chap
man, Corine Duncan, Louise Holtzclaw, Janie Cater,
Mamie Barfield, Vera Cox.
4th row: George Winn, Bennie Andrew, Howell
Moore, unknown, Inez Smith, Nell Brunson, Clifford
Holtzclaw, Dewey Slocumb, Ruth Gilbert, Georgia
Uhels, Helen Ingram, Martha Gaddy, Laura Riley.
7th raw: William Houser, Duncan Cater, Walter
Riley, Principal, Mr. Matthews, Tom Cater, Ester
Thompson, Catherine Norwood, S.L. Norwood, Ethel
Hodges, Lee Minor Paul, Hazel Hurst, Lucy Talton,
Marcus Irby, Carolyn Cater, Ambroxe Pierce,
Katherine Holtzclaw, Jimmy Smith, Lee McLester,
Clarence Brunson and John Winn.
A Bicentennial Review
(GS & F) in 1888 90 opened
up new areas and made
possible new enterprises.
The county's first
newspaper, Houston Home
Journal, was established in
December 1870. This
weekly Journal is still the
official legal organ of the
county.
After the creation of
Peach County from
Houston in 1925, the
economic situation was not
too bright until mineral
deposits were discovered
and developed in 1926.
The building of paved
roads with the advent of
the automobile resulted in
the influx of travelers.
Perry became known as
the Crossroads of Georgia
and a tourists center
because of its location on
U.S. 41 and U.S. 341. The
completion of Interstate 75
through the county in 1969
brought about the location
of several industries in
cluding Pabst Brewery
and Continental Can
Company in Houston six
miles from Perry and
Midland Glass Company in
Warner Robins.
The greatest boost to the
county's economy was the
location of large govern
ment installtions at
Warner Robins in 1942-43.
Hundreds of homes have
been built in Warner
Robins, Perry and
throughout the county
during the past thirty
years.
In fact, Houston is one of
the six fastest growing
counties in Georgia. The
1970 census gave Houston
62,924 which is more than
six times the 1930
population. The county
ranks 13th as to population
In Georgia.
Houston is the sixth
largest county in the state
in area, having a total of
379 sq. miles with a land
area of 242,560 acres, in
spite of the fact that five
counties have been formed
counties in addition to
Houston.
from part of Houston.
Agriculture is still big
business in this county,
though its methods and
emphases have changed.
The lumber industry is
probably the largest in the
southeastern states. The
interests of the Tolleson
Lumber Company are
fabulous.
Cultural Interest
Houston County citizens
have always had a great
interest in education and
religion. Houston Female
College was chartered in
1854 and located in Perry
where there was also a
private boys' school.
Academies which later
became public schools
were located throughout
the county. There are now
26 public schools and one
private school in the
county.
From 1870 to 1890, there
were twelve Methodist
preachers, some local and
others itinerant, in the
county. There were also
several Baptist preachers.
The Haynevllle Baptist
Church observed its
sesqui-centennial in 1974
and the First United
Methodist Church of Perry
will celebrate its 150th
anniversary this fall
(1976).
There are now over
sixty white churches and a
number for blacks in the
county.
Present Statistics
The 1975 population is
estimated at 77,295 with
66,125 white and 11,170 non
white and the ratio bet
ween male and female
almost even; 38,453 male
and 38,842 female.
The 1970 census figures
for Houston showed 52,084
white and 10,840 non
white; 31,468 male and
31,456 female.
f The 1980 populations
projections by the Warner
Robins Chamber of
Commerce give Houston
89,530 with 77,545 white and
11,985 non-white; male
The present operators
are William Eugene
Beckham, Jr. and his
brother, Edward Morgan
YOU
tTHE NEW COLOSSUS
Not the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome: her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor.
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
—Emma Lazarus
Engraved on the Statue of Liberty.
WATSON-HVMT
FUNERAL HOME
Perry, Georgia
44,496 and female 45,134.
The 1990 projection gives
the county a population of
108,715.
The effective buying
income for Houston is
$300,377,000. Twenty-three
percent of the population
have incomes between $lO,
000 and $15,000; 29 percent
have incomes between
$15,000 and $25,000 15.3
percent have bei...
$25,000 and $50,000 and 2.3
percent have incomes over
$50,000. Those with in
comes under SIO,OOO are 30
percent including 5 percent
with less than $5,000 and 7
percent with less than
$3,000 annual income.
The Houston County
average income per
household is $14,944
compared to the national
average of $14,364 and
Georgia average $14,219.
The per capita i' ome of
the county $4,463,
compared national
average *4,381 and
$4,226 for Georgia.
The 1970 census shows
Houston population to be
65 6 percent urban and 34.4
percent rural. 2.8 percent
were 65 years and over and
44.8 percent were under
21 years old.
The county's tax digest
for 1975 was $236,701,261 as
compared to $129,390,695 in
1971.
In 1975, there were 51,250
automobile registered in
Houston compared to
40,623 in 1971.
The number of
homesteads in the county
in 1975 was 10,871 com
pared to 10,070 in 1973.
Registered voters in
Houston were 24,311 in 1975
compared to 20,145 in 1971.
Employment in the
county in 1970 was 33,900
compared to 25,300 in 1960.
The actual unemployment
in 1975 is 4.5 percent
compared to 3 percent in
1960.
In the fiscal year 1975,
the Georgia Department of
Beckham 11. Their father,
W.E. Beckham, Sr. had the
Gulf Agency from the fall
of 1930 until his death in
October 1964.
The Beckham brothers
have so mng interests and
own other property jointly.
After the death of his
grandfather Beckham in
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL THURS., JULY " ”
Labor paid over $17,000
weekly benefit payment
totaling $932,235 to
unemployed in Houston
County. The average
weekly salary In fiscal
year 1975 in Houston was
$208.76. The unem
ployment rate In the
county in December 1975
was 7.8 percent.
Outstanding Events
Houston County's first
hospital opened in Warner
Robins in July, 1960. Its
satellite, Perry-Houston
County Hospital opened
April 2, 1969.
Members of the Hospital
Authority Board are Billy
Beckham, chairman; Jim
Dooley, John Lovejoy,
Grover Hicks, Terry
Horton, Glenn Greenway,
Don Parkinson, Mrs.
Eleanor Granum, and
Barry Jones.
The County's Ses
qu I centenn 1a I Cele
bration was held
September 18-25, 1971.
W.K. Whipple of Perry and
Marvin Smith of Warner
Robins were co chairmen
of the observance which
included open house at
Robins Air Force Base; a
pageant depicting the first
fifty years of the county's
history, written by Mrs.
Barbara Whipple Bitter;
special churches services,
kangaroo courts, beauty
pageant to select queen
parades, costume balls
and many other events.
The Houston Home
Journal observed its
centennial anniversary in
1971 with a special edition
on May 28. Mrs. Ruby C.
Hodges, former editor,
was the editor of this an
niversary issue.
The Houston County
Correctional- Detentional
Institution, better known
as the prison camp-county
jail complex on Kings
Chapel Road in Perry, was
completed in 1973. John
Cunningham of Atlanta
was the architect and
Charlie Franklin was
1965, Ed Beckham came
into possession of the
family two-story Greek
Revival home through the
distribution of the estate.
This 125 year-old house is
located on Beckham
Circle. Ed lives there with
his wife, Jane, and their
two children.
Billy Beckham owns and
superintendent of con
struction. Prison labor was
used where possible. The
prison camp cost $359,189
and the jail, $324,400, or a
total of $683,589.
The county facility is
composed of 23,910 sq. iff. of
which 15,800 sq. ft.' is the
prison camp and 8,110 sq.
ft. the county jail. The
complex is located within
the city limits of Perry, the
county seat, as required by
law. The buildings were
financed with Federal
Revenue Sharing funds.
Ground was broken
March 1, 1976 for the
county's new $938,000
building to house the State
Court and some other
county offices in Warner
Robins. The contract to
build the 37,000 sq. ft.
building was awarded by
the county commissioners
to Denson Construction of
Columbus, Georgia. The
architect is Henry Corsini
of Macon. The building will
be financed largely with
Revenue Sharing funds.
The "Olde Fashioned
Christmas at the
Crossroads” was observed
December 6-23 In Perry as
a part of the county's
Bicentennial celebration.
The City of Perry's of
ficial participation began
September 30, 1975 when
Mayor James Mckinley
was presented a plaque
from the Georgia Bicen
tennial Commission
signifying Perry as a
Bicentennial City. Mrs.
Carolyn C. Smith is the
local chairman.
Warner Robins was
certified as a Bicentennial
City in the summer of 1975.
The old R.R. Depot there
was renovated and
designated as the
headquarters of the local
Bicentennial Commission.
All patriotic and civic
club and many churches
and schools are par
ticipating in the Bicen
tennial observance.
.
occupies the home of his
parents at 902 School
Street. Billy and his wife,
Claire, have three
children. The mother of the
brothers, Mrs. Fanita
Cobb Beckham died in
October, 1975. Billy
Beckham is chairman of
the Houston County
Hospital Authority.