Newspaper Page Text
May 11, 2022
Page 3C
^Reporter
© Wilson: Picturesque Monroe County
-M* #
takes pride in her people and her places
By Zaria Wilson
M onroe County
was originally
known as
Culloden-
ville honoring William
Culloden. Now known as
Monroe County, reign
ing from James Monroe.
Located west of central
Georgia, Monroe County
sits. The miraculous town
sits fifty miles south of
Atlanta & twenty-five miles
north of Macon; the fiftieth
county of the state. Words
can’t explain the profound
ness of this county. If I
could, I would define it as
picturesque. What’s Pictur
esque mean? Picturesque is
Zaria Wilson
defined as charming or in
teresting uniquely. Indeed,
these are intriguing facts
& descriptions about this
minuscule town, however,
Monroe County is far more
exceptional than most
know, and here’s why.
This environment is
nothing less than brilliant.
Monroe County is a rural
community with a loving
& warmhearted spirit. In
the town, smiles greet you
from every angle, and op
portunities are ready to be
seized. Contemporary and
seasoned buildings sur
round the town. Filled with
colors and lights, bound
to grab your attention.
Outside the town, the view
is beautiful. It’s like looking
at a painting of something
so simple, yet so complex.
The trees grow as tall as the
sky, lined up alongside the
backroads like soldiers, and
the grass is the purest color
of green you’ll see. Fields
filled with mazes of differ
ent plants, the sky full of
clouds, and alluring colors.
People may look at Monroe
County as just an older
southern city, however,
I view it as an eccentric,
graceful, and extraneous
place.
My perception of this
county goes beyond the
bounds of how many
choose to view it. When I
began to grasp the thought
of Monroe County, it gravi
tated towards me. Why
would Monroe County
have anything to do with
me as an individual? The
reasoning came over me
like a light bulb over my
head. Monroe County has
made me into who I am
today. American author,
Orison S. Marden says,
“Your outlook upon life,
your estimate of yourself,
your estimate of your value
are largely colored by your
environment. Your whole
career will be modified,
shaped, molded by your
surroundings, by the char
acter of the people with
whom you come in contact
every day’’ Our surround
ings play major roles in
who we are & who we
become. An extensive part
of your character build re
tains from the atmosphere
you are in. Luckily, I was
born in an honorable place.
People here take pride in
what they do, working
to accomplish the things
which will fulfill their life.
People such as teachers,
newspaper publishers, flo
rists, and everyday workers
demonstrate to me every
day exquisite character. At
tributes that I’ve learned in
Monroe County will carry
on with me for a lifetime.
What do I love about Mon
roe County? The answer is
simple. Everything.
Griffin: Like a good book, Monroe
County a mix of interesting characters
By Angie Griffin
M onroe County is
where I call home.
There are so many
things that I love
about living here. Mon
roe County is sheltered
from the hustle, bustle,
and traffic of nearby
Atlanta and Macon.
Monroe County is more
than just a place to me.
Monroe County reminds
me of a good book. There
are so many parts that
work together to make a
book good.
A good book includes a good
front cover. The front cover of
a book is the first thing a per
son sees when selecting a book.
When you look at a book cover
and take time to discover its
properties, you’ll realize that
there is more to it than text and
a background image. The front
cover of a book should create
such a powerful response that a
person will want to flip
through the book to get
a taste of what the book
is like. Just like what
happens when people
visit Monroe County.
It’s hard to leave such
an intriguing place
without wanting to
discover more. A good
book also has a good
opening. It grabs fans
on the first page and doesn’t let
go until they’ve reached the end
of the book. Monroe County is
very inviting from the start and
once you live here you never want
to live any where else.
With in a good book there are
pages. A harmony between the
elements that compliment each
other in multiple ways. Much
like the people and places in
Monroe County. Each of the
pages of a book are unique and
work together to complete the
story. The pages of the good book
I call Monroe County are the
people, places, activities and all
of the wonderful things Monroe
County has to offer. A good book
has good content and compelling
characters. Monroe County is a
place that is a very unique and
diverse. A community where a
person can learn something new
from any person they meet. A
good book has an absorbing story
which will make a person want
to spend all their time learning
more about it. A good book is
something that wraps you up
and keeps you turning its pages.
A good book is a book that you
turn down other things for. This
is how I feel about living in Mon
roe County.
Every good book has a back
bone. A spine. This is the part of
the book that keeps all the pages
together. With out a backbone
the book would fall apart. The
spine of Monroe County is our
community. Monroe County has
a great group of citizens and a
wonderful selection of downtown
businesses on the square where
the community can get together
and watch concerts, attend arts
and crafts festivals and get fresh
vegetables at the farmer’s mar
ket. Monroe County has plenty
of wonderful options to choose
from when it comes to activities,
making it one of the best places
to live. From boating and fishing
on Lake Juliette to picnicking and
relaxing at High Falls you are sure
to find something fun to do while
in Monroe County.
The back cover is the part of a
book that keeps the people inter
ested and longing for more. The
back cover adds some elements
that reflect the front cover. The
back cover shows one last time
what a person would be missing
if they don’t choose the book.
The generosity of the people,
the appreciation for history, the
spirit of community, and the
heart of its leaders help ground
our community. A place like
Monroe County helps people
feel safe and hopeful. I love liv
ing here and so does my family.
Angie Griffin
Colvin fondly remembers growing up in Rum Creek
By Edgar R Colvin III
T here is nothing in
nature that is as
soothing to a hu
man mind as a quiet
stream. Such was the Rum
Creek of my childhood; so
deep were the impressions it
left on me that I can still feel
them today in my memories.
In summers, the creek was
low and the cool clear waters
were soothing to the feet and
body. The sun warmed the
sandbars, the sound of falling
waters were like peaceful
back ground music as we
would lay on the sandbars and watch the
white clouds move across the blue sky.
The late winter and spring rain would swell
Rum Creek and it would become a raging
torrent and flood the low swamp lands. It
made a roaring noise that could be heard a
half mile away; warning everything of the
dangers in its muddy waters to stay away.
I was born on the Colvin farm in 1940, the
Juliette native Edgar Colvin
marrying his wife, Anita Hy
land, 62 years ago.
third son of Edgar and Mil
dred Colvin. There were
ten of us children, six boys
and four girls. In 1956 the
family relocated in Central
Florida. I have returned
to Monroe County many
times for visits and funerals.
On a recent trip to the
Juliette United Methodist
Church, where my parents,
grandparents and many
relatives are buried I
noticed that the church
which always stayed the
same now has an addi
tion on the back. The old
school was still there but
it was terribly run-down and overgrown. I
looked inside and remembered the Hal
loween parties and plays. I thought of the
woodstove that warmed the room on cold
days and how Miss Lily Jo would have the
older boys put wood in it to keep the fire
going. I remember bringing in water from
the well.
As I looked across the yard I could see
kids playing “red rover-red rover” and boys
shooting marbles. Miss Lily Jo would be
overseeing everything and especially the
younger children.
Juliette is familiar but it too, has changed.
Ed Williams general store is now the
Whistle Stop Cafe from the movie, “Fried
Green Tomatoes”. The Grist Mill doesn’t
rim anymore. The Planer Mill is gone as is
Marvin Bowden’s store; there are no more
Cotton Gins. The railway station where
the trains stopped and brought the Sunday
Newspaper is gone and so is Dr. Smith.
I can see Mr. Ed Williams pumping gas
and standing in the doorway watching old
men play checkers on a homemade board
with bottle-caps for checkers. My grandfa
ther would park his Model A up close and
I would stand in the seat and watch. Mrs.
Lillian, Ed’s wife would bring me candy and
talk to me. I liked her she was nice to me.
The last time I was in Forsyth there was
work going on at the courthouse, Banks
Stephens School was torn down and many
persons have changed. I attended a football
reunion in 2005 and visited with many old
friends. I really enjoyed seeing and talking
to them. I recognized most of them, but
we have all changed some, we are growing
older.
Pine trees cover the fields where cotton
and corn once grew and the towers of the
power plant can easily be seen standing tall
above the tops of trees. There is no trace of
the house where I was bom or Grandpa’s
house; nor is there any sign of the old Colvin
School House that stood at Colvin Road
and Holly Grove. As I look out over the lake
I think it’s wonderful, I think it would be
great to go fishing there. But as I look across
the water I can’t help but think of another
time lost beneath the surface. Gone is the
soothing, trickling sound of a small creek.
Gone are the kids growing up swimming
and fishing.
As I stand where I stood as a child I think
to myself:
Everything changes, nothing stays the
same except memories.. .and they fade.
Edgar was born in Juliette in 1940 and now
lives in Webster, Fla. with his wife of 62 years,
Anita Hyland. His parents were Edgar R.
Colvin, II and Mildred Ivey. He had 9 siblings,
5 brothers and 4 sisters.
PASSMORE
Continued from Front
homebody. While I like to travel
and go out to new places, all of my
family and friends are around here
so I knew I’d come back home. 2
years living in Atlanta for nursing
school was enough for me. Two, I
had a great experience in my time
as a student. Varsity sports, leader
ship clubs like Student Council and
Student Focus Group, and remark
able moments like being crowned
Homecoming Queen with my
father right by my side and hitting
the game winning hit senior year.
I can’t move away from these
memories. I want my children one
day to experience the BEST school
system that I got to experience. It
was more than just coming to class
and leaving. It was a chapter in my
life that I’ll never forget.
Fast forward 5 years later, and
my perspective hasn’t changed.
My love for Monroe County has
only become stronger. Some of
my favorite places to go eat that
have always been around are El
Tejado, Waffle House, and Lucky
Cafe. The staff at El Tejado are the
BEST! They are always so kind and
have a smile on their faces. Their
food is so good too! The people
at Waffle House are always so
welcoming as well. When I walk
in there, they immediately greet
me and know my order. Shoutout
to John, one of the cooks! He’s a
good one. Don’t get me started on
Lucky Cafe- YUMMY is all I can
say. I can’t forget to shout out Mrs.
Michelle at Rubi Nails for always
having my nails and eyebrows
looking fresh. Although all those
are great, I wouldn’t be telling
you how much I love this county
without mentioning how proud
I am of its growth! I would have
never thought that we would have
some of the things we have now.
We have a Starbucks where I can
study and drink my coffee, a really
cool carwash that I go to just about
every day, Fox City where me and
my friends go to hangout and
listen to live music, Old Mill where
I can get some good homemade
baked goods, cute boutiques to
shop in, a tanning salon, and
much more! I love having places
to hang out with people my age.
I love having good food to have
lunch dates with my papa, Mark
Goolsby. I love how when I walk
into Walmart or a restaurant, I’ll
probably see someone I know. As
an extrovert, I love people and see
ing people. That’s why I’ll always be
in Monroe County, because of the
closeness of the community. It’s the
little things in life that make my
heart happy, and that is what I get
from living here. A sunny day with
the windows rolled down riding
around backroads with my friends.
It’s the “meet me to eat at the Mexi
can restaurant” and getting there in
10 minutes. It’s the leadership that
has inspired me to be a leader and
serve the community in the days to
come. It’s the getting an ice cream
at Scoops and walking around the
square with it. It’s the eating pizza
and having a drink as the sun sets
at Jonah’s. It’s the coffee at Queen
Bee with my friend.
I’ve now bought 9 acres of land
with my boyfriend on Juliette
Road, where we will eventually
build a house. We plan to buy
more as time goes on. One day, I
plan for my children to attend this
wonderful school system and play
sports at the Recreation Depart
ment just like I did. If they choose
not to, that’s okay too. Although
I will be living here in Monroe
County but working in Macon as
a Pediatric ER nurse, I plan to one
day open up my own practice here.
In the meantime, only God knows
what the future holds. I just want
to give back to the community that
gave so much to me. This is why I
love Monroe County. Not only be
cause of the great location and the
rural environment that I love, but
because of the endless amount of
opportunity to thrive and succeed.
What I hold dearest is the people
here that make a young adult like
me feel important. I’m proud to
say that in this county, it’s not just
about one person living here. It’s
about us living here and prosper
ing together. I’m not just Monroe
County- we are Monroe County.