Douglasville History

City History - Located at a natural rise in the topography, Douglasville was originally known as Skint Chestnut.  The name derived from a large tree used by Native Americans as a landmark, which was stripped of its bark so as to be more conspicuous.

History & Heritage - When we reach back in time to look at the city of Douglasville's history we have to go back to the days when a tall chestnut tree stood on the ridge west of where the Old Courthouse Museum sits in downtown Douglasville today.

WikiPedia Entry for Douglasville - The city of Douglasville is the county seat of and largest city in Douglas County.  As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 34,650, up from 30,961 in 2010 and 20,065 in 2000.  When we reach back in time to look at the city's history we have to go back to the days when a tall chestnut tree stood on the ridge west of where the Old Courthouse Museum sits in downtown Douglasville today.

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Some Fun Facts About Douglasville (Our County Seat):

1. "Freedom Island" is Douglasville's commemoration of September 11th.
2. Douglasville is home to Dorothy (Dot) Padgett - author of "Jimmy Carter: Elected President with Pocket Change and Peanuts."
3. Douglasville is home to Arbor Place Mall, the largest shopping mall in West Georgia.
4. Douglasville is home to a State Park - Sweetwater Creek State Park.
5. Douglasville is home to two Olympians:
   1. Elana Meyers Taylor, Bobsled: Bronze Medal in Vancouver (2010), Silver Medal in Sochi (2014)
   2. Kristi Castlin, Track and Field: Bronze Medal in Rio (2016)
6. Douglasville was founded in 1875.
7. Douglasville was originally known as "Skint Chestnut."
8. Douglasville's motto: "New Growth, Old Charm, Always Home."
9. Downtown Douglasville is a nationally designated as a Main Street city and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
10. One of Google's data centers calls Douglasville home.

Villa Rica History

Villa Rica History - Originally named "Hixtown," for a local tavern.  Nearby was another, even smaller town, named "Cheevestown" for a prominent resident.  Both of those small towns simply packed up and moved, lock, stock and barrel.  This occurred when the city officials failed to convince the new railroad to run its tracks through the city, but ran them further south, along-side the major east-west road (now known as U. S. Highway 78).  Believing that easy access to the railroad was the key to future economic prosperity, the citizens voted to merge to become "Villa Rica," now known as the City of Gold, and to move the city to be near the railroad.  Essentially all existing buildings (including many private homes) were disassembled, moved to locations near the new railroad, and reassembled, in what is now known as the "North Villa Rica Commercial Historic District".

WikiPedia Entry for Villa Rica - The city of Villa Rica (Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese for Rich Village) is a small town in Carroll and Douglas counties, with an Unincorporated portion in Paulding County.  Located roughly 30 miles west of Atlanta, a decision to develop housing on a large tract of land led to a major population boom at the turn of the 21st century.  The population was 4,134 in the 2000 census.  By the 2010 census, it had grown 238%, to 13,956.  In 2019, it was estimated to be 16,058, nearly quadrupling its population in just 19 years.  Arts and culture are the heart and soul of the community.  The city boasts the first Gold Strike in Georgia and that history is on display at the Pine Mountain Gold Museum in Stockmar Park.

Douglas County History

Douglas County History - Douglas County was created on October 17, 1870 from parts of Carroll County and the now defunct Campbell County.  As of 2020, the population was 144,237.  The county seat is Douglasville.  Douglas County is named in honor of Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861), an Illinois Democratic Congressman who ran against Abraham Lincoln in the United States presidential election, 1860 and lost.

WikiPedia entry for Douglas County, Georgia - Includes information on the history, geography, climate, demographics (and more) of Douglas County.

National Register of Historic Places - Douglas County has 8 places on the National Register of Historic Places including 5 places of Statewide significance.

A brief history of Douglas County - This entry at the Georgia Encyclopedia Web Site has some interesting historical facts about Douglas County.

Native American History of Douglas County - A good article on the history of the Native American population of Douglas County.

Georgia Historical Society - Article about the 1954 erection of a Historical Marker, on Veterans Memorial Highway (U.S. 78) at the intersection with Bowden Street in Douglasville.

Douglas County Museum of History & Art - Our own local museum, housed in the old Douglas County Courthouse, at 12431 Veterans Memorial Highway (U.S. Highway 78), in Douglasville.

Georgia History

The Live Oak tree is what made "Old Ironsides" (The U.S.S. Constitution) into "Old Ironsides!"  It was built from Live Oak timber (the hardest known timber), harvested in Georgia.

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Georgia Bucket List - No need to travel all over to visit those exotic places.  Georgia has almost all of them right here.  Take a lok at teh list - you might want to take a day trip or two around the state and check off most of your bucket list visits.

Georgia State Information Guide - Known today as the Peach State, Georgia was founded in 1733, and is one of the original 13 states.  Georgia

A History of The Middle of Georgia - Note: This is a rather lengthy PDF document (687 pages), covering the history of the area around Jackson, Georgia.  Here is an excerpt:

"Both of them were murderers of the deepest type, but when the sheriff went for Watts, he made tight with weapons he had concealed in his cell, and it became so ..."

Clicking on the link will immediately download the document, which should open in your PDF viewer, where you can simply read it or save it for later reading (or printing, if you so desire).

Georgia Firsts:

Georgia has lead the nation, almost from the day it was founded.  Here is a partial list of Georgia firsts!

1. First (and only) colony to ban both alcohol and slavery (and Catholics) - See Trustee's Rules of 1735.
   
2. First colony to cultivate grapes (in 1735, after Virginia and both Carolinas tried and failed).
   
3. First colony to export silk (Queen Caroline wore a gown made of Georgia silk in 1735).
   
4. First colony to establish a Protestant Sunday school (1736 in Savannah).
   
5. First colony to outlaw sale of rum (in 1738).
   
6. First state to charter a university (University of Georgia in 1785).
   
7. First cotton gin invented (it was patented in 1794).
   
   
8. First newspaper in a Native American language.  See The Cherokee Phoenix, published from 1828 to 1834.  The site linked is maintained by Western Carolina University, and contains transcripts of all published content (available on microfilm archives), and translated from Cherokee into English for your convenience.
   
9. First in the world to charter a college to grant degrees to women (Georgia Female College, founded in Macon in 1836, later became Wesleyan College).
   
10. First state to give women full property rights (in 1866).
    
11. First state to recognize a constitutional right to privacy (in 1905).
    
12. First state to lower legal voting age from 21 to 18 (in 1943).
    
13. More to come, as I discover them.
    

Georgia Odd Laws:

There are some really odd laws in Georgia.  We can only guess at the reason for these laws, but here is a list.

In Acworth:

It is illegal for a citizen to NOT own a rake.

In Athens:

It is illegal for adult bookstores to sell alcohol.
It is illegal to make "human-produced sounds" (including whistling) within 300 feet of a building on weeknights.
NOTE: Athens is a college town, home to the University of Georgia.

In Atlanta:

It is illegal to tie a giraffe to a telephone pole or street lamp.
It is illegal for one man to give another man a piggy-back ride.

In Columbus:

It is illegal to sit on one's porch in an indecent position.
It is illegal to decapitate a chicken on Sunday.
It is illegal to use profanity over the telephone.
It is illegal to activate a stink-bomb.
NOTE: Columbus is the home of the Army's largest training facility (Fort Moore, nee Fort Benning).
I tend to believe these laws were passed to avoid offending any of the troops.

In Dublin:

It is illegal to play ball by throwing, catching, pitching or batting a ball on any public street, alley or sidewalk.

In Gainesville:

It is illegal to eat fried chicken with anything other than your hands.

In Hahira:

It is illegal to wear pants that have a top falling below the waist and reveals skin or undergarments.

In Jonesboro:

It is illegal to say “Oh, Boy”.

In Kennesaw:

It is illegal for a household to NOT own a firearm.

In Marietta:

It is illegal to spit from a car or bus, but spitting from a truck is allowed.  Note that prior to 2010 trucks were exempt from state seat belt laws, so pick-up drivers could actually stand up and wander over to the window to spit.  Well, maybe BIG truck drivers...

In Quitman:

It is illegal to drive on sidewalks.
It is illegal for a chicken to cross the road.

In St. Mary's:

It is illegal to spit on the sidewalk after dark, but apparently not before.

In the Entire State:

It is illegal to tease an idiot.
It is illegal to have a picnic in a graveyard.
It is illegal to whistle on Mondays, after 11pm.
It is illegal to keep a donkey in a bathtub.
It is illegal to live on a boat for more than 30 days in a calendar year (even if just transiting).
It is illegal to carry an ice cream cone in your back pocket on Sunday.
It is illegal to change the clothes on a storefront mannequin unless the shades are down.
It is illegal to take a bath of orange peel.
It is illegal to use profanity in front of a dead body in a funeral home or coroner's office.
It is illegal to give away Goldfish to entice someone to play bingo.
It is illegal to engage in erotic dancing on Sunday’s.
It is illegal to place a dead bird (technically, any dead animal) on your neighbors lawn.
It is illegal to wear hoods in public.  Inspired by that Democratic Party Social Club known as the KKK, no doubt.
It is illegal to wear masks in public.  Also inspired by that Democratic Party Social Club known as the KKK, no doubt.
It is specifically legal to commit mild battery if provoked by fighting words.  No idea what is considered mild battery, or fighting words, for that matter.
It is legally required that the flooring of adult bookstores be smooth and non-absorbent.
Members of State Assembly may not be ticketed for speeding while the Assembly is in session.

Free Georgia Museums - Nowadays, it can feel like just about everything costs a small fortune.  It’s sometimes hard to find free things to do in Georgia, especially when the weather's not up to par for outdoor activities.  Luckily, some of the best museums in the Peach State have free admission!  We’ve gathered up a few of our favorites from all over the state.  These make for amazing outings whether you're traveling alone or with family:

Quirky Georgia Facts - It goes without saying that there’s a lot of history in Georgia.  After all, we’re one of the original 13 colonies, we’ve been involved in multiple wars, and a lot has happened here.  Some facts about Georgia seem almost too weird to be true, though.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Out of This World - Among the countless trees that grace Georgia's landscape are five with a very special claim to fame: They have been to outer space.  These five trees -- one each in Athens, Waycross, Macon, Atlanta and Savannah -- grew from seeds that orbited the moon aboard the Apollo 14 mission.  Learn more about these special trees and the efforts to preserve their legacy in "The Moon Trees," at the above link.

Georgia Scenic Byways - Before interstate highways, Georgia's roads traced the paths of Native Americans, intrepid explorers and early tourists.  Then, over time, as family automobiles appeared in more garages, the meandering Sunday drive became a common American pass time.

While the 70 mph pace of modern times requires those superhighways and multilane parkways, the Georgia Scenic Byways Program (operated by the Georgia Department of Transportation) designated 17 corridors of back roads that venture into bustling towns, roll across rural farmlands and drop travelers on the doorstep of history.  These byways are perfect for a road trip back in time—to a slower pace and into the culture and beauty of Georgia.

A Georgia Scenic Byways designation starts with local leaders, community organizers and individuals who wish to “identify, preserve, promote and protect ... scenic, historic, natural, archaeological, cultural or recreational resources that give the byway its character and appeal,” according to the Georgia Department of Transportation's website.

The current list of byways is:

1. Altamaha Historic Scenic Byway
2. Tybee Road Scenic Byway
3. Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway
4. Monticello Crossroads Scenic Byway
5. Ocmulgee-Piedmont Scenic Byway
6. Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway
7. Cohutta-Chattahoochee Scenic Byway
8. Enduring Farmlands Scenic Byway
9. Historic Dixie Highway
10. Historic Effingham-Ebenezer Scenic Byway
11. I-185 Scenic Byway
12. Meriwether-Pike Scenic Byway
13. Millen-Jenkins County Scenic Byway
14. Ridge & Valley Scenic Byway
15. South Douglas Scenic Byway (see link to video tour, below)
16. South Fulton Scenic Byway
17. Warren County-Piedmont Scenic Byway Extension

NOTE: Location and brief description of each byway can be found at Georgia Department of Transportation Scenic Byways

10 Ways Living In Georgia Ruins You - Georgia is stunning.  We’ve been saying it all along.  The weather, the sunsets, the natural beauty it exudes...  you just can't find a better place to live.  Which, unfortunately, means that if you live in Georgia, you are pretty much ruined for life.  Nowhere else in the country is going to compare to what you get when you live in the Peach State.  Check out a few of the ways Georgia spoils you...  for life.

Vanishing Georgia - According to the owner, Vanishing Georgia exists primarily to bring attention to the myriad forms of architecture once common throughout the region.  Many of these structures were built during the sharecropping and tenant farming eras, and as a result have long ago been abandoned.  The archive includes over 125,000 images, though only a small percentage are published on the website.  With over 8,000 locations and 27,000 photographs, Vanishing Georgia is the largest publicly accessible independent archive focused on the state, with at least one photo (usually many more) from all 159 of Georgia’s counties.

Direct link to Douglas County images.
Direct link to Carroll County images.

Links to other counties are on the website.  Except Campbell (1828-1931) and Milton (1858-1932).  Both were likely already defunct by the time he was born, much less started taking photos.  Campbell and Milton are the only two Georgia counties to have ever disappeared.  Campbell County was located on the south side of Atlanta and Milton County was located on the north side of Atlanta.

If you are interested, there is a relatively comprehensive history of Milton County at the New Georgia Encyclopedia.  However, they have no entry whatever for Campbell County, reasons unknown.  There is a brief history on the Old Campbell County Historical Society web page.  If you are interested, you can read bit about a particular incident in Campbell County (the creation of a flag for the new Confederate States) here on the DCGS web site, at Campbell County.

A brief history of Georgia - This History Channel entry contains several interesting items.  I thought there might be some interest.  Hurrah! - It disappeared for awhile, but as of July 15, 2023, it appears to have returned.  As of October, 2023, the article has expanded greatly, containing much more hisorical data and links to many more other sources.

Weird Georgia Town Names - Here in the Peach State, we can get a little quirky.  In fact, some outsiders might feel like Georgia has its own language because some of our phrases can be so strange.  It’s not just our day-to-day language, either.  Even some of our county and city names are a little strange.  These are the weirdest town names in Georgia. courtesy of radio station Kicks 99.  They sound like they’re made up, however, they are 100% real.  If you’ve done any traveling, odds are you’ve been through some small towns, towns so small you blink and you miss them.  These towns don't even have a Walmart, and won’t have one anytime soon.

ALL Georgia Town Names - A fellow named Ken Krakow has compiled a list of town names (both past and present), which he published in a book.  This web site has freely available PDFs listing those names, with some historical background.

A bit of Douglas County trivia.  There once was a town named Dark Corner in Douglas County.  The former Dark Corner post office was located about 4 1/2 miles west of Douglasville, probably in or near present day Winston.  The town was named for the Cherokee leader known as The Dark, who is reputed to have developed the first toll road into Cherokee lands.  Now go forth, explore the Town Name listings, and ENJOY!.

An overview of the history of Georgia - This entry at the Georgia Encyclopedia Web Site expands on the article above.

Why do so few Georgians live in southern Georgia?

If the video does not play, click on this link:  Video

The 1936 Gainesville Tornado - Many of us are familiar with the rich history that surrounds our beautiful state of Georgia.  However, there may be a few historical happenings that have slipped under the radar over time, but certainly deserve just the same amount of recognition and remembrance as the rest.  One historical event in particular that comes to mind is the Tupelo-Gainesville storm of 1936.

A brief history of Georgia Cherokees - This History Channel entry describes how, after the forced removal of full blooded Georgia Cherokees in 1838, the remainder were subsequently recognized by the State Government as the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokees.  It also describes how, as a matriarchal society, any child of a Cherokee woman, no matter the race of the father, was accepted as a full-blooded Cherokee.  They remained tsaligi (Cherokee), and continued to practice their beliefs and customs, even when declared illegal by the State and Federal Government.  They carried on their religious traditions and beliefs, in secret and behind closed doors, on farms and lands far back into the Georgia mountain valleys, well away from the State and Federal Government eyes.

The Legendary Nancy Hart - She was Georgia’s most acclaimed female participant during the Revolutionary War (1775-83) .  A devout patriot, Hart gained notoriety during the revolution for her determined efforts to rid the area of Tories, English soldiers, and British sympathizers.  As is almost a requirement for female warriors, she was a redhead.  She is the namesake for Hart County and the town of Hartwell (it's county seat) as well as Lake Hartwell.  Get the whole story at the Georgia Encyclopedia Web Site (the link above).

Who is Benjamin Kyle? - Benjaman Kyle.  That's a name that rings many a bell for Georgia residents, and even for out-of-towners who happened to hear the story.  It was a name splashed all over the headlines back in 2004, and which stirred up a nation-wide frenzy in search of the answer to one question — "Who is Benjamin Kyle?"

Georgia Born Celebrities - Beyond its great history, beautiful land, awesome people, and fantastic food, Georgia is also the land of the stars!  Some of the worlds best known actors, musicians, and other celebrities hail from right here in the Peach State.  Here are 16 famous people from Georgia that you may not have realized have Georgia roots

Battle of Bloody Marsh - An English/Spanish skirmish on St. Simons Island.  The only Spanish attempt to invade Georgia during the War of Jenkins’ Ear ended in a significant English victory.  General James Oglethorpe regained the reputation he lost with his St. Augustine defeat, two years earlier.  The victory brought strongly positive psychological effects to his troops, the settlers and the other colonists.  It caused the English populace to rally for the preservation of Georgia, in July of 1742.

Battle of Kettle Creek - Fought along the banks of Kettle Creek, in Wilkes county, this battle provided the rebels with a victory, however small, after a string of much larger defeats.  The British expected thousands of loyalists to rally to their flag and restore the whole of the South to the king, but only 600 men (some of whom were criminals in flight) responded to the call, and they arrived just in time to be captured by the rebels, in February of 1779.

Battle of Chickamauga - The largest battle ever fought in Georgia.  With 34,000 casualties, over 3 days of fighting, it is generally accepted as the second bloodiest engagement, exceeded only by the Battle of Gettysburg, with 51,000 casualties, it was fought in September of 1863.

Battle of Resaca - The first major engagement of the Atlanta campaign.  Resaca showed that the outnumbered Confederates could slow, but not stop, the advance of Union forces into Georgia, in May of 1864.

Battle of Pickett’s Mill - Confederate troops prevented General Sherman from occupying Dallas, which he sought as a strategic base of operations for the Atlanta Campaign.  The bloodiest battle of the campaign, to that point, and by all accounts delayed the capture of Atlanta by at least a week, in May of 1864.

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain - One of the major actions of, and considered the Beginning of the Atlanta Campaign, was fought at Kennesaw Mountain, in Cobb County, in June of 1864.

Here's an interesting map showing the etymological derivation (original meaning)
of the state and capital names.

Here's an interesting map showing snack preferences in each state.  
Notice the regional agreement.

A Collection of Vintage Post Cards...

Other Sites you may enjoy...

The Calendar that never was: The 13 Month Calendar, an interesting bit of history!

Some Trivia - Odd little facts I have collected over the last few months.  Enjoy!

Historical Figures Who Lived Long Enough to Be Photographed - Through all of our years of history classes in school, we get so used to seeing extravagant paintings of historical figures like George Washington, but it’s crazy to think about the fact that just 27 years after Washington’s death in 1799, the earliest-known photograph was taken!  And now nearly two centuries later, none of us could possibly imagine what life would be like without the intricate cameras in our phones.  Take a look at some historical figure photographs … it’s a must for any history enthusiast!  It is a slide show, so enjoy!

Library of Congress Digital Collections - Multiple collections of digitized versions of historical documents, images and sound recordings.  Browse and you may learn some little known facts about history.  But be aware - it is a mesmerizing site and may soak up weeks of your time!  Enjoy!

Library of Congress American Treasures Digital Collections - This links to a page similar to the above, but limited to strictly American Items.  Browse around and learn a bit of our fabulous American cultural history.  Again, be aware - you can get lost in the the wonders of this great nation.  Enjoy!

National Recording Registry - This link leads to a complete listing of the items chosen to be included in the National Recording Registry.  Each year since 2002, the National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB) and members of the public have nominated recordings to the National Recording Registry.  The depth and breadth of nominations received highlights the richness of the nations' audio legacy and underscores the importance of assuring the long-term preservation of that legacy for future generations.

The National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), originally created by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000 and most recently reauthorized in 2016, serves as an advisory group to the Librarian of Congress.  The Board consists of 44 members and alternates representing the recorded sound industry, archives, scholars, musicians and others who comprise the diverse American recorded sound community.  As its primary mission, the Board works to ensure the survival, conservation and increased public availability of America's audio heritage.  The Board realizes its mission by advising the Librarian on the current state of audio preservation and initiatives such as the National Recorded Sound Preservation Plan, and the annual selection of the National Recording Registry.

If the recording you take an interest in is owned by Sony, and is from 1925 or older, it might be available at the National Jukebox site.

CBS Radio Mystery Theater - This is a collection of old radio broadcasts, provided by CBS, for free!  You can stream or download the old radio shows in MP3 format and even burn them to a CD, if you want.  That is if you can hunt up a working CD burner and find a blank CD somewhere.  Flash drives work just as well and are much easier to acquire and handle.  Good luck!

Some of us were, years ago, big fans of Radio Mystery Theater, and other radio dramas.  Enjoy!

Recipes - A collection of recipes, kicked off by posting the snack recipes shared at the August 2022 DCGS meeting.  It has since expanded with, apparently, ever-growing additions by the WebMaster and multiple other contributors.  Some are old, some are new, some are family, some are not, but feel free to enjoy anyway!

The first expansion was the addition of links to Dunkin' Donuts Copy Cat recipes, followed by links to recipes published in the PCLinuxOS Magazine.  The April 2013 issue (inception of the recipes articles) through the current issue is posted now, and will continue to grow, as they are published.  Following that are PDFs contributed by visitors. I also hope to include a few of my families favorite recipes (or links to them), some time in the future.

Additional contributions are welcome.  You may also find duplicates or very nearly identical entries, as I have made no particular effort to screen them.  If you bring these to my attention, I will attempt to correct the situation.  Just email the Web Master with the recipe or a link to it.  Also if you encounter an error or duplicate..

Tips and Tricks - A collection of handy tips and tricks for the average household.  Lifted from the Kim Komando Tech Tips and How-Tos Newsletter.  Some are old, some are new, but feel free to enjoy anyway!

Ride the Space Elevator! - A fun and educational journey through the Earth's atmosphere.  Just keep scrolling up!

Odd headlines - This is a collection of odd (stupid? ignorant? obvious?) headlines.  All of them have, somehow, gotten into print and have been preserved for your amusement.

Library of Congress National Jukebox - The Library of Congress presents the National Jukebox, which makes historical sound recordings available to the public free of charge.  The Jukebox includes recordings from the extraordinary collections of the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center and other contributing libraries and archives.  Recordings in the Jukebox were issued on record labels now owned by Sony Music Entertainment, which has granted the Library of Congress a gratis license to stream acoustical recordings.  Enjoy!

1968 Atlanta Radio Time Warp - An interesting (especially for those of us who were there) recounting of the history and evolution of the Atlanta radio market!  WPLO had their own jingle, praising Atlanta.  Some of you old time natives might remember.  Anyway, take a listen!  Runs just over a minute and a half.

The Wonders of Our State - A listing (and preview) of some of the fabulous and interesting locations in the wonderful state of Georgia!

Douglas County Sentinel - The local newspaper.  Your go-to source for all the latest local news and events.  And none of those wacky headlines listed above were from the Sentinel!

Vintagraph Superior Posters - Yes, they sell prints of vintage posters and other items (starting at $15 each).  Not asking you to buy, don't care, but they do have an image of each poster on line and those are great fun to peruse.  There is a clickable list of categories down the left side.  You can even download a digital copy of any of the posters, to use as you see fit.  However, be very wary of the copy right laws.  We wouldn't want the copy right police pounding on your door at 3 am!

Atlanta Time Machine - NOTE: This site is currently displaying an error warning, to wit: "The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
Previously, it was: A plethora of then-and-now photos of Atlanta through the decades, scores of old postcards, and miscellaneous ephemeral stuff like old advertising for nightclubs, bars, and restaurants.  In short, the site features a virtually endless supply of "historical" stuff you probably won't find elsewhere.

Atlanta's First Buildings - Atlanta's First Buildings In Pictures: 1830-1900.  Many include descriptions and some brief history.

Old Atlanta - A site with 41 of the best Old Atlanta pictures.

The Shorpy Archive - Atlanta - A collection of photographs taken in Atlanta, from as far back as 1864.

Atlanta's rising skyline - Atlanta's skyline, stretching from downtown to Perimeter Center (and even through the Ga. Highway 400 corridor to Alpharetta, sort of), has been a long time in the making.  A visual history lesson began more than a century-and-a-half ago, today's skyline is comprised of buildings that predate any living Atlantan - and many other structures just being born.

Atlanta Then and Now: - Atlanta, GA is one of the best known cities in the world and in the top 10 most visited destinations in the United States, known for its rich history, diversity, beautiful home architecture, award winning theater design, lots of green spaces and so much more.  Currently a major business hub, Atlanta is anchored by its railroads, which marked the city's formation in 1837.  Since then, this progressive city has regularly reinvented itself, while remaining a global leader on all fronts.  So how has real estate development changed the landscape, skyline, and life in Atlanta over the last couple of centuries?

U.S. Historical Flags - A historical tour of the United States flag, with images.  Also images of prospective designs expected to be used when the next state (or 2, or 3) joins the union.  Just an aside - your humble Web Master served his country, as a member of the United States Navy, under three of them.

State Flags - All the U.S. state flags, with images.  One is not rectangular.  Want to guess before you look?  Maybe one day, I'll get around to entering the date of adoption of these flags.  I know many of them have changed several times.

20 Places To See Before You Die: - The Ultimate Travel Bucket List.  Your humble Web Master has visited three of them.  How about you?

A collection of Los Angeles Photographs - Some marvelous old photos.  This site is maintained by Water and Power Associates, a non-profit organization dedicated to to informing and educating its members, public officials and the general public on critical water and energy issues affecting the citizens of Los Angeles, Southern California and the State of California.  The Museum link (on the left) takes you to many other old photo collections.

Defunct Restaurants: - A series of photos ot restaurants that are no longer with us..

Douglas County Film Trail: - Did you know that over 700 movie and television productions have been filmed in Douglas County and Douglasville? The Douglas County Film Trail is a self-guided tour of the various film locations through Douglas County! Visit filming sites used in your favorite television and movie productions, like The Hunger Games, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, The Founder, and so many more!

Things the Web Master has found interesting:

Our hosting service had apparently been experiencing some sort of a problem with embedded videos.  They worked perfectly with the copy of the web site on my computer that I use for development, but when uploaded to the hosting service, they would display rather erratically.  I tried everything I could think of with no help.  Thus the links provided below the empty frame.  Those DO work.

NOTICE:  Apparently the hosting service has corrected whatever problems they were having.  As of April, 2024, all the embedded videos are working perfectly.  So, while it lasts, let us enjoy!

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I Can't Believe We Made It!

If the video does not play, click on this link:  Video

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Douglasville, Then (1910) and Now (2010)

If the video does not play, click on this link:  Video

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The South Douglas Scenic Byway

Watch this four and one-half minute video, produced by the Douglas County Commission in 2021.  Enjoy!

If the video does not play, click on this link:  Video

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Just in case any of you might have an interest, here is an explanation of that old communication standby.  It will work when nothing else will.  It can be used to communicate over distances even without electricity - banging on a drum, for example.Morse Code.

It is also useful when you don't want anyone eavesdropping on your communications.  The U.S. Navy still teaches it and frequently uses it.  At night, during periods of radio silence, signal lights are used to transmit Morse Code for ship to ship communications.  Of course, during the day, they use signal flags (I may put up an explanation of those later).  The U.S. Air Force teaches it as well, but seldom uses it.  Primarily used by POWs in prison camps and downed air crew (to help lead the rescue effort toward their position).

Douglasville Happenings over 100 years ago (July 1920)

Besides the ridiculously amazing prices, I also noticed the TWO DIGIT phone numbers!  That means, assuming 00 is a valid number, that there could only have been 100 phones in the entire (Douglas County?) system!  My, my, how we have progressed.

Are you insane?

Some reasons for admission to a mental institution (shortly after the Civil War)

Photos gathered locally for your enjoyment...

Gathered from emails and the Internet.

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Old Douglas County photographs, this was our first collection of old photographs.

Some more interesting old photographs.  Sorry, no other information is available.

Even more interesting old photographs.  Well... images - not all are photographs.

And Yet even more interesting old photographs.

They just keep coming to our interesting old photograph collection.

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Old Gas Stations: Some wonderful photos of old gas stations.

Nostalgic Pictures: Some old advertisements for toys that would horrify us today.

An Automobile Quiz: Something a bit different.

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If you have any old photographs you would like to share with the world (this is the World Wide Web, after all) email the Web Master with digital copies of the photographs attached, and any information you wish displayed with the photo.  If you do not have a digital copy, and would like one, just let me know.  I have access to a really good portable scanner, which I can, and often do, bring to the meetings.  Just drop an email to the Web Master letting me know when.

Odd but interesting items...

Did you know? There are twelve (12) Douglas Counties in the United States.

They are (in alphabetical order):

1. Douglas County, Colorado
2. Douglas County, Georgia
3. Douglas County, Illinois
4. Douglas County, Kansas
5. Douglas County, Minnesota
6. Douglas County, Missouri
7. Douglas County, Nebraska
8. Douglas County, Nevada
9. Douglas County, Oregon
10. Douglas County, South Dakota
11. Douglas County, Washington
12. Douglas County, Wisconsin

But none of those were the reason we were unable to get DCGS.ORG as our web address.  That honor goes to the DuPage County Genealogical Society (of Illinois).  Apparently, they got on the internet early on, and snapped up DCGS.ORG for their genealogical society web page - DuPage County managed to beat out all the Douglas Counties and get there first!

Since there can be only one, all the Douglas Counties have had to deal with it and improvise, just as we did!  The Web Master says: "I suppose I could have been a bit more imaginative - there are several combinations of D, C, G and S available."  For example, DCGAGS.org (for Douglas County Georgia Genealogical Society) was (and still is) available as of March 2023.  Oh, and by the way, website names are NOT case sensitive, doesn't matter if you use upper or lower case (or some combination thereof).  It still works, as long as the letters are in the correct order and no spaces get into it.

The Web Master said letters, but characters would be better, as numbers are also legitimate.  Only punctuation symbols are ruled out, as they often have a special meaning to computers.  For example: www.douglascountygensoc.org and www.douglascountygensoc.org/index.html are identical to any web server as web servers default to a file named index.html if no name is given.  The / symbol tells the server that a file name follows.  Thus, you could go directly to the Current Members page by entering douglascountygensoc.org/current_members.html.  Of course, you would need to know the file names before-hand, as there is no way for you to obtain a list of them.  Note that all file names (on our site, at least) are in lower case.

If the Web Master has created and included them, id tags can take you directly to a specific location inside a file.  The Web Master has included several in our web site, mostly as a convenience to the Web Master.  It allows him to provide links to specific items on the site.  For example, if you enter www.douglascountygensoc.org/fun_stuff.html#today will take you directly to the Georgia Daily image for today.  This is what allows the "Georgia Image of the Day" link on the front page to work.  Of course, as with file names, you would need to know the tag names before-hand, as there is no way for you to obtain a list of them.

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Genealogical Amusements:  Here are some wonderful, odd, sometimes funny, but always amusing genealogical oddities.  I hope you will enjoy them.

Who is the Geezer Gang - A group of elderly gentlemen, mostly from the Douglasville area, who get together for lunch on alternate Wednesdays.  We say gentlemen, but that is only by accident, ladies are always welcome, as are any other guests you might wish to bring, including children.  Everyone is expected to pay for their own meal.

Gender Predictor - An old traditional chart that proposes to predict the gender of a child, assuming you know the mother's age at conception and the month of conception.  There are no guarantees, but have fun anyway.

Odd National Days - What Congress does when you aren't looking.  They spend a lot of time coming up with and proclaiming whimscal special days.

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Do you recognize this photo?  You should, it was taken right here in Douglas County.  But perhaps the perspective is throwing you off.

Look here to learn the truth.  I bet you'll be surprised.  I certainly was.

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Want to see some Web history?  Here's the worlds very first Web Page, still being kept alive by CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research, owners and operators of the Large Hadron Collider and the creators of the World Wide Web).

World's very first Web Page - This was in about 1992 and looks rather primitive by today's standards.  Remember, modern browsers did not yet exist, and few people actually had a computer on their desktop, much less at home.  Back then even a basic computer would have cost at least $1500 (a little over $3000 in 2020 dollars), and a really good one $3000, or more.  A nice dot-matrix printer (remember those?) would have been around $500 (a little over $1000 in 2020 dollars).  A laser printer?  Forget it!  A laser printer would have cost 2 or 3 times what the computer cost!

I know - I paid those prices, but luckily, with a zero interest company loan.  Seems the company I worked for wanted to encourage the employees to become computer literate.  I found that rather amusing, as they were paying me (and quite well, I might add) as a Software Engineer at the time, but I still took advantage of the cheap financing.

I also remember paying $500 for a single sided floppy disk drive, back around 1975.  That would be the equivalent of nearly $2500 in 2020, but it sure beat cassette tape storage.  What was I thinking?  Well, fairly intelligently, I suppose, as it was a part of the self-training program that eventually led to me becoming, some 8 to 10 years later, that well paid Software Engineer.  So, I've never regretted the expense, as I recovered it many times over.

Internet Artifacts - This site keeps some examples of the earliest and most primitive (or humorous) internet activities available for your entertainment.  Take the tour and enjoy!

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Early web related software - You won't find many recognizable names there, unless you are an Elder Geek (like me, your humble Web Master).

Mosaic: The Original Browser - Marc Andreessen headed the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) team that developed Mosaic, and after he left NCSA, he developed the Mosaic code into Netscape (the first commercial browser).  Some years later, AOL purchased Netscape and then released it as Open Source, allowing it to morph into Firefox (an interesting story in itself), and several other browsers.  I doubt you could find a copy of Mosaic today, and it probably wouldn't work with modern web pages, anyway.

This is what it looked like:

Other fun things.

More to come.

Well, eventually...  I'm still working on it...  as is my magical assistant:

If you have something you think might be of interest (old photos, stories, historical events, etc.), and are willing to share, please notify the Web Master.