DigitalRoadtrip: South Georgia, Day 1, Due South

Day 1

Thursday, November, 19, 2020

My first stop of the day was an easy hundred and thirty-five drive south-east. I-85 took me south to I-185, just before Columbus. As it always seems to be, the interstate was crawling with police. I drove through four speed traps and past three trucks that had been pulled over.

Hwy 280 took me south through the town of Cusseta. Until their removal in the 1830's this was a nine hundred year old Creek Indian town, named Kasihta. The Creek were offered a choice. They could sell their land or move west into Alabama. For many it wasn't so much a choice, but an ultimatum.

Just north of town is the turnoff for Hwy 26. I went looking for the one thing that put Cusseta on the map and into the history books. From 1962-63, Cusseta was the home of the world’s tallest structure, a transmission tower for WTVM/WRBY-TV and WVRK-fm. The old radio guy in me had to go find it. By way of comparison, the tower clocked in at 1,749 feet. The Empire State Building only comes in at 1,454 feet.

From Cusseta, Hwy 27 took me south-west through the town of Louvale, former terminus of the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery Railroad. From there, Hwy 39 took me west to my next destination, the town of Omaha. For a town of only 1,600, there were two things here I couldn't pass up.

Before there was even a town here, there was Fort McCreary. While the Creek were being removed from Georgia, there were still many living in Alabama. Fort McCreary was built here in 1836 to protect the Georgia border. The site is long gone, just referenced as a mile north of the sign. It wasn't until the railroad came through in 1891 that the town of Omaha was born.

On the north side of town, there’s an unmarked dirt road that heads west to the Chattahoochee River. River Road parallels a long abandoned rail line that was once part of Georgia Southern Railroad and the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. The line connected Montgomery, Alabama to points east. I wasn’t here for the rail line. I was here for something else.

At the end of the dirt road, there’s this curious sign.

After ditching the car by the sign, I walked down to the end of the road, hopped the short wire fence and stood along the river's edge. Just downstream is the view of this long abandoned bridge. It connects Omaha to Cottonton, Alabama.

Back by that sign, there’s a short, rough road back towards the tracks, littered with spent shotgun shell casings. A short climb up the hill, and I was on the tracks. I’ve seen plenty of abandoned bridges over the years, most are fenced off. The open gate seemed like an invitation.

I did walk through, but not very far. Between the well rotten and missing ties, caution got the better of me.

What better way to top a cool bridge than a visit to a local brewery. There really aren't many in this part of the state. Omaha Brewery was just opening for the day when I arrived.

Since I was the first customer of the day, the place was empty(best for social distancing) Their most popular is something called Gnat Knocker Lager, and for good reason. Pre-Covid, they would sell kegs of it to bars and restaurants up to an hour away.

While pondering my second pint, I got to chatting with one of the owners. He offered some samples. The Sweet Tea Lager was petty good, but a little heavy on the lemon. The Strawberry White Stout was in your face with the strawberry and I would still be tasting it for a few hours. But, they Yippie-Ki-Yay IPA was perfect and a great way to round out my visit. He told me he had grown up here and wouldn't live anywhere else. I mentioned the bridge and he had spent plenty of time in his youth climbing on it. In hindsight, I should have picked his brain for more local history. That's where you sometimes get the best stories.

From Omaha, it was an easy drive south along Hwy 39.

That's also where I passed the Eufala National Wildlife Refuge, named after the Eufala Tribe that once lived here. Based on the posted signs, it's also a big deer hunting spot. It just felt good to walk around a little.

A short drive south brings you to the town of Fort Gaines. The fort was built here in 1816 to protect the local community and river traffic from attacks by the Creek.

My home for the next three nights was the George T. Bagby State Park Lodge. It's basically a motel with a restaurant, alongside a lake.

After checking in and dropping off my stuff in the room, I took a stroll out behind the lodge to the lake directly behind. The lake is named for Walter George, a former Georgia Senator. With sunset at 5:26P, it was already time to grab the camera and settle in.