MIDWAY
The historic city of Midway is experiencing a boom, with expanding real estate developments, a new police department, extended city hall hours in the former Liberty Elementary School and a new web site: historicmidway.com
The city is also home to the Midway Museum, Church and Cemetery. The museum honors the community that’s known as Georgia’s Cradle of Liberty. It was built in the raised cottage-style architecture, typical of 18th Century plantation houses. The museum features exhibits, documents and furnishings used in coastal Georgia homes from colonial days until the Civil War. Tour the grounds that include a detached kitchen, salt vat and extensive nature trail. It’s one of the best sources in the area for genealogical research. Also on the property is the Midway Church. Built in 1756, it was burned during the American Revolution and rebuilt in 1792.
This year, the city hosted its second annual Midway Day festival in 2007 with the theme, “Midway: A City on the Move”. Midway Mayor Pro Tempore Clemontine Washington chairs the annual festival.
The city council and the Liberty Consolidated Planning Commission have worked on zoning overlays for the city and Midway is considering annexing and continues to study that issue. Several options were mentioned and there was a consensus that Midway did not need to move east, beyond I-95, but might annex in other directions. One suggestion was that the 31320 zip code could be a guide for future Midway annexation.
RICEBORO
Riceboro, one of Liberty County’s smaller cities, continues progress on its water and sewer system, work on streets, public safety and improvements to its new youth center building that opened in 2006. A federal grant for water and sewer expansion was almost spent by mid-2007, but the city council continued to work with contractors and engineers to expand planned service and survey existing customers to confirm the installation was complete.
Riceboro is placing stone on some of its dirt streets and continues to work on road and street problems, such as the extreme dip on the road at city hall. The council has “Welcome to Riceboro” signs and plans to erect them at the northern and southern entrances to the city.
The Riceboro Youth Center is drawing more programs and increased use, and the city has worked on providing the needed parking, safety and other logistical support the facility needs. In March, a Riceboro resident, Lelia Williams, organized an appreciation day for the city’s volunteer firefighters. The unique event drew attention and attendance from a wide variety of community and public safety leaders and workers. Williams said recognition of firefighters was too rare and she wanted to remedy that, saying firefighters are too often not thought about until there is a fire. “We want to thank you and commend you before the fact,” she said to the assembled firefighters. Certificates of appreciation, plaques and other items were given to the firefighters, along with musical tributes and words of praise. County Commissioner Marion Stevens told the group, “You know, I appreciate volunteer firemen because I am one”. Stevens said when a community’s ISO (Fire insurance) rating improves from 9 to 4, homeowners save “a good amount of money in insurance premiums, and they should show support for the firefighters who make it possible.” State Representative Al Williams said firefighters should not be taken for granted, noting official and public appreciation was rare, but should be common. Presentations were also made by Liberty County Sheriff Don Martin and Riceboro City Councilmen Modibo Kadalie and Tommy Williams. Other agencies represented with personnel and equipment at the event included the Bryan County, Midway and Eastern District fire departments, and Liberty County EMS.
WALTHOURVILLE
Although most of the growth experienced in Liberty County during the past few years has been concentrated in Hinesville and on the east end of the county, it is slowly trickling west into the city of Wathourville.
No longer a small town of a few hundred people, the city currently boasts a population of nearly 4,000, based on the most recent U. S. Census Bureau data. The Walthourville City Council’s recent decisions to begin an affordable housing initiative, honor the city’s first mayor and explore building a waste water treatment plant are putting the municipality right where they need to be.
The city hosts a number of family-oriented events throughout the year, but the leading celebration is the Walthourville Family Day, hosted this year at Johnnie Frasier Park.
Walthourville is also home to Tea Grove Plantation that was used by Tennessee’s independent film producer Paula Fox last fall as the set for her horror flick, “Sidesho”. Originally planned for filming on Tybee Island, the producer moved production to Walthourville after makeup artist Gene Witham (Planet of the Apes, 1968) convinced her to take a look at the site. “We finally came and looked a week before we were supposed to start shooting and we saw it was perfect,” she said. “There’s so much here. It was just a matter of moving weird things from one building to another to work.” Owned by Danny Norman, Tea Grove Plantation is home to a swamp, classic cars, tools, machinery, buildings, posters and a room covered in issues dating back to 1907.
In the year ahead, residents can expect even more growth. Also, city elections are set for November.
GUM BRANCH
Gum Branch is a quaint town in the Western outskirts of Liberty County. Population for Gum Branch is about 700. Originally home to the Creek Indians, Gum Branch also has a rich culture of Irish and German descendants.
A historical feature is the Gum Branch Baptist Church, founded in 1833 to replace the brush arbor shelter where religious meetings had been held. Since then, Gum Branch has grown to be a modern municipality served by a volunteer fire and rescue service.
Gum Branch was incorporated in 1979 and has an area of .8 square miles.
ALLENHURST
Allenhurst is home to an estimated 800 people but the town has expanded yearly as military families settle in areas surrounding Fort Stewart.
Like most of Liberty County, Allenhurst is rich in southern heritage. Also, its close proximity to Fort Stewart and the rest of Liberty County gives residents multiple chances to take advantage of vast recreation opportunities, including fishing, hunting, golfing and horseback riding.
Sandwiched between Hinesville and Walthourville, Allenhurst looks forward to joining them in continuing growth and development. The town is working towards better fire protection, improvements such as sidewalks and parks and general progress. The town is about 1.1 square miles in area and about 60 feet above sea level. It was incorporated in 1965.
City Hall Numbers in Above Towns
Hinesville – (912) 876-3564
Flemington – (912) 877-3223
Midway – (912) 884-3344
Walthourville – (912) 368-7501
Riceboro – (912) 884-2986
Allenhurst – (912) 876-2180
Gum Branch – (912) 876-5945
