Traders Hill Post Office, c. 1910
Postmaster Porte Crayon Tracy stands in the doorway.
Bachlott Commissary, Folkston, circa 1910
With the advent of the railroads in the 1830s, a small community known as "The Station" sprung up along the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway route from Waycross to Jacksonville.
It quickly grew to become the town of Folkston and, in 1901, it became the new county seat. Over the years, commerce increased, more settlers arrived and several small villages started up in the county, among them:
Billy’s Island
Camp Cornelia
Camp Pinkney
Centerville
Chesser Island
Coleraine, Kings Ferry
Sawpit Landing, Leigh Hill
Folkston
Homeland
Moniac
Newell
Racepond
Saint George
Trader's Hill
Uptonville
Winokur
Robert Milledge Charlton was a judge and US Senator from Savannah.
Map of Folkston - 1890
Photo Galleries of Early Folkston
(Please allow us to scan your old photos of Charlton County for the historical record.)
Link to online digitized copies of the Charlton County Herald, from 1908 to 1929 (and more to come!)
(PDF)
Digests of the Charlton County Herald 1908-1945
A month-by-month summary of stories in the
Charlton County Herald
Index of the Charlton County Herald 1908-1945
A monthly index of the Charlton County Herald by keyword.
Lists of Names
1890 - Members, Bethel Episcopal Church
1896 - Voter Lists
1918 - Charlton County Draft Board
1954 - Centennial Donors
A collection of articles, essays, notes, and book excerpts to form a narrative of Charlton County's past
Biographical profiles of Charlton County citizens, printed in various periodicals over the years
by Lois Barefoot Mays
A 36 page eBook: The life story of Madison Gibson as recounted to Lois Barefoot Mays. Told anecdotally, it is the story of his life beginning in 1895, and continuing through two World Wars and the decades that followed in Charlton County.
Traders Hill Main Street, circa 1920
Circa, 1905
Moniac Depot, early 1900s
Racepond Intersection US 1 and HWY 15
Camp Pinckney, 1890s
Palmetto Hotel, Homeland, circa 1910
For more detailed information on the history of the Okefenokee, visit this excellent site, hosted by noted authority and historian Chris Trowell:
https://sites.google.com/view/okefenokee-history/additional-resources
BOOKS AVAILABLE
The Charlton County Historical Society offers several books about the area's history for sale:
"History of Charlton County"
by Alexander S. McQueen, 1932
"Charlton County Georgia Historical Notes"
by The Charlton County Historical Commission, 1972
"Settlers of the Okefenokee"
by Lois Barefoot Mays, 1975
"Queen of the Okefenokee"
by Lois Barefoot Mays and Richard H. Mays
Spring 2022 Issue of Charlton County Historical Society's periodical
"Charlton County History" (click here to download)
Interested in becoming a member, or donating to help support Charlton County Historical Society?
Contact us at charltonhistoryandmore@gmail.com.
Visit our store!
From Our Archive
Folkston circa 1914
Roddenberry Hotel
This was the Folkston Gin and Feed, owned and operated by Albert Wallace Askew in the early days of Folkston. It was located where the County Extension Office (formerly the Health Department building) is today on the Kingsland Highway/HWY 40, across from the old elementary school building.