The story of the Georgia & Florida Railway is well documented, including in H. Roger Grant’s Rails Through the Wiregrass, which chronicles the railroad’s development and its role in communities across the region.
The Georgia & Florida Railway took shape in the early 1900s, eventually linking communities from Madison, Florida, through South Georgia and Augusta, and northward into South Carolina.
Chartered in 1906, the railway expanded by acquiring portions of seven existing railroads and constructing 87 miles of new track, creating a transportation corridor that would shape communities throughout the Wiregrass region.
The most challenging obstacle, and unquestionably the signature structure of the Georgia & Florida, was the G&F Altamaha River Bridge. The wide, flood-prone, and unaccountable Altamaha was formed by the merger of the Oconee and Ocmulgee Rivers, and it is the largest river in Georgia. It quickly meanders from Lumber City, Georgia down to Darien, Georgia, and then empties into the Atlantic Ocean, between Sapelo Island and Little St. Simons Island, Georgia.
The Altamaha provided access and a navigable passageway for steamboats deep into the interior of Georgia. Accommodating river commerce was a requirement for the G&F, and a new and revolutionary lift bridge design provided the answer. The Georgia & Florida RR contracted with the preeminent bridge fabricator in America. The American Bridge Company, together with the William Scherzer Rolling Lift Company began construction, in October of 1908. The massive bridge reached a total length of 3527.30 feet, with the 539-foot main span resting on a half-dozen six-foot thick concrete piers. No time was wasted during its construction, and on November 15, 1909, the first train steamed over the Altamaha.
Explore additional research on the G&F Altamaha River Bridge, including National Register documentation and preservation work along the historic corridor.
Completed in 1912 at a cost of $12,000, Vidalia’s now-demolished Union Station included a passenger depot, baggage room, express office, and restaurant. The brick-and-stone station was designed by noted architect Geoffrey Lloyd Preacher, whose work included prominent civic and public buildings across Georgia, including Atlanta City Hall.
The station’s dedication drew a large crowd and was celebrated with food, music, and public festivities. Contemporary accounts noted that “Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” was played repeatedly as the celebration continued late into the evening.
