Thomasville, Ga. county-seat of Thomas-County 1885. Famous winter resort for northern invalids and pleasure seekers. H. Wellge, del. Beck & Pauli, lith.
Bird's eye view map of Thomasville, Georgia, county seat of Thomas County, drawn and published by George E. Norris and Burleigh Lithograph in 1885.
The Apalachee and Lower Creek Indians occupied the area when it was first visited by Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1539-40. It was not until the government's removal of the Creek Indians beginning in 1805 that American settlement began in the region. Thomas County with Thomasville as its county seat were both created in 1826, and both named in honor of General Jett Thomas, an Indian fighter in the War of 1812 and a relative of Thomas J. Johnson, the Decatur County representative who introduced the bill to the Georgia legislature creating Thomas County.
A thriving agricultural community, Thomas County's population tripled to nearly 11,000 from 1830-1860. More than half of the population of the county by 1860 were slaves. Corn, sugarcane, cotton and cattle were produced. Shipping through Florida ports was the most economic method until the arrival of the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad in 1861. Although there were no battles fought in Thomas County during the American Civil War, approximately 1,500 soldiers from the county served in the Confederacy, with its soldiers fighting on every battlefield during the war. Thomasville served as a prisoner of war camp for Union Army soldiers briefly in December of 1864. Thomasville surrendered to Union forces on May 9, 1865.
The fact that there had been no wartime destruction in Thomasville during the Civil War made the transition to Reconstruction easier than in many other southern cities. The citizens did not harbor the deep resentment against the North that was known to exist elsewhere. The map is subtitled "Famous Winter Resort for Northern Invalids and Pleasure Seekers", and includes references to the Mitchell House and Piney Woods, both luxury hotels built in the 1880s. Many wealthy northerners bought homes and plantations in the area as it developed into a resort and recreation destination.
Features numbered & lettered references to the following locations:
- Methodist Church.
- Baptist Church.
- Catholic Church.
- Presbyterian Church.
- Episcopal Church.
- Christian Church.
- Colored Methodist Church.
- Colored Baptist Church.
- Mitchell House.
- Piney Woods Hotel.
- Gulf House.
- Waverly House, S. A. Peters, Proprietor.
- Pine Summit, Redden Smith, Proprietor.
- County Court House.
- County Jail.
- City Hall.
- Thomasville Library.
- Young Female College.
- South Georgia Agricultural College.
- Bank, A. P. Wright & Co.
- South Georgia Oil Mill, E. W. Thompson, Supt.
- South Georgia Fertilizer Works.
- Planing Mill and Lumber Yard, Lilly & Lake.
- Foundry and Machine Shop, C. B. Thompson.
- Planing Mill and Lumber Yard, E. O. Thompson & Co.
- Feed and Sale Stable, J. W. Cochran.
- Kentucky Livery Stable, Whitaker & Cockrell.
- Livery & Sale Stable, E. B. Whidden.
- City Livery Stables, Pinson & Bottom's.
- Livery, Feed and Sale Stable, H. B. Ainsworth.
- Feed Sale & Drayage Stable, W. A. Davis.
- Cotton Warehouse, K. T. Maclean.
- Cotton Warehouse, A. P. Wright & Co.
- Thomasville Times. John Triplett, Editor. J. T. Chastian, Publisher.
- Southern Enterprise. Albert Winter, Editor. J. L. Hall, Business Manager.
- Black Smith and Wagon Shop, A. W. Palin.
J. Cassels, Druggist, Broad St.
A. T. MacIntyre, Attorney, Broad St.
Finn & MacIntyre, General Merchandise, Broad Street.
P. J. Franklin, Attorney, Broad St.
C. H. Williams, Insurance, & c., Broad St.
J. Watt & Bro., Hardware, Broad Street, corner Jackson.
R. H. Hardaway, Cotton Broker, Broad St.
R. F. Whidden, General Merchandise, Broad St.
W. M. Reese, Druggist, Mitchell House Building.
F. M. Jobson, Jeweler, Mitchell House Building.
Williams & Mitchell, General Merchandise, Broad St.
Smith & Evans, Insurance, Madison, corner Jackson.
R. C. Balfour, Pearl Saloon and Billiard Parlor, Broad St.
J. A. Thornton, Dentist, Broad St.
R. Thomas, Jr., Druggist Broad St.
Bass & McKinnon, General Merchandise, Broad St.
Joseph Jerger, Jeweler, Broad St., corner Fletcher.
J. J. Stephens, Groceries, Broad St.
R. T. Wethington, Physician & Surgeon, Broad St.
J. S. Silva, China & House Furnishing Goods, Broad St.
I. Levey, Levey's Dry Goods House, Mitchell House corner.
F. N. Lohnstein, General Merchandise & Cotton, Broad Street, corner Jackson.
Joseph Fass, Clothier & Gents' Furnisher, Broad Street near Jackson.
A. & R. Smith, Hardware and House Furnishing Goods, Borad Street.
H. Wise, General Merchandise, Broad St.
W. W. Bruce, Physician & Surgeon, Broad St., corner Fletcher.
F. C. Fallis, General Merchandise, Broad St.
F. Stoeklien, Groceries, Fruits, Liquors, & c., Broad St.
C. H. Young & Co., Furniture, Carpets, & c., Broad St.
B. D. Fudge, Hardware, Stoves, Tinware, & c., Broad St.
S. S. Adams, Physician & Surgeon, Broad St.
S. G. McLendon, Attorney, Broad St.
J. R. Hardaway, Dry Goods, Broad St.
M. Isaacs, General Merchandise & Cotton, Broad St., corner Jackson.
N. R. Hardaway, Groceries, Jackson St.
M. H. Hardaway, Millinery & Fancy Goods, Jackson St.
P. H. Bone, Meat Market, Jackson St.
B. F. Walters, Wholesale Wines & Liquors, Jackson St.
H. S. Clark, Photographer, Broad St.
C. W. Wiggins, Groceries, Wines & Liquors, Broad St.
F. H. Jeffers, Groceries & Fancy Goods, Jackson St.
L. S. Dekle, Physician & Surgeon, Broad St.
Patten & Merrill, Attorneys, Broad St.
L. F. Thompson & Co., Furniture & Undertaking, Jackson St., near City Hall.
L. F. Thomson & Co., Sash, Doors, Blinds, Paints & Oils, Jackson St., near City Hall.
S. L. Hayes, Cotton Broker, Broad St.
