More than 200 years ago, Jones County got off to a promising start. Established in December 1807, the county was named after Savannah attorney and U.S. Congressman James Jones. The town of Clinton, established in 1809, was the first county seat and soon became a bustling town full of eager pioneers. The houses close to the street, organized around a central square, are evidence of the architectural influence of settlers from New England. Clinton’s burgeoning economy was supported by its large cotton-gin factory and many local merchants. In 1820, Clinton was the fourth-largest city in Georgia.
Clinton’s prosperity, however, was short-lived. Many of the settlers moved on when the new country’s frontier shifted west. The cotton-gin operation relocated to Griswoldville to be near the new railroad, taking the industry and many residents with it. During the Civil War, the Griswoldville factory was contracted to make revolvers for the Confederate troops. At peak production, the factory produced five revolvers a day, at a cost of $50 a pistol. When Sherman came through Georgia in 1864, his troops burned the town of Griswoldville, devastating its factories. The Battle of Sunshine Church, a Confederate victory, and the Battle of Griswoldville, a Union victory, rattled the stability of Jones County.
The war was not the end to Jones County’s trials, however.
Post-war railroad development bypassed Clinton in favor of the neighboring community of Gray, turning Clinton into a ghost town. In 1905, the county seat was permanently moved to Gray.
As with most Midstate counties, cotton and peach production was a major part of the economy at the turn of the century. However, the cotton plant depleted the nutrients of Jones County soil so severely that by the 1930s large tracts of land were completely eroded, useless for crops. Despite all these setbacks, Jones County has bounced back. For a county that was faced with such economic adversity in the 1930s, it’s hard to believe it is now one of the fastest growing areas in Middle Georgia, with a population increase of nearly 14 percent since 2000.
The useless farmland destroyed in the early 1900s has since been restored through forest management. Once the soil-stabilizing root systems of the Georgia pines and oaks were returned to the land, the soil could resist erosion and once again sustain its natural greenery, indigenous animals and babbling creeks. Between the Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge and Oconee National Forest, nearly one-fourth of Jones County is federally owned and protected land offering outdoorsmen opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking and bird-watching. The 35,000-acre Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge is home to 95 different species of butterflies and nearly 200 species of birds, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
The rebirth of Jones County’s flora and fauna is an apt metaphor for the rebirth the county has experienced. Rising up from its post-Depression slump, Jones County has become a haven for lovers of nature, history, architecture and small-town charm. While Gray is the only incorporated city, there are also the communities of Clinton, East Juliette, Haddock, James, Round Oak and Wayside, all exhibiting historic architecture. The Old Clinton Historic District, which includes 12 homes built between 1808 and 1830, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and included on Georgia’s Antebellum Trail. Every May Civil War enthusiasts converge on Clinton for Old Clinton War Days, a re-enactment of the battles of Griswoldville and Sunshine Church. Before the re-enactment, actors clothed in authentic Civil War uniforms pitch camp on the historic battlefield, sleeping and cooking the way soldiers did back in 1864.
Another historical gem of Jones County is the Jarrell Plantation State Historic Site, an authentic Georgia plantation with 20 original buildings. Visitors can tour the farmhouse, mill complex, carpenter shop and blacksmith shop. At various times throughout the year, the plantation hosts seasonal events that include demonstrations of spinning, weaving, blacksmithing and woodstove cooking. If historical monuments elicit groans from your family teenager, Jones County also offers countless recreational opportunities. The Jones County Recreation Department has two facilities for baseball/softball, football, tennis, soccer and basketball. There are also two golf courses within the county, Lake Jonesco’s 18-hole course and the private 18-hole course at Healy Point Country Club. Day hikers can take advantage of the nearby Hitchiti Nature Trail, Miller Lake Recreation Area and Carol’s Park in downtown Gray.
For toe-tappers, the Ole Clinton Opry features bluegrass, gospel and country music free every Friday night. Soul music buffs might also be interested to know that Jones County was home to Otis Redding. His mausoleum, although closed to the public, is located at the Redding family’s private ranch near Round Oak. The Development Authority of Jones County is working hard to diversify the local economy, currently composed of mostly timber and rock-quarry industries. The Development Authority is developing a 972-acre industrial park.
