Jefferson County, Georgia -  Railroad Crew Photos

I purchased these two photos below from someone who lives in Gibson, Ga. who purchased them through an estate sale, also in Gibson, Ga.  I am told the photo was in the home of Jack Chalker.  Each photo measures 24 x8 inches  I could not fit the whole photo on the scanner so I scanned two photos of each one.  I was told this was the last photo taken of the crew when the railroad was completed or changed names.   I do not know where the photos were taken or any other information other than Jefferson County, area.  If you recognize anyone please email me and let me know. Photos may take a few moments to load.

Some history of the Railroad System in the early years:

 THE RAILROAD WAS INCORPORATED IN 1884 AND OPENED FROM AUGUSTA, GEORGIA TO STAPLETON IN SEPTEMBER 1885; TO AVERA THE FOLLOWING MONTH; AND TO GIBSON ON DECEMBER 10TH. IN JUNE OF 1886 THE LINE REACHED MITCHELL; IN OCTOBER IT CAME TO WARTHEN; AND ON NOVEMBER 28, 1886, IT WAS COMPLETED TO SANDERSVILLE, SOME 80 MILES FROM AUGUSTA. IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH NARROW-GAUGE (3-FT.) TRACK, AND WAS LATER CONVERTED TO STANDARD GAUGE IN 1895. IT WAS REORGANIZED IN 1893 AND RENAMED THE AUGUSTA SOUTHERN RAILROAD.

The purpose for the railroad coming through Wrens and its demise was due to - progress.  After fifty years. the residents no longer heard the train whistle or saw the smoke, or gathered at the depot to see who got on and off the train.

In 1884, when the Augusta, Gibson and Sandersville Railroad was built it ran through Jefferson, Glascock, Warren, and Washington Counties through virgin forests in the rich timberlands.  It made good money for many years, but was paid out to stockholders or controlling officers.  In 1893 the train was bankrupt and reorganized under the name Augusta Southern.

The railroad business was to carry cotton, logs, and fertilizer.  It had four passenger trains that carried hundreds of passengers, Many commuted the train and road to town on Saturdays. Students used the train to attend the Wrens Institute School from their homes in other cities on the railroad line. 

Gradually the virgin timber gave way tot he long-leaf pine further south, and the cars used for hauling the wood were idle.  The faltering road was saved for a while when the Southern Railway began operating it.

The Georgia and Florida Railroad Company leased  track rights over it from Keysville into Augusta, and during WWI .  By 1920, a fortune had been spent straightening out the curves from Keysville to Tennille, which the road had reached by buying the Sandersville and Tennille Railroad.

The up-keep proved more expensive than the owners could bear with limited running schedule. So progress in the automobile industry produced the truck, finally got the railroad's remaining traffic and it was forced to cease operation on October 15, 1934.