Nestled in southwest Georgia’s Red Hills Region is Thomasville, a historic city with much to offer its visitors. Made famous for its piney woods, plantations and southern hospitality, Thomasville was once a pine-scented getaway for northerners escaping the cold winter months. This last stop on Flagler’s railroad became widely known as the “Winter Resort of the South” as its popularity grew in the late 1800s.

 

During this time, the town’s most elegant hotels hosted some of the wealthiest families as their guests and so began the grand hotel era of Thomasville. This period fostered an active social and resort style of living. Northerners also enjoyed a sporting lifestyle including activities such as hunting, fishing, and horse racing.

 

Once they realized owning property was cheaper than renting hotel rooms, many purchased land to build plantation homes and the grand Victorian mansions that line the downtown streets. Many of these properties are still family-owned, historically preserved and visited today. Although the extension of the railroad into southern Florida ended the grand hotel era, Thomasville remains a city with rich cultural and economic diversity and a strong sense of tradition.