Wahoo, Florida
February 21, 2022
Yesterday (2.20.22) I left Alissa and Lucian’s place with the goal of getting to Ocala, Florida. That was a reach goal which I did not make. I arrived at the Love’s Truck Stop in Lake City, Florida at 6 pm and called it a day.
Once I got out of the BIG CITY, I saw a sign for Monticello, Georgia and took that two hour detour. A classic small Southern town with a big square (with a LARGE Confederate memorial on it) and a bank building which was a replica of Monticello. Several large stately homes — and a wide swath of old lower income homes. (See below for info on My Cousin Vinny and Garth Brooks’ wife.)
Came across this bridge between Monticello and Macon.
OMG. Life in Warner-Robins, Georgia will never be the same. This Buc-ee’s is a year old and was slammed. I got out with only buying $80 of merchandise — and I forgot to get gas. 🤪
Signs at Southern churches are the best.
In case there was any doubt about southern Georgia.
Sunsweet, Georgia. So small there’s no road sign.
Home for the night.
Further reading:
Monticello is the largest city and the county seatof Jasper County, Georgia,[4] United States. The city includes historic buildings such as the Jasper County Courthouse, Monticello High School and the Monticello Historic District. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census.[5] It is 56 miles (90 km) southeast of Atlanta.
History
Monticello was founded in 1808 as seat of the newly formed Jasper County. The city was named after Monticello, the estate of Thomas Jefferson.[6] It was incorporated as a town in 1810 and as a city in 1901.[7]
Demographics
2000 census
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,428 people, 927 households, and 609 families residing in the city. The population density was 805.8 people per square mile (311.4/km2). There were 1,006 housing units at an average density of 333.9 per square mile (129.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 44.77% White, 53.50% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.70% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.17% of the population.
There were 927 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 22.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,058, and the median income for a family was $46,705. Males had a median income of $30,565 versus $21,793 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,743. About 16.9% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.6% of those under age 18 and 20.2% of those age 65 or over.
Representation in other media
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976) had many scenes filmed in Monticello. The exteriors of buildings on the town square were remodeled to appear of the era of the movie.
Murder in Coweta County (1982) starring Andy Griffith, Johnny Cash, and June Carter Cash.
Many scenes of My Cousin Vinny (1992) were set at the courthouse and town square, and other scenes were also shot in town.
Climate
The climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa.”
Geology and soils
The bedrock under Monticello is an intermediate-to-mafic type on which dark red clay with dark reddish brown loam topsoil is mapped as Lloyd series.[17][18]
Notable peopleEdit
William A. Connelly, sixth Sergeant Major of the Army
Elizabeth Otis Dannelly (1838–1896), poet
Rob Evan, singer, actor in many Broadway musicals, including The Dream Engine
Willis Flournoy, Negro league baseball player
Luke Gallows, Professional wrestler
Susan Holmes - Politician from Georgia. First women mayor of Monticello.
Buckshot Jones, NASCAR driver
Ulysses Norris, University of Georgia football player; seven-year NFL career with the Detroit Lions (5 years) and Buffalo Bills (2 years)[19]
John Gill Shorter, 17th governor of Alabama
Sherry Smith, Major League Baseball player, pitched in two World Series
Odell Thurman, University of Georgia and NFL football player
Trisha Yearwood, country singer
Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular musicand a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. Nicknamed the "King of Soul", Redding's style of singing gained inspiration from the gospel music that preceded the genre. His singing style influenced many other soul artists of the 1960s.
Redding was born in Dawson, Georgia, and at age two, moved to Macon. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and by performing in talent shows at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon. In 1958, he joined Johnny Jenkins's band, the Pinetoppers, with whom he toured the Southern states as a singer and driver. An unscheduled appearance on a Staxrecording session led to a contract and his first hit single, "These Arms of Mine", in 1962.
Stax released Redding's debut album, Pain in My Heart, two years later. Initially popular mainly with African-Americans, Redding later reached a wider American pop music audience. Along with his group, he first played small shows in the American South. Redding later performed at the popular Los Angeles night club Whisky a Go Goand toured Europe, performing in London, Paris and other major cities. He also performed at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
Shortly before his death in a plane crash, Redding wrote and recorded his iconic "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" with Steve Cropper. The song became the first posthumous number-one record on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts. The album The Dock of the Bay was the first posthumous album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart. Redding's premature death devastated Stax. Already on the verge of bankruptcy, the label soon discovered that the Atco division of Atlantic Records owned the rights to his entire song catalog.
Redding received many posthumous accolades, including two Grammy Awards, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.[3] and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay," "Respect" and "Try a Little Tenderness" are among his best-known songs.
Sunsweet is an unincorporated community in Tift County, in the U.S. state of Georgia.[1]