200 Years
We have a whole year ahead so look for a book, coins and hats, time Capsule and a reminder…this county is 200 years young with history since before it was a named county. Be proud to live in this wonderful county vested in history books with many firsts! Our Celebration ends December 9, 2023…more to come.
Picture this: almost 200 years ago in 1851-1852, you and the town’s people are congregating where this Old Courthouse, the grand old building stands. The town of Knoxville teeming with people walking the down town area to the courthouse to hear the gossip. You walk up a granite staircase to get to the Grand Old Courtroom where the Judge awaits before the trials occur in the Judge’s chambers. There is no electric, no heating and air units, just fireplaces and open windows to let in the natural fresh breeze to control the temperature. You feel warmth from the blazing fireplaces and hear wood crackling all to warm the rooms upstairs. The rooms are lit by natural lighting, as the sun is shining through the oversized blown glass windows by day and kerosene lanterns by night. Carriages, buckboard wagons, and horses are all tied up front with gatherings of people outside awaiting a trial. What a different sight to our times now!
Potters and Cartoonist Mathew David Smith will be there to offer a gift for parents and children to give for your holiday shopping. More to come on number of vendors on December 10th but there will be gifts to purchase for the upcoming Christmas celebrations in your 2022 Christmas.
Parade will start in Knoxville and end up on a trek of US 80 in Roberta with a time line of history. The parade will begin with 1822-1900, middle1901-1950 and finally 1950-2022. The March of History will end in Roberta but the celebration will continue with Santa, Nativity and of course! the Lighting of the Great Tree. Come join the fun and the gift buying in our old courthouse and on the grounds. December the 10th! 9am-4pm, step off at 4:30 pm time line parade 1822-1900-1901-1950 and finally 1951- 2022, walk, ride and have some fun! Entry forms can be picked up at the Chamber of Commerce 8:30-4:3o pm on weekdays or call ahead and we will mail you one. Deadline on the parade entry will be December 5th at 1PM.
On December 10th, Our Old Courthouse will be celebrated with the potters inside. The entry at the ground level, once open was called a shot gun entrance as you could shoot a shotgun straight through and never hit a room. No Guns Allowed now but… At that time in history, 1822, one could ride his horse down hearing bone brick flooring inside the courthouse to each of the rooms. Taxes, death certificates, marriage records, and so on were all taken care of in the rooms at ground level. Our potters will be front and center in the old courthouse to show you what came to Crawford and stayed a tradition. One of those is pottery making. The kiln in the Knoxville Bottom will be ready and full of pottery along with potters inside to sell those beautiful works of art. What a Christmas Gift! More crafters will be on the grounds of the courthouse in the grand old Tent or two or three to keep the chill off and still enjoy the shopping. Contact the Chamber if you are one of those who would like to sell your crafts at 478-836-3825.
Early in the morning at 9 am a gun will fire and the once in 200 years classic 5K and one Mile Fun run will be run. Larry Carpenter is Race Manager has it up for registration on Macon Track. It is truly and first and last race of two hundred years in celebration!
Outside food trucks will have the show along with the potters inside and some of the craft vendors outside as well. A Cartoonist will be there to autograph books Mathew Smith a graduate of Crawford County and making a name for himself in this art of words and drawn characters. Cartoonists were hits of the printed era–no TV very few radios and people talking with neighbors and books to read or to be shared. Who knows…Maybe someone will ride up on a horse!
Touring this old building and much more, the Crawford County Historical Society and the Bicentennial Steering Committee are planning a week-long celebration from December 4th-December 10th with a Birthday Party on Friday, December 9, 2022. A grand week of events celebrating 200 years for Crawford County.
But WAIT!
Let’s go to the beginning the celebration! DECEMBER 4th! – 10th!
December 4th, churches will be the focus with the hope they will share and sing some of the old gospels and maybe have lunch together. Sharing photos of the congregation in the 1822 attire. Those photo’s will go in a Book of Memories to be on sale after the week long celebration.
Monday, December 5th -the 8th our Board of Education auditorium will be the stage for the Essay Contest for ages 8 and up. Winners of the Essay Contest will receive cash prizes so get those stories of how you would have lived in the 1822. A walk-through art show will also be an attraction while the winners of the Essay Contest are presented. Drama with aspects of 1900’s and Music our Bands will be the order and will fill the seats in the auditorium. It is all good in drama to concerts by the bands and winners of the Essay Contest. Deadline for Essay is October 31 or postmarked Oct.31, 2022
The Birthday Party will begin at 2:00 pm and going through every evening on Friday, December 9th. On the actual date December 9th 1822 US Congress recognized Crawford as one of Georgia’s counties. A day of celebration will end with fireworks after being entertained by a band for street part and of course a Birthday Cake and so much more fun and games.
The Annual Christmas Parade will be Saturday, December 10th and will be the tail end of the celebration starting in Knoxville in the morning and continue into Roberta in the evening with Chamber Christmas festivities, vendors, and lighting of the great tree.
Roberta, now the only incorporated township in Crawford County, is the hub of the county. In the beginning, small villages were all over the county and many of them are now just names or dust to be remembered by the families who had roots in our County of Crawford. So much more is in the process of the Bicentennial celebration and update will be shared in many areas!
These are the people who are working to provide this celebration:
Richard Hatcher – President
Terry Howard -Vice President
Troy Cook-Financial Director
Barbara Cook-Treasurer
Patti Temple-Secretary
Our members who are in the planning include:
Commissioner Jackie McGowen, Frankie McAfee, Jim Bennett, Tisa Horton, Stephanie Harris, Tom Pressley, and Mathew Smith. All are welcome and encouraged to come join us to plan and execute the week-long celebration of what we know of as Crawford County, Georgia.
If you are passionate about history or Crawford County, and better yet, the history of Crawford County, please join our committee!