Philomath, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Philomath, Georgia is a small community located in the southeastern corner of Oglethorpe County
, Georgia
, USA at an elevation of 646 feet (197 m).
and Augusta
about four miles away. The people of Woodstock wanted their own post office. When the approval for one came, the name had to be changed because there was another Woodstock in Georgia.
The city was home to an all boys boarding school, Reid Academy, to which boys came from all over the south to attend. The school was known throughout the state as one of the finest educational institutions of its time. Robert Toombs
and Alexander Stephens
were frequent visitors to the city and often made speeches at the school. Stephens suggested that the city’s name should be changed to Philomath which means a place of learning, because the school was such an important aspect to the community. Much of the early history of Philomath was centered on the Academy. The school buildings were eventually torn down and replaced with a one-story building, which was used as a community school until recent years when the students were transported to larger schools. The building was then converted into a community center.
Philomath is mentioned in the 1985 R.E.M song "Cant Get There from Here
", with singer Michael Stipe
singing the lines "If you're needing inspiration, Philomath is where I go by dawn" and "Philomath they know the low-down." The liner notes for the band's Eponymous
compilation album
identify Philomath as "located between Lexington and Crawfordville and used to have its own post office."
and Creek peoples as a boundary to transfer land to the state of Georgia during James Wright
's term as governor. Many Native American trails run through this land. William Bartram
, a biological scientist, traveled through this area in his study of the plant life of the region.
east of the Mississippi
. President Davis
and his cabinet separated in Washington, Georgia
, because they thought it was best for him to travel inconspicuously. His cabinet met at the home of the Captain John J. Daniel. General Breckinridge
and General Duke
, who were body guards to President Davis in his flight from Richmond
, were in command. It was decided that it was a "needless expenditure of blood to continue the struggle and the Stars and Bars
of the late Confederacy were forever furled." The last counsel of war took place in the parlor of the Globe and the generals and other officers dined with Captain Daniel. The parting addresses were delivered from the porch after the soldiers received their small pay checks and departed for their homes.
Oglethorpe County, Georgia
Oglethorpe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the largest county in Northeast Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 12,635. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 13,963...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA at an elevation of 646 feet (197 m).
History
Philomath was settled around 1829, and the city was first called Woodstock. The nearest post office was a stage coach stop between AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
about four miles away. The people of Woodstock wanted their own post office. When the approval for one came, the name had to be changed because there was another Woodstock in Georgia.
The city was home to an all boys boarding school, Reid Academy, to which boys came from all over the south to attend. The school was known throughout the state as one of the finest educational institutions of its time. Robert Toombs
Robert Toombs
Robert Augustus Toombs was an American political leader, United States Senator from Georgia, 1st Secretary of State of the Confederacy, and a Confederate general in the Civil War.-Early life:...
and Alexander Stephens
Alexander Stephens
Alexander Hamilton Stephens was an American politician from Georgia. He was Vice President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He also served as a U.S...
were frequent visitors to the city and often made speeches at the school. Stephens suggested that the city’s name should be changed to Philomath which means a place of learning, because the school was such an important aspect to the community. Much of the early history of Philomath was centered on the Academy. The school buildings were eventually torn down and replaced with a one-story building, which was used as a community school until recent years when the students were transported to larger schools. The building was then converted into a community center.
Philomath is mentioned in the 1985 R.E.M song "Cant Get There from Here
Cant Get There From Here
"Cant Get There from Here", or "Can't Get There from Here", was the first single released by R.E.M. from its third studio album Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985. The song peaked at #10 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles, equaling to a position of #110 on the main Billboard Hot 100...
", with singer Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
singing the lines "If you're needing inspiration, Philomath is where I go by dawn" and "Philomath they know the low-down." The liner notes for the band's Eponymous
Eponymous (album)
Eponymous is the first greatest hits and the second compilation album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 1988. It was their last authorized release on I.R.S. Records, to whom they had been contracted since 1982, having just signed with Warner Bros. Records...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
identify Philomath as "located between Lexington and Crawfordville and used to have its own post office."
Historical buildings
A large number of cotton plantations had been laid out in and around Philomath, the oldest of which is called "The Globe". A Presbyterian Church that was erected around 1840, which still stands. On one plantation, there is a clay pit (called the Great Buffalo Lick) which was used by the CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and Creek peoples as a boundary to transfer land to the state of Georgia during James Wright
James Wright (governor)
James Wright was an American colonial lawyer and jurist who was the last British Royal Governor of the Province of Georgia. He was the only Royal Governor of the Thirteen Colonies to regain control of his colony during the American Revolutionary War.James Wright was born in London to Robert Wright...
's term as governor. Many Native American trails run through this land. William Bartram
William Bartram
William Bartram was an American naturalist. The son of Ann and John Bartram, William Bartram and his twin sister Elizabeth were born in Kingsessing, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. As a boy, he accompanied his father on many of his travels, to the Catskill Mountains, the New Jersey Pine Barrens,...
, a biological scientist, traveled through this area in his study of the plant life of the region.
The Parting of Soldiers
Philomath was the location of the final breaking up of the Confederate governmentConfederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
east of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. President Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
and his cabinet separated in Washington, Georgia
Washington, Georgia
Washington is a city in Wilkes County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,295 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Wilkes County...
, because they thought it was best for him to travel inconspicuously. His cabinet met at the home of the Captain John J. Daniel. General Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
and General Duke
Basil W. Duke
Basil Wilson Duke was a Confederate general officer during the American Civil War. His most noted service in the war was as second-in-command for his brother-in-law John Hunt Morgan; Duke would later write a popular account of Morgan's most famous raid: 1863's Morgan's Raid...
, who were body guards to President Davis in his flight from Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, were in command. It was decided that it was a "needless expenditure of blood to continue the struggle and the Stars and Bars
Stars and bars
Stars and bars may refer to* The first official flag of the Confederate States of America* A graphical method used to derive the formula for multiset coefficients and other combinatorial theorems* A 1988 film starring Daniel Day-Lewis...
of the late Confederacy were forever furled." The last counsel of war took place in the parlor of the Globe and the generals and other officers dined with Captain Daniel. The parting addresses were delivered from the porch after the soldiers received their small pay checks and departed for their homes.