Winterville Historic District
Winterville is one of the many towns in Georgia which owe their existence to the railroads, due to the need for steam trains to stop frequently for water (to be converted into steam) and fuel (first wood, later coal).
with Mary Quinn
Sunday, September 6 @ 2 pm
Saturday, October 10 @ 10 am
Winterville grew up around the 6-mile station of the Georgia Railroad between Athens and Union Point, a route known as the “Athens Branch” which began operating in 1841. The station was a water stop and the beginning of a bustling community of banks, mercantile stores, doctors and, of course, a cotton gin. Incorporated in 1904, the City of Winterville is a circle, one-mile in radius, located entirely within Clarke County, but its 1,061 citizens are only a small part of the larger zip code known as Winterville, which includes portions of three counties—Clarke, Oglethorpe, and Madison. The tour includes numerous and diverse historical structures such as the recently renovated train depot; the Carter-Coile Doctor’s Museum; a blacksmith shop; the old Winterville High School—home of the state’s first home economics program; and several period homes all located within an area included in the National Register of Historic Places. Tour goers will walk portions of the abandoned railroad designated to become “The Firefly”—a 38-mile walking and cycling trail extending from downtown Athens to Union Point. This tour will last approximately 1½ to 2 hours.
Your tour guide:
Mary Quinn resides on Main Street in Winterville, her residence a nineteenth-century home built by the Georgia Railroad. Born just a mile away in neighboring Oglethorpe County, Mary’s family moved away from the family farm and into Winterville and Clarke County in 1960 where she attended Winterville Elementary School, Athens Junior High and High Schools and the University of Georgia. Quinn retired from a career in accounting in 2000 and enjoys various public service roles. She is a council member and mayor pro tem for the City of Winterville, director and volunteer of the Winterville Marigold Festival, Friend of the Winterville Library, trustee and treasurer of the Winterville United Methodist Church, volunteer with the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, and a volunteer in the Athens to Union Point Rails-to-Trails Collaborative. Quinn also served as a member of the SPLOST2005 Citizen’s Advisory and Oversight Committees.
Day of Tour Instructions: We still have space available for our walking tour of the Winterville Historic District on Sunday, September 6, beginning at 2:00 pm. If you would like to take the tour, please meet at the train depot on the city square off Main Street in downtown Winterville. Free parking is available. The tour will last approximately 1½-2 hours. Please wear comfortable shoes, and bring an umbrella if rain threatens—the tour will be conducted rain or shine. We will provide a cold bottle of water for your refreshment. If you have questions, call Amy Andrews at 706-248-6898.