Attractions, Events and Festivals

Life is simpler in Randolph County; there are very few big city distractions, no malls, no cinemas and only a few local restaurants. Here you can get back to your roots and take great pleasure in things like baking, woodwork, sewing and walking the dog. Quality time is one of the most attractive reasons to live Randolph County.

There are no big attractions here ... but that doesn't mean there's not plenty to do. Our attractions are unique. Unique to small town America. And special. There's the Christmas parade of lights every year in Cuthbert, the cemetery tour and great hunting and fishing. And we have the only water tower erected in the middle of a U.S. Highway in the entire country ... and there's more.

The Fletcher Henderson House

Take the Fletcher Henderson House, for example. How many small towns can claim one of the world's great jazz musicians grew up in the unassuming house built in 1888 and still standing over on South Ellis Street? This Victorian home is on the National Register Historic Places.

Cuthbert Water Tower

Then there's the Cuthbert Water Tower. Erected in 1895, this water tower has the distinction of being the only water tower the United States in the middle of a federal highway. It is located in the middle of US Highway 82 and defines the skyline of Cuthbert. For many years, people believed that those who drank water from the tower would either stay or return to Cuthbert. When it was erected, the roadway was south of the tank. The streets of Cuthbert were paved in the 1930s, and the east entrance to the square was moved. The city did not have the funds to relocate the water tank, so the national highway just went around it. R.L. Moye was mayor, and councilmen were J.E. Douglas, D.M. Jacobs, R.E. Toombs, J.H. Sealy and A. Jones. The bottom fell out of the tank when a cyclone hit Cuthbert in 1909, and graves were washed up in the Rosedale Cemetery in the resulting flood. No longer used as a water tank, the tower serves as a beacon to Cuthbert.

Center for Arts and Rehabilitaative Energies

And if you are inclined to enjoy the arts, there's the Center for Arts and Rehabilitative Energies (CARE) in Shellman. Opened in October 2012 this center includes an art gallery with an exhibition schedule that changes every two months. The center also hosts lectures on a variety of topics.

CARE consists of three buildings and 13 acres of land located on Shellman's main street. The barn houses the museum/studio, lecture and presentation space. The small guest cottage located at 3682 Pearl Street has a reception area, a therapy room and overnight accommodations for up to one couple with one child. Reservations are required for overnight accommodations. Future developments will include a meditation garden and several small cottages for travelers.

Original Carnegie Library Building

Randolph County is also home to one of only a few original Carnegie Library buildings left in the State of Georgia. In 1913, the Woman's Club in Cuthbert recognized the need for a library in the town. After many fundraisers including oyster suppers, turkey dinners, ice cream festivals and a womanless wedding, funds were raised to build the Carnegie Library. The first brick was laid Oct. 17, 1917, and by Sept.  5, 1918, the building was dedicated with a special reception. For many years, the Cuthbert Woman's Club continued to meet in the community room in the library basement. The Carnegie Library continued to serve the needs of the Randolph County community until 1997 when a new library was built on the Cuthbert Square. At that time, the Southwest Quarter Chattahoochee Regional Chamber of Commerce moved into the building, later becoming the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce.

The Bear Claw Quilt Square

The Bear Claw quilt square, which dates back to the 1800s, is viewable on the Old Reddick Store in Cuthbert. It is one of the patterns that was part of the underground railroad quilt code. In 2013, Randolph County became a member of The Southern Quilt Trail, which began in Powder Springs, Ga., and continues to grow, particularly along US Hwy 27, now known as the Scenic Hometown Highway. This quilt trail celebrates the quilting heritage, rural lifestyle, and beauty of our country settings and our quilts. It has spread to 44 states and 4,000 buildings to date. The painted squares are placed on structures at least 50 years old, viewable from a paved road and in a location that is well maintained.

Greenwood Cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery was the site of the First Methodist Church of Cuthbert. "Shady Grove," a building made of logs and a campground combination, served as the church from 1843 to 1851. The burying grounds remain today with many tombstones and old graves. Well-known people who are buried here are Dr. A.L. Hamilton, president of Andrew College during the Civil War, and his wife, Eudora, who was the only female president of Andrew College; Fletcher Hamilton Henderson, Sr., Educator, his wife, Ozie Chapman Henderson, and their son, Fletcher Jr., renown jazz composer and musician. Also, the graves of 24 Confederate soldiers that died at Hood Hospital located at Andrew College are buried here. The statue of the Confederate soldier with the broken hand was relocated to stand guard after it was blown off of the monument on the square by the cyclone of 1909. There are many other historic cemeteries in Randolph County, as well as Cuthbert and Shelllman.