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South Georgia's urban hub, Valdosta, has a somewhat odd name, considering it's taken from the name of a part of northwest Italy, the Val d'Aosta. This part of Georgia was no hotbed of Italian immigration, so how did this happen?
Governor George Michael Troup (1823-1827) had signed the act creating Lowndes County in 1825. Wishing to honor him, settlers named the town for an estate the governor owned called Val de Aosta, named for that remote Alpine region of northwest Italy. The county itself was named for a South Carolina political figure, William Lowndes, who once was nominated for the vice-presidency, but died shortly thereafter.
Famous figures who came from Valdosta include the notorious Doc Holliday, the gunslinging dentist who tood with the Earps at the OK Corral. Demond Wilson, who portraid Red Foxx's son on Sanford and Son, hails from Valdosta, as does singer Billy Joe Royal.
Valdosta's charm lies in its three historic districts. The Fairview Historic District, lying west of Main St., saw three vital periods of development, beginning in 1840. The North Patterson Street Historic District on North Patterson St. and the Valdosta Commercial Historic District, formed by Savannah Ave., Lee, Toombs, and Valley streets, are the other two. The 1915 Barber-Pittman House on N. Ashley St. and the 1898 Crescent House on N. Patterson are two restored historic homes that are open for tours.
The low rolling lands surrounding Valdosta look nothing like its namesake region. Farming is an important business base in Lowndes County, which Valdosta serves as county seat. Its 462 farms total almost 74,000 acres devoted to diverse farming. Besides livestock, corn, cotton, tobacco, soybeans, peanuts and forage crops (hay, alfalfa, etc.) are the principal products. The total value of agricultural products in Lowndes County in 2002 was almost $24,000,000, more than double the 1997 figure.
But non-farm employment opportunities in Valdosta and Lownedes County are plentiful. The two largest employers are Moody Air Force Base, with 26,400 employees, and Valdosta State University with 1,400.
Median household income is just over $35,000, while the 2002 per capita personal income in Lowndes County was $23,808, an increase of 24% over 1997. While that's just 77% of the national figure, median housing at just over $81,000 is substantially less than the national median as well ($111,000). So the cost of living is very attractive.
Declared a Metropolitan Statistical Area in 2000, with Valdosta-Lowndes County as its seat, the four-county region has a total population of 123,000. The city, with a population of 44,000, lies just east of I-75, about 240 miles south of Atlanta, and just minutes miles north of the Florida/Georgia line. Close, too, is Jacksonville, FL, just 120 miles east on I-10. The region is served by rail lines and by Valdosta Regional Airport, where Atlantic Southeast Airlines/Delta Connector operates several daily flights to and from Atlanta.
With its convenient location and appealing weather, Valdosta offers a plethora of attractions for residents. Discount retail shopping abounds nearby on I-75, while more than 150 area restaurants plus evening entertainment venues enrich life in Valdosta. Families will love Wild Adventures, a wild animal theme park with five water rides and a variety of shows. The park's "Safari Train" guides visitors through natural habitats where wild animals are exhibited. At Wild Adventures the term "cheetah" denotes a 90-foot-high wooden roller coaster, one of seven.
Capping the local educational resources is Valdosta State University, a five-college institution focused on the arts and sciences, business, education and nursing. Its Spanish Mission-style campus is famous for its aesthetic appeal. Founded in 1906 as the South Georgia Normal College, it was designated a university in 1993.
At the Azalea Festival, held annually in March to celebrate this icon flower of the South, Valdosta steps into its glory. Now in its fifth year, the three-day event features numerous popular moments, among them performances by "The BlueNotes," a nine-piece Air Force Reserve Band whose repertoire includes blues, jazz, rock and island music. It's not to be missed.
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