Significant Dates in the History of Glennville, Georgia
1773 - Creek Chieftans cede portions of eastern Tattnall County to the Royal Province of Georgia
1795 - Hen Cart Road links Glennville with the Savannah seacoast area
1800 - Numerous land grants result in the establishment of several large plantations and farms in
the area (approximatedly 250 by 1831)
1850 - "Sea Island Cotton" and other crops bring economic prosperity to the region as railroads
provide better routes to market
1854 - Matlock Post Office established to serve the growing population
1855 - Aquila Weathers erects first store at the Hen Cart Road and Johnston Station
intersection
1857 - Philadelphia Church (now First Baptist) organized
1860 - A one-room schoolhouse opens
1861-65 - Economic growth ends and plantations collapse as Civil War ravages the area
1884 - School re-opens as "Tattnall Institute" under the direction of Philadelphia Baptist
Church
1889 - A new post office is erected and the village is named "Glennville" after Baptist
Preacher and schoolteacher Glenn J. Thompson
1894 - The Town of Glennville is incorporated consisting of at least four stores, a blacksmith
shop, a cotton gin, two churches, and a livery stable.
1900 - Population is listed as 234 within a radius of one mile from the Masonic Lodge serving
as City Hall
1903 - A telephone line connects Glennville with Hagan; A lot on Caswell street is purchased
as site of new City Hall and Fire Department
1904 - Survey shows eight general stores, a pharmacy, a clothing store, several cotton gins,
a saw mill, two blacksmith shops, and other miscellaneous enterprises
1905 - The Glennville Bank is chartered; The town's first newpaper, the Glennville Observer,
begins publishing
1906 - A fire levels most of the business district; Georgia Coast & Piedmont Railroad reaches
Glennville (three other railroads would serve the area over the next four decades)
1908 - The area surrounding the crossroads is laid out into blocks and lots are given street
numbers
1913 - City water works and electrical plants begin construction
1925 - The Glennville Sentinel publishes its first edition
1928 - County agents suggest onion crop to help bolster an economy seeing a slowdown in
tobacco and cotton sales
1930 - Tattnall Builders association formed to promote local merchants
1934 - Glennville Chamber of Commerce organized with 45 members
1936 - First mention of a migrant community helping with the harvest and sale of tomatoes
1938 - The first of ten Tomato Festivals held (1938-41 and 1949-54)
1947 - DOT approves routing of U.S. Highway 301 through Glennville
1950 - A two-decade long tourist boom gives rise to motels, gas stations,
and restaurants. (Tourism dried up after the opening of I-95 and I-16)
1961 - WKIG radio goes on the air
1965 - Glennville Merchants Association formed
1970 - City limits extended for the first time since 1905; "The Accomodating City"
chosen as official city slogan
1977 - First Annual Sweet Onion Festival held
1980 - Chamber of Commerce re-organized
1990 - Chamber dissolves and re-organizes as Merchants and Professionals
Association to make way for Greater Tattnall Chamber
2007 - GMPA recognizes the need to resume Chamber of Commerce name
in order to be more accessible to inquiries from persons considering
a move to Glennville
The above data was gleaned primarily from the Sep. 29, 1994 Centennial Edition of the Glennville Sentinel.
