8 Charming Old Railroad Towns In Georgia

“The Midnight Train to Georgia” by Gladys Knight & the Pips may be a classic love song, but the railroad legacy behind it is the real thing. Across Georgia, rail lines once transformed rural crossroads into thriving towns with busy train depots and the promise of travel. Georgia’s love affair with the railroad began in the early 1830s, when the first tracks were laid along routes connecting Augusta, Athens, Macon, and Savannah. By 1850, the state had more miles of track than any other Southern state, and Atlanta, the state capital, had become a major railway hub for the entire South. The railroad system continued to expand until the 1920s, when America embraced the automobile.

Today, the state’s rail system is served by Norfolk Southern, CSX, and a few shortlines, and covers more than 5,000 miles. Many of those trains still whistle through the small depot towns where Georgia’s rail story first began. So all aboard for a cross-state trip to eight of Georgia’s old railroad towns that blend historic charm with walkable downtowns, local shops, and a strong sense of place rooted in the “Railway Age.”

Blue Ridge

The quintessential railroad town, Blue Ridge is a mountain town founded in 1886, with a historic depot anchored by the popular Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which offers a picturesque four-hour, 26-mile excursion along the Toccoa River from Blue Ridge to McCaysville, the sister city of Copperhill, Tennessee. Choose to ride in an open-air coach or a luxury premier train car for your journey along the tracks, then enjoy a short layover with lunch at Burra Burra on the River.

Back in Blue Ridge, explore the town by downloading the Blue Ridge Historic Walking Tour, a self-guided tour of 20 landmarks, including the former City Hall and Jail, a vintage Rexall drugstore, the Rialto Theatre, and more. Read the interpretive plaques along the way. Wind up the perfect day in the charming old railroad town with a cold drink at Grumpy Old Men Brewing or visit the tasting room at Bear Claw Vineyards.

Barnesville

Widely known as the “Buggy Capital of the South,” Barnesville produced more buggies than any other location south of Cincinnati, Ohio, peaking in 1900. That year, 9,000 buggies made in Barnesville in a single year were shipped across the country by train from the circa 1852 train depot. In 1912, a new train depot replaced the original, which President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited in August 1938. In 1971, the last passenger train stopped at the Barnesville Depot, and the building was slated for demolition until the local community saved it.

Today, that historic Barnesville Train Depot is once again a community hub, housing the Lamar Arts Gallery. The gallery is a must-see on any walking tour of Barnesville’s historic district, which features well-preserved Victorian architecture, including a restored historic 1910 Carnegie Library, now Cara Studios. The Old Jail Museum & Archives is housed inside the old Lamar County Jail building and includes artifacts from the town’s railroad past and the buggy business, including a doctor’s buggy.

McCaysville

Sitting on the Georgia-Tennessee border, downtown McCaysville is a stop on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway where you can disembark from the train and discover the twin towns of McCaysville and Copperhill, Tennessee. The perfect destination for train enthusiasts, retired miners, and history buffs who want to travel along the same line that once carried freight and passengers through the Copper Basin during the heyday of 19th-century copper mining.

The Riverwalk City Block is a walkable district along a river with two names: in Georgia, the river is called the Toccoa River, while in Tennessee it is called the Ocoee River. Enjoy walking across the picturesque steel truss bridge connecting the two towns and visiting shops in McCaysville, including the new-and-used Last Stop Bookshop, Blue Ridge Adventure Wear, and Happy Bear Ice Cream & Treats.

Jesup

Near the majestic Altamaha River, the rural town of Jesup was once a thriving railroad hub connecting Savannah, Waycross, and Jacksonville, Florida. While freight trains still run regular routes through Jesup, the primary attraction for train enthusiasts is its three railfan platforms, designated areas where train spotters can safely watch, photograph, and enjoy trains passing through town. The Jesup Railfan Platform is part of a local attraction known as the “Jesup Train Triangle,” which also includes the Wayne County Heritage Center and an old Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) red caboose, located in a park near Jesup’s restored 1903 train depot. The caboose has recently been renovated into a cozy retreat called Madge’s Place. The repurposed caboose sleeps three guests and features original ACL decor. Jesup is also home to the Jesup Drive-in Movie Theater, Georgia’s oldest drive-in, which opened in 1948.

Cordele

Cordele, also known as the “Watermelon Capital of the World,” grew up around the tracks of the SAM Shortline Railroad, a key line connecting Savannah, Americus, and Montgomery. Today, visitors can explore the Cordele Railway Park and Viewing Platform, ideal for rail enthusiasts who want to post reels of trains moving in and out of the depot. In downtown Cordele, book a trip on the seasonal SAM Shortline Excursion Train in an air-conditioned, circa 1949 vintage rail car through scenic South Georgia, with opportunities to step off in depots in Georgia Veterans State Park, Leslie, Americus, and Archery.

“The Presidential Express Flyer” is a special excursion that departs from the state park, over stunning Lake Blackshear to Plains, Georgia, the hometown of President Jimmy Carter. The Plains Depot is where presidential candidate Carter famously ran his campaign. Today, it houses a self-guided museum dedicated to the dark-horse president and his path to the White House. End the perfect day of trainspotting in Cordele with a craft beer and burgers at the appropriately-named Railhouse Tavern.

Fitzgerald

Like other South Georgia towns, such as Jesup and Cordele, Fitzgerald was shaped by the railroad. It was founded in 1895 and became a community of veterans from both sides of the Civil War. Its growth depended heavily on the railroad, particularly the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad (AB&A), and its busy train depot. Today, the restored historic AB&A Railroad Depot is a top tourist attraction, housing the Blue & Gray Museum, featuring over 1,200 objects, photographs, and memorabilia from Fitzgerald’s railroading and Civil War past. In 2018, the building received the Preservation Award for Excellence in Restoration from The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation for a renovation that accommodated a Fitzgerald History Exhibit, a Genealogy Room, and a Railroad Exhibit.

The town offers a self-guided Architectural Treasures Tour that takes visitors to over 20 landmarks located around town, including the art deco-style Fitzgerald Grand Theatre, the 1897 Herald-Leader Building, and one of the town’s earliest buildings, the oldest continuously family-owned and operated business, Standard Supply Company. Finally, Fitzgerald is renowned for its wild Burmese chickens, so don’t be surprised to see these colorful birds wandering around town.

Senoia

Long before “The Walking Dead” put Senoia on the pop-culture map, the former cotton town sat at the intersection of two railroads: the Atlanta & West Point Railroad and the Savannah, Griffin and North Alabama Railroad (which later became part of the Central of Georgia Railway). While the train depot is long gone, the town still features architecture from the turn of the century, including abandoned rail lines that were used during the filming of the zombie series.

A popular film location, fans of all things Hollywood can take a self-guided walking tour through the historic downtown to visit locations used during the production of “The Walking Dead,” “Pet Sematary II,” and “Fried Green Tomatoes,” or book a tour with the Georgia Tour Company. Serious zombie-apocalypse devotees can shop for souvenirs at The Woodbury Shoppe or share a meal at Nic & Norman’s, a restaurant founded by filmmaker Greg Nicotero and actor Norman Reedus.

Thomasville

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Thomasville was widely known as “The Winter Resort of the South,” where wealthy Northern visitors traveled by train to South Georgia to escape the harsh winters. The town’s depot was built by the Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad in 1886, but was eventually replaced by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot in 1914. By the 1960s, air travel was replacing train travel, and the last passenger train ran through Thomasville in 1979, and the depot was shuttered.

The Thomasville Visitors Center offers self-guided walking and driving tours of more than 80 Antebellum and Victorian homes and buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Thomasville History Center, built in 1896 and home to the Ewart Bowling Alley, the second-oldest bowling alley in the U.S. The Pebble Hill Plantation is a beautifully preserved 1930s mansion, a nod to the Gilded Age and Thomasville's winter-resort past.

A Journey Through Georgia’s Railroading Past

Take a journey through Georgia’s railroading past to learn the story of a state built on steel rails. While interest in train travel may have waned over the years, train depots have been restored, repurposed, or remembered. There’s no doubt the railroad left an indelible imprint on Georgia’s walkable downtowns, preserved architecture, and tight-knit communities. In Barnesville and Fitzgerald, historic depots have become community hubs, serving as arts centers and museums, while over in Cordele, McCaysville, and Blue Ridge, excursion trains keep the nostalgia of rail travel alive. Not to be forgotten, Jesup, Thomasville, and Senoia continue to attract railfans, history enthusiasts, and movie buffs. Together, these eight charming old railroad towns prove that Georgia’s railroad legacy still rolls on down the tracks.