A Legacy of Growth, Innovation and Opportunity
Lowndes County recently celebrated more than 200 years of growth, resilience, and prosperity. Established by an act of the Georgia Legislature in 1825, the county is strategically located along the Georgia-Florida border and was named in honor of William Jones Lowndes, whose father, Rawlins Lowndes, was a leader during the American Revolution.
The county’s first community, Franklinville, was established in 1827 and served as the original county seat. In 1833, the seat moved to Lowndesville, located at the junction of the Little and Withlacoochee rivers. Four years later, the town was renamed Troupville in honor of Georgia Governor George Troup.
As transportation routes evolved, county leaders recognized the importance of connecting to the expanding railroad system. On Dec. 12, 1859, Lowndes County purchased 140 acres for $1,250 to establish a new county seat, naming it Valdosta after Val d’Aosta, the Italian Aosta Valley, which Governor Troup named his nearby home in tribute to the beautiful Alpine region in Italy. The first train arrived on July 4, 1860, marking the beginning of a new era of commerce and economic opportunity.
In addition to Valdosta, Lowndes County is home to the city of Hahira (incorporated in October 1891), famous for its Honeybee Festival; Dasher, Lake Park, and Remerton.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Valdosta had become the world’s largest inland market for Sea Island cotton. Although the boll weevil devastated Georgia’s cotton industry beginning in 1915, the community adapted by expanding into new industries that would shape the region’s economy for generations.
Manufacturing quickly became a cornerstone of Lowndes County’s growth. B.F. Strickland opened the Strickland Cotton Mills in 1900, and employees lived in the nearby company town of Remerton, which remains an incorporated community today. Timber and naval stores also fueled the local economy. The American Turpentine Farmers Association established its headquarters in Valdosta in 1936, while Judge Harley Langdale built Langdale Forest Products into one of the region’s most influential forestry companies.
Innovation has long been part of Lowndes County’s story. The community was home to the second Coca-Cola bottling plant in the world, and by 1936 the Valdosta facility had become one of South Georgia’s most modern bottling operations, serving a seven-county region.
Education has played an equally important role in the community’s development. South Georgia State Normal College opened in Valdosta in 1906 to provide higher education opportunities for women. The institution evolved into Georgia State Women’s College in 1922, became coeducational in 1950 as Valdosta State College, and achieved university status in 1993 as Valdosta State University. Today, the city also serves as the administrative home of Wiregrass Georgia Technical College, which provides workforce education and technical training for an 11-county region.
From its beginnings as a frontier settlement to its emergence as a regional center for education, manufacturing, agriculture and innovation, Lowndes County has continually embraced change while preserving the values and spirit that have defined the community for more than two centuries. Today, that same foundation continues to drive economic growth, educational excellence and opportunity for future generations.
Moody Air Force Base, Home of the Flying Tigers
Located in Valdosta, Moody Air Force Base is home to the 23rd Wing, one of the U.S. Air Force’s premier combat-ready wings. The 23rd Wing provides worldwide close air support, force protection, combat search and rescue, and personnel recovery missions in support of U.S. national security and humanitarian operations around the globe.
Known as the home of the legendary Flying Tigers, the 23rd Wing organizes, trains, and equips combat-ready forces operating the A-10C Thunderbolt II, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60W Jolly Green II, and the Guardian Angel Weapon System. The wing consists of five groups and 21 squadrons, with more than 4,000 Airmen, 700 civilian employees, and more than 70 aircraft stationed across Moody Air Force Base in Georgia and Avon Park Air Force Range in Florida.
As one of South Georgia’s largest employers and a vital economic driver for the region, Moody Air Force Base plays a significant role in the Valdosta-Lowndes County community while supporting critical military operations worldwide.
SGMC Health
Pineview General Hospital opened as Valdosta’s first not-for-profit community hospital on July 1, 1955. The 100-bed healthcare facility served Valdosta and surrounding counties. The Hill-Burton Act, a federal grant program, provided most of the hospital’s construction funding. Two local bond referendums provided the remaining funds.
On opening day, 32 affiliated physicians, including general practitioners, surgeons, radiologists, and dentists, had affiliated with the Medical Staff of Pineview General Hospital. Thirty-five patients from Little-Griffin-Owens-Saunders Hospital (Pineview’s privately-owned predecessor) transferred to the new hospital. Nine patients were directly admitted on opening day. From then on, the hospital was busy.
Within five short years, the governing board of the hospital, the Hospital Authority of Valdosta & Lowndes County, GA, saw the need for more inpatient beds. Construction began, and the first addition to Pineview General was completed in 1964. This construction added 90 patient beds and new emergency, X-ray, and operating rooms. A new chapel and classrooms were added. A new pediatric wing was built on the fifth floor. A 26-bed Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center was constructed to address the need for regional behavioral health services.
By 1971, the hospital had grown considerably. Because Pineview was serving the healthcare needs of more than 200,000 persons from South Central Georgia and North Florida, the hospital’s name was changed to South Georgia Medical Center on October 20, 1971.
South Georgia Medical Center campuses and affiliates operate under SGMC Health and continues a legacy of commitment to creating unequaled access to care by expanding needed healthcare services and locations across the region.
SGMC Health is a not-for-profit medical system dedicated to leading efforts to improve the health, wellness, and quality of life in the community.
With 418 licensed beds, more than 600 providers, and 2,900 employees, SGMC Health, its campuses, and its affiliates provide a broad range of high-quality healthcare services. SGMC Health main campus is located in Valdosta, serves 400,000 residents across a 15-county service area.
SGMC Health is fully accredited by DNV’s accreditation program, Integrated Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (NIAHO®), the highest mark of patient safety standards set forth by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.