At the southernmost end of Burke County sits a small community nestled on the banks of the Ogeechee River. Midville, as it has been known for just shy of 150 years, has many stories to tell. Midville has always been about the people, not about big buildings or money.
I’ve always heard that Midville was originally referred to as Midway because it sits mid-way between Macon and Savannah on the railroad. The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Midville as a town (city) in 1877.
Midville sprang up because of the railroad and at one time, there was a train depot that was adjacent to the railroad tracks. There was a fair amount of people here at one time, but the 2020 census shows the population at 385 people. I’m not concerned with numbers one way or another.
Through the 1950’s and 60’s, there were still many businesses in operation here in Midville. There were several grocery stores, a dry goods store, a drug store and even a doctor. There was also a bank, two cotton gins, a hardware store and a Ford dealership. There were also other businesses as well, a furniture store and a shoe shop. There was also a cannery known as the pea plant and one other thing that I can’t fail to mention, an ice plant. I’m especially proud of that fact because my grandfather, Roy Womack, owned and operated the ice plant.
There was a school here which was home to The Midville Bulldogs. Midville was renowned for its basketball team. The players were outstanding because they were under the tutelage of head coach Buck Brannen. Even today, there sits a glass case full of trophies collected by The Midville Bulldogs.
Although agriculture is still big here today, it is highly mechanized and the large amounts of labor are no longer needed. Back then, however, farming required a bunch of labor. There was a tremendous amount of people to support all the businesses in town. It was a thriving community.
My daddy, Ray Womack, graduated from Midville High School in 1957. He told me many times throughout my life about all the stories, the happenings, and most of all, the people here. Daddy said on Saturday afternoons you couldn’t walk down the street for the people. He said they had a drawing, a lottery of sorts, every Saturday evening. They drew the winner late in the evening to keep people in town longer. Oh, how I wish I could have seen all that and taken part in such a glorious time in our little town. It had to have been a sight to see!
We have an absolute treasure in Midville as well. It has stood the test of time and fortunately, we still have it today. I'm referring to our beloved river, The Mighty Ogeechee. That river has been special to several generations of Midville folks and even today, we are drawn to it in an almost inexplicable way. I truly believe that black water from the river flows through my veins.
Unfortunately, things change because there is nothing that is impervious to the hands of time. Midville was met with the same fate as many other small towns throughout the South. The school was closed in the early 1960’s. Farming was becoming more and more mechanized. People started leaving in search of a better future for their families, and I get it.
I think things shifted all over my beloved southland in those days, but I had not made my arrival here just yet. I showed up here as a bouncing baby boy in January of 1971. I got here after the boom. We did have one grocery store left that was owned and operated by the Rountree family.
The years I spent working in that old store, as well as Midville itself, set my life in motion in ways that would have otherwise never happened. Truly, it was providential. Although I may have missed the booming days of Midville, there was and is one thing I did not miss…the spirit of the people that live here now and the ones that came before me.
Granted, we have lost many things in our little town, but we have not lost our love for one another, nor have we lost our love for Midville. This special place is just a dot on a map for many, but for me, it is so, so much more. I have been here since day one and if the good lord is willing, I will be here on my last day. If you’re trying to find Midville, well, it’s mid-way between Macon and Savannah on the railroad and right next to The Mighty Ogeechee River.
