Quiet country roads, earthy farm smells, abandoned peanut mills and rusting old-fashioned hay balers are all part of this leisurely drive that offers a scenic history of Georgia agriculture. Roadside signs mark the entire Andersonville Trail, which runs 75 miles from Byron to Cordele, primarily on GA 49. It can be accessed in several locations, but to drive the entire length from north to south, access from I-75’s Exit 46 (GA 49) at Byron, in Peach County, where a giant peach looms on the east side of the highway.

Byron, in Peach County, was originally a whistle stop known as Number One and One Half Station. To reach the old railroad depot, turn right off of GA 49 onto GA 42 and go 0.25 mile to the railroad tracks. Built in 1870, the Byron Depot is located in the exact center of town. According to local reports, more peaches were shipped from here each day in the 1920s and 30s than from anywhere else in the world. Along with a caboose parked to the side, the restored depot serves as a museum with pictures and displays that chronicle the town’s past.

From Byron, GA 49 begins winding through countless pecan and peach orchards as it makes its way south. Roadside stands selling in-season fruits and vegetables reflect the county’s agricultural base—617,000 peach trees, 73,000 pecan trees and annual harvests of over 1 million pounds of peanuts. The Andersonville Trail intersects with the Peach Blossom Trail in Fort Valley. On the left, heading south (more…)

Most people do not know the name of Mose Coleman, but a historical marker (1) bearing his name sits on his property in Toombs County. Here is where Mose planted onions in 1931. But oddly, they turned out sweet, not hot like he had predicted. Nevertheless, the Toombs County farmer got a decent price for his novelty onions at the market. He managed to sell each 50-pound bag for $3.50. Over the years other farmers in the region tried their luck with the onions, which sold well in the Toombs County seat of Vidalia. Motorists traveling on nearby US 280 and Route 1 who tried the onions liked their sweet, mild taste. They bought them by the bagload and referred to them by the name of the town. Soon Vidalia onions appeared on the shelves of Piggly Wiggly and A&P grocery stores all over the East.
Today, the Vidalia onion industry is worth an estimated $30 million. Each autumn and winter more than 200 farmers plant the sweet onions on about 14,000 acres. When harvested in the spring and early summer, each acre produces up to 70,000 plants.
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