There’s something special about Oglethorpe County that’s hard to put into words. Maybe it’s the wide-open fields, the quiet country roads or the familiar faces you see everywhere you go.
But more than anything, it’s the people — the neighbors who show up, the businesses that know their customers by name and the generations of families — who have made this place home.
Oglethorpe County isn’t just where I live. It’s a community I’m proud to call home.
Here are just a few of the things I love about Oglethorpe County:
- Riding the 250 miles of dirt roads with the windows down and the radio turned up!
- Finding Wayne Loggans in Crawford with boiled peanuts.
- Blake Arnold’s pickle bacon ranch pizza at Crawford Pizza.
- The claim to fame of being a Komac Kid and one of T. Paul’s rowdy kids.
- The pink sunsets inside Patriot Stadium.
- Seeing the senior class picture taken every year inside the OCHS gym.
- Halloween camping at Watson Mill Bridge State Park.
- The graduation edition of The Oglethorpe Echo.
- Attending events at the Historic Crawford Depot.
- The way Calvin Weaver and Beebe Drake take care of people.
- Introducing new friends to homegrown friends.
- The annual red velvet cupcake sale.
- Finding treasures at Lexington Marketplace.
- Stopping by The Commercial Bank to swap witty comments with Andy Thomas.
- Chicken biscuits and tater boats from The Golden Pantry.
- Enjoying lunch at a cozy table inside The Rowdy Rooster.
- Chuck Brooks’ hospitality and attending events at Platt Brooks Estate.
- The old-fashioned Christmas candy at Oglethorpe Feed & Hardware Supply.
- Seeing the summer performance at Arts! Oglethorpe.
- Hearing Jeff Paul recite the Declaration of Independence.
- The way our neighbors rally together to help someone in need.
- Talking to Kate Finch about the Bulldogs and the Patriots.
- The Chamber Christmas Marketplace.
- Our volunteer fire department teams.
- Farm stands.
- The Maxeys Christmas Parade.
- Zombie Farms.
- The Booster Club’s annual Powerball fundraiser.
- Charles and Polly Fleming’s decorations every fall and Christmas.
- The local celebrity portion of the livestock show.
- Oglethorpe County Schools.
- The way the entire community celebrates when our kids win a state championship.
- FCA’s Field of Faith services.
- The Oglethorpe County Library.
- Greeting Marilyn Huff-Waller with a drawn-out “heeeeeeeeeeey.”
- Church Street in Lexington.
- Talking to Tom Gresham about Historic Oglethorpe.
- Trunk-or-treating at the recreation department.
- The annual OCHS soccer alumni game.
- Our church community.
- Melanie Sanders’ taco soup recipe.
- Eating noodle soup with Jo Harrison.
- The homecoming parade.
- The question, “How’s Mathew?” asked by everyone, everywhere, because he belongs to them as much as he belongs to me.
- Talking to my neighbors, who knew my grandparents and great-grandparents.
- The Smokey Road Christmas parade.
- The sign inside the B&T that says, “Thank you for shopping at Bells.”
- The Patriot on the water tower in Crawford.
- Knowing Jay Paul will grin if you refer to him as Mr. Mayor instead of Mr. Chairman.
- The sound of quiet and crickets from the chair on my back deck in the evenings.
Friends, what is it that makes you love Oglethorpe County?
Whether it’s the people, the places, the traditions, or a special memory, we invite you to share what makes this community so special to you.
Send us your story (editor@oglethorpeecho.com) and help us celebrate all the reasons there’s no place quite like Oglethorpe County!
Becky Soto is a native of Oglethorpe County and the business manager of The Oglethorpe Echo.
