Crawford

Don Davis, a retired veteran, sits along the wall he built to help protect the graves he maintains on his property on Buddy Faust Road in Lexington. Not much is known about the people buried in the three graves next to his house. (MARY CATHERINE DODYS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Don Davis, a retired veteran, sits along the wall he built to help protect the graves he maintains on his property on Buddy Faust Road in Lexington. Not much is known about the people buried in the three graves next to his house. (MARY CATHERINE DODYS/THE OGLETHORPE ECHO)

Preserving their memory: Davis maintains unmarked cemetery

Mary Catherine Dodys
Friday, September 27, 2024
The traditional image of a cemetery is quite different from many in Oglethorpe County, where families often buried their loved ones on their own land, sometimes unmarked.  These family gravesites are scattered throughout the county.
Crawford Pizza employees Elizabeth Russell (left) and Caitlin Hartrum stand in front of the restaurant’s mural earlier this month. Russell, who lives in Crawford, and Hartrum, who lives in Lexington, said it helps welcome people to the county. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Crawford Pizza employees Elizabeth Russell (left) and Caitlin Hartrum stand in front of the restaurant’s mural earlier this month. Russell, who lives in Crawford, and Hartrum, who lives in Lexington, said it helps welcome people to the county. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Mural gains popularity: Phrase on side of Crawford Pizza welcomes visitors to city

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Every day for almost a year, a large mural has greeted those who drive through downtown Crawford.    The mural’s bold, white letters — “It’s nice to have you in Crawford Georgia” — stand out against the red brick on an exterior wall of Crawford Pizza.
Kassie Hodges, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, stands in front of a model home at The Pines at Grove Creek in Crawford. This home isn’t in the 29-lot development, but homes in The Pines at Grove Creek will be built using this plan. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Kassie Hodges, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty, stands in front of a model home at The Pines at Grove Creek in Crawford. This home isn’t in the 29-lot development, but homes in The Pines at Grove Creek will be built using this plan. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Bunker Hill Road development opens to buyers

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
The Pines at Grove Creek, a 29-lot development off of Bunker Hill Road in Crawford, has homes ready for purchase.   Construction has started on the first of three stages, with 10 homes expected to be completed by early summer, said Alexander Purcell, the listing agent for the development.
Todd Smith (from left), Mark Atkins and Katie Armour welcome folks to Nature Harvest Meat Company’s grand opening celebration for its custom processing/in-store meat counter season on Feb. 10. Atkins, the owner of Second Chance BBQ, collaborated with Nature’s Harvest to cook meat for customers at the event. (Gianna Sandy/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Todd Smith (from left), Mark Atkins and Katie Armour welcome folks to Nature Harvest Meat Company’s grand opening celebration for its custom processing/in-store meat counter season on Feb. 10. Atkins, the owner of Second Chance BBQ, collaborated with Nature’s Harvest to cook meat for customers at the event. (Gianna Sandy/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Second Chance BBQ, Nature's Harvest team for grand re-opening

Sarah Myers
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
From the farm to the butcher to the barbeque, it takes a collaboration of local farmers and business owners to bring custom-processed meat to Oglethorpe County.
Kendall Strickland, owner of Strickland Pride Produce, sells vegetables at the grand opening of his store's new Crawford location on Feb 5. About 50 people attended the ribbon cutting to shop his selection of fruits, vegetables and other goods. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Kendall Strickland, owner of Strickland Pride Produce, sells vegetables at the grand opening of his store's new Crawford location on Feb 5. About 50 people attended the ribbon cutting to shop his selection of fruits, vegetables and other goods. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

New location provides Strickland room to grow

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Pattie Wardell and her husband, Rick, were among a group of about five volunteers who helped Kendall Strickland, owner of Strickland Pride Produce, set up tables, arrange produce and manage the checkout counter during the grand opening of Strickland Pride Produce.
Josh Robayo, co-owner of Town and Country Kafe, stands on the grand staircase at the cafe and restaurant last week. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Josh Robayo, co-owner of Town and Country Kafe, stands on the grand staircase at the cafe and restaurant last week. (Margaux Binder/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Town and Country Kafe reschedules opening until spring

Margaux Binder
Wednesday, January 31, 2024
WATCH: Town and Country Kafe tour   Construction on Town and Country Kafe is nearing completion, but its opening date is still pending, co-owner Josh Robayo said.
Crawford Pizza sits on Athens Rd. in Downtown Crawford. Customers are able to place a to-go order, eat inside, or sit at the picnic tables outside. (Jordan Long/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Crawford Pizza sits on Athens Rd. in Downtown Crawford. Customers are able to place a to-go order, eat inside, or sit at the picnic tables outside. (Jordan Long/The Oglethorpe Echo)

Restaurant roundup: Crawford Pizza holds soft opening

Grace Mains and Jordan Long
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Crawford Pizza’s soft opening last week was to help train the restaurant staff and work out the kinks before the grand opening, co-owner Blake Arnold said.   Blake Arnold purchased Papas Pizza To Go in January of this year with plans to create a new pizza joint.
Graphic/Elena Acosta

Graphic/Elena Acosta

Newest Crawford wells hit with quality issues

Elena Acosta
Thursday, August 31, 2023
Two wells drilled in Crawford in May of 2022 have yielded no clean water for residents.   The water at the well near the Red Rabbit Convenience Store on Highway 78 was found to contain too much iron and manganese and now feeds the wastewater plant.
Lena Smith Wise is pictured in her book, “The Story of Oglethorpe County.” Wise began her teaching career at Crawford High School and was later principal of Oglethorpe County Elementary School, spending most of her 42 years in education serving Oglethorpe County. (Photo/Scott Thaxton)

Lena Smith Wise is pictured in her book, “The Story of Oglethorpe County.” Wise began her teaching career at Crawford High School and was later principal of Oglethorpe County Elementary School, spending most of her 42 years in education serving Oglethorpe County. (Photo/Scott Thaxton)

The county’s storyteller: How Lena Wise became central to history

Maddie Daniel
Thursday, April 6, 2023
The Lena Wise Community Center in Crawford, which celebrates its sixth anniversary this year, offers free high school equivalency classes as preparation for the GED.    Vicki Ussery teaches these classes, but her connection to the namesake of the community center doesn’t end there.