Although spelled the same as Houston, Texas, the Midstate county is pronounced, "HOUSE-ton" and for a very simple reason. When it was created in 1821, it was named after John Houstoun, a Revolutionary War hero and later a governor of Georgia. Somewhere over the years the second "u" was dropped, but the original pronunciation stayed the same.
Houston County was one of several large counties established by the state of Georgia after the Creek Indians ceded the land west of the Ocmulgee River. However, it has been divided several times to create new counties. In 1822, parts were used for Bibb, Upson and Crawford. Land was lost for Pulaski County in 1828, for Macon County in 1837 and finally, for Peach County in 1924.
The orginal county seat of Wattsville was incorporated in 1823 on what was then the geographic center of the county. The following year the name was changed to Perry in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero of the War of 1812. Perry still serves as the county's seat of government today.
Perry is sometimes called the "Crossroads of Georgia" because U.S. highways 41 and 341 converge there, and now Interstate 75 also runs through the city. As a county seat and a crossroads, Perry has been a favorite resting place for travelers since the time of stagecoaches. In 1870, the Perry Hotel was built across from the courthouse to accommodate business travelers. In the mid-1920s, about the time U.S. 41 was paved from Tennessee to Florida, the New Perry Hotel was constructed on the site of the original. Famous for its white linen tablecloths and traditional Southern cooking, the hotel became a popular stop for tourists on their way to Florida's beaches.
Agriculture was the main commerical enterprise in Houston County during its first century. Initially cotton was king, but then peach orchards became prevalent. The section of the county that was the major peach-growing area-split off to become Peach County in 1924. Lumber and cement became important industries in the 1920s, but it was World War II that gave Houston County its economic boom.
In 1941, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took possession of farmland next to the railroad stop of Wellston and built Robins Field. The new military depot was named after Gen. Augustine Warner Robins. Wellston was renamed and incorporated as the city of Warner Robins on March 5, 1943. The new city grew rapidly as the depot became an important tool in the war effort. Before Robins Field, the community of Wellston had about 50 residents, but by the mied-1950s the population of Warner Robins had soared to more than 8,000.
And Now...
Houston County is still experiencing tremendous growth primarily because of population increases in Warner Robins and Centerville. The county grew 24 percent from 1990 to 2000 and has grown another 14 percent since then.
Such rapid growth has meant government services have had to expand, too. The Houston County School system with 37 schools and more than 25,200 students, recently passed the Bibb County School system as the largest in the area. Three new schools will open in 2007, and there are plans to build a new middle school and high school by 2010. However, rapid growth has not affected the school system's quality. Four Houston County schools have been named National Blue Ribbon Schools, and 22 have been named Georgia Schools of Excellence for a total of 31 times.
Robins Air Force Base plays a key role in Houston County's economy. Employing more than 26,000 military personnel, defense contractors and civil service workers, RAFB is not only the major employer for the region, but also the largest industrial complex in the state and one of the largest Air Force bases in the South. The base's net impact on Georgia's economy is estimated at more than $4 billion. Due to the influence of the base and its related industries, a common saying is 'Every Day in Middle Georgia is Armed Forces Appreciation Day" usually shortened to the acronym "EDIMGIAFAD."
In addition to RAFB, Houston County has another strong and growing industries. Perdue Farms, already a major employer in the Midstate, announced plans to expand its Perry facility to include new cooking product lines, a full distribution center and additional processing capacity. Already employee levels have increased to nearly 2,200.
In May 2007, Frito-Lay announced a $125 million expansion to its production plant in Kathleen, which is already Frito-Lay's largest production site in the world. When the expansion is complete, Frito-Lay will employ nearly 1,300 people.
The Houston American Cement Company will locate a $200 million production facility in the eastern part of the county. The facility will require at least two years of construction and is expected to be operational in 2010.
With the influence of RAFB and the county's other industries, it's no surprise that Houston County boasts one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state at slightly more than 3 percent.
Tourism is still important to Houston County, espically in Perry. In the late 1980s ,the state selected Perry as the site of the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter. the state-of-the-art facility has grown from 600 acres to more than 1,100 acres. More than 250 events occur at the facility each year including rodeos, horse shows and RV rallies.
Since it beginning in 1990, the Georgia National Fair has won 69 awards from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions for its livestock and horse events, competitive exhibits and communications programs. It has also been designated a Southeast Tourism Society "Top 20 Event for October" 10 times and a "Top 50" fair by Amusement Business magazine.
Adjacent to RAFB is the Museum of Aviation, which houses 93 aircraft and missiles in static displays dispersed in four buildings and around the grounds. In addition to memorabilia of America's wars and conflicts, there's aviation art, models, original equipment and the Vistascope Theatre.
Twice a year in the deep piney woods near Perry and Warner Robins, people come from all over the area and beyond to attend the Mossy Creek Barnyard Festival. The Festival invites highly skilled artists and craftsmen to demonstrate "the way things used to be." Along with fine art, woodcarving, pewter, pottery and baskets, entertainment is plentiful with gospel, country and folk music and dance teams. The children love the petting zoo, the "Enchanted Forest," and everyone loves the food.
With so much to offer on so many different levels, it's no surprise that Houston County is one of the area's most dynamic places to call home.
