OHC NEWSLETTER

April – June 2021
Waycross Entertainment History by Marla Howell
Waycross has a wealth of history but more specifically we are addressing two areas being those who performed live at our City Auditorium and the magnificent theaters of our town, one that hosted three world motion picture premiers.
Our City Auditorium was built in 1937 by the people for the people. The Waycross Chapter of the Lion’s Club was the driving force of funding from the Work Progress Administration (WPA).
It was built with its current stage but had a full balcony around the perimeter of the interior. After many years of events and activity, it fell into a state of needed repair. We are blessed to have seen a fantastic renovation in 2008. Since that renovation, it has been used and enjoyed by all as an event center operated by the City of Waycross.

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NEWSLETTER

OHC Newsletter

April, May and June 2026 Jackson’s Folly By Jessica Bennett In the late nineteenth century, an ambitious plan was devised to tame one of the most mysterious landscapes in the American South—the Okefenokee Swamp. Located in southeastern Georgia, the vast wetland had long been regarded by locals as a place that resisted human control. Yet in 1889, investors and lawmakers believed they could transform it into a profitable enterprise. What followed became one of the most notable failures in the region’s history, remembered as “Jackson’s Folly.” …
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OHC Newsletter

Jan, Feb and March 2026
Okefenokee Heritage Center In Review
By EJ Pond

2025 was a rewarding, exciting, and memorable year that saw the OHC celebrate a landmark anniversary, receive a highly prestigious cultural award, and install striking new signage. Among the components of the center, art is among the driving forces of OHC. …

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OHC Newsletter

October, November, and December 2025
The Waycross Post Office Building: A Century of Service & History
By Kemberly Stephens-Cone

Did you know that the handsome brick building at 605 Elizabeth Street once stood at the very heart of Waycross’s civic life? For more than six decades, it served as both Post Office and U.S. District Courthouse, a hub for communication, justice, and the growing rail-town community. …

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OHC Newsletter

July, August and Sept 2025
50th Anniversary
The Okefenokee Heritage Center celebrated its 50th anniversary on Saturday evening, May 31st, with a Golden Bowl Celebration. In true OHC spirit, the evening was family-friendly, casual, and tailored toward community connections.

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OHC Newsletter

April, May and June 2025
The Unusual Story of the Okefenokee Heritage Center and Southern Forest World,
written by Susan Lott Clark
(Article abridged by Carla Cornett)

An appreciation for the arts in their various forms – visual, music, and drama – first gave support to having the Okefenokee Heritage Center. We recognized the importance for cultural enrichment and enhancing the quality of life in this area.

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OHC Newsletter

Jan, Feb and March 2025
Okefenokee Heritage Center turns 50!
An excerpt from the book:
“The Unusual Story of the Okefenokee Heritage Center and Southern Forest World”, written by Susan Lott Clark
(Article abridged by Carla Cornett)

How it all began!

At the regular meeting of the Waycross Service League, on May 5, 1964, the following came as a recommendation from the executive committee: …

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