If you guessed Thomasville was named after a man named Thomas, you’d be right! Thomas Jefferson Johnson, owner/builder of Pebble Hill Plantation (see below), formed Thomas County in Southwest Georgia in 1825 and the county seat one year later. Both are believed to be named for a Major General Thomas, a member of the state militia in the War of 1812.

Thomasville became the terminus of a railroad line from the north in 1861, and by the late 1800s it became the “Winter Resort of the South,” with ill Northerners visiting in the hopes the pine-scented air would cure their pulmonary ailments. They were soon joined by other Northerners wishing to enjoy local hunting, fishing, and social pursuits such as golf, horse racing, and bicycling so that Thomasville came to represent the lavish resort lifestyle. America’s wealthy families soon discovered that it cost less to buy land here than rent hotel rooms, which resulted in their building impressive Victorian mansions and plantation homes.

Even though the grand hotel era ended with the extension of the railroad into southern Florida in the early twentieth century, the town has hosted more recent prominent visitors. Jacqueline Kennedy stayed at Greenwood Plantation outside Thomasville in February 1964 after the assassination of her husband, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Thomas County in 1956 to rest after an illness and decide whether to run for a second term.

In 2016 Thomasville (pop. 18,400) was officially designated the state’s “Rose City,” a moniker which it proudly upholds with colorful rose bushes seemingly on every corner.

Now that you know a little of the city’s past, find out the fun you can have there today!

Thomasville Rose Garden and Cherokee Lake Park

Thomasville makes clear with this garden that it is Georgia’s Rose City! It showcases over 1500 rose bushes, honoring the town’s long history of rose culture. Check out the wide variety of blooms, including the “John F. Kennedy” and “Marilyn Monroe” placed near each other, and relax in the gazebo in the midst of this flowery sanctuary. Or better yet, come to Thomasville in April for the Annual Rose Show and Festival! Adjacent to the Rose Garden is Cherokee Lake Park, a peaceful recreation area with a playground and one-mile walking trail that encircles a lake where you can launch paddle- and even motor-boats.

Big Oak

Thomasville is home to a massive 400-year-old live oak tree that is 68 feet tall and has a trunk circumference of 24 feet. Its limb span is 162 feet, two feet wider than the depth of Niagara Falls. Get your picture taken by this giant tree with the Big Oak Cam! Just call a number provided to you at the tree, and then check out your uploaded photo online. Just be better prepared than we were for the snap!

Lapham-Patterson House

One of the most visually fascinating “winter cottages” of the Victorian Era, the Lapham-Patterson House was constructed in 1885 in the Queen Anne style. It has a stairway with a cantilevered balcony that wraps around a double flued chimney and possesses no square or rectangular rooms! While you can tour the interior, even studying the exterior of this unusually-constructed house is an adventure!

Pebble Hill Plantation

This 3,000-acre property, originally used as a working farm by the founder of Thomasville, was later turned into a winter home and shooting plantation in the late 1800s. The Main House, reconstructed after a fire in the 1930s, is filled with beautiful antiques, Audubon lithographs, and interesting murals depicting local nature scenes. Although a guided tour of the interior is currently unavailable (due to COVID-19), the grounds are a spectacle in themselves! Pick up a map from the Visitors’ Center for a self-guided tour of the stable and cow barn complex (based off the architecture of the University of Virginia), dog hospital, nurse’s station, family cemetery, log cabin school, and many other sites, including stunning gardens.

Hunt the Lost Quail Scavenger Hunt

To honor the town’s long history of quail hunting which drew sportsmen from across the country and around the world to its surrounding plantations, the town has hidden 18 bronze quail statues throughout Downtown Thomasville. The whole family will have fun locating them, and in the process, the town hopes that participants will gain an appreciation for the nature and history of Thomasville. Click the above link for a map and online clues!

And don’t forget to eat!

The food in Thomasville is another highlight so be sure to plan a special meal or two here. Here are my recommendations:

Sass!

The exclamation point is theirs, but if they didn’t include it I would have, because this Cajun/Southern spot, situated in the beautifully renovated Historic Train Depot, is a gem. Come for lunch, dinner, or Sunday brunch, and try spicy goodness like The Sisters’ Cajun fried Oyster Basket, hand-battered in a crunchy Cajun coating and served with their Signature Remoulade; Daddy Dupuy’s Shrimp Etouffee over creamy plantation grits; or Mama Hazel’s Chicken and Sausage gumbo in a homemade stock with onion, celery, and bell pepper. But you must, I said MUST! save room for dessert! The Sisters’ picture-perfect beignets of deep-fried choux pastry, dusted with powdered sugar and served with a caramel rum sauce, are out of this world!

Liam’s Restaurant

If you want specialty cocktails at the lively bar, cheese and charcuterie plates, shareable dishes, or mains, Liam’s is your place. Order one to ten cheeses from their cheese boards, a choice of three charcuterie, or “The Whole Shebang,” an assortment of meats, cheeses, mustards, pickled vegetables, and local honey. Just tell the wait staff your meat and cheese preferences and let them get creative with their choices! For mains, choose from fresh fare like North Georgia Trout or a traditional local favorite, Buttermilk Fried Quail. Their unique desserts like olive oil cake and fig cheesecake are enticing, too!

Jonah’s Fish and Grits

Jonah’s focuses on Southern-inspired land and sea items. I like to judge a seafood restaurant by its hush puppies, and Jonah’s sure passes the test. This made-from-scratch crispy fried dough is brought piping hot to your table and served with house-made honey butter. For starters, try the fried green tomatoes with a Mediterranean twist topped with feta, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette. While you can try their salads or sandwiches, stick to their specialty: seafood! The Parmesan Crusted Grouper is pan-seared to perfection with a panko-parmesan crust, but Jonah’s signature shrimp and grits has rightfully received national notoriety.

Now you see that little Thomasville has big offerings! Visit for yourself and be pleasantly surprised by the culture and cuisine of this “rose” of a town!