•February 1, 2017•

By Jim Nowlan
NP Guest Columnist

I decided to “get outta’ Dodge” for a couple of weeks. I have landed in Thomasville, Georgia (pop. 19,000), just north of the Florida panhandle.

Each morning I have coffee out front of a shop in the upscale, 1880s-vintage downtown. I have been struck by the smiling, friendly and upbeat nature of folks here.

I swear they have a lively bounce in their step as they head out to start their day. Why so, I wondered?

I visited with Tom Hill, a native and the retired curator of the city’s history museum.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.