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  TOURISM IN DECATUR COUNTY

Bon Air Motel
The historic BON AIR HOTEL, located in downtown Bainbridge, with historic Decatur County Courthouse clock tower pictured in background.
(click to view larger photo in new browser window)

In days gone by, the Bon Air Hotel was know as a "delightful place to sojourn at any season of the year." However, over the years, the once-beautiful hotel had deteriorated into an underused three-story building with a leaking roof. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation assisted in restoring the building and the 39,000 square foot building now serves as a landmark and homage to days gone by in downtown Bainbridge, GA.

Many Choices of Activities
There are lots of places to see and things to do in and around Decatur County, Georgia. Tourists can take the "Heritage Tour", a driving tour of historical places in Decatur County, attend one of the many, many festivals or celebration events held in and around Decatur County, or enjoy the wonderful outdoor fishing and hunting that our area offers with its hunting reservations/preserves, including the new Silver Lake WMA opening in August 2008. Bainbridge, Georgia Convention and Visitors' Bureau link.

For a list of popular tourist attractions and vacation spots in Southwest Georgia, go to the Regional Development Center's "Tour Sowega" site.

Whether you enjoy attending a parades, listening to various styles of live music, indulging yourself in the arts, or simply attending community events and absorbing the Southern culture that abounds, there is sure to be something for you in Decatur County.

Best Fishing in the South

FishingThe Flint River and Lake Seminole offer abundant fishing and water sports. Both attract thousands of amateur and professional fishermen, and many top bass tournaments are held here throughout the year. Lake Seminole is ranked by some sources as the fifth best bass fishing lake in the United States. Abundant populations of striped and white bass, catfish, crappy, and bream wait to tempt fishermen of all ages.

Fishing is a year-round activity on Lake Seminole. In addition to the challenging bass fishing tournaments held in the area annually, there are many casual competitions held almost every weekend among local bass clubs and professional anglers. The annual Jack Wingate Open is held the first weekend in March and is a good chance to test your skills against the best fishermen in the business. The Lake Seminole area even has a legal netting season - the only location in inland Georgia where this is true.

Camping, Boating, Water Skiing, and Picnicking

In addition to fishing, there are other outdoor activities for nature-lovers. Camping, boating, water skiing and picnicking are also favorite leisure activities in the area. Boaters are provided with numerous boat ramps along the shores of the Flint River, Spring Creek, Lake Seminole, and related bodies of water. Boat rentals are available at Seminole State Park and Wingate's Fishing and Hunting Lodge. There are numerous camping sites, RV sites/parks, and freshwater beaches.

There are several beautiful parks maintained by the City of Bainbridge, including those at the Earle May Boat Basin, Cheney Griffin Park and W.M. Coyle Park. The parks include such items and features as campsites, barbeque pits, stocked fishing ponds, a steam-powered sawmill, playgrounds, a historic steam-powered train engine and an outdoor theater. There are elevated nature trails, boardwalks, bike trails, lighted tennis courts, fishing piers, and more with each park having its own unique combination of the above features, creating a truly unique experience.

Hotel RoomHotels, Motels, and Camp Sites
Whether you're on a business trip and need something that provides internet access and is nice and clean, yet reasonably priced, or don't mind spending a little more in order to have a bigger choice of services provided to you, there are accommodations throughout Decatur County that can meet your exact needs. There are economy-style motels and larger, more "full service" type hotels also available.

For more complete listing of area hotels and motels, you may wish to visit our Lodging page.

 

You may wish to view these related pages on our web site:


Notices
 

County Commission Meeting

The next regular County Commission meeting takes place Tuesday, August 10, 2010, at 9 a.m. in the Administration Building at 203 W. Broughton St., in Bainbridge. Click on 2010-2011 County Budget to view this document. Click on Commission Information to view minutes and other commission documents.



Relocating Bell Precinct to Climax

Pictured above is Bell voting precinct building being moved to the Climax Swine Time Grounds on Wednesday, June 16, one of three old voting precincts, including Pine Hill and Parker, moved by the county. The old buildings will be part of a historical display in Climax.

Click on Decatur County Inmate Firefighters Part I and Inmate Firefighters Part II to view WCTV LaTasha Givens' story about the program that aired April 28 and 29, 2010.



Looking for the City of Decatur?

Please click on City of Decatur if you are looking for Decatur, Ga. The site you are currently viewing belongs to Decatur COUNTY, Ga., located in South Georgia near the Florida/Georgia State Line. Thanks!



Wireless Broadband Service

Click on Wireless Broadband Service if interested in registering for this service. Click on Ribbon Cutting for Mainstreet Broadband to get more information on the event. Call 1-888-807-FAST (3278) for more information.



2011 Regional Plan

Southwest Georgia Regional Commission invites citizens to participate in the 2011 Regional Plan.



2010 County of Excellence

Decatur County is named a 2010 County of Excellence by Association County Commissioners of Georgia and Georgia Trend Magazine as of March 2010. Click on Georgia Trend March 2010 to view the ad. Click on WALB carries County of Excellence story to view it.



New Voting Precinct Maps

Link to map of new voting precincts.



Pay Citations/Fines Online!

Click here to pay citations or fines on-line.



WALB Weather Alerts

Link to WALB Weather Alerts



Lake Seminole Levels

Click on Lake Seminole levels for report.



Keep Decatur County Beautiful

Click on Keep Decatur County Beautiful for information on recycling or call Director Suzanne Brandt at 229-246-3611.

Flint River Keepers will hold an important meeting will be held at Cloud Livestock Facility, 13000 East River Road ( located on Decatur County Fairgrounds)Sunday, Aug. 12, 2010, at 4:30 p.m. regarding the proposed permit for Plant Longleaf in Blakely, a coal burning facility which could seriously impact air and water quality in Decatur and Seminole Counties. All interested person are encouraged to attend. Call 246-3611 for more information.

Click on Brinson Recycle Trailer news to view article in the Spring Creek Watershed publication "Watermark"



County Surplus Sales

Click on GovDeals.com to view county surplus items for sale.



Dr. Stafford. District 3 Commissioner, on ACCG Health and Human Services Committee

Each summer, county officials from across the state come together to discuss legislative issues important to county government through committee meetings organized by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG). Decatur County Commissioner Dr. C.T. Stafford is a member of the ACCG Health and Human Services Committee and recently participated in a meeting to discuss issues that ranged from funding for trauma care to caring for those with mental health disorders.      

ACCG provides public policy development and advocacy on behalf of counties and their communities and works through a consensus building process to establish an annual legislative agenda called the County Platform.  The issues in the platform are developed through the work of six policy committees which include:  Economic Development and Transportation; General County Government; Health and Human Services; Natural Resources and the Environment; Public Safety and the Courts; and Revenue and Finance. 

 

“Participating in an ACCG policy committee helps me stay better informed about legislative issues, understand trends health and human services and learn how new proposals could impact Decatur County,” said Commissioner Stafford.  “These meetings also provide a forum for hearing from state legislators and state agency officials, who develop legislation and policies that have a direct impact on our community.”

 

The primary purpose of the recent meeting was to discuss legislation that passed during the 2010 session of the General Assembly, identify information in the legislative platform to update or change; review revenue and finance issues expected to come before the General Assembly in 2011; and consider new policies to add to the County Platform.  The committee also identified issues that needed further study or discussion through a subcommittee meeting. County officials will vote on the County Platform at the Legislative Leadership Conference scheduled for October 4 – 6, 2010 in Atlanta.



County Property Sales

Click on County Property Sales for information and then click on BID FORM if interested in bidding on these.

Link to The Post-Searchlight story regarding property sales.



Application for Employment

Click on Application for Employment to download a copy.  Return completed applications to 203 W. Broad Street, Bainbridge, GA 39817 or Mail completed application to Decatur County Board of Commissioners, P.O. Box 726, Bainbridge, GA 39818, Attn: Human Resource Director



More Properties for sale

Click on Second Round of Property Sales to view ad. Click on Second Round Bid Sheet to download a copy.



Capt. Janice Van Kirk, "Jail Supervisor of the Year"

Decatur County Sheirff's Office Capt. Janice Van Kirk was recognized as "Jail Supervisor of the Year" by Georgia Jail Association during the Tuesday, July 27, 2010, session of the County Commissioner's meeting. We congratulate Capt. Van Kirk for receiving this honor and appreicate all of her hard work and dedication. The award was presented to her by Lt. Beth Shaffer, with comments from Sheriff Wiley Griffin. Commission Chairman Earl Perry read a resolution commending Van Kirk's achievement before presenting it to her at the same meeting. Click on Van Kirk Award Story to see BainbridgeGa.com's coverage.



Paul Soudi recognized by 2010 Census

Decatur County Planning Director Paul Soudi was recognized with a plaque of appreciation from the U.S. Census Bureau for his efforts in orchestrating a successful 2010 Census here in Decatur County. Soudi said the county is at 70 % participation rate, with more people expected to be counted due to census workers canvassing the area. The more people that are counted, the more likely the county can be eligible for certain federal grants or programs. Census also affects how congressional districts are apportioned, he said.




 

 

 

 

 

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