Seniors Find ‘Oak City’

Bainbridge, whose population is 13,000, senior travelers will find in southwest Georgia about 40 miles north of Tallahassee, Florida. Bainbridge is known as ‘Oak City,’  thanks to all the many huge oak trees in town. 

Native Americans occupied the area for centuries, and a settlement called Pucknawhitla stood on the site of present-day Bainbridge in 1765, when Europeans arrived.

The town was named after U.S. Navy Commodore William Bainbridge, commander of the USS Constitution, “Old Ironsides”, and was incorporated on December 22, 1829. In 1824, Bainbridge was designated seat of the newly formed Decatur County.

The city is home to Bainbridge College, Lake Seminole and Seminole State Park. While the 37,500-acre lake attracts sport fishing, deer and duck hunting, the park welcomes senior visitors to meet a population of gopher tortoises, the only native tortoise in Georgia.

Seniors Enjoy Bainbridge’s Art And Culture

Bainbridge has its share of art and culture including River Town Days, held each year the second weekend of March. The Swine Time Festival and Decatur County Fall Festival and Fair are two other annual events.

Another popular annual event, The Oak City Cemetery Tour, features Bainbridge’s rich history and the truth, tales, and folklore of some of its most famous former residents.

Seniors won’t want to miss the famed Decatur County Courthouse, constructed in 1902, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an awesome site. The city sits on the banks of the Flint River that flows into Lake Seminole that is well stocked with prize-winning bass.

Seniors Love Bainbridge’s Hospitality

Bainbridge is surrounded by the serenity of nature, filled with the excitement of history and home to genuine southern hospitality. The folks here are proud of their small town and proud that they remain a small town. This one site does it all link features a listing of the on-going events, where to enjoy some great southern cuisine and what to see.

The city is a seaport linked to the Gulf of Mexico via Florida’s Apalachicola River, officially known as Port Bainbridge. Willis Park, the Bainbridge town square, hosts events on a regular basis and senior visitors are invited to take a leisurely stroll in the park or sit under the gazebo and people watch.

I know that my wife and I would enjoy The Heritage Driving Tour of Bainbridge that features over 40 historic homes and churches, many of which have been restored to their original glory. A close second would be a visit to the Decatur County Historical Society on Water Street.

Seniors, plan on a stop at one of the most historic and charming cities in the south, when you are in Georgia. -jeb