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Before COVID , there was the Spanish Flu: When Griffin Shut Down in 1918 by Drew Payne President, Griffin-Spalding Historical Society When COVID-19 brought everyday life to a standstill in 2020, most of us had never experienced anything like it. Schools closed, church services were suspended, public gatherings were canceled, and families isolated themselves at home. Yet Griffin had experienced much the same thing 102 years earlier, in the autumn of 1918. As World War I neared

German Soldiers, Pimentos, and a Griffin Mystery by Drew Payne President, Griffin-Spalding Historical Society Did you know that German prisoners of war were held in Griffin during World War II, around 1944–1945—just down Meriwether Street from our own Bailey-Tebault House? Historical camp listings identify Griffin as the site of a seasonal prisoner-of-war camp associated with Camp Wheeler near Macon. Across Georgia, prisoners helped address wartime labor shortages, including

by Drew Payne President, Griffin-Spalding Historical Society A Familiar Griffin House - with Cousins in Texas and Illinois The Wheaton-Collier-Jackson-Sieweke House 636 East College Street Sometimes history comes looking for us. Recently, the owners of a historic home in Highland Park, Texas, outside Dallas, contacted the Griffin- Spalding County Historical Society with an intriguing discovery. Their 1921 Colonial Revival home had architectural cousins in other parts of the c

by Drew Payne President, Griffin-Spalding Historical Society After the War, a Little Bit of Britain Came to Griffin Did you know that after World War II, a little bit of Britain came to Griffin? Tens of thousands of British women married American servicemen during World War II. Following passage of the War Brides Act in 1945, approximately 70,000 British war brides came to the United States to begin new lives with their American husbands. Some came to Griffin. One was Vickie

Since the 1970s, the Griffin-Spalding Historical Society has proudly shared its quarterly newsletter, The Artifact, as a way to keep our members and friends connected. Over the years, it has documented leadership changes, preservation milestones, and stories of local history that celebrate our shared heritage. After a pause in circulation due to time and cost constraints, we are thrilled to bring The Artifact back in a refreshed, digital format.

Spalding County approaches its 175th anniversary later this year, and we are reflecting on the people, ideas, and ambitions that shaped both the county and the City of Griffin!

Since the 1970s, the Griffin-Spalding Historical Society has proudly shared its quarterly newsletter, The Artifact, as a way to keep our members and friends connected. Over the years, it has documented leadership changes, preservation milestones, and stories of local history that celebrate our shared heritage. After a pause in circulation due to time and cost constraints, we are thrilled to bring The Artifact back in a refreshed, digital format.

We have been celebrating Griffin’s rich history through vintage postcards, each one a small but powerful time capsule of our community’s past. While we posted these on Facebook, we wanted to combine all the highlighted items here in one post for you to read through.

Since the 1970s, the Griffin-Spalding Historical Society has proudly shared its quarterly newsletter, The Artifact, as a way to keep our members and friends connected. Over the years, it has documented leadership changes, preservation milestones, and stories of local history that celebrate our shared heritage. After a pause in circulation due to time and cost constraints, we are thrilled to bring The Artifact back in a refreshed, digital format.

Read more about the historical significance of one of Spalding County's oldest buildings.

Since 1969, the Griffin-Spalding Historical Society has been a driving force in preserving and promoting the architectural, cultural, and...

Save Gaissert Homeplace - One of Spalding County's Oldest Landmarks in Danger of Demolition