The History of Woolsey
Friends of Historic Woolsey is dedicated to preserving, honoring, and sharing Woolsey’s history for future generations. Named for Dr. Isaac Gray Woolsey, a minister, doctor, farmer, landowner, and philanthropist, Woolsey, originally known as Woolseyville, was once a thriving community.
At its height, Woolsey included a train depot, school, bank, post office, jail, blacksmith shop, cotton gin, peach packing plant, general store, church, and other businesses. The Atlanta Hawkinsville Railroad carried cotton, peaches, and other crops north to Atlanta. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was also a frequent passenger through Woolsey on his way to Warm Springs.
Today, our focus is preserving Historic Woolsey Church, Historic Woolsey Cemetery, the historic grounds, and the century old oak trees that define this special landscape. Through partnerships with local government, businesses, community members, donors, and preservation supporters, we are working to protect and share Woolsey’s architectural, natural, and cultural heritage.
Woolsey’s story is also a story of family, community, and memory. Dr. Woolsey’s vision helped establish the community and the landmarks we cherish today. Generations later, Georgia Writers Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Ferrol Sams Jr., who grew up nearby, captured the traditions, folklore, customs, and memories of this rural community in works such as Run with the Horsemen and Christmas Gift!
We are proud to honor these legacies by continuing the work Dr. Woolsey began more than a century ago, ensuring the history, stories, and unique sense of place that make Woolsey special endure for generations to come.
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