Alma has two tales, one berry

What’s the story behind Alma’s name and reputation as the state’s blueberry capital?

There are two unique stories behind the name. Halfway between Hazlehurst to its north and Waycross to its south, Alma is the county seat of Bacon County in southeast Georgia.

One story dates back to the founding of the community, while the other springs from references to the state’s history, said Cherry Rewis, manager of the Bacon County Welcome Center.

“A guy that came through the area suggested they name [the community] after his wife’s name,” Rewis said of the first story.

The area where Alma is now located was originally founded in 1900, but was not incorporated until six years later.

According to “Georgia PlaceNames” by Kenneth K. Krakow, the settlers of the community during this time had come together to choose a name for their town, when a traveling salesman from Macon by the name of Sheridan offered his wife’s name, Alma Sheridan, as an option.

The second story suggests the city’s name is more a tribute to the state of Georgia than Mr. Sheridan’s sweetheart.

“It’s also the initials of the state capitals — Augusta, Louisville, Milledgeville and Atlanta,” said Rewis, referring to the list of Georgia cities that have served as state capitals.

According to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, Bernice McCullar brought the state capitals story into public knowledge in her 1966 book “This Is Your Georgia.” Both stories have been retold by locals ever since.

While the origins of Alma’s name could be a source for debate, Bacon County’s position as the blueberry capital of Georgia is not. In 2016, about 8,500 acres were used for producing blueberries alone.

“That’s a rough estimate, because (the farmers) are planting more blueberries every day,” said Rewis, also executive assistant for the Bacon County Development Authority.

Rewis said that blueberries began to be commercially grown in the area in the 1970s with the help of the University of Georgia and the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. Shortly thereafter, the University of Georgia began working alongside some of the area growers, including Don Wade, to begin research.

“The experiment’s focus was on our ground — did it have all the proper nutrients, which variety would grow best in our dirt, how it got started, and how fertile the ground was,” Rewis said.

In 1974, Bacon County held the first Georgia Blueberry Festival (georgiablueberryfestival.org), a locally organized event.

This year’s festival, set for June 2-3 (the state’s blueberry season traditionally runs until the end of July), includes live music, a blueberry pancake breakfast, 5K race and a parade.