Once the Gainesville Midland assumed control of the Gainesville, Jefferson and Southern Railroad in 1904, it set about converting the line to standard gauge and extending the line to Athens.
The Athens Terminal Co. was incorporated on Oct. 4, 1906, as a commercial steam railroad company jointly owned by the Gainesville Midland Railway and Seaboard Air Line.
Gainesville Midland No. 116 was build in 1923 by Philadelphia-based Baldwin Locomotive Works. Before it went into service on the Gainesville Midland, No. 116 served on the Central of Georgia.
So many towns across Georgia owe their existence to the railroad. While trains still operate in a number of those cities, railroads are a distant memory in others. But a handful of cities in Georgia have a memorial dedicated to the role railroads played.
The so-called Classic City is known for a lot, usually revolving around the University of Georgia. But, a major rail line passes through Athens, and there are a handful of historic depots worth checking out – all located within a 30 mile or so drive in any given direction.