ATLANTA — In July 1911, the Greene County Railroad incorporated to acquire the equipment of the Bostwick Railroad and also built a line connecting Monroe and Bostwick.
The earlier Bostwick Railroad in 1906-1907 built a roughly 6-mile-long line between Bostwick and Apalachee, where it connected with the Macon-to-Athens branch of the Central of Georgia Railway.
An article on page 5 of the Feb. 22, 1907, edition of the Weekly Banner newspaper indicated the Bostwick Railroad line already reached the city limits of Apalachee. It was expected to be completed by March 1, 1907.
The railroad, named for President John Bostwick, was to offer two trips per day, the article indicated.
Success, however, was short-lived, and on August 1911 receiver’s sale was announced on page 3 of the July 25, 1911, edition of the Athens Banner newspaper. Up for same was a 15-ton locomotive,a gondola, a baggage car and a passenger coach with two apartments that each sat 24 people.
The Greene County Railroad ultimately purchased the assets of the Bostwick Railroad. Interestingly, the Greene County Railroad’s tracks never actually entered its namesake county, and the company may have been named for its president, Forrest Greene.
An article on page 8 of the Feb. 28, 1912, edition of the Athens Banner, the roughly 18-mile-long extension between Monroe and Bostwick were expected to be completed by October 1912. It was one of three railroads under construction at the time in the Athens, Ga., area.
According to Moody’s analyses of investments, Part 1 (1918):
GREENE COUNTY RAILROAD
History: Incorporated under the laws of Georgia, July 27, 1911, to construct a road from Bostwick to Monroe, Ga., and also to acquire road and equipment of the former Bostwick R.R., extending to Apalachee to Bostwick, Ga.
Location: Road extends from Apalachee to Monroe, Ga., 19.69 miles. Sidings, 1.84 miles. Equipment: Locomotives, 2; passenger car, 1; freight cars, 4.
Management: Officers: Forest Greene, Pres., Atlanta, Ga.; R. L. Mobley, Gen. Mgr.; Noah Webster, Aud., Monroe, Ga. Directors: Forest Greene, Walter Turner, W. H. Paterson, Atlanta, Ga.; J. C. Knapp, Birmingham, Ala.
The Greene County Railroad was ultimately abandoned in 1942.
