James_May-June_2026_web - Flipbook - Page 65
way to Harmony Road in Putnam
County. The Georgia Department of
Transportation is funding that entire
massive highway project, and completion of the Lake Oconee Parkway
project is set for some time in 2031.
Officials in both Putnam and
Greene counties contend that the
series of roundabouts will make it
much easier to move traffic along
the busy corridor, which today is
easily bottlenecked from Greene
County into Putnam County every
day during rush-hour traffic.
Along Scott Road, a new mixeduse development called Still Water
is also being built which will consist of both residential homes and
various businesses. Furthermore,
the new Len Resort at Lake Oconee is a $155 million,
50-acre lakefront development which has a completion
date of September 2027 and is expected to create 160
new jobs.
The Putnam County Recreation Department also has fostered
growth in recent years and offers
youth activities, along with adult
activities such as tennis and pickle ball courts— both inside and
outside. The recreation complex
also offers a large swimming pool,
which will be opening for summertime enjoyment.
There also is Oconee Springs
Park, which is a county-maintained
park that attracts visitors every year
to Putnam County. There are all
kinds of activities there for families,
as well as cabins for families that
can be rented for a relaxing vacation away from everything.
Lake and golfing activities,
though, are the main magnets that attract many
people to a county known for its charming lakefront
views and scenic stretches of beautiful farmland. That
should never change.
Visitor-friendly Eatonton
Billy Hobbs is a senior reporter with The Union-Recorder in Milledgeville and has spent over 50 years writing for daily and weekly newspapers, mostly in Georgia. He is also a correspondent for James.
Meanwhile, as the county grows, so too does the
county seat of Eatonton. Founded in 1808, the city features a walkable historic downtown district that offers
something of everything for the explorer. Log on to the
visiteatonton.com website to learn where to eat, shop,
explore and even where to have a vacation getaway.
And, of course, you’re close to having fun at Lakes
Oconee and Sinclair.
Eatonton especially has interesting museums that
attract many visitors. It has a famous one called Uncle
Remus that features the life and work of Joel Chandler
Harris, who authored the well-known Uncle Remus
stories. It features historic storytelling, period artifacts
and dioramas of Uncle Remus characters. There is also
a Writers’ Museum that celebrates Georgia’s rich literary tradition, as well as an Old School History Museum.
There’s even a completely renovated Uncle Remus Golf
Course within the city limits that continuously draws
both local golfers and visitors.
Officials with the city and Putnam predict modest
commercial and residential growth and have supported many improvements at Jimmy Davis Park. And in
the last three years, under the leadership of Eatonton
Mayor John Reid and City Council members, a number
of new businesses have opened and a new high-rise
residential apartment complex has been built in downtown. Once-empty storefront businesses that surround
the county courthouse in the heart of downtown are
now occupied.
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