For $795,000, this could be your hometown

Somewhere among all the collectibles, electronics and cars for sale on eBay, there's a little piece of Georgia history.

ADVERTISEMENT

Have a thought? Go to the Forums or Chat.

Subscribe  E-mail this story  Write a letter to the Editor  Printer-friendly version  Get news on your PDA  Get e-mail headlines

Actually, make that a big piece.

The town of Rocky Ford is up for auction, and for the bargain price of $795,000 it can be yours.

The town, 11 miles southeast of Millen, has been for sale since 1998. The original asking price of $3.75 million has seen no takers, but owner Greta Newton is optimistic that someone with a love for history will snatch up the rural town.

"It's a really historical place," said Ms. Newton, a Rocky Ford native.

A column of Gen. William T. Sherman's troops marched through Rocky Ford during the Civil War. The town's cotton gin building also dates to the 1800s, she said.

Ms. Newton purchased the town in the early 1990s, after returning home to find most of the buildings abandoned and in disrepair. She has since partially restored several of the buildings.

According to the listing at eBay, the property includes commercial buildings, a 7,000-square-foot residential and office complex, a 1,000-foot railroad siding, a bank, a restaurant and a post office.

Reach Jennifer Hilliard at (706) 823-3223 or jennifer.hilliard@augustachronicle.com.

--From the Thursday, May 8, 2003 printed edition of the Augusta Chronicle