Baxley, Georgia is located in the southeastern part of the state, due west of Savannah. It had a population of 4,150 at the 2000 census. It has many lakes and streams throughout its land and is considered the shopping and medical hub for the county of Appling.
Baxley developed in the late 19th century over the course of several decades. The town first began to form due to its large number of timber rafting and naval stores that sprung up in the area. A wealthy and successful farmer, cattle owner and businessman, Wilson Baxley, sold an area near his store to the Macon and Brunswick Railroad in 1870. This led to the formation of a railway station and the town was soon named Baxley after the prosperous farmer. Over the years other industries have also flourished in Baxley, including sawmills, turpentine plants and the sale of sweet potatoes.
Baxley was designated as a Better Hometown in January 2000. This award is given by the state of Georgia to recognize community-based management of core commercial districts. In 2004, Baxley followed up that award by being named A City of Excellence.
Baxley has had several prominent residents over its years. Alfred Jenkins was the director of Asian community affairs for the U.S. State Department throughout President Nixon’s terms. He traveled with the President to China in 1972 and helped with the “opening” of China. Baxley was also home to Caroline Miller, a famous novelist, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her book “Lamb in His Bosom.”
Baxley provides a number of services for its residents. It has its own Police and Fire Departments that provide regular and emergency protection. It provides yard trash pickup weekly across the town. It also has a 90-gallon household garbage container that that can be serviced once a week for just $10.10 a month, as of July 2010. This charge is applied to a resident’s monthly water and sewer bill.
While Baxley supported a thriving agriculture and ranching culture over its history, today it relies largely on industry. It has been home to the Edwin I. Hatch Nuclear Power Plant since the late 1960s, and the plant has been a mainstay of Baxley's industry since that time.
