Construction began early in 1835, from Augusta and was under the supervision of John Edgar Thomson, a young civil engineer from Philadelphia.
( Thomson, Ga. was Named for him.)
The charter was amended in 1835, to permit the company to go into the Banking Business. Under the amendment, the company became The Georgia Railroad & Banking Company which survies to this day.
The road was opened to Thomson in 1837, and was completed to Crawforfville in June, 1838. Upon the opening of the road through Warren County, stations were established west of Thomson at Camak.
By further amendment to the Charter, a branch from Camak to Warrenton was authorized. This line was completed and opened for business in 1839. The Frist Passenger Service on this branch was provided by a small car pulled by a horse.
In 1861, some of the leading citizens of Warrenton, Sparta, and Milledgeville, obtained a charter to form The Milledgeville Railroad Company and build a line from Warrenton to Milledgeville.The Georgia Railroad & Banking Company made a large investment in this project. The Milledgeville Railroad reached Mayfield in 1864, and there the project came to halt because of the War Between the States.
The Georgia Railroad played an important part in the period covering the War Between the States. It transported without charge over 100,000 veterans of this war as they returned to their families and homes at the end of the war.
The old Railroad Depot has been remodeled and is owned and being used by CSX Railroad.
Today , the Railroad, a Rock Quarry and a Lumber Yard are the main industries.
Mayor... Allen Troy, and the City Council...
Walter Parker, Christina Sparks, Robert Lee,
Steve Cooper, and Shirleen Bell, are working with the Railroad Days Committee... Johnny and Susan Reese, Walter Parker, Brenda Cooper ,Jamie and Al Skies and others to put on the Festival.
On August 22,1951, the S & A Railroad was purchased by the Central of Georgia Railroad, and on June 17, 1963, the Southern Railroad purchased the Centarl of Georgia, making the
S & A Railroad part of the Southern Railway System. Camak, Georgia is a joint agency for the Southern ( S & A) Railroad and the Georgia Railroad.
The S & A Railroad is often referred to as " the railroad that never reached home" since its original destination was Atlanta, but it never went any further than Camak.
A few good citizens came up with the idea of having a festival in hopes of rebuilding the old town to its former beauty. A place once again that its citizens can be proud to call home. We hope to do this by having an annual " Railroad Days Festival " We have seen how these festivals have helped rebuild other small towns and its population. By restoring the old stores, holding on to its rich history of the railroad and how it shaped the Town of Camak, and the people that lived here.
We are starting to see some small changes taken place, civic pride in the town is returning, and property is being cleaned up. So, with the dream of bringing some of the past, to the future, you can hear Camak's heart beating louder, slowly getting stronger, as with anything it takes time and the citizens of Camak are in it for the long haul.
