Thomasville was founded as the county seat of Thomas County in 1826. Thomasville became wildly popular as a winter resort town for Northerners at the end of the 19th century. Extravagant hotels, and large estates were built to accommodate the part-time residents and visitors.
Today, Thomasville still enjoys popularity on a smaller scale. More than 50 homes and buildings are listed on a self-guided walking or driving tour of Thomasville. Many of the homes built for snow-birds are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and some are open to the public. One such place is the Lapham-Patterson House. This amazing house was built in the lat 1800s as a "winter cottage" and featured many remarkable amenities for its era, such as hot and cold running water. Tours of this wonderfully restored home are available. Pebble Hill Plantation, a 3,000-acre estate, offers another fantastic opportunity to gain an understanding of what life was like for the wealthy of the early 20th century. Guided tours take visitors through a mansion filled with period-furnished rooms. The Thomas County Museum of History features five historic buildings, and a variety of exhibits. This is a wonderful stop for those who really want to understand this region's fascinating roots.
Visitors who love roses will think they have reached Heaven. Thomasville's 7,000 plus roses have earned it the nickname "The City of Roses." To celebrate its love of roses, the city features a very popular Rose Festival in April of every year. This event draws visitors, and competitors, from all over the US. Thomasville also maintains The Thomasville Rose Garden, which boasts more than 500 rose bushes. While roses are a huge attraction, the city's downtown Big Oak is also widely admired. This simply magnificent tree is noted as the largest live oak east of the Mississippi.
Thomasville, Georgia is located off Highway 19, in the southern part of the state, only 15 miles north of Florida boarder.
