History of an Historic Automobile RouteDating back to 1922, the Woodpecker Trail is one of the nation's oldest automobile routes. |
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1920s |
1950s |
Today |
Before the days of numbered highways, the Woodpecker Route carried travelers from South Carolina into Florida. The Woodpecker Route began in Greenville, SC and wandered through Georgia until it ended at Lake City Florida. The route passed through Greenwood and Trenton in South Carolina, and through Augusta, Waynesboro, Metter, Reidsville, Alma, Waycross, and Homerville in Georgia.  A 1923 Georgia map showed that the Woodpecker Route was one of fourteen auto trails in the state. See the entire map at University of Georgia Map Library. See the 1923 Woodpecker Route at Woodpecker Maps.
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In the 1950s, the Woodpecker Route was revived as the Woodpecker Trail. Once again it carried travelers from South Carolina into Florida. Cartoonist Walter Lantz gave permission to use Woody Woodpecker in the trail's logo. In South Carolina the trail followed SC state highway 121 through Ft Mill, Rock Hill, Chester, Whitmire, Newberry, Saluda, Johnston, Belvedere and North Augusta. In Georgia it became Ga 121 and went through Augusta, Waynesboro, Millen, Metter, Cobbtown, Collins, Reidsville, Surrency, Bristol, Blackshear, Hoboken, Race Pond, Folkston and St. George. In Florida, it followed Fla 121 through Macclenny, Lake Butler, Worthington, La Crosse, Gainesville, Williston, Lebanon Station, Crystal River, Tarpon Springs, Clearwater and St Petersburg. 
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The Woodpecker Trail Association is creating a modern version of the Woodpecker Trail Highway through Georgia.
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