Doctortown

To the east of here on the Altamaha River was the site of Doctortown. The name may have been derived from a Muskogean Indian word, "Alekcha," purported to mean doctor. A Creek Indian, "Alleck" is believed to have lived there during the late 1700s. Doctortown was the major crossing point of the Altamaha River from the days when the Alachua Indian Path crossed there until WW II, when the Georgia Defense Forces and a Coast Guard Unit guarded the bridges against the threat of German sabotage. It was for many years the only road and railcrossing in this area of the coastal plain, thus making it a vital shipping and travel point. As a steamboat landing, Doctortown provided river access to important overland routes. Doctortown was an important target for Gen. Sherman's troops on the March to the Sea and was the site of an unsuccessful assault in December, 1864. After the Civil War, Doctortown became an industrial center for the South Georgia timber and paper industry as the site of large sawmills and the worlds largest pulp mill (1992).