Attapulgus in Decatur County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Attapulgus High School
A male academy was established in Attapulgus in 1836 and a female academy in 1852. A four-room frame building was built on the site after establishment of public education in Georgia in 1872. In 1921 Mariola School joined Attapulgus and a frame stucco building of eight rooms was built. It burned in 1922. In 1925 Amsterdam School merged with Attapulgus and an eight-room brick building was built. In 1933 the locals provided materials and the WPA provided labor to build “THE SHELL”, a gymnasium. Later an AG building, classrooms and a lunch room were added.
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With county consolidation, the High School was moved to Bainbridge in 1966 and the elementary grades in 1971. In 1972 a tornado badly damaged the main building and destroyed the gymnasium and AG building. The County Board declared the property surplus and sold it to Attapulgus Baptist Church in 1973. With dedicated teachers, an excellent curriculum was taught. When the Attapulgus School closed, all teachers held masters degrees or better. Many of the school’s graduates went on to higher education, performing as well or better than those from larger schools.
Erected 2005 by Historic Chattahoochee Commission, Alumni of Attapulgus School and the Decatur County Historical Society.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Education. In addition, it is included in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1836.
Location. 30° 44.81′ N, 84° 29.09′ W. Marker is in Attapulgus, Georgia, in Decatur County. Marker is on South Church Street, 0.1 miles south of Miller Avenue, on the right when traveling south. The marker stands just south of the Attapulgus Baptist Church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 206 Church Street, Attapulgus GA 39815, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Attapulgus Cemetery Inc. (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Attapulgite / Fullers Earth (about 700 feet away); Attapulgus (approx. 0.2 miles away); Attapulgus Presbyterian Cemetery (approx. 0.2 miles away); Amsterdam, Georgia / Shade Grown Tobacco (approx. 3.4 miles away); Gragg Lumber Company (approx. 3.4 miles away); The Village, the Pits, and the Dumps (approx. 3.4 miles away); Charles James Munnerlyn / “Refuge” (approx. 8.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Attapulgus.
More about this marker. The original title of the marker was "Attapulgus White School." At some point the title was changed by a clever modification of the word "White" to "High" on both sides of the marker by the co-sponsoring organization. The Historic Chattahoochee Commission website listed the marker by its original title, but is changing its records and website to the modified version.
Also see . . . Attapulgus White School Marker. Historic Chattahoochee Commission (Submitted on March 6, 2011, by Bernard Fisher of Richmond, Virginia.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 6, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 6, 2011, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. This page has been viewed 947 times since then and 59 times this year. Last updated on March 7, 2011, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on March 6, 2011, by David Seibert of Sandy Springs, Georgia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.