Warner Robins in Houston County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
The Jody Town Community
Originally Known as Plant View Subdivision
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 8, 2022
1. The Jody Town Community Marker
Inscription.
The Jody Town community grew from the need for housing for “Colored” (Black) civilian employees at Robins Air Force Base during the segregation era. Military bases, constructed as part of the war effort for World War II, brought regional economic advancement and the shift from agriculture to industrialism. Black workers from throughout the Southeast purchased affordable housing in Jody Town, which may have received its name from the African-American blues character, “Joe de Grinder,” and the military cadences it inspired. Jody Town became the cultural hub for residents and Black military personnel, with churches, businesses, organizations, and recreation leagues and teams, such as the Warner Robins Jets, which played here at Memorial Park. In the 1970s, urban renewal efforts led to the relocation of residents and demolition of the neighborhood. ,
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Jody Town Community Reunion , Committee, and the City of Warner Robins.
The Jody Town community grew from the need for housing for “Colored” (Black) civilian employees at Robins Air Force Base during the segregation era. Military bases, constructed as part of the war effort for World War II, brought regional economic advancement and the shift from agriculture to industrialism. Black workers from throughout the Southeast purchased affordable housing in Jody Town, which may have received its name from the African-American blues character, “Joe de Grinder,” and the military cadences it inspired. Jody Town became the cultural hub for residents and Black military personnel, with churches, businesses, organizations, and recreation leagues and teams, such as the Warner Robins Jets, which played here at Memorial Park. In the 1970s, urban renewal efforts led to the relocation of residents and demolition of the neighborhood.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Jody Town Community Reunion
Committee, and the City of Warner Robins
Erected 2021 by Georgia Historical Society • Jody Town Community Reunion Committee • City of Warner Robins. (Marker Number 76-2.)
32° 36.338′ N, 83° 35.74′ W. Marker is in Warner Robins, Georgia, in Houston County. Marker is on Armed Forces Boulevard, 0.1 miles south of Dixon Street, on the right when traveling south. Marker is at the entrance to Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 800 Armed Forces Blvd, Warner Robins GA 31088, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Destroyed in the '70's, Residents Of Black Warner Robins Community Erect Historical Marker. News article on the marker dedication includes the history and archival photographs of the community. (Jenna Eason, Georgia Public Broadcasting, posted July 16, 2021) (Submitted on May 15, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 8, 2022
2. The Jody Town Community Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 15, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 330 times since then and 87 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on May 15, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
