Thomasville in Thomas County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Subsistence Garden
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2025
1. Subsistence Garden Marker
Subsistence gardens supplemented a family's food supply by providing fresh fruits or vegetables for their table; small livestock, like chickens, also supplemented the family's food supply. Each garden and its contents were unique to the family who tended it. Seasonal plantings of staple foods and medicinal herbs were common. Fruit trees and vegetables like corn, beans, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbages, okra, and much more were served fresh, shared with family and neighbors, or sold for extra income. Produce was also dried, preserved, or canned for later use. Herbs served functions that ranged from the aromatic, to economic, to culinary, and to the medicinal. Herbs were used in oils, tinctures, poultices, and salves to treat illness, injuries, and ailments. Fresh and dried herbs added bright flavors to cooking which often relied upon dried or preserved vegetables and meats, and the smell of dried herbs freshened homes and wardrobes and deterred pests.
Erected by Thomasville History Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers.
Location. 30° 50.738′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker is on Georgia’s Coastal Plain. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and in the Wiregrass. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Yard as a Work Space (here, next to this marker); Emily Joyner House (a few steps from this marker); Display Garden (a few steps from this marker); Dixie Highway (within shouting
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 6, 2025
2. Subsistence Garden Marker
The garden and marker are on the west side of the Emily Joyner House. The marker is mounted on the fence.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 13, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 13, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 6 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 13, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
