PIKE COUNTY. 471 



is done. There are two churches, two academies, &c. The 

 capital was formeriy Newnan, but in 1825 this honour was 

 conferred upon Zebulon. 



Griffin, called after Gen. L. L. Griffin, its founder, is situ- 

 ated on the Macon and Western Railroad, at the extreme 

 northern boundary of the county. This town was commenced 

 in 1840, by the Monroe Railroad and Banking Company. 

 Mr. Wm. Leake bought the first lot for $1,000, June 8, 1840. 

 Griffin is the market for Meriwether, Henry, Pike, a por- 

 tion of Troup and Fayette, a part of Upson, Monroe, and 

 Butts. A large amount of business is transacted. Probably 

 over 8400,000 worth of goods are annually sold. The town 

 is improving in every respect. At present there are three 

 churches, three or four hotels, five large warehouses, forty or 

 fifty stores, besides a large number of mechanics' shops, &c. 

 The population exceeds 2,000, and for orderly conduct and 

 moral habits cannot be surpassed in Georgia. Every thing 

 connected with this place affiards proof of the energy and 

 enterprise of the citizens. The comfort of many of the hotels, 

 the number and excellence of the schools, the success of the 

 temperance effiDrt, the various mechanical operations recently 

 introduced, and the quantity of goods in spacious brick stores, 

 all indicate that Griffin is destined to vie successfully with 

 many older places. 



A company has lately been organized, called the Griffin 

 and West Point Plank Road Company, designed to con- 

 nect the two places by means of a road constructed of plank. 

 Should this work be accomplished, it will not only greatly 

 contribute to the prosperity of Griffin, but affi^rd superior faci- 

 lities to the planters for the transportation of produce. The 

 town of Griffin is healthy, the water good, and being the cen- 

 tre of a large extent of country, will undoubtedly become a 

 place of great importance. The municipal regulations are 

 rigidly enforced, and in no town of the same size are there less 

 intemperance and disorder. The citizens take much interest 

 in the Sabbath school system, and their schools are well at- 

 tended. The Southern Mutual Insurance Company originated 

 in Griffin, and its operations have been conducted with great 

 success. 



