The following milestones were from a timeline published by Effingham Herald in January 2000:

May 1949 – Students of Effingham Academy win the state literary trophy, the first time any school in the county has won. They also captured the state baseball trophy.

June 1949 – Canning plant opened in Guyton June 8.

Oct. 21, 1949 – Gov. Eugene Talmadge speaks to the Springfield Lions Club against the dangers of socialism and the national deficit.

Jan. 16, 1948 – Springfield Baptist celebrates 100th anniversary on January 25.

Feb. 1948 – Zeno Dasher wins a contest to name “The Treutlen Building.”

July 16, 1948 – A sow owned by Otto J. Snooks of Springfield gives birth to 20 pigs, a county if not state record.

Aug. 1948 - Springfield businessmen purchased two traffic lights and a caution light for town.

June 1948 – A swimming pool constructed in Springfield by C. V. Turner opened.

April 4, 1947 - A DDT spraying of every dwelling in the county begins to help control rats and thus the spread of typhus, a common disease.

Nov. 21, 1947 – The Effingham County FFA boys get a “fine Hereford bull” as part of a better breeding program sponsored by Sears Roebuck Better Livestock Program. The bull was kept by Jimmy Snooks.

April 12, 1946 – Springfield Lions Club organizes with Leslie Thompson as president with the objective of building “a better and more progressive community.”

May 10, 1946 – Veterans of World War I and World War II organize a post of the Americian Legion.

July 14, 1944 – The Leslie Thompson Funeral Home, the first up to date funeral home in the county, opens in Springfield in the old Kieffer residence.

Aug. 15, 1943 – Although Effingham voted against it in a special election, the Georgia Constitution is amended to allow 18-year-olds the right to vote.

Dec. 7, 1941 – Japanese planes bomb Pearl Harbor. Early in 1942 gas masks are ordered for the county in case of probable attack. An air raid siren was installed and watches were kept to look out for war planes.

Feb. 2, 1940 – Effingham Academy’s $35,000 building completed in 1937 is destroyed by fire.

Aug. 16, 1940 – A tropical storm passes through the county destroying houses and toppling trees along with flooding. There was no warning at this time.

March 24, 1939 – Bethel Lutheran Church, established in 1850 and the second oldest Lutheran Church in the county, is destroyed by fire.

Oct. 21, 1938 – The New Theatre will open in Springfield with “Sunnybrook Farm” starring Shirley Temple.

Oct. 23, 1936 – The Effingham County library moved from the school house to a store in the Chevrolet Building to enable a larger selection of books which are loaned free.

Feb. 1, 1935 – The new modern jail (now Effingham Museum) is completed and Sheriff Carr and his family move into its living quarters. It will allow for segregation of males and females as well as race.

May 17, 1935 – An election results showed Georgia voted to allow liquor sales post prohibition but the following week reports a miscount and that Georgia will remain dry.

Aug. 31, 1934 – The Salzburgers celebrated the 200th anniversary of their arrival at Ebenezer.

May 12, 1933 – Robert Hargroves confesses to May 5 ax murder of Mr. J. C. Zittrouer, in what came to be known as the “Gopher Hole Murder Case.” Hargroves murdered Zittrouer and attempted to hide the body in a gopher hole. On Oct. 20, he is found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair Nov. 17. It was delayed by an appeal but he lost the appeal.

April 3, 1930 – In one of the “strangest incidents recorded in years,” Dr. Grenoble, a physician visiting Springfield, is arrested in Chatham County. He is later charged and convicted on practicing without a license and criminal assault after a prominent Springfield mother and daughter “suddenly go insane.” He was sentenced to pay $300 or serve 12 months on the chain gang.

May 16, 1929 – Guyton gets 24-hour electric service and headline reads, “All night lights at Guyton”.

Aug. 15, 1929 – Springfield gets 24-hour electric service instead of lights out at 10:30 p.m.

Oct. 1929 - Stock market crashes and thus began the Great Depression.

December 14, 1928 - County game Warden E. D. Morton is shot to death in Egypt by W. H. Faulk after an argument over hunting on some land. Faulk is found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to a minimum of five years.

This was compiled by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have photos, comments or information to share, contact Susan Exley at 754-6681 or email her at: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org.