Blakely is a small town known for its peanuts and its hunting
Blakely is a small city in southwest Georgia, and the seat of deeply agrarian Early County. Located about 30 miles away from Dothan, Alabama, the town's working population is split between commuters and agricultural workers. While the area's economy used to center around cotton, today Blakely is known as the Peanut Capital of the World. "The area is known for its peanut farms and its turkey and deer hunting," says broker Brad Waller of Agri Land Realty, who has been working in Blakely for over 25 years. “It also serves as a retail and services hub for the rest of Early County.”
A mix of traditional homes and farmhouses
The local housing inventory includes bungalows, midcentury ranch-style homes, farmhouses and a few newer builds. Property size ranges from traditional small-town yards close to the city center to larger plots around the outskirts of town, which often include a few acres. Many properties in the area back up onto local woods or farmland. Homes generally sell for between $75,000 and $290,000, though large farms in the area can go for considerably more.
Centralized shopping and services in downtown
Blakely's retail offerings center around Main and Columbia streets, which intersect in the heart of town. The small downtown area is home to the local Blakely Brickyard Market and Food Lion and a small selection of local restaurants, including popular spots like The Rodeo Cantina & Grill. Other restaurants and shops are concentrated around the town square, another walkable area centered on the courthouse. The area is also home to many of the county government's administrative offices, as well as the Early Medical Center, the only hospital in the county. Blakely does have a few small retailers, along with a Tractor Supply Co., but locals looking to do a bit of shopping often make the trip across the border to Dothan, which has the nearest major shopping centers.
Kolomoki Mounds is one of the oldest archaeological sites in the state
Kolomoki Mounds State Park, just north of town, is home to one of Georgia's earliest mound complexes, dating from A.D. 250-950, and offers archaeological exhibits, camping, hiking and boating. There are also a number of public and private hunting preserves in the area. "People definitely come out here during the season for camping and hunting," says Waller. "I wouldn't call it a tourism hotspot, but it's popular with deer hunters." Within town, the Alex Howell Baseball Park on the east side and the grounds surrounding Early County Elementary on the west side both offer playgrounds and athletic fields.
The Peanut Proud Festival celebrates Blakely's farmers
Blakely's identity revolves around its agricultural roots — particularly peanuts. The annual Peanut Proud Festival, held every spring, celebrates the city's status as the Peanut Capital of the World and brings vendors, crafts, and entertainment to Court Square. The October Kolomoki Festival at Kolomoki Mounds State Park celebrates the area's Indian heritage with food and craft vendors and live performances.
Early County schools
The community's public schools are overseen by the Early County School System. Early County Elementary School and Early County Middle School both have C-plus ratings on Niche, while Early County High School has a B-minus. Early County High offers dual enrollment classes through a partnership with Southern Regional Technical College.
Locals go to Dothan for Retail and Tallahassee for travel
State Route 62 and U.S. Route 27 both pass through Blakely, connecting it to the rest of the region. It's a roughly 30-mile drive to Dothan to the west, and just over 50 miles to Albany in the east. There's no public transportation in the area, so locals rely on cars to get around. While Blakely is home to a small general aviation airport, locals usually catch flights out of Tallahassee International Airport, which is about 80 miles away by car.
