Small town along the Ocmulgee River as a stage setting for a Hollywood movie
Once a railroad town built in the 1800s, Juliette is now known for “Fried Green Tomatoes,” both the 1991 comedy-drama and the staple dish at The Whistle Stop Cafe. Before filming, the cafe was a general store for 45 years before being converted to a timber consultant/real estate office and then an antiques shop. The store was then bought and transformed into the cafe for the movie. After filming was complete, the cafe remained a functioning restaurant. Much like its film counterpart, Juliette – known in the film as Whistle Stop – retains a small-town feel. “I can walk from one end (of town) to the other in less than a minute,” says Beth Thigpen, a waitress at The Whistle Stop Cafe. The neighborhood sits along the Ocmulgee River and is 10 miles from Forsyth.
Seven local stores along the main street
“The largest store is Verna Cora, the antique store, but the biggest draw is The Whistle Stop Cafe,” says Thigpen. While locals visit throughout the week, tourists fill the 50 seats on the weekend, resulting in wait times of up to 2 hours. “We ARE downtown,” says Colby Rose, the General Manager of The Whistle Stop Cafe. “We are it, besides the little stores.” There are only seven stores on the main street, all visible from the cafe: The Honey Comb, The Big Frog, Ken W.’s Art Studio, The Whistle Stop Gift Shop, Verna Cora’s and The Butterfly Cottage. The stores are all independently and locally owned. “Mr. Ken, [from Ken W.’s Art Studio], he comes over here to get a cup of coffee. Everyone knows everyone in this town,” Thigpen says. For everyday supplies, residents head out of the village to Forsyth or other nearby towns. “There are no banks, no grocery stores – it’s a good 10 miles either way to them,” says Rose. The closest grocery store is Ingles Market in Forsyth, where other big-box stores like Walmart Supercenter are also located. At the intersection of Juliette Road and U.S. Route 23 are a convenience store, a bait-and-tackle shop and a Dollar General.
Interstate in Forsyth, 10 miles away
“There are no streets to go down,” says Rose. “It’s mostly just the cafe, there’s not a lot around here.” Juliette may only have one main street, but it is 10 miles from Forsyth and Interstate 75 which is a major north-south thoroughfare in the country. U.S. Route 23 runs through Juliette, connecting Georgia's northern and southern borders. Monroe County Hospital is about 10 miles away in Forsyth.
Green Tomato Festival once a year
Juliette has one event throughout the year: the Green Tomato Festival during the last weekend in October. The festival has been running for 17 years. “It’s a little arts and craft festival,” says Rose. “But it’s centered around the tomatoes." Thigpen says the celebration is family friendly. "It’s the type of town where kids can run up and down and see the vendors,” she says. “It’s just a safe place where they can have fun.” Juliette has a crime score of 1 from the CAP Index, lower than the national average of 4.
Water sports on the Ocmulgee and at Lake Juliette
Along the banks of the Ocmulgee River is Juliette Park. With a boat ramp and access to the river, most park visitors are there for the water. There also is a small pavilion with two picnic tables. Fishing is allowed on the river. About 10 miles from The Whistle Stop Cafe, Piedmont Natural Wildlife Refuge allows hiking and hunting with a permit. The refuge also has gravel roads that are open most of the year and allow access to wooded areas. To the south is Lake Juliette, a 3,600-acre lake primarily used by fishermen for picnics, swimming and boat launching.
A few homes hidden behind the Georgian trees
In Juliette, trees are plentiful, often obscuring properties behind thick coverage and winding roads. Some homes sit closer to the road and each other, although these are rare. Additionally, homes here seldom go on the market, with one home currently for sale and two sold in 2024. There were also two plots of land sold, one of which lay along the Ocmulgee River. “No one lives in the village proper anymore; the last one moved out 3 years ago,” says Thigpen. “Most everyone who lives here, lives up in the hills.” A ranch-style home is listed for $210,500, and a raised ranch recently sold for $232,500. A cabin built in the late 1800s with five bedrooms and three bathrooms sold for $254,000 in 2024.
Monroe-Bibb County School District schools with high Niche grades
Juliette is part of the Monroe County School District, which buses students to schools in Forsyth. Children begin their primary education at Katherine B. Sutton Elementary School, which earns a grade of A-minus from Niche. They later attend A-rated Monroe County Middle School. Mary Persons High School earns an A-minus from Niche and offers Advanced Placement and dual-enrollment with Georgia colleges.
Written By
Meridith Ingram
