Walthourville is a quiet enclave near Fort Stewart
Surrounded by the grain and tobacco fields of Liberty County, Walthourville may serve as a bedroom community of Hinesville, but it has a unique origin. While the town has been populated since the 1800s, it was only established as a city in 1974. In the chaos of organizing a local government, citizens elected the first all-female council and mayor in Georgia, and the first African American mayor in the state four years later. These feats are honored at a monument at City Hall. The city is also immediately south of Fort Stewart, which acts as a local job center, but Walthourville is where military personnel and families can establish roots while maintaining a small-town feel. “Walthourville is considered more of a community within Hinesville, so if you blink, you'll miss it,” says Edward Milan, Broker/Owner at eXp Commercial, who sells in the area. " It's known for its meat market as well as [a] a country store that’s out there. It’s just a small community with a little police station, but there are not more than five cruisers.”
Lower-cost single-family options with newer builds coming online
Homes are primarily ranch-styles or new traditionals, however some manufactured home communities and townhomes are also present. The median home price is over $274,000, lower than the national and state medians. Walthourville has attracted a series of new home builds. “[Builders have] just started buying parcels and are building four or six homes at a time,” Milan says.
Properties are typically on gridded streets with smaller lots and oak and pine trees overhead. Some subdivisions have less tree cover. Milan also says that with Fort Stewart, only 7 miles north, the locale has attracted military members, their families and workers on the base to Walthourville.
The Liberty County School System serves public school students
Public school students can attend the Liberty County School System, graded B-minus on Niche. They can start at Lyman Hall Elementary, rated C, and continue to Lewis Frasier Middle School, which earns a C-plus. The Bradwell Institute also has a C-plus and offers business, education and health science career courses.
Multiple parks, golfing and a trampoline park are sources of fun
Green spaces include Johnnie B. Frasier Park, featuring a basketball court, playground and picnic area. Hillery Park has a softball diamond and a walking trail. The Cherokee Rose Country Club is open to the public and has an 18-hole, 6,100-yard layout and a swimming pool.
Stratosphere is an indoor trampoline park that can also be rented out for parties. The city also has several houses of worship, including the Walthourville Baptist Church and the House of Prayer Christian Church.
Dining on U.S. Highway 84 while shopping in Hinesville
Dining spots are concentrated along U.S. Highway 84. The Walthourville Meat Market serves sandwiches, burgers, seafood and basic grocery items. St8 Drop Seafood Kitchen offers platters of crawfish, crab and shrimp. Margie's Southern Cooking on Shaw Road has breakfast items and rotating selections of Southern classics such as fried chicken and oxtails.
Dollar General and convenience stores are in town, but more big-box retailers and grocery stores are 5 miles north in Hinesville.
Flooding and rail noise are present
According to maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, parts of Walthourville are at risk of flooding, and Milan says some properties require flood insurance. Hurricanes and other severe weather can also be factors. A rail line runs along the city's southeastern edge, causing noise.
U.S. 84 is the main transit artery
Walthourville has no public transit connections and is car-dependent. U.S. 84 connects to Interstate 95, 20 miles to the east. Savannah/Hilton Head International is 40 miles north. Liberty Regional Medical Center is also 5 miles north in Hinesville.
