Guyton

History

While some of the community's early settlers came from the Savannah area, it seems that most came from North and South Carolina. In 1792 a tract of of land in the form of a land warrant from Effingham County was issued to Squire Zachariah White. The community became known locally as "Whitesville". White was not married and left no heir when he died in 1838. He had granted a right-of-way to the new Central of Georgia Railway company prior to his death. White was buried on his own land, as was the custom. His grave is located at the rear of the present New Providence Church. Years later, controversy ensued when some members of the community tried to have Squire White's grave moved to the new local cemetery; the grave was never moved. Shortly after White's death, the Effingham County Commissioners took over his land for unpaid taxes. They had a survey made, laid off various lots and streets just as they still appear today, and sold the land at public auction as payment of his taxes. Many lots were bought by affluent Savannah residents as a place for a summer home. At this time, an epidemic of yellow fever had struck Savannah. The Central of Georgia Railroad Company, which had a charter to build and operate a railroad from Savannah to Macon and on to Marthasville (now Atlanta), laid track through Whitesville in 1837 or 1838, and referred to it as Station Number 30. After a short time, locals asked the railroad company to give the community a name so that residents could request that federal government place a post office here. Since there was already another town in Georgia called Whitesville, W. W. Gordon, president of the Central of Georgia, named the community "Guyton", after Archibald Guyton, a prominent local citizen. A U.S. post uffice was established at Guyton on…

Geography

Guyton is located in west-central Effingham County at (32.336338, -81.393763). State Routes 17 and 119 cross in the southwest part of town. GA 17 leads northwest to Oliver and south to Bloomingdale, west of Savannah, while GA 119 leads northeast to Springfield, the Effingham County seat, and southwest to Interstate 16 in Bulloch County. According to the United States Census Bureau, Guyton has a total area of , of which , or 0.48%, is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Effingham County High School
  High · Springfield · 2,108 students · 17.6:1 ratio
• Effingham County Middle School
  Middle · Guyton · 1,064 students · 14:1 ratio
• Ebenezer Elementary School
  Elementary · Rincon · 948 students · 15:1 ratio
• Ebenezer Middle School
  Middle · Rincon · 934 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• Blandford Elementary School
  Elementary · Rincon · 915 students · 15:1 ratio
• Sand Hill Elementary School
  Elementary · Guyton · 891 students · 15.1:1 ratio
• Marlow Elementary School
  Elementary · Guyton · 775 students · 14.1:1 ratio
• Guyton Elementary School
  Elementary · Guyton · 739 students · 13.4:1 ratio