History

Tift County was created in 1905 from portions of Berrien County. The county was named for Nelson Tift, who had helped found the city of Albany, served as that city's mayor, and later served as a congressman. His nephew founded the city of Tifton in 1872 when he opened a sawmill there.

The county's courthouse was constructed in 1912.

TyTy was named for the trees lining the banks of a nearby creek: the Ironwood (white titi) and Buckwheat (black titi) trees.

Points of Interest

In 1976, the Agrirama was developed in the county by the State Department of Agriculture. Here, at the state's Living History Museum, people can experience daily life on a recreation of a working farm of the 1800s, including cooking, planting and caring for animals.

Tift County is known as the "Plant Capital of the World," with many plants and vegetables grown here being shipped worldwide for replanting.

Tift County is home to a tree said to be the largest Southern Magnolia in Georgia and among the oldest anywhere. It has long been a special meeting place for county residents; in 1991 they formed the Magnolia Tree Foundation to help preserve and protect it for future generations.

Higher Education

Located in the heart of one of the state's prime agricultural areas, Tift County has become a center for farm experimentation and agricultural education. Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the U

Annual Events

Tift has many festivals and special events including the Love Affair Fine Arts Festival, the Folk Life Festival and Fiddler's Jamboree, and the Victorian Christmas.

Tift Theater, Tifton

Tank located in Tifton's Veteran's Park