Elko, Georgia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elko, Georgia
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 Elko, Georgia
Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Elko, Georgia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Georgia |
| County | Houston |
Elko is a small, quiet community in Houston County, Georgia, United States. It's located south of the city of Perry. Elko started around 1890 as a town built near a railroad. In the early 1900s, it was a busy center for cotton farmers in the area.
Contents
Elko's Early Days
The land around Elko was mostly used for growing cotton since the 1820s. This area had very good soil for farming. In 1888, the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad (GS&F) built a train line through Houston County.
The railroad passed near two older farm communities. The GS&F Railroad then sold land for a new town with a train station. This new community was first called "Elko" in 1889. The town of Elko officially became a town in 1891. It had its own elected mayor and council.
Life Around the Railroad
The train station was the most important place in Elko. It was the center of business and social life. Crowds would gather to see the daily trains arrive. These trains traveled from Macon, Georgia through Valdosta, Georgia to Palatka, Florida.
Regular passenger train service began in March 1890. Another company, the Southern Railway, took over the line in 1895. Thanks to the railroad, people from Elko could travel easily. They could go shopping in Macon and be back home the same evening. They could also travel overnight to Florida and visit resorts like those in St. Augustine.
By 1900, about 500 people lived in Elko. The town even had its own newspaper, The Elkonian, which started in 1899. The Bank of Elko also opened in 1900.
Why Elko Changed
Elko's success didn't last forever. A tiny insect called the boll weevil caused big problems. This bug destroyed cotton crops, which hurt the town's businesses a lot.
The Town's Decline
Because of the cotton problems, the Bank of Elko closed down. Many other businesses in Elko also had to shut their doors. Local farmers tried growing peach crops instead. Elko citizens even built a shed to pack peaches. However, the town never became as busy and successful as it once was.
Around 1915, a fire destroyed many of Elko's remaining stores. It was caused by sparks from a train's smokestack. Scheduled passenger train service to Elko ended in 1930. The town's last mayor was Joe Norton "Nick" Buff. For many years after that, only Paul Davis' general store stayed open. This store also served as the town's post office.
What's in a Name?
No one knows for sure where the name "Elko" came from. People believe the GS&F railroad company gave it the name in 1889. Interestingly, there are other railroad towns named "Elko" in the American states of Nevada and South Carolina.
Elko Today
After passenger train service stopped, Elko became more isolated. Its population slowly went down. Today, Elko is an "unincorporated community." This means it doesn't have its own city government. Instead, it's governed by the Houston County Board of Commissioners. The county sheriff's patrols and a fire department protect the area.
Elko's homes are often Victorian style, shaded by oak and pecan trees. Some people choose to live in Elko and travel to nearby cities for work. The town's churches hold weekly and monthly services, and some residents attend different churches on alternating Sundays.
