From the day it was named for state Sen. Charlton Hines and tapped as the county seat in 1837, Hinesville’s history is rich.
To celebrate the city’s 175th anniversary, we’re creating a capsule of standouts — places, events and people who have touched the lives of Hinesville citizens and made the community what it is today.
Our hope is to remind you of the city’s roots, to share the profiles of a few interesting people and to point out some tidbits of history you might have missed.
Census records show we’ve grown from seven residents in 1837 to 30,302 in 2010, which excludes 9,465 troops who were deployed during the Census.
In the past 25 years, the community has experienced deployments, managed growth and endured challenges. We’ve welcomed Olympic athletes, Russian generals, sister-city delegations and returning heroes. Leaders have focused on downtown revitalizations with hopes of future private-sector investments.
Education and the arts have flourished. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce membership has doubled to 500 since 2011.  We’ve built a new airport, hospital, police station, trade centers, board of education office, justice center and city hall.
History happened in the 1800s, and it happens every day.
It was no real surprise in our research to come across the names of the city’s well-known early settlers, including Ashmore, Bacon, Bradwell,  Caswell, Darsey, Floyd, Fraser, Hendry, Hines, Martin, May, Mills, Shaw, Stafford, Way, Wells and Welborn. Their descendants have served our city for years and continue to do so today. So we would like to dedicate this publication celebrating Hinesville’s 175th birthday to these leaders, particularly Hinesville’s mayors, who have served the community with tireless dedication:

Mayor James Thomas Jr. (2008-2015)
Mayor Thomas J. Ratcliffe (2000-2007)
Mayor Allen Brown (1992-1999)
Mayor Buddy DeLoach (1987-1991)
Mayor Carl Dykes (1971-1979 and 1983-1987)
Mayor James Brown (1979-1985)
Mayor James W. Watson (1971)
Mayor Glenn E. Bryant (1963-1970)
Mayor Frederick W. Mingledorff Sr. (1956-1962)
Mayor Harold N. Stafford Sr. (1945-1955)
Mayor T. W. Welborn (1937-1942)
Mayor Henry Lowe Sr. (1934-1936)
Mayor Joseph B. Fraser Jr. (1929-1933)
Mayor Wallace F. Mills (1925-1928)
Mayor Joseph B. Fraser Sr. (1916-1924)
Mayor Simon B. Brewton (1910-1915)
Mayor Thomas S. Layton (1896-1905 and 1908-1909)
Mayor Alfred I. Hendry (1894-1895 and 1904-1907)

As you peruse the articles and snippets of history in this section, we invite you to think about what the city of Hinesville means to you. We predict you’ll have your own snapshots of important people, places and events that showcase why Hinesville is a place worth celebrating.