The first novel by Georgia writer Carson McCullers, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is commonly treated as a coming-of-age story by readers and critics alike. Many of the characters in the novel are grotesques, a term in southern literature for those who are known for their exaggerated attributes, unusual characteristics, or obsessive-compulsive thought processes or behaviors. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is a compelling portrait of isolated characters and of their longing for self-expression, human connection, and spiritual integration.

Toombs County, in southeast Georgia, is the state’s 144th county and comprises 367 square miles. It was created in 1905 from Emanuel, Montgomery, and Tattnall counties. It was named for Robert Toombs, a former U.S. congressman and senator who went on to serve the Confederacy as secretary of state and brigadier general. The land was originally held by Creek Indians. A large percentage of the earliest white settlers were Scots Highlanders, many of whom lived in North Carolina before they came to Georgia.

The Warren County Courthouse, built in 1910 and renovated in 2000, is located in Warrenton and designed in the neoclassical revival style. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the courthouse is the county's third. Courtesy of Don Bowman The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print.

Most of the corn and wheat production in Georgia occurs in the southern counties. These areas are generally characterized by gently sloping or flat lands of well-drained soils, mostly of the clay loam to sandy loam soil types. Image from Dizzy Girl The New Georgia Encyclopedia does not hold the copyright for this media resource and can neither grant nor deny permission to republish or reproduce the image online or in print.

William Harris Crawford, a longtime resident of Oglethorpe County, became the first Georgian to run for the U.S. presidency when he stood for election in both 1816 and 1824. Although never elected president, Crawford served in a variety of other capacities during his political career, including service as a state representative, U.S. senator, minister to France, and cabinet member for U.S. president James Madison. Courtesy of Department of the Treasury