Claxton, Ga., known for its fruitcakes and annual rattlesnake roundup, is one of many rural Southern towns that features an empty, old car dealership. In the background, you can see the town’s main stoplight at the intersection of Main and Duval streets, also known as the crossing of U.S. highways 301 and 280.
Some of the businesses in towns like Claxton moved out of the central business district to the outskirts to capitalize on Wal-Marts that drained downtown activity. Some of them just closed.
Claxton, county seat for Evans County, is located about 50 miles west of Savannah, Ga.
While Claxton has about 2,200 residents, Evans County is home to an estimated 10,689 residents, a slight drop from the 11,000 people recorded in the 2010 Census. Some 22 percent of Evans County residents live below the federal poverty level. The average per capita income is $18,547.
Photo is from May 2013 and is copyrighted by Andy Brack, Center for a Better South. All rights reserved.