SCREVEN COUNTY
County Offices
216 Mims Road
Sylvania 912-564-7411
https://www.cityofsylvaniaga.com
Chamber of Commerce
101 South Main Street
Sylvania 912-564-7878
https://www.screvencounty.com
Strategically located between Augusta and Savannah, rural Screven County is known for historic charm and natural beauty. Anchored by the railroad town of Sylvania, the county is successfully blending its deep agricultural roots with modern industry and progressive development. U.S. 301—one of the most historic highways east of the Mississippi River—anchors a network of state routes for commuting convenience. Augusta Regional Airport in Augusta and Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport offer commercial airline service.
Services
Residents of Screven County enjoy quick and easy access to a wide range of routine and specialized healthcare services at Screven County Hospital. This 25-bed critical access, general acute-care facility in Sylvania has been providing patient-centered care to a regional rural population for more than 60 years. Should the need for advanced care arise, Augusta is home to world-class facilities and resources including Augusta University Medical Center at Augusta University and the Children’s Hospital of Georgia—both operating within the Augusta University Health system. Other leading institutions include University Hospital within the University Health Care System and Doctors Hospital, home to premier specialty centers including the nation’s largest inpatient burn center. Savannah’s highly respected facilities include St. Joseph’s/Candler with two hospital campuses and centers of excellence for cancer, women’s health, bone and joint surgery, and neurosciences. Memorial Health operates Memorial University Medical Center, an award-winning 604-bed academic medical center serving a 35-county region in Georgia and South Carolina.
Newcomers will appreciate the quality of education provided by the Screven County School System, where the commitment to excellence includes modern facilities equipped with the latest technology and small class sizes. Options for higher education are as close as the Screven County Workforce Development Center in Sylvania, a satellite facility of Ogeechee Technical College (OTC). In addition to hosting the main campus for OTC, nearby Statesboro is home to Georgia Southern University, a designated a Carnegie Doctoral-Research university serving nearly 20,500 students from across the nation and 86 foreign countries. Since 1997, the GSU campus has also hosted a satellite center for East Georgia State College. The flagship campus for East Georgia State College is 50 miles from Screven County in Swainsboro, which is also the location of a campus for Southeastern Technical College. Less than 90 minutes away, Augusta offers a number of public and private colleges including Augusta University—a public research university and medical center—and Augusta Technical College. In addition to the private liberal arts institution of Paine College, Augusta hosts auxiliary campuses for other private colleges including Georgia Military College, Brenau University, Virginia College, and Miller-Motte Technical College.
Lifestyle
Rural Screven County provides an idyllic place to live along the Savannah River just 60 miles from expanded amenities in Augusta and Savannah. This area is also close to popular beaches in Georgia and South Carolina for easy access to coastal getaways and vacations. The pace may be less hectic in Screven County, but the high quality of life and unique attractions create a special appeal for newcomers and visitors alike. Downtown Sylvania showcases several treasures from the past including the Soda Shop, a popular teen gathering spot in the ‘40s and ‘50s. Today, this renovated building houses the Soda Shop Art Gallery, filled with paintings, sketches, photographs, greeting cards, local author books, woodwork, home décor, and stained glass art. A journey down U.S. 301 feels like time-traveling back to America’s early motoring days for a glimpse of communities, landscapes, and sites that modern interstates have left behind. The Dell House in Sylvania is a premier example, the lone survivor of a town that once served as the county seat but died long ago—from a preacher’s curse according to local lore. Another jewel is the Georgia Welcome Station, the oldest such remaining center in the nation.
Sylvania serves as the hub city for shopping, dining, and local attractions that include Screven County Motorsports Complex. Crowds gather frequently for past-paced thrills at two tracks: Screven Motor Speedway—a three-eighths mile, semi-banked red clay oval—and a quarter mile drag strip. Action-packed dirt track racing is on the calendar every other Saturday throughout the racing season. Outdoor adventurers and sports enthusiasts take full advantage of Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area, preserving 15,000 acres of natural beauty along the border of the Savannah River just east of Sylvania. This premier recreational site offers year-round opportunities for fishing, camping, hiking, bird watching, and horseback riding as well as hunting in season. Even alligator hunting is allowed on specific dates. In addition to using the boat ramps in this preserve to access the Savannah River, water-sport enthusiasts can look forward to exploring other waterways including the Ogeechee River and Briar Creek. For country living at its finest on the edge of urban advantages, discover all that Screven County has to offer.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
City Offices
912-564-7411
https://www.cityofsylvaniaga.com
Chamber of Commerce
912-564-7878
https://www.screvencounty.com
Proud of its status as the Azalea and Dogwood City, Sylvania welcomes newcomers to an atmosphere of historic charm and gracious Southern living. Historic highway U.S. 301 winds through the city, which serves as the seat of county government and a hub of commerce, education, and healthcare. The quaint downtown district serves as a community focal point, showcasing masonry buildings that reflect the small-town architecture prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s. Visitors from across the nation arrive in Sylvania to see the Revolutionary War-era Brier Creek Battle Site, one of several impressive historic preservations including the pair of Napoleon cannons from the Civil War that flank Old Courthouse Park. Another local treasure is the 1895 Kinchley Place, a Victorian jewel that combines breathtaking grounds, exquisite architecture, and timeless elegance. Restored to its original splendor, Kinchley Place now serves as a gracious bed-and-breakfast inn and special events center.
