McDUFFIE COUNTY

County Offices
210 Railroad Street
Thomson 706-595-2112
https://www.thomson-mcduffie.gov

Chamber of Commerce
149 Main Street
Thomson 702-597-1000
https://www.thomsonmcduffiechamber.com

Situated in the Central Savannah River region, scenic McDuffie County borders the more highly developed metro area counties of Richmond and Columbia. Major thoroughfares include Interstate 20 and U.S. Routes 78, 221, and 278, with commercial airline service available at Augusta Regional Airport in Augusta. Hundreds of private jets touch down at Thomson-McDuffie Regional Airport each year, piloted by avid golf enthusiasts on route to Augusta’s Masters Golf Tournament. Other unique bolsters to the economy include brisk retail sales from Interstate travelers and a large ornamental horticulture sector.

Services
World-class healthcare facilities and resources have long been a hallmark of the Augusta-Richmond metropolitan region, but McDuffie County residents are fortunate to have a full-service medical center in Thomson. Part of the highly-respected University Health Care System (UHSC), the 25-bed medical center of University Hospital-McDuffie meets every routine need and a wide range of specialties. In addition to 24-hour emergency care, the hospital offers general and specialty surgery, cardiopulmonary services, advanced imaging, multiple therapies, outpatient services and surgery, nursing and respite care, a sleep lab, social services, and community education. Should the need for advanced care arise, nationally recognized hospitals and centers of excellence are minutes from home, including the UHCS flagship institution, the 581-bed teaching facility of University Hospital. Doctors Hospital adds a number of award-winning specialties including one of the nation’s top burn centers. The Health Augusta University system encompasses the 478-bed Augusta University Medical Center at Augusta University, the 154-bed Children’s Hospital of Georgia with the region’s only Level IV NICU, and a Critical Care Center with a Level I trauma center.

Quality education in McDuffie County begins with a strong local school system and easy access to a number of private schools within the metro area. Opportunities for vocational or higher education close to home include Augusta University, a merger of Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University. AU offers an unusually rich curriculum for liberal arts, medical, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) disciplines. Paine College is a private institution with a liberal arts curriculum focused on business administration, humanities, social sciences, education, natural sciences and mathematics. Augusta Technical College offers a wide range of programs, certificates and degrees—the only school of its kind in Georgia to win the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Award of Excellence. Several private colleges maintain auxiliary campuses in Augusta including Georgia Military College, Brenau University, Virginia College, and Miller-Motte Technical College.

Lifestyle
Ideally located just outside the city of Augusta and approximately an hour’s drive from Atlanta and Athens, beautiful McDuffie County draws newcomers to the simple pleasures of country living. Quintessentially Southern in its country charm and majestic antebellum homes, this area is known for an unusual mix of attractions. Visitors and residents alike enjoy one-of-a-kind boutiques and antique shops, a medley of eateries, and some of the region’s most popular events including Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival. Historic landmarks are well-preserved, from circa 1890 White Hills Herb Farm and the 1785 Rock House to Wrightsboro Cemetery with graves dating back to the Revolutionary War. Other highlights include educational and interpretative programs at the McDuffie Museum and tours of Hickory Hill, home of the U.S. Senator Thomas E. Watson. The adjacent counties of Richmond and Columbia offer a world of expanded arts and entertainment attractions including history and fine art museums, dance, theatre, symphony, and concerts by national headliners.

The county’s mild four-season climate makes it ideal for outdoor enjoyment and sports adventure, although few activities are more popular than golf. Belle Meade Country Club is a local favorite and Augusta National Golf Club—famed home of the Masters Golf Tournament—is just 30 minutes from home. Scenic hiking trials are available at locations like the boardwalk of Beaver Trail at the McDuffie Public Fishing Area, Blackwater Swamp Trail, Beaver Pond Trail, and Longleaf Pine Trail. Residents enjoy camping and water sports at Clarks Hill Lake—the largest man-made lake east of the Mississippi. Families enjoy geocaching throughout the county or wagon rides across the countryside following the Belle Meade Hunt simulated fox hunt. A wealth of additional attractions and activities are just a 20 to 45-minute drive, including picturesque small towns, sparkling lakes, scenic rivers, and historic state parks. Those who appreciate the serenity of a rural atmosphere and the intimacy of small-town living will find the ideal place to call home in panoramic McDuffie County.

COMMUNITY PROFILES

Thomson Offices
706-595-1781
https://www.thomson-mcduffie.gov

Dearing Offices
706-556-0384

Chamber of Commerce
702-597-1000
https://www.thomsonmcduffiechamber.com

Serving as the county’s seat of government and its only city, Thomson is nearly synonymous with McDuffie County. In fact, this area is often referred to as Thomson-McDuffie. The city provides the surrounding rural population with a lively center of commerce, education, healthcare, and services. Festivals and celebrations dot the calendar with exciting events, culminating in December with the dazzling Thomson Tree Lighting, holiday parade, tour of homes, and the Camellia City Festival. Recent years have seen an emphasis on renovation and revitalization as Thomson leaders act proactively to prepare for the inevitable surge of rural development that urban expansion always brings. The small town of Dearing is located 13 minutes from Thomson and just 6 minutes from Harlem, adding another option for a hometown community in McDuffie County. With a population, less than 500, Dearing welcomes new residents to a mix of home styles and settings along with options for lovely wooded lots that are ideal for new construction.