Luella, a quaint community nestled in the south of Henry County, may seem unassuming when glimpsed from Hwy 155. Unfortunately, with the onset of development, many of its original structures were lost due to their deteriorated condition. Despite these changes, remnants of its history endure, with open fields still stretching behind the Publix shopping center, and the steadfast Luella Baptist Church standing near the Spalding county border.
Contrary to its current tranquility, Luella once thrived as a bustling city. In the transformative year of 1912, the Georgia Legislature convened and enacted Resolution No. 600, officially granting Luella city status. The text of the resolution provides a fascinating glimpse into the historical significance of this community:
Short Title: LUELLA, TOWN OF, INCORPORATED. Law Number: No. 600.
Full Title: An Act to incorporate the town of Luella, in the County of Henry, State of Georgia, to define the corporate limits thereof, to provide for officers thereof, define their duties, powers, and privileges, and for other purposes.
SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Georgia, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of same, That the town of Luella, in the County of Henry, be and is hereby incorporated under the name of Luella, by which name it may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded. [Side note: Luella, town of, incorporated.]
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the corporate limits of said town shall extend one-half mile from a point in the center of the road where the Griffin and McDonough road intersects the Hampton and Locust Grove road at Luella. [Side note: Corporate limits.]
Page: 1083
SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That said town shall be officered and its corporate affairs directed and controlled by a Mayor and four Councilmen, whose term of office shall be one year, and who shall be elected by the qualified voters of said town. Any person residing within said town thirty days prior to the time of an election and otherwise qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, shall be eligible as a town elector. The first election under this Act for Mayor and Councilmen shall be held on the second Saturday in December, 1912. The Mayor and four Councilmen, herein, named below, shall serve from the approval, of this Act until their successors are elected and qualified. The term of the Mayor and Councilmen shall be for a term of one year from the first Monday in January of each year and until their successors are elected and qualified. [Side note: Mayor and Councilmen.] [Side note: Election of officers.]
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That said Mayor and Council shall elect one member of said Council as clerk, and may also elect a marshal and pay him such compensation as they may fix prior to his election. [Side note: Clerk and marshal.]
SEC. 5. Be it further enacted, That all the powers and duties contained in Section 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, of the Code of Georgia of 1895, Volume 1, are hereby adopted and made a part of this Act. [Side note: Code sections relative to powers and duties adopted.]
Approval Date: Approved August 19, 1912.
The inaugural Mayor of the newly established city was Robert Fears Nutt, a notable planter from the southwestern sector of Henry County. His affiliations extended to the Africa area of Spalding County. Serving alongside Nutt on the city council were B. F. Thompson, W. H. Bailey, Van Turner, and Grover Standard. During its zenith, the City of Luella boasted four stores, two cotton gins, and a thriving agricultural club. Remarkably, in its 83-year existence, this council remained the sole one ever elected by locals, a consensus affirmed by longstanding residents of the area.
The 1920s brought a formidable challenge to the community when the Boll Weevil wreaked havoc on Luella. Subsequently, in 1956, the post office shuttered its doors, marking a significant downturn for the town.
By 1993, legislative intervention took the form of House Bill No. 84, introducing conditions that municipalities needed to meet to maintain their charter. These conditions encompassed offering a minimum of three public services, conducting periodic meetings, and holding elections for municipal office. Unfortunately, Luella fell short on all these fronts. Consequently, in 1995, the city was compelled to repeal its charter. Ownership and governance of the area transitioned to the Henry County Government, signaling the end of Luella's status as an independent municipality.
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