William Lonnie Barlow

Bleckley County (Images of America) William Lonnie Barlow

In 1868, Dykesboro was incorporated as Cochran. The Macon and Brunswick Railroad enabled the community to ship cotton and corn and receive needed goods. As the town began to grow, education was always promoted by the churches. Ebenezer Academy, founded in 1884, became Middle Georgia College. In 1912, Bleckley County was created, and the county courthouse began operation on January 1, 1914. The local economy was good, and World War I brought a period of prosperity due to the need for food and fiber. In the 1920s, the boll weevil devastated the agricultural cotton economy and the Great Depression brought loss of economic wealth and financial hardships that were not relieved until after World War II .