John Howard Payne

Historical marker location:

Spring Place, Georgia

( Marker is at the intersection of Georgia Route 225 and Georgia Route 52, on the right when traveling north on State Route 225.)

Marker installed: 1922

Georgia was the site of the first American gold rush, but it was also the site of the first American oil rush. In 1905, oil was discovered in Bibb County, and the state's oil industry began to grow rapidly.