The Sharon Farm Stables — A Place in Time
Sharon Farm Stables · Crawfordville, GA
In the 1960s Charley purchased horses from the Sharon Farm Stables, owned by the Flynts of Crawfordville, GA. The Sharon Farm Stables took its name from the small town of Sharon, GA, where part of the farm was located. However, the track and stables themselves were located near the town of Crawfordville.
Many years ago, the site was a popular attraction in the county. There was a small stand built by the half-mile track and people would come from all around to watch horse races. Many good horses came from the Sharon Farm Stables, most notably Sharon Irishman.
At the Sharon Farm Stables
Charley and Bettie fell in love with Crawfordville and moved there in the late 1960s to train horses. Charley retired Ladies First and Irvin Paul at the peaks of their careers, and they both lived their lives out at the Sharon Farm Stables. The old place has long since been covered in trees — but it is not forgotten in the hearts of the people who were a part of it.
Last picture taken of Ladies First (left) and Irvin Paul (right) · Winter of 1980
Charley loved them both to the end.
Crawfordville, Georgia — Stuck in Time
Crawfordville is a beautiful little town that seems to be stuck in time. It is the home of Alexander H. Stephens and the Alexander H. Stephens State Park and museum. Stephens was a U.S. Congressman, the Governor of Georgia, and most notably the Vice President of the Confederacy.
Hollywood's Little Secret
The town was discovered by Hollywood in the 1970s and many films have been made there, including Sweet Home Alabama and most recently Get Low. Some people even call it "the little Hollywood of the South." It is a town that rewards a visit — quiet, historic, and full of Georgia character.