THOMASVILLE — An historic Georgia road with its own website — www.dixiehwy.org — can now boast another important distinction: Georgia Scenic Byway designation.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) board approved designation of the Historic Dixie Highway in Southwest Georgia as the state’s 15th Georgia Scenic Byway.

The Historic Dixie Highway Scenic Byway in Southwest Georgia runs 62 miles from Albany to Thomasville. The designated route follows Old Highway 3/U.S. 41 from downtown Albany, while traversing through Radium Springs, Putney, Baconton, Camilla, Pelham, Meigs, Ochlocknee and into downtown Thomasville.

The drive includes a metropolitan vibe, tree canopy corridors, vista of the Flint River, agritourism and historical downtowns with outstanding architecture.

The Dixie Highway began in 1915 as a way for automobile tourists from the upper Midwest to travel south to Miami, Florida. It extends almost 4,000 miles from the Michigan/Canadian border, south through Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and into Florida.

The Georgia segment splits into an east and westerly corridor. The Historic Dixie Highway Scenic Byway designation is that of the westerly corridor into Southwest Georgia.

Travelers were introduced to Southern hospitality as they traversed along the meandering highway.

The Scenic Byway will now be included on all official state maps and added to the DOT Scenic Byways website. It brings the total mileage of Georgia Scenic Byways to 650 and 15 byways. The distinctive designated directional signs have been installed along the route.

The Dixie Highway was originally designated with the distinctive red and white “DH” signs. The signs were painted and put on telephone/electric poles, and fence posts. In the late 1920s, numbers began to replace names with the growing highway system. As the federal interstate highway system began to be developed in earnest in the 1950s and they were replaced with a standardization of numerical designation.

“Adopt A Highway” is a fundraising effort under way to install the historical “DH” signage on our designated route. The cost is $20 per sign. The signs are fabricated by DOT.

Stephen O’Neil, Barbara Reddick and Gerald Goosby with the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, along with Ernest Barfield, worked for five years to attain the DOT designation.

Historic Dixie Highway Scenic Byway Inc., a registered non-profit, oversees and administers daily operations of the organization. Its primary mission is to preserve the legacy of communities along the route while enhancing their economic development through marketing, promotion and educating the communities about the scenic byway and the benefits that accompany the byway status.

The organization can be reached at (229) 221-8667 or at P.O. Box 304, Pelham, Ga. 31779.

The organization’s fifth Gourmet Box Lunch of our Winter is Tuesday with an NYC deli-style Reuben, apple cole slaw, dill pickle, chips, homemade lemon bar and 16-ounce bottle of water. Limited orders remain.

Call or text 229-221-8667 or email orders.