Our City

Maxeys was established in 1834 and was first known as Shanty, then as Salmonsville.  Eventually it was named in honor of Jesse Maxey, a landowner on whose property the town had developed. The Georgia Rail Road Company built a railroad line in 1841 that ran from Athens to Union Point running through then then named Shantytown, so named because of the "shantys" along the line where the train would stop.  

Jesse Maxey had initially encouraged the railroad to come through the area by giving land for the right of way.  The town was incorporated in 1907, and was a booming cotton town during the early 1900's due to the healthy agricultural economy and pioneering spirit of the people at that time.

Today, Maxeys has begun to come back to life with many new residents and the renovation of some of the old buildings in the towns center.

One of Georgia's first commercial fertilizer plants was built there in 1874 by William B. Brightwell. That family established the foundation for the current scholarship.   

The A. T. Brightwell Scholarship is a college scholarship program available only to children of residents of specific environs of Maxeys who meet the requirements of length of residency, high school graduation and other factors. The parents of the student must live within the prescribed area for a minimum of two years and remain in the area for the duration of the scholarship. The scholarship is not automatic and an application must be completed by the student and qualifications verified.

The Scholarship was created as a result of the will of Mr. Guy Brightwell which created a trust in memory of his father A.T. Brightwell. The trust is governed by the board of the A. T. Brighwell Schools, Inc.

Inquiries from beyond the environs will not be acknowledged.  

Real Estate Agents stating property is "eligible" for the Brightwell Scholarship should not be relied upon as a reliable source for information. Specific inquiries may be made to the Executive Director via e-mail - brightwellscholarship@gmail.com