As the City of Tifton celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2022, many stories were told, and tributes made to its founder Captain Henry Harding Tift. The forward-thinking shipbuilder from Mystic, Conn. left his imprint in a variety of ways in South Georgia. But in his own words, the best investment he ever made was his success in securing the location of what eventually became Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

On Feb. 20, ABAC will celebrate its 115th birthday. It was on that day in 1908 that 27 students walked up the steps of the main classroom at the Second District A&M School. That building is now named Tift Hall and it serves as the college’s historical showcase, including pictures and memorabilia devoted to the legacy of Tifton’s founding father just inside the main entrance.

Tift played an integral role in securing the location of the Second District Agricultural and Mechanical School in Tifton when he was among a group of 30 men that traveled to Albany on Nov. 23, 1906 to bid on the rights to host the area high school.

The Tifton delegation bid against representatives from Albany, Camilla, Pelham, and Ashburn. The Tifton Gazette reported that Tift County’s offer was 315 acres of land lying along the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad right-of-way located a mile north of town, and $30,000 in cash.

“When he rose to fill five minutes of the time allotted Tift County, Mr. Tift presented an amended bid of $55,000 in cash, free lights and water and telephone service for 10 years, a sewage system, and 315 acres of land worth $50 per acre,” the Gazette reported. “Later, learning that the timber on the land was desired for forestry study, he contributed this also, it being valued at $4,500. The raise of $25,000 at a jump caused the audience to catch its breath.”

In the end, it was estimated that the city’s offer totaled $95,700. As voting began, cities needed 10 votes from the committee to secure the bid. Tifton led every ballot through the process and after the fifth vote, Tifton had eight votes compared to seven for Pelham. Finally, in the eighth balloting, Tifton received 11 votes, one more than necessary.

“ABAC’s rich history is one of the many things that make it a special and unique place,” said President Tracy Brundage, who was named ABAC’s 11th president last year. “It’s worth noting that the school’s creation came out of a community effort from Captain Tift and others. Today, 115 years later, ABAC continues to value our community partners and our future is bright.”

Tift’s vision for the school has certainly proven true. In 2021, ABAC had an economic impact of $429,357,879 on South Georgia. The college now has nearly 3,700 students from 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties, 58 of Florida’s 67 counties, 26 countries, and 16 states.

Most of ABAC’s students major in one of 14 bachelor's degree programs, and over 1,300 of the students live on campus in apartment style residence halls. There have been many points of progress over the years, including name changes to the South Georgia A&M College in 1924, the Georgia State College for Men in 1929, and ABAC in 1933. It changed from a two-year college, which it had been for 75 years, to a traditional four-year college in 2008.