In August 1927, two young women from Cornelia captured headlines across Georgia after setting out on an ambitious journey few people — especially women of the era — would have dared attempt.
Miss Selma White and Miss Christine Jackson left Cornelia on foot with plans to hike all the way to Los Angeles, California.
The story first appeared in the Atlanta Journal and quickly spread to newspapers across the state, including the Northeast Georgian just one day later.
The women departed from Cornelia, proudly known as “The Home of the Big Red Apple,” wearing what newspapers described as “appropriate hiking costumes” that included khaki knickers, pongee shirtwaists and broad-brimmed hats. Across their backs were streamers painted by local resident Vernor Tatum announcing both their hometown and their destination.
According to newspaper accounts, the pair began their trip Sunday morning and reached Atlanta by Monday, where they stayed with friends before continuing westward at sunrise Tuesday morning toward Montgomery, Alabama.
Their planned route would carry them through New Orleans, across Texas and New Mexico, and eventually to California.
The Atlanta Journal described the women as “venturesome” and noted that the trip schedule depended largely on the rides they could secure along the way. While the women planned to walk much of the journey, they also relied on motorists willing to offer transportation.
One article noted that the pair “made little rest, rebelled and demanded little rest” during the early stages of the trip.
Miss Jackson was described as an expert in giving marcel waves and had previously worked in beauty shops in Detroit and Washington, D.C. Newspapers reported she planned to help fund the journey by offering beauty services at stops along the route.
Miss White reportedly had family and friends waiting for her in Los Angeles.
At a time when cross-country travel itself remained difficult, the sight of two women from a small Northeast Georgia town attempting a transcontinental journey drew widespread curiosity and admiration.
The story also served as unexpected publicity for Cornelia and Habersham County. One Northeast Georgian article proudly proclaimed that “Cornelia, ‘The Home of the Big Red Apple,’ is now being advertised across the continent.”
Whether the pair ultimately completed the journey remains unclear, but nearly a century later, the story remains a fascinating glimpse into the adventurous spirit of two young women willing to step far outside the expectations of their time.
For residents of Habersham County in 1927, it must have been quite a sight: two women leaving Cornelia with backpacks, broad-brimmed hats and dreams of California.
