Stranger things in Georgia: Cordele has a 98-foot tall missile, blowing tourists' minds

Are you driving through Cordele, Georgia and want to find the nearest Krystal? That's easy. It's right next to the intercontinental ballistic missile.

You read that right. This south Georgia city is home to a 96-foot tall Titan I Missile, one of the United States' first multistage ICBMs. But don't worry. It's not in active use and was dismantled as a weapon more than 50 years ago.

But how did it get here? It started with an idea from the local Rotary Club's former president, John S. Pate Jr., who was a retired naval captain and a member of Cordele's influential Pate family, according to one of the club's longtime members Bob Evans.

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"He came up with the idea of getting one of these retired missiles and mounting it in Cordele as a landmark to attract tourists," Evans said.

The missile was donated to the Rotary Club by the federal government. It was dismantled in California and flown to Warner Robins Air Force Base just outside Macon. It was then transported along I-75 to Cordele and was christened on July 17, 1969. The Rotary Club then donated the missile to the City of Cordele and Crisp County.

Since then, the club and community members have maintained its upkeep. Trash is regularly picked up around the site. Part of the revenue from a tourism tax has been used for new shrubs and landscaping. Also, lighting was provided by a local power company to make the missile shine at night.

"People ask you where you're from. You go, 'Cordele.' They go, 'Oh, yeah!' Everybody knows where the missile is," Evans said and then laughed. "It's real landmark."

It certainly is as many tourists, nomads, and globetrotters have fulfilled John Pate's wish of seeing the missile, stopping by to take a picture and enjoy what else Cordele has to offer. Among those visitors is Samantha Veillon of Louisiana, who came by with her husband Anthony during their cross-country travels.

"It's so nice to see this support of our American military as we travel through this great country," she wrote via Messenger. "Thanks for this symbol for a great place to land for the night!"

The missile is located at 1815 16th Ave E. For more info, check out its page on the Historical Marker Database.