National Register of Historic Places

Possum Poke

Poulan, Worth County, Georgia
Listed
August 25, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002499

About this property

Possum Poke is a historic hunting retreat outside Poulan, Georgia, United States, and for years was the winter home of Chase Osborn, a former governor of Michigan, author and adventurer. Once a hunting camp, the two main buildings are "Big Poke" and "Little Poke". The "Big Poke" home was owned by Osborn, who died there in 1949. Stone monuments on the grounds commemorate him and his longtime confidante and second wife Stellanova Osborn, who died in 1988. Though these monuments are sometimes mistaken for the couple's gravestones, the Osborns are actually buried in Michigan. The site is located on Possum Lane off U.S. Route 82. It is managed by the Sylvester-Worth County Chamber of Commerce, is open to the public, and is rentable for special events. On April 25, 1974, three marker monuments, two boulders from the Hiawatha National Forest on Lake Superior and a flagpole were dedicated at the site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 26, 1982. The ownership of Possum Poke transferred from Worth County to the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in March 1999. At the time of the transfer, the condition of the house was deteriorating.

Location

Poulan, Worth County, Georgia
31.51777, -83.78277

Categories

CONSERVATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Possum Poke

This page lists Possum Poke. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Possum Poke report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Poulan Library
Industrial
0.4 mi
Sumner High School
Industrial
2.8 mi
US Post Office-Sylvester
Industrial
3.1 mi
Sylvester Commercial Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
3.2 mi
Worth County Courthouse
Industrial
3.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Possum Poke listed on the National Register?

Possum Poke was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 25, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Possum Poke?

Possum Poke is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Possum Poke?

The period of significance for Possum Poke is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Possum Poke?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Possum Poke will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Worth County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Worth County.

Explore WorthCounty ›

More historic places in Georgia

Browse all historic places in Georgia.

View Georgiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Georgia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Georgiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Possum Poke will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report