Valdosta, the county seat of Lowndes County, was incorporated on December 7, 1860. Upon its incorporation, the county seat was moved from Troupville to Valdosta. The city was named for Governor George Troup’s country homes and comes from the Italian word Val D’ Osta.

Long before life as a gambler and a gunfighter, John Henry “Doc” Holliday was a respected man in the community in Valdosta. Holliday was a young dentist who fled to the west due to his bouts with tuberculosis. With his move westward, he gained legendary status in the “profession” of a gunfighter.