Location: 503 Hudson Avenue, Ashburn, GA
Built: 1909

Located at 503 Hudson Avenue in Ashburn, this historic home was built in 1909 by Cloud Hampton Bishop (1880-1946), one of Turner County’s most influential educators and agricultural visionaries.

Originally from Watkinsville, Georgia, Bishop came to Ashburn in 1895 as a teacher and later served as principal and Superintendent of Turner County Schools for ten years. His greatest contribution, however, came through agriculture.

Bishop was one of the leaders behind the Turner County Plan, better known as the “Cow, Hog, and Hen” Program. At a time when South Georgia farmers relied almost entirely on cotton, Bishop encouraged families to diversify by raising dairy cattle, hogs, and chickens while growing food for both their households and livestock. The goal was simple but revolutionary: produce food at home, create dependable sources of income, and reduce reliance on a single cash crop.

Bishop first taught these ideas to his students, believing they would take the lessons home to their families. As the movement grew, Ashburn became home to South Georgia’s first creamery, along with a chicken-processing plant that gave local farmers reliable markets for their products. The success of the Turner County Plan attracted national attention and became a model for rural communities across the South, demonstrating how diversification could strengthen local economies.

In addition to his work in education and agriculture, Bishop operated as a wholesale grocer specializing in feed and seed, further supporting the county’s farming community.

Cloud Hampton Bishop married Mattie Florence Green in 1901, and together they raised eight children. He passed away on December 11, 1946, but his legacy lives on through the schools he led, the agricultural movement he helped champion, and the historic home at 503 Hudson Avenue, a lasting reminder of one man’s impact on Turner County.