Nationwide — Blaine and Diane Smith, an African American couple from Sparta, Georgia, are fighting to stop Sandersville Railroad Co. from taking their family’s land for a new rail spur. A judge recently ruled in favor of the company, but the Smiths plan to appeal.The railroad company wants 11 acres of the Smith family’s 600-acre property in Sparta. Blaine’s grandfather acquired the land in the 1920s, and it has since been a source of food, education funds, and family memories.
The planned 4.5-mile rail line would pass through a historically Black neighborhood and disrupt their property’s peace.
“We’ve had to fight to keep this land. It’s always somebody coming in trying to bamboozle you out of it,” Blaine told Capital B News. “There’s people trying to come hunt on it and trespass on it. It’s gonna be easier for them to do that if we put a railroad through the middle of it… You asked me, “What things bother me about it?” I mean, everything bothers me about it.”
Sandersville Railroad claims the spur will boost local trade, reduce truck traffic, and create jobs. Company president Benjamin Tarbutton III acknowledged the family’s concerns and said they are open to further discussions. The company has already reached agreements with most of the 18 affected landowners.
The Smiths, supported by the Institute for Justice, argue that the rail project does not serve a genuine public purpose. They worry about potential property damage, noise, and trespassing. The family remains determined to fight the ruling and protect their heritage.
“We’re going to fight till we can’t fight anymore,” Diane said. “I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. My grandmother used to say, ‘no stone unturned’, so you keep unturning and unturning.”
The case now heads to the Georgia Supreme Court as the family continues their legal battle.