William Wadley Monument At the intersection of Third and Mulberry Streets in downtown Macon stands this statue of William Morrill Wadley, president of the Central of Georgia from January 1866 to August 1882. Wadley took a railroad that had seen 170 miles of track destroyed by war and returned it to prosperity. As railroad historian Maury Klein said, "The restoration of the Central and the guiding of its destiny through the difficult postwar years became his lifework. Though his achievement was not without its shortcomings, he succeeded in making the Central the most powerful corporation in Georgia and one of the finest railroad properties in the South."* The bronze statue was the work of New York sculptor Robert Cushing. It was unveiled on June 18, 1885. The inscription on the base reads: William M. Wadley Erected A.D. 1885 by the employees of the Rail Road and Steamship Companies of which he was the head. To commemorate the life of a good man and the ability of a great railway manager who rose from their ranks to the presidency. * Maury Klein. The Great Richmond Terminal; A Study in Businessmen and Business Strategy. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1970. RailGa.com. Georgia's Railroad History & Heritage. © Steve Storey Railroad History | The Depot List | Locomotives On Display | Odds & Ends | Sources & References | Home