PLAINS, Ga. (WRBL) - Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter celebrated her birthday earlier this week and the celebration continued in Plains.
What was previously known as South Bond Street is now Rosalynn Carter Trail. The name change officially took place on Wednesday August 18, to help celebrate the 94th birthday of the former First Lady.
The celebration continued as neighbors on the trail and residents of Plains met downtown to commemorate the special occasion and even the former First Lady made an appearance.
Mrs. Carter said, speaking to an excited crowd, that she was especially grateful for the honor as this was the very street she walked up and down when going to grade school.
Rosalynn Carter's sister, Alletha, said her sister's humbleness makes this honor even more special.
"She was shy like me and I don't get up and talk like she does, I can't do that. But, I'm very proud of her and what she's accomplished. I'm just glad that the town is honoring her with this and naming this street we lived on after her. I just wish my parents could be here and see this," said Lillian Allethea Smith Wall.
Tim Buchanan, a resident of Rosalynn Carter Trail, previously known as South Bond Street, said the idea originated when discussing next steps for the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail project.
"Through the conversations, we realized we have never really done anything to recognize just our former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. We felt like it was important that we figure out someway to honor her. The street we started talking about was the street she grew up on. Why don't we change the name of the street to Rosalynn Carter Trail?" asked Buchanan.
From there, residents of South Bond Street met to discuss the name change, signed a petition to make it official, and once they had enough signatures, they took it to the mayor's office and city council.
Mayor Boze Godwin said normally these things take time, but based off community excitement and an eagerness to see it through, he said changing the street name happened quickly.
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