The city of Macon is dubbed the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World with good reason. The streets are filled with the numerous blossoms, all from the trees in the sidewalk. The place reminds you of a modern Japanese-American themed city, as the usual-Japanese flowers float amongst modern American buildings and asphalt-lined streets.

The area is bustling and filled with Yoshino cherry trees, and every Spring, they fill the air and the ground with their pale pink petals. It is a very extravagant display of color, which leaves their audience speechless and breathless for the first time.

History relates that the cherry trees came from the late William A. Fickling, Sr. who was a local realtor in the area. He had discovered a Yoshino tree in Macon, and with confirmation after three years, had found out what the species was. Took him a trip to Washington DC just to find out the tree was actually a Yoshino specie!

His generosity and enthusiasm had encouraged the residents to help in his vision of filling the whole city with the pretty cherry trees. Years have passed and the vision had started to slowly materialize. A lot of its current residents had moved to Macon just to be near the trees. One of them being Carolyn Clayton, the festival founder.

She had urged Fickling to go on with their project, and the dream became true. Through a big community effort, 500 trees were planted along the streets across Macon. The project was encouraged when they had finally proposed the first Cherry Blossom Festival.

Soon it had become one of the Top 20 events of the South, and news had begun to spread. From three days, it had reached 10 days of festivities.

The trees keep growing too, and like their number, the dreams of Mr. Fickling will live on and grow more and more.

Tags: TV Shows