Dogtown & Greenshade

Dogtown and Greenshade: Two Communities Joining Together

Greenshade and Dogtown are two small legacy communities near Quincy whose boundaries are becoming less clear over time. Today, a majority of the residents use the names interchangeably. The community is surrounded by farmland, with houses dispersed throughout the area. Separate from the churches in the area,

Greenshade-Dogtown has two institutions central to the community. The first is 5F Farm, owned and operated by Maurice Grant. The space is utilized for large gatherings such as the concerts, Havana Reggae Festival, and family reunions. Before it became an event space, residents in the community had houses on the property.

The second institution is the Greenshade-Dogtown Volunteer Fire Station, located at 7297 Salem Road. Before the fire station opened in 2020, residents had to rely on another volunteer fire station in Havana or Quincy’s full-time fire station located 10 miles away. This resulted in slow response times and increased risk of a loss of life or property in the event of a fire. The fire station comes as a result of residents advocating for themselves and engaging in grassroots initiatives. In response, the Gadsden County Board of Commissioners authorized the purchase of two undeveloped lots to construct the fire station. This citizen-led initiative is a reminder of the importance of advocating for your community’s needs despite the role residents play in determining their community’s future.