Editing Valdosta, Georgia (section)

===Second half of the 20th century===
[[Image:Moody-retreat-1943.jpg|thumb|[[Moody Air Force Base]] in 1943]]

On June 26, 1941, [[Moody Air Force Base|Moody Army Airfield]] opened {{convert|10|mi|0}} northeast of town as part of the United States' preparation for the country's potential involvement in [[World War II]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moody Air Force Base |url=https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/moody-air-force-base/ |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=New Georgia Encyclopedia |language=en-US}}</ref>

The local economy received an important boost in the mid-20th century when [[Interstate 75]] was routed and built through the area. Many vacationers on their way to [[Florida]] found Valdosta a convenient "last stop" on their way to [[Walt Disney World]] and the [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] area. The Interstate's route to the west of the city has contributed to its commercial district shifting from the historic downtown area to near the Interstate.

[[Image:Giraffes at Wild Adventures.JPG|thumb|right|[[Cheetah (Wild Adventures)|Cheetah]] roller coaster and giraffes at [[Wild Adventures]]]]

[[Valdosta State University|Valdosta State College]] was [[Desegregation|integrated]] in September 1963.<ref name=":3" /> In 1969, [[Valdosta High School]] (the formerly all-white school) and Pinevale High School (the formerly all-black school) were merged into one system; integration had begun at Valdosta High School about 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Floyd |first=Adam |date=2015-05-24 |title=VHS 1965 desegregated class remembered |url=https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/local_news/vhs-1965-desegregated-class-remembered/article_6282ed5a-01b3-11e5-b042-c7187999dcea.html |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Valdosta Daily Times |language=en}}</ref>

During the [[Vietnam War]], future president [[George W. Bush]] entered the [[National Guard of the United States|National Guard]], receiving flight training at Valdosta's [[Moody Air Force Base]] in November 1968.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-20 |title=The heritage of President Bush |url=https://www.moody.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/210292/the-heritage-of-president-bush/https://www.moody.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/210292/the-heritage-of-president-bush/ |access-date=2024-01-30 |website=Moody Air Force Base |language=en-US}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 1994, Kent and Dawn Buescher opened Liberty Farms Animal Park with a playground, entertainment venue and a collection of animals. An amusement park was added, and in 1996 Liberty Farms Animal Park was renamed [[Wild Adventures]]. Wild Adventures expanded with Splash Island Water Park in 2002. The Buescher family purchased a botanical garden and theme park called [[Cypress Gardens]] in 2004. Due to damage from three hurricanes and a financial struggle in repairing Cypress Gardens, the Buescher family were forced to sell [[Wild Adventures]] to [[Herschend Family Entertainment]] in 2007.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Flaisig|first1=Liz|title=Wild Adventures theme park is sold, but fun will continue|url=http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100207/met_204530833.shtml#.WO7UAIjytPY|access-date=13 April 2017|newspaper=The Florida Times-Union|date=October 2, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413153843/http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100207/met_204530833.shtml#.WO7UAIjytPY|archive-date=April 13, 2017|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

According to the [[Bureau of Labor Statistics]]' ''[[Monthly Labor Review]]'', the first [[automated teller machine]] (ATM) was installed at a [[Citizens & Southern National Bank|C&S Bank]] in Valdosta in 1971.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.bls.gov/mlr/1996/08/art4full.pdf |title=Commercial banking transformed by computer technology |author=Teresa L. Morisi|date=August 1996 |work=Monthly Labor Review |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111022123131/http://bls.gov/mlr/1996/08/art4full.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-22 |access-date=January 13, 2014}}</ref> That ATM was preceded by one installed in [[Rockville Centre, New York]], in 1969.<ref>{{cite book |first=Rob |last=Kirkpatrick |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XZMrIchANY4C&pg=PA266 |title=1969: The Year Everything Changed |publisher=Skyhorse Publishing Inc. |date=2009 |page=266 |isbn=9781602393660}}</ref>