Georgia Timeline Events By facebooker_100000459952604 Period: Jan 1, 1540 to Jan 15, 1929 Georgia Major events Jan 27, 1540 Hernado de Soto explores Georgia Jul 30, 1730 James Oglethorpe and associates petion for colony South of Carolina Jul 25, 1742 First Thanksgiving day in Georgia Jun 21, 1754 Origanal Seal of Georgia Approved by King George II Jan 28, 1785 University of Georgia is founded Aug 28, 1838 Underground Railroad spreads to Georgia Mar 29, 1886 Coca-Cola went on sale for the first time at a drugstore in Atlanta Jan 15, 1929 Martin Luther King Jr. is Born in Atlanta