It still calls itself the reading capital of the world, after beating other cities in competition over whose residents could read the most books. And it is halfway between Atlanta and Disney World, making it a perfect stop for families who need a break from the 430-mile drive.

But at the moment, the most interesting thing about Tifton is an abandoned Victorian house filled with thousands of bats.

Tift County declared the once-elegant house in the town’s historic district off limits on Monday after a bat specialist said that maybe 20,000 bats had moved in, apparently for good. That number is in dispute. After all, who can really count that many bats? But still, the fact that thousands of bats are living it up next door has neighbors and civic leaders concerned.

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