Rose Hill Cemetery - Macon, Georgia

Rose Hill Cemetery

Rose Hill Cemetery, located on heights overlooking downtown Macon and the Ocmulgee River, is one of the most beautiful and historic burial places in Georgia. It is the final resting place for hundreds of Confederate soldiers, Civil War generals, early business and political leaders and two founding members of the famed Allman Brothers Band.

A noteworthy example of 19th century landscape architecture, Rose Hill Cemetery was originally conceived by Simri Rose, an early newspaper publisher and prominent citizen in Macon. Rose envisioned the cemetery as a park-like setting, rich in natural beauty, that would serve both as a burial ground and place for outdoor leisure.

Rose Hill Cemetery opened its gates in 1840 and quickly became known for its scenic beauty throughout the South. Even people with no connection at all to Macon began acquiring plots there and the size of the burial ground was rapidly expanded.


Although it has changed greatly from the original plan envisioned by Simri Rose, the cemetery remains very beautiful today. It is also a major Georgia historic site. To read more and see additional photos, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/rosehill.

Rock Eagle Effigy - Eatonton, Georgia

One of the most remarkable places in Georgia is a hilltop just north of Eatonton, where some 2,000 years ago prehistoric Native Americans built the effigy of a gigantic bird..

Rock Eagle Effigy Mound is a magnificent stone effigy that measures more than 100 feet both from wingtip to wingtip and from the top of the head to the bottom of the feat. Its breast rises more than 8 feet above the surface of the dirt on the hilltop.

Now a park area adjoining the Rock Eagle 4-H Center, the effigy can be visited daily during normal business hours. There is no charge to see it, making it one of the most amazing free attractions anywhere in the country.

Despite years of research, very little is known of exactly when and why the prehistoric people of the area build the effigy. It is thought to date from around 100-300 A.D., although others hold that it is much older. It is also thought to hold ceremonial significance, an obvious conclusion, and archaeologists did find cremated human burials in it.  It seems to be paired in someway with the nearby Rock Hawk (also called the Little Rock Eagle effigy), which is located east of Eatonton. The two are the only known rock effigy mounds east of the Mississippi River.

To read more about the Rock Eagle and see additional photos, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/rockeagle.

The Cannonball House - Macon, Georgia

An outstanding example of Greek Revival architecture, the beautiful old Cannonball House in Macon is one of the most charming structures of its type in Georgia.

Built in 1853 by Judge Asa Holt, the house earned its name on July 30, 1864, when it was struck by a Union cannonball fired from across the Ocmulgee River during the Battle of Dunlap Hill (also called Dunlap's Farm). The iron ball hit the sand walkway in front of the house, bounced up and smashed through a column before going into the house and landing in a hallway where it left a permanent dent in the flooring.

The cannon that fired on Macon were located in the yard of the Dunlap House across the river (now part of Ocmulgee National Monument). Union troops led by General George Stoneman had failed in their effort to enter Macon to free the Federal prisoners of war held at Camp Oglethorpe. Realizing that they could not storm through the Confederate troops that had swarmed to meet them, they turned their cannon on civilian areas of Macon. The accounts and reports of Union officers indicate that they fired intentionally on civilian targets in the city, obviously knowing that women, children, slaves and other noncombatants could be killed or maimed.

The Cannonball House stands today as a reminder of that day. A museum owned by the Sidney Lanier Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, it is open to the public and visitors can still see the damage caused by the cannonball. To learn more about this fascinating house and museum, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/cannonballhouse.

Battle of Sunshine Church - Round Oak, Georgia

During the last days of July 1864, the Union army launched a daring attempt to liberate the Federal prisoners of war being held at Camp Oglethorpe in Macon and Camp Sumter at Andersonville. The effort ended in disaster on July 31st at the Battle of Sunshine Church.

Remembered today as Stoneman's Raid because it was led by General George Stoneman, the raid had been launched at Stoneman's request amid much fretting by his commanding officer, General William Tecumseh Sherman. Stoneman made it as far as Macon before realizing there was no way he would be able to fight his way through to either Camp Oglethorpe or Andersonville. He did destroy miles of railroad track, loot homes, steal livestock and otherwise terrorize the people of Middle Georgia, but he did not fight his way across the Ocmulgee River at Macon.

Falling back after the Battle of Dunlap's Hill at Macon, Stoneman began a desperate effort to make it back to Sherman's lines at Atlanta. He failed. Confederate General Arthur Iverson had been born and raised in the area and used his knowledge of roads and trails to block Stoneman's path at a little country chapel called Sunshine Church. The Federal cavalry arrived there to find Iverson's men dug in along a commanding ridge with cannon aimed straight up the main road.

The Battle of Sunshine Church was a desperate affair and although two brigades of Federals were able to break out of the Confederate trap, Stoneman and hundreds of his men could not. In the end they were forced to lay down their arms and surrender. The Union general and the remnant of his command were marched off to the very prisons they had expected to attack.

Often overlooked, the Battle of Sunshine Church was a critical moment of the War between the States in Georgia. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/sunshinechurch.

Columbus Riverwalk - Strolling through History on the Chattahoochee

What began as a sewer project as turned into one of the most remarkable heritage attractions in Georgia.

The Columbus Riverwalk winds along the banks of the Chattahoochee River, linking many of the city's historic sites, museums and points of interest. It grew from a visionary plan developed when the federal government required the city to do massive upgrades to its sewer systems. Engineers, planners and concerned citizens saw it as a chance to do something beautiful that could be enjoyed by city residents and visitors for years to come.

The original downtown stretch of the Riverwalk opened in 1992, but the project now extends for 22 miles, from Lake Oliver on the northern edge of the city all the way to the National Infantry Museum and Fort Benning to the south. Along the way, visitors can learn about the history of the city, the Battle of Columbus, the site where the ironclad C.S.S. Jackson was built and much more.

Among the major attractions that can be visited along the Riverwalk are Heritage Corner, Heritage Park, the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, the scene of the Battle of Columbus, the National Civil War Naval Museum, Oxbow Meadows Environmental Center and the stunning new facilities of the National Infantry Museum.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/gacolriverwalk.

Heritage Park - Columbus, Georgia

One of the most unique historical attractions in Georgia is actually a park and outdoor exhibit in the Chattahoochee River city of Columbus.

Heritage Park was jointly developed by the Historic Columbus Foundation and the City of Columbus to help visitors and residents learn more about the unique industrial history of the city in an outdoor setting in the heart of the Columbus Historic District.

In addition to providing green space that links the city's beautiful Riverwalk with its famed Heritage Corner area, the park features life-sized exhibits that explain the unique connection between Columbus and the Chattahoochee River. The city is located at the Falls of the Chattahoochee, a now-dammed stretch of rapids that provided power for early mills and eventually for manufacturing plants.

Exhibits in the park include a water feature recreating the flow of the Chattahoochee River through the city, factory settings were sculptures show employees at work in factory settings, a simulation of the paddlewheel riverboat, an original brick kiln and even a statue of the city's beloved Dr. John Pemberton, inventor of Coca-Cola(R).

Because of its unique features, falling waters and other exhibits, the park is popular with both children and adults. Its location in the center of a wide array of attractions and historic sites, along with its well-designed interpretive facilities, makes it an outstanding place to learn more about the heritage of Columbus.

To learn more about Heritage Park, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/GAColHeritage.

Battle of Bloody Marsh - St. Simons Island, Georgia

The English victory at the Battle of Gully Hole Creek on the morning of July 7, 1742, stunned the Spanish army invading St. Simons Island and sent it reeling back on its base at Fort St. Simons (on the site of today's St. Simons Lighthouse). As English General James Oglethorpe pushed forces up the military road across the island and returned to Fort Frederica for reinforcements, Spanish commander Don Manuel de Montiano attempted to reverse the situation faced by his forces.

Bringing forward a stronger body of troops, Montiano started back up the military road. Aware that a second Spanish advance was likely, Oglethorpe had thrown the 42nd Regiment of Foot and a company of Highlanders from Darien into position on a low wooded bluff overlooking a marsh that the Spanish soldiers would have to cross. The miltiary road passed over the edge of the marsh by a low causeway.

On the afternoon of July 7, 1742, just hours after their defeat earlier in the day at Gully Hole Creek, the Spanish army marched into Oglethorpe's ambush. As Montiano's soldiers crossed into the open marsh, the English soldiers opened fire. A sharp battle erupted and by the time the smoke cleared, the Spanish were once again in retreat.

The battlefield would become known as Bloody Marsh, because legend holds that the wetlands ran red with the blood of Spanish soldiers. While this may have been true, only seven of Montiano's soldiers were killed in the fighting, far fewer than had died earlier in the day at Gully Hole Creek.

The Battle of Bloody Marsh is rememebered today as a landmark event in Georgia history. It forever ended Spain's hope of reclaiming is lost lands in Georgia and assured the survival of the English colony that would eventually become the State of Georgia. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/bloodymarsh.

Battle of Gully Hole Creek - St. Simons Island, Georgia

One of the least known but most important battles in Georgia history took place on July 7, 1742, in the marshes and thickets along Gully Hole Creek on St. Simons Island.

The War of Jenkins Ear was then underway. Named for the severed ear of an English sea captain and, so far as I know, the only war in human history named for a body part, the conflict between England and Spain spilled over to the American continent and led to fighting for control of what would become the state of Georgia.

General James Oglethorpe had instigated the fighting by leading a campaign south into Florida to capture St. Augustine. He failed and in July of 1742, Spanish Governor Don Manuel de Montiano retaliated by leading a fleet of warships and more than 5,000 troops north to St. Simons Island. Landing on the south end of the island and occupying Fort St. Simons, which stood at the site of today's St. Simons Lighthouse and had been evacuated by the English as Montiano landed, he prepared to move against Oglethorpe's main citadel at Fort Frederica.

Pushing an advance force up the military road that linked the two forts on July 7, 1742, Montiano prepared for his assault on Fort Frederica. Unfortunately for the Spanish, however, things quickly began to go wrong.

Informed of the Spanish advance, Oglethorpe left Fort Frederica with a company of Scottish Highlanders from Darien, Georgia, and some Indian volunteers to oppose Montiano's force while his main body of troops prepared to join the fighting. The hard fighting Highlanders and their Indian allies collided with the Spanish at a sluggish waterway called Gully Hole Creek. It was a bloody little battle filled with smoke, screams and the rattle of musketry.

Montiano was defeated and pulled back up the island to unite with his main force. Oglethorpe followed and waited to fight again.

To learn more about the Battle of Gully Hole Creek, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/gullyholecreek.

Washington, Georgia - Antebellum Homes and Rich History

With its oak shaded streets graced by more than 100 antebellum homes and structures, Washington  is one of the most charming and historic cities in Georgia.

Located in the rich historic triangle formed by the cities of Atlanta, Augusta and Athens, Washington was founded before the American Revolution as a frontier stockade called Fort Heard (named for an early settler). The area was the scene of brutal fighting during the Revolution when Patriot forces smashed a larger British army at the Battle of Kettle Creek twelve miles outside the modern city.

Fort Heard became Washington in 1780 when the city was officially approved by the Georgia legislature. Over the decades that followed, it grew into a prosperous and improtant antebellum community. A noted trading, political and social center during the years leading up to the Civil War, Washington was home to both Gen. Porter Alexander, who commanded the artillery of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, and Gen. Robert Toombs, a former U.S. Senator who also served as the first Secretary of State of the Confederacy.

In the final days of the war, President Jefferson Davis held his final conference with key officials in a bank building in Washington. His wife and children spent several nights at Holly Court, a beautiful antebellum home that now serves as a bed & breakfast inn.

One of the most fascinating legends that surrounds Washington is that of the lost Confederate treasury. When Davis and other officials reached the city, they were still in control of tens of thousands of dollars worth of gold and silver. The remains of the Confederate treasury, the money had been spirited out of Richmond before the Southern capital city fell to Union forces. Much of the treasure was last seen in Washington and the mystery of its disappearance has never been satisfactorily resolved.

A charming and progressive city, Washington is a popular heritage destination known for its scenic homes and museums, unique inns and shopping opportunities. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/washingtonga.

Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge - Southernmost in the United States

Just outside of Blakely in Early County stands the Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge, the southernmost original covered bridge in the United States.

Built in 1891 at the old McDonald Ford over Coheelee Creek, the bridge is 96 feet long and was constructed at a cost of only $490.41. That was actually a substantial sum in that day and time, but it was the work of builder John William Baughman that really stood the test of time.

The classic old bridge, weathered and charming, no longer carries car traffic but still feels solid to the feet as you walk across it. Like many such structures, it does suffer from vandalism and is not as well-kept as it could be, but to see a covered bridge standing so far down in the Deep South is truly remarkable.

The Coheelee Creek bridge is even more unique because it spans one of the few waterfalls to be found this far down in Georgia. The rushing water of the creek tumbles over rocks create a small cascade or fall that can be heard as you approach the bridge.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/coheelee1.

Jekyll Island - Historic Sites and Points of Interest

There can be little doubt that Jekyll Island on Georgia's Atlantic Coast is one of the most charming and historic spots in the South.

The Guale Indians were living here when the Spanish first arrived in North America during the 1500s. Missions were established in the area and for many years the Golden Isles of Georgia were considered a Spanish possession.

That changed in 1736, when General James Oglethorpe arrived across the channel on St. Simons Island to establish Fort Frederica and Fort St. Simons. One of the general's top officers, Major William Horton, was granted 500 acres on Jekyll Island and in 1736 he became the island's first recorded permanent inhabitant.

Horton built a two-story fortified home on the northern end of Jekyll Island, cleared the first road across the island and opened fields for farming. He also operated a brewery which supplied beer for the troops occupying the coastal islnds. Horton's house was burned by the Spanish in 1742, but its stout tabby walls remained and the structure was rebuilt.

In the years that followed, Jekyll Island was the location of plantations and a Confederate artillery battery. After the Civil War, however, the entire island was acquired by a group of the wealthiest and most powerful individuals in the world. The Jekyll Island Club, as their private organization was known, began with 53 member-investors. Among them were J.P. Morgan, Joseph Pulitzer, Marshall Field and William K. Vanderbilt.

The clubhouse on the island opened its doors in 1888 and millionaires flocked to the island to build magnificent winter cottages. For nearly fifty years, Jekyll Island would be a seat of power unlike any in America. It was from meetings here that the idea for forming the Federal Reserve grew and it was from Jekyll Island that the president of AT&T placed the first transcontinental telephone call in 1915.

Jekyll Island today is owned by the State of Georgia and is a popular destination for visitors from around the world. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jekyllisland.

Red Oak Covered Bridge - Woodbury, Georgia

Sometimes called the Imlac Covered Bridge after a nearby unincorporated community of that name, the historic Red Oak Covered Bridge in Woodbury is Georgia's oldest original covered bridge.

Built in the 1840s by famed bridge builder Horace King, the Red Oak bridge is also the longest wooden bridge in Georgia. Counting its open approaches, it is 253 feet long. The main covered part of the bridge is 115 feet long.

Uniquely, the Red Oak Covered Bridge is still in use today. Cars cross Red Oak Creek by using the bridge, which is still as solid as it was when it was built, thanks to careful preservation and occasional repair work. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the bridge is easily accessible from nearby Warm Springs by way of Georgia Highway 85.

The bridge is a unique surviving example of the engineering skill of its builder, Horace King. Born into slavery in South Carolina, King demonstrated such remarkable capability as an engineer and architect that he was set free by John Godwin. His reputation was so established by that point that the Alabama State Legislature enacted special legislation granting King the full rights of citizenship.

Although he and his sons are best remembered for their work designing and building bridges, they also achieved remarkable results on other projects. Horace King, for example, is remembered today as the designer and builder of the beautiful spial staircase in the Alabama State Capitol.

To learn more about Red Oak Covered Bridge, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/redoak.

Georgia Sea Turtle Center - Jekyll Island, Georgia

Sea turtles, some of which grow to lengths of more than 6 feet, have long been fixtures of the Georgia coast.

Prehistoric Native Americans made use of these large turtles as food and early European settlers were also known to cook one up now and then as well. It was not until 20th century development and other impacts set in, however, that Georgia's population of sea turtles was threatened.

There are five different species of sea turtles in Georgia and all are now protected by both state and federal law. They are a unique and special part of not only the cultural, but the natural history of Georgia.

One of the most unique places to learn about and actually see them is the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island. Located in the beautiful Jekyll Island Historic District, the center offers an interpretive center featuring interactive exhibits about sea turtles, but even more importantly serves to rescue and rehabilitate injured or sick sea turtles from all along the coastal islands.

Guides take visitors on tours of the hospital area, where they can see the staff working to heal and help sometimes very large sea turtles. It is a unique experience and one that should definitely not be overlooked by visitors to the Georgia coast.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/jekyllturtles.

The Marshes of Glynn - Glynn County, Georgia

It is a little known fact that Georgia has (and protects) more salt marsh than any other state on the East Coast of the United States. Perhaps the best known of these grasslands are the Marshes of Glynn, which separate Jekyll, St. Simons and the other Golden Isles from the mainland of Georgia.

Vast seas of grass that team with life, the Marshes of Glynn are part of one of the most productive eco-systems in the world. They are the breeding grounds for Georgia shrimp, blue crab and oysters and also filter pollutants from water.

The marshes have long attracted the attention of mankind, but they owe their greatest fame to the poet Sidney Lanier. In 1878, he penned his beautiful poem "The Marshes of Glynn," a widely acclaimed work that provides one of the finest word pictures ever written of an American landscape.

The marshes can be seen from the causeways leading to both St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island. The overlook at the Jekyll Island Welcome Center provides a spectacular panoramic view of the marshes, and they can also be seen from many points along the interior coast of Jekyll Island. A particularly beautiful spot is on the grounds of the Horton House Historic Site.

To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/marshesofglynn.

Warm Springs Area Historic Sites

Spring is a phenomenal time to visit the historic West Georgia community of Warm Springs. The dogwoods, azaleas and other natural plants are in bloom and comfortable temperatures have returned, making the easy drive from nearby Atlanta or Columbus well worth the time.

Located just off the northern slope of Pine Mountain, Warm Springs is rich in both natural and cultural history. The community is a popular gateway to nearby Callaway Gardens, one of the finest outdoor attractions in the South, Warm Springs is also known for its unique old downtown area, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Little White House and an array of other sites associated with the man who guided America through the Great Depression and World War II.

A beautifully revitalized historic community, Warm Springs is centered around the site of the train station from which President Roosevelt's body was taken in 1945 after he died at the Little White House. A monument marks the train station site and visitors can tour many other sites associated with Roosevelt, including the restored warm water pools that once attracted him to Warm Springs in hope of finding help for the disabling results of his battle with polio. The Little White House is open to the public daily and the nearby Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park includes numerous other areas associated with the late president.

In addition, the scenery of Pine Mountain is just spectacular. Historic Dowdell's Knob offers stunning views of the valley below and trails lead to small waterfalls, rock formations and other unique settings.

To learn more about the Warm Springs area, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/warmsprings.

Horton House Historic District - Jekyll Island, Georgia

The old Horton House on Jekyll Island has been one of my favorite historic sites since I first saw the picturesque ruins as a kid.

A relic of Georgia's Colonial past, the Horton House was built by Major William Horton in around 1740 as English settlement spread south through the Golden Isles following the establishment of Fort Frederica on nearby St. Simons Island by General James Oglethorpe. Horton was the major and second command of Oglethorpe's regiment and his settlement on the north end of Jekyll Island was a major part of Oglethorpe's plan for conquering the former Spanish territory along the Georgia coast.

The two-story house was extremely large for its day and was made of tabby, a concrete like material created by mixing equal parts of lime (made by burning oyster shells), sand, water and oyster shell. The fact that the walls still stand more than 270 years later reveals just how strong tabby was as a building material. In addition to the house, Horton built a barn and other structures, cleared fields and opened the first road across Jekyll Island.

The Spanish burned the Horton House during their raid on St. Simons and Jekyll Islands in 1742, but it was quickly rebuilt using the surviving stone walls. In fact, the house remained the centerpiece of an important plantation until the lands were sold to the Jekyll Island Club in 1886. The old walls witnessed not only the War of Jenkins Ear with the Spanish, but the American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War as well.

The house and grounds are today maintained as a historic site and feature not only the old ruins, but interpretive markers, the nearby DuBignon (du Bignon) cemetery and spectacular views of the famed Marshes of Glynn. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/hortonhouse.

Stone Mountain, Georgia - History Written in Granite

Stone Mountain Park on the outskirts of Atlanta is home to one of Georgia's most unique historic sites.

Once thought to be the largest such granite outcrop in the world, Stone Mountain has witnessed the passage of thousands of years of Georgia history. Ancient Native Americans, for example, built mysterious stone walls atop the mountain. The purpose of these walls, which do not seem to have been designed as fortifications, is not clear, although most researchers now speculate they were ceremonial in nature. No trace of them remains today.

During the Civil War, the mountain was a key stop on Sherman's March to the Sea. Numerous soldiers describe stopping to admire the view of the impressive mountain of stone, even as they torched local barns and took every scrap of food they could find, leaving hard-working Georgia families to starve.

In later years, the mountain provided a source for granite during the construction boom that followed the Reconstruction years. Stone Mountain granite can be found in public structures and monuments across the South. The term "As Solid as Stone Mountain" became symbolic of the spirit of the New South.

The face of the mountain now displays the world's largest bas-relief carving. The figures of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson ride on horseback across the face of the mountain, frozen in time.

Stone Mountain Park is a popular tourist destination. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/stonemountain.