These 6 Historic Villages In Georgia Will Transport You Into A Different Time
By Marisa Roman|Published January 29, 2016
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
It’s always fun to take a trip back in time, especially when you’re visiting a historic town. You park your car, step outside and becom immediately immersed in a different time and place. Georgia is chock-full of historic towns, some of which that can even be considered living history museums. These historic places offer a real time pilgrimage into a particular historical era. These are the types of trips that not only are fun, but also add some historical knowledge into the mix. Bring the kids, bring the in-laws, bring the entire family, and take a look at these famous Georgia historic villages.
Westville
is one of Georgia's most prominent living history museums. It opened in 1970 and depicts an 1850s-style village, with rural businesses, a church, a school, and one of only two surviving wooden courthouses in the state—the Chattahoochee County Courthouse. Here children can learn techniques from Westville staff, used back in the 1850s such as basket weaving. How fun!
Seabrooke is considered a rarity among historic villages in the country. It portrays a coastal African American community circa the late 1800s to early 1930s. Inside this quaint historic town, you'll find typical tenant houses, outbuildings, a school, a church and a sorghum mill.
Jesup is a town known for being quite prominent during colonial times. The area around Jesup was fought over by the English, Spanish and natives before once again becoming a central battleground in the Civil War. Visitors can tour the old ruins or go shopping in the rebuilt shopping district. In December, there is even a reenactment of the Battle for the Doctortown Railroad Trestle, a prominent battle during Sherman's March to the Sea.
This historic farm, founded in 1799 by Joseph Shields of Virginia, has remained within the family and has been a part of colossal changes in agriculture. What once started with growing tobacco, switched in the mid-1800s to produce cotton, then in the 1900s became a sharecropping village. Here, people can take a tour of the cotton gin, teacher's house and blacksmith shop.
The Tullie Smith Farm still has the majority of the buildings intact that were built in the 1800s. The buildings include a blacksmith shop, smokehouse and double corncrib. There is also a yard filled with farm animals. All of these can be toured and appreciated at your leisure whenever you're in town.
In 1828, this was the spot for America's first gold rush. Today, visitors can learn about that particular gold rush in the Dahlonega Gold Museum, which is housed in the state's oldest surviving courthouse.
Some historic towns have become modernized to fit the times, while others remain historically intact for all visitors looking for a trip back in time. Are there other historic villages we left off the list? Leave them in the comments below!
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