Special to The U-R
Georgia’s Antebellum Trail, the state’s first official tourism trail, presents the second annual Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage April 21-25, 2010.
The 100-mile trail, spanning seven communities from Athens to Macon, features events, tours and entrance into private historic homes not generally open to the public.
The April Pilgrimage dates will allow tourists to combine the Pilgrimage with other premiere events as many other spring festivals and annual events in the seven host communities will also occur during this timeframe.
“With entrance to seven attractions or events at a remarkable value, the Trail Association makes it easy for participants to experience all seven historic communities,” said Amy Clark of the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The northern gateway of the Antebellum Trail is Athens, named a 2009 Distinctive Destination by The National Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition to 16 historic districts, Athens is also home to four house museums featuring four architectural styles from four different time periods. Athens, along with neighboring Watkinsville, is also known for its rich creative arts community.
Watkinsville is the home of the Eagle Tavern, built in the late 1700s when Watkinsville was a frontier town on the edge of Creek and Cherokee Indian Territories. It served as a stagecoach stop and tavern throughout the Antebellum period. Just four miles south sits the Elder Mill covered bridge, one of only 13 covered bridges still standing in Georgia.
Madison, known as “the town Sherman refused to burn,” is a national treasure of Antebellum architecture. Madison offers 1.4-mile tours by foot, bike or car. Featured stops on the Pilgrimage include the beaux-arts Courthouse, three house museums and private Antebellum homes. There are more than 160 antique vendors plus 45 specialty shops that have made Madison a popular overnight destination on the trail.
Participants will also pass through Eatonton — the birthplace of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the famous “Uncle Remus Tales.” The Uncle Remus Museum contains many first editions of Harris’ work. The residential section of the historic district of the city features more than 100 Antebellum and Victorian era structures and several high style examples of Greek revival Queen Anne and Folk Victorian as well as Gothic Revival homes. There is a self-guided walking tour past historic homes.
Milledgeville, Georgia’s Antebellum Capital, features the restored Old Governor’s Mansion, where Gen. Sherman himself slept. Another gem not to be missed is the Old State Capitol Building, which is a stop on the two-hour guided trolley tour. The Museum District includes preserved mansions, haunted historic sites and museums while the historic district boasts 20 architectural landmarks.
In the quiet, rural village of Old Clinton, visitors can get a glimpse back in time to the former bustling town on Georgia’s western frontier. Historical locations include Grisworldville Battlefield, Sunshine Church, and the Jarrell Plantation, an Antebellum cotton plantation donated to the state as a working farm and heritage site.
The southern tip of the trail is Macon, home to the Hay House. Featured on A&E;’s America’s Castles and named the “Palace of the South,” this national landmark contains luxuries far ahead of its 1859 completion. More than 5,500 individual structures in 11 historic districts are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Advance online tickets are on sale. The tickets can be purchased at any of the Welcome Centers along the trail prior to and during the Pilgrimage. Tickets are $25 and include access to the ticketholder’s choice of any seven participating attractions or events. Groups of 10 or more receive discounted tickets at $20.
For more information, call Marguerite Copelan at (800) 709-7406 or visit the Web site at www.atpilgrimage.com.
