This historical marker stands prominently on the sidewalk in front of the Madison-Morgan Cultural…read moreCenter, offering a concise but meaningful account of Madison's early role in women's education. The Cultural Center itself occupies a former school building, lending architectural resonance to the story told on the plaque. The marker bears identical text on both sides, ensuring visibility and accessibility to pedestrians approaching from either direction. It reads, "Religious denominations organized Georgia's first colleges for women. Madison flourished as an educational center following the 1850 incorporation of both the Georgia Female College (Baptist), initially chartered as Madison Collegiate Institute, and the Madison Female College (Methodist). "The Georgia Female College opened for its Spring Session with 148 pupils in this building, which became the President's House after John B. Walker funded a three-story brick building to the right (burned 1882). The Madison Female College was also located in town but was also lost to fire in 1864. "A diverse curriculum attracted young women from as far as Philadelphia. Citizens supported the institutions with funding and provision of room and board. Both schools thrived until the outbreak of the Civil War, when the facilities were used as temporary hospitals. Post-war, private education never regained its former stature." This marker was installed in 2011 by the City of Madison and the Madison Bicentennial Commission 1809-2009, part of a broader effort to commemorate the town's cultural and civic legacy. Visitors will find convenient parking at the Cultural Center, making it easy to pause and reflect on the educational ambitions that once defined this corner of Georgia. [Review 1272 of 2025 - 840 in Georgia - 24824 overall]

Madison was founded in 1809 and named for President James Madison. It flourished as a stagecoach…read morestop and residential haven for wealthy planters, who built the town's signature Greek Revival and Victorian homes. Its cultural prominence and architectural beauty spared it from destruction during Sherman's March to the Sea, preserving a historic core that remains intact today. Post-Civil War, Madison thrived through cotton trade and rail commerce, and its commitment to preservation has earned it national recognition as one of the South's best-preserved small towns, celebrated for its heritage tours, restored buildings, and civic pride. This marker is located on the town square next to the Welcome Center. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The Town of Madison Board of Commissioners selected one of their body each year to serve as President until an 1876 charter amendment incorporated the "City" of Madison and vested leadership in a Mayor and Board of Aldermen (later the Mayor and City Council). In 1990, the city shifted to the City Manager - Council form of government. With recovery following the Great Fire of 1869, the City also invested in civic improvements: a new cemetery (1880-1882); an electric plant and system (1891-1928); its own public school system (1895-1947); and a public waterworks system (1908). The City Hall & Firehouse (1887) replaced the former Town Hall, irreparably damaged by the 1886 Charleston earthquake. When the 1939 City Hall & Firestation made the previous building obsolete, a period of commercial use was followed by the eventual restoration of the building in 1991 by the Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. Chamber officer include the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, which operates a State Welcome Center." The marker was erected in 2011 by the City of Madison, Madison BiCentennial Commission 1809-2009. [Review 1314 of 2025 - 853 in Georgia - 24866 overall]

Shortly after relocating to GA, I went to get my new drivers license. The DMW is always such a…read moredaunting task, but I am grateful I picked this location! I was in and out in less than 40 mins. Love that! The customer associate at the door greeted me on arrival and instructed me how to check in, where to sit, and to let her know if I had any questions. I love the organization and efficiency of this location! I will be recommending it to anyone looking for DMV services!

I recently relocated to GA so I went to get my new drivers license. I was in and out within 20…read moremins. Love that! The customer associate that greeted me when I arrive was so friendly and knowledgeable ( really love that!) She assisted me with my documents gave me my number ( which was B245). Turns out there was only two other ppl ahead of me. (Yippie!) I was called up pretty quickly. The reps were friendly and very thorough with processing my paperwork.. I left feeling very happy. Especially because as a veteran... my license is free!!! Thank you to everyone that assisted me today!

This marker is in the town square of Madison across the street from the county courthouse. As you…read morecan see, there's plenty of parking nearby and downtown activity. There are several other markers in the vicinity which made it a great stop for me! This marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "William Tappan Thompson, famous Georgia journalist and author, was born in Ohio in 1812. Moving to Augusta in 1835, he became associated with Augustus Baldwin Longstreet in the publication of the State Rights Sentinel. In 1838 he founded a literary journal, the Mirror, which in 1842 was merged with a Macon periodical, the Family Companion, to become the Family Companion and Ladies' Mirror. The first Major Jones letter appeared in one of the last issues of this journal. In 1843 Thompson took over the editorial direction of the Southern Miscellany, a Madison publication. In the pages of the Miscellany he printed more of the Major Jones letters, using the people and incidents of Madison as a basis for many of his sketches. These letters met with such success that Thompson published them in book form in 1843 as Major Jones's Courtship. Thompson left the Miscellany in 1845 and continued his career as journalist and author. In 1850 he founded the Savannah Morning News, which he edited until his death in 1882, building it into one of the state's most powerful newspapers." Thompson began his career working for a Philadelphia newspaper before relocating to Florida, where he served as assistant to the territorial secretary. His early experiences in the South, including visits to Seminole communities and brief military service during the Second Seminole War, shaped his literary voice and regional perspective. Thompson's most enduring legacy lies in his creation of Major Joseph Jones, a fictional Georgia backwoodsman whose humorous dialect letters offered commentary on rural life, politics, and courtship. During the Civil War, Thompson became a vocal supporter of the Confederacy and published a number of controversial editorials that in 2025 are at best inappropriate and should be forgotten. This is marker number 104-11 and it was erected in 1963 by the Georgia Historical Commission. [Review 1313 of 2025 - 852 in Georgia - 24865 overall]

I love that this bridge is open to traffic! It is rated for enough weight that my Sprinter van…read morecould cross and the bridge has enough clearance that I could fit in. The Elder Mill Covered Bridge was built in 1897 by Nathaniel Richardson. It is a Town lattice design with the planks connected with wooden pegs. It is one of the few covered bridges in Georgia continuing to carry traffic without underlying steel beams. It is possible to get to the side of the bridge and get some great pictures. I love this bridge! (Note that some of the approach road is only hard packed dirt. I was okay with it but your vehicle may have issues.) [Review 18057 overall - 532 in Georgia - 1578 of 2022.]

I happened to be dining at a restaurant in Watkinsville and noticed they were selling a magnet with…read morea picture of a covered bridge. When I inquired about it, I was surprised to learn that the Elder Mill Covered Bridge was nearby and still functioning as a working bridge. I was delighted to find more information about it on Yelp and decided to take a spontaneous outing to see this historic structure. The bridge is on a back country road. The road narrows as you approach the one-lane bridge. There is no where to pull off the road on this side of the bridge. Slow down to read the signs. There is a five ton weight limit. Your vehicle needs to be able to clear the metal structure before you drive through. It will prevent you from damaging the bridge (and your vehicle). You are supposedly on video surveillance, so don't block the private driveway and don't trespass the private land surrounding the bridge. Once you drive through to the other side, you can pull off on the paved strip on the side of the road. Feel free to get out of your vehicle to read the historic marker and take a few pictures. You can even walk across the bridge if you want to see the internal support beam structure. It is remarkable that this bridge is still in working order considering it was built in 1897. The wooden beams have obviously been updated and maintained to keep the bridge in working order, but there are no steel support beams and it is fastened with wooden pegs also called trunnels (or treenails). It is a work of art and definitely worth the 10 minute visit if you happen to be in the area.

This jail is a pretty cool old piece of history. It is a small building and not much to see…read moreinside, but it is interesting to read some of the history. There is a short audio history out front.

THE OLD GREENE COUNTY GAOL! (CREEPY COOL!)…read more The old gaol (pronounced jail), is an old historic jail that was used to house prisoners from 1807 until 1895. Between 1760 and 1830 the word jail was actually spelled g-a-o-l and this is how it is spelled on the historic marker that sits in front of this structure. This place is creepy cool and every bit as old as it looks. It is a two story structure that was basically used to house and hang prisoners. As soon as you walk in and look to the left, you see a hanging rope. There is no mistaking this rope as it is hanging through a little trap door and you can easily imagine a body dropping through this opening and swinging at the end of the rope. Next to the door is a large empty room with a large arched doorway and I wondered if there were any makeshift beds provided or if prisoners simply sat on the floor and chained to the walls. A chain was still there. There are actually two such rooms on the main level and when I stood at the rear of the room, I was immediately transported back in time and had all types of thoughts running through my head. Weird! The steps to the second level were very narrow and I did not go up to that level. However my husband did and expressed concern that it was so open and posed a risk for young kids who might wander up there. Please keep this in mind when you visit with your kids and provide the appropriate level of supervision. When I visited, there were several young children going in and up the stairs without an adult present. This is a structure that you must see when visiting Greensboro as it has been identified as the oldest jail in the state and is something to see. I do wonder if it is used as an attraction during Halloween. Whatever you do, don't forget to visit this site while in town and although there is no specific address, you absolutely cannot miss it once you turn on to Greene Street.

This marker is located in a cluster of historical markers in front of the Cultural Center. There is…read moreparking so that you can stop and read. Georgia includes a lot of text on their markers so you're not going to be able to read this just by slowing down. You'll need to park. One side is quite clean and the other is nearly illegible, caked with moss. It reads, "Empowered in 1894 to establish public schools, the City of Madison initiated construction of two graded schools, a contrast to one-room schoolhouses typical of rural areas. Nicholas Ittner of Atlanta built the brick graded school for white students - S. Main Street School, a Romanesque Revival design by Tinsley & Wilson of Lynchburg, Virginia. "Madison High School (1921, burned 1947) was added at the rear right facing Main followed by the Gymnasium (1938). With consolidation of city and county school systems in 1948, high school classes were relocated to the Madison A&M campus and, by 1957, the building was deemed surplus. "Abandonment and threatened demolition led the Morgan County Foundation, Inc., to organize and repurpose the building to serve as Regional Library Headquarters until 1975. With diligence and vision, the foundation restored the exterior as well as the magnificent auditorium and adapted the interior for a regional performing, visual, and decorative arts museum-opened in 1976 as the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center." The marker was erected in 2011 by the City of Madison, Madison BiCentennial Commission 1809-2009. [Review 1301 of 2025 - 848 in Georgia - 24853 overall]

#87 Such a beautiful…read morepiece of the old south. I have personally had the distinct pleasure of visiting Social Circle many times as I have family in the area. I guess when NOLA got swamped with the Katrina aftermath, certain members of my family thought that Social Circle, GA was the only place they would be comfortable. Social Circle offers old plantation homes, somewhat older indigenous families, great food, a few bars and a lot of southern charm. From the beautifully weeping willow lined streets and sidewalks to the super sweet southern charm, Social Circle is absolutely wonderful. Yes, it is true, there is not too much near Social Circle, but I am positive that is much of the charm. An off the beaten path kind of town that could easily be in a Stephen King novel, an episode of Vampire Diaries, maybe even the route people took toward Deliverance... it is a cool town. If you are looking for a spot not too far from the city of Atlanta, but far enough to feel like you are in a secret part of the old south, Social Circle is the place for you. Stephani Smiles for Social Circle ;) #truesoutherncharm