This place is way out there. That was kind of the point of course, as this POW camp would have left…read moreits prisoners with few places to escape to. The site includes a museum, a cemetery, and a driving tour around the area where the camp once stood. The museum is dedicated to prisoners of war more generally, and strikes a nice balance between telling the history of this specific place (including in a harrowing movie), but also connecting the issues faced by POWs throughout history. It also clearly explains the U.S. military code with regards to how to handle being captured. It's not a huge museum, but with the film I spent the better part of an hour. A tour of the camp can be done by either walking or driving. A piece of wooden stockade has been built, which offers a striking audiovisual experience when the lively atmosphere is cut off as you enter it. The area otherwise just marks where the rest of the stockade used to me, and also includes a variety of war monuments and informational signage. The cemetery is still active, containing not just the identified remains of many former Union POWs, but also American service members who have lived and died in subsequent eras. A map of the other major POW camps spans broadly. I've been to a few of those areas, but it would be quite a project to see all of them, even just the ones that have an actual surviving site and exhibition. However, the topic is compelling, combining the mechanics of war history with a lesson in the depths of human depravity, and an issue that will unfortunately always be relevant.

What can really be said that hasn't already? Well managed, well maintained National Park that every…read morehuman being should visit at least once. The museum was my favorite part, as the video and artifact offerings are excellent. If one takes the time, they will be enlightened on the American POW experience in all its wars. Our visit took about 2.5 hours on a crowd-free Wednesday in March, with most of the time spent in the museum. We briefly walked some of the grounds afterwards. Hallowed ground for sure. Cheers! RS

There is a large Jimmy Carter Center in Atlanta, but this collection of exhibits may offer a more…read morepersonal picture of the man. This pastoral town was an oasis; where the surrounding countryside was waterlogged, run down, and still carries marks of the confederacy, this town was upbeat and well kept. Even the auto scrapyard was neat. The main exhibit is a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse-like the former president who once went there-is a throwback. A railhouse includes campaign materials from Carter's first presidential run, which is frankly incomprehensible in the modern political lexicon. Perhaps most touching is the farm three miles outside the town, on which I saw a rambunctious chicken returned to its coop and traded stares with some goats. It's just really difficult to try to square the experience of someone who grew up in this piece of Americana but also lived in the White House. Signage points out that even walking into the one-block downtown from where little Jimmy lived would have been a big deal. Conversely, where I used to live I once stumbled upon the White House by accident on a walk of comparable length. This place is another world, and President Carter's experience with farming and the simple life, much like the founding fathers, is likely to have been foundational to his politics as well as his own life. The park offers plenty of opportunities for contemplating such subjects.

Very interesting place to stop. The train depot was awesome. The memorial garden and grave site…read morewas fitting of a former President. He was a beloved man of Plains. A must see.

A very nice museum - Not fully open due to furlough (I assume)…read moreThis is a nice visit if you want to understand the 39th President's beginnings. Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home in Plains, Georgia is surrounded by fields, farm buildings, and history that are still authentic. Despite a few logistical hiccups--the GPS sent us the wrong way, and the main parking lot was closed, likely due to the ongoing furlough--the visit was worth the detour. Parking was limited with only a gravel lot by the street, but manageable. We noticed some visitors arrived by train, which apparently stops right across the country road from the site, adding a touch of charm to the trip. Once on site, we walked around the well-preserved buildings. It really gives you a clear sense of how the Carter family lived and worked. Almost every structure--from the farmhouse to the barns and sheds--includes some type of interpretive signs sharing stories about family life, farm operations, and moments that shaped Jimmy Carter's values. The country setting is peaceful, with enough space to wander and take in the rural simplicity that clearly influenced his character. It is not the most glamorous site but it is definitely worth a stop to understand where he came from in his journey to presidency

Great place to visit on a meandering road trip! I took a slight detour to visit Plains, GA en…read moreroute to Macon. It was a nice afternoon. The boyhood home is about 2 miles out of town and is part of a larger presidential museum. Visit the home, school, and railroad station to get the full picture. You don't have to be a Jimmy Carter fan to visit. It's really interesting and out together really well with not only presidential history, but also narratives about growing up in southern Georgia during a very challenging time in our country's history. I highly recommend a visit!

It's just really hard for me to wrap my head around all this but Sarah who works there, really…read morehelped to give us information. We watched the 27 minute movie in the theater and how I withheld my tears, I don't know, it is so powerful and so sad. Here in AMERICA! Some say it will happen again. I WOULD RECOMMEND

A very well designed National Park. Both inside and outside…read moreof the visitor center is loaded with information and well marked sutras. Watch the movie first so you clone what you are going to experience. The self paced muse aim tour takes about an hour. So many examples and artifacts from every war. POW's represented from every one of them. The driving tour takes you through the Civil War camp. Take the time to drive to the cemetery.

Great museum filled with great insight of the prisoner's experiences at Andersonville. It's a small…read moremuseum but a great size packed with artifacts from various civil war battles. This is a must FIRST STOP. Before you go to the Andersonville historic state park!! And their gift shop is way better than the state park.

"Responsible for beating out vital battle orders and communication signals, they were placed in…read moreharm's way from the beginning of the fight to its conclusion. And when the battle was over, drummer boys were also relied upon to police the field, helping to carry wounded men to the hospital tents, and to bury the slain." Boys as young as 9-12yrs would sometimes run away from home to enlist to become drummer boys in the Civil War. Some believe that the youngest soldier killed during the entire American Civil War was a 13 year-old drummer boy named Charles King. The drums were an important part of the battlefield communications system to signal different commands like "attack" or "retreat". When the fighting began, drummers generally moved to the rear and stayed away from the shooting. Drummers were assigned to infantry regiments and buglers were assigned to cavalry or horse artillery. Drummers were often expected to help the medical personnel by working in makeshift field hospitals, assisting surgeons during battlefield amputations by helping to hold down patients, or maybe called up to carry away the severed limbs. They were also called stretcher bearers; hence, they walked around the battlefield looking for the wounded and brought them to medical care. Twenty-eight army musicians received the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War.

My sister and our kids had a picnic here and of course the kids needed the restroom at some point…read more We took our brood inside the plains visitor center because the kids were curious. The building looks like a log cabin from the outside. The grounds are landscaped with cute details such as a bird bath, art, bird feeders. The 2 ladies inside were super accommodating to our large group giving each kid a little gift-compose, whistle, etc. Worth the time and effort.