You can't get into the courthouse without walking past this marker that reminds us of the end of…read morethe Civil War and the important part of it that took place right here in Washington. It stands within shouting distance of the Wilkes County Confederate Memorial. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "On May 4, 1865, Jefferson Davis arrived in Washington where he performed what proved to be his last duties as President of the Confederate States of America. Shortly thereafter, with a small staff and escort, he departed enroute to the trans-Mississippi Department where, undaunted by the tragic surrenders at Appomattox and Durham Station, he intended to unite the forces of Generals E. Kirby Smith, Taylor, Forrest, Maury and Magruder "to form an army, which in the portion of that country abounding in supplies, and deficient in rivers and railroads, could have continued the war until our enemy, foiled in the purpose of subjugation, should in accordance with his repeated declaration, have agreed, on the basis of a return to the Union, to acknowledge the Constitutional rights of the States, and by a convention, or quasi-treaty, to guarantee the security of person and property." "After a hard journey via Sandersville, Dublin and Abbeville, his party camped a mile north of Irwinville (178 miles SW), in the present Jefferson Davis Memorial State Park. At dawn on May 10th, his camp was surrounded by men of the 1st Wisconsin and 4th Michigan cavalry regiments [US], and the President of the Southern Confederacy became a "state prisoner," his hopes for a new nation, in which each state would exercise without interference its cherished "Constitutional rights," forever dead. It is marker number 157-12 and it was erected in 1957 by the Georgia Historical Commission. [Review 242 of 2026 - 939 in Georgia - 25431 overall]

At one end of Washington Square, the Confederate Memorial rises, and just beside it a historical…read moremarker notes that this was the site of the last cabinet meeting held by CSA President Jefferson Davis. It's the kind of pairing you expect to find in a Georgia courthouse square, but it was nice to see a counterbalance at the opposite end, a monument honoring the Black patriots who fought in the Continental Army. The two ends of the square speak to very different chapters of American memory, and walking between them on a quiet Sunday morning gives you time to take that in. The simple bust represents Austin Dabney, the best‑known Black patriot associated with Georgia. Dabney and his owner, Richard Aycock, moved from North Carolina to Wilkes County in the late 1770s, and to avoid service himself, Aycock sent Dabney to fight in his place. Dabney was present at the Battle of Kettle Creek on 14 February 1779, one of Georgia's most important engagements of the war. In recognition of his service, he was granted his freedom, land in Wilkes County, and a pension. Because no contemporary image of Dabney survives, sculptor Kinzey Branham used the likeness of James Armistead Lafayette, another African‑American patriot who gained his freedom after the war. It's not the only memorial I've seen in the South that honors Black Americans who served in the Civil War era. In Hertford, North Carolina, there's the US Colored Troops Monument, a reminder that these stories are finally being carved into public spaces after generations of being overlooked. So while this monument in Washington isn't unique, it still feels meaningful in a square long dominated by Confederate memory. As we move from the 19th century to the 21st, I expect to see more of these monuments appear across the South, each one adding a little more balance to the landscape and giving visitors a fuller sense of who actually shaped the country. [Review 263 of 2026 - 954 in Georgia - 25452 overall]

We drove to the Mule Day Festival at Calloway Plantation on a whim and we had a great time. The…read morehome was open for tours and there were lots of craftspeople demonstrating lost arts from years gone by. This suburban girl really enjoyed seeing the mules too!!

While driving Hwy 78 from Athens, GA to Augusta, Ga I was looking for a tourist stop. My GPS found…read moreme the Callaway Plantation. Has 56 Acres of History. Modest cost of $4.00 with a docent to talk about the history of the plantation. Has picnic grounds available so take your time.

The Mary Willis Library ended up being a quiet Sunday‑morning stop for us, and even though the…read moredoors were locked, the exterior alone made it worth pausing. The red brick, the steep Queen Anne roofline, and those tall stained‑glass windows give the building the presence of a small civic cathedral, and the central Tiffany memorial window still manages to glow even when you're viewing it from outside. It's one of those places where the architecture does the talking, and you can feel the pride that went into building it. The historical marker fills in the story and makes the building even more meaningful. "This library was Georgia's first free (without a subscription fee) public library. Founded in 1888 by Dr. Francis T. Willis in memory of his daughter, it opened in 1889. Willis also created an endowment for the library and donated his personal collection of books. Atlanta architect Edmund Lind designed the building in the Queen Anne style and the central memorial window was made by Tiffany Studios. The library operated as a privately-endowed institution until 1967 when it became part of the regional library system. Annexes were added in 1977 and 1991." Even without stepping inside, it's a lovely stop. The stained glass is beautiful, the brickwork photographs well in morning light, and the whole place feels like a reminder of how seriously communities once took the idea of public learning. I'd love to come back on a weekday to see the interior and the rare book collection, but even from the sidewalk, this is a gem. [Review 235 of 2026 - 932 in Georgia - 25424 overall]

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.

Produce market here is nice. Especially Amish bread, butter…read more We picked up some peach jalapeno jelly. We selected some fresh vegetables and watermelon. Very good.