Milledgeville, Georgia is a small city and the county seat of Baldwin County. Located northeast of Macon, it borders the Oconee River to the east. Its location was desirable because of the rushing current of the river.
Oconee River Greenway
The Oconee River Greenway is the town’s front yard and is maintained by the nonprofit Oconee River Greenway Foundation. It’s popular with Georgia College students, who use it as a study area during the day. Its open green space provides fresh air and bright sunlight, which makes it the perfect place for studying.
The greenway stretches along the eastern edge of the city, which is a pleasant escape from the crowded downtown area. The three-mile path is made up of wide paths and narrow nature trails and wooden boardwalks. During low-water levels, the trail can be rocky, so it’s best to wear sturdy shoes and bring a change of clothes.
Located just east of downtown Milledgeville, the Oconee River Greenway is surrounded by open green space and almost three miles of paved trails and boardwalks. The park also features a dog park, multiple fishing stations, and a boat ramp.
Nearby Lake Sinclair is a beautiful place to swim or participate in fishing tournaments. It’s also declared the cleanest lake in the state. Milledgeville’s Downtown has a variety of shops and restaurants, as well as a Georgia College.
The Oconee River Greenway is an excellent place to hike, bike, and stroll. Its paved paths and boardwalks allow you to explore the area on foot or by kayak. It also includes a dog park that allows dogs to walk without a leash. The park also provides ample parking.
Another interesting place to visit in Milledgeville, Georgia is the William P. Wall Museum of Natural History, which opened its doors in 2004. It features a wide selection of African-American art and products from local and national businesses. You can spend a couple of hours here.
Lockerly Arboretum
The Lockerly Arboretum in Millledgeville, Georgia is a nonprofit arboretum. It is open daily, except Sunday, and is free to visit. The arboretum is located at 1534 Irwinton Road. The arboretum is open from dawn to dusk.
The Lockerly Arboretum was founded in 1965 by E. J. Grassmann and features 50 acres of plants. It also features a greenhouse where visitors can learn about tropical plants. The arboretum is free to visit and is open Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and Saturday from 10:00am to 4pm. It is also home to the Georgia Camellia Trail.
The Arboretum has a diverse collection of trees and plants, including native plants. There is also a one-half mile woodland nature trail that follows a stream through the arboretum’s property. The trail includes mature hardwoods, ferns, and tall Stewartia monadelpha. The arboretum’s education director uses the trail as a school field trip destination for school children.
The Lockerly Arboretum is a 50-acre arboretum devoted to history, horticulture, and education. It has a diverse collection of plants and is one of 19 reference gardens in the southeast. The arboretum also has an extensive collection of camellias, a 301-year-old bald cypress, and tropical plants and ferns. The arboretum is a great place to learn about nature and to appreciate its beauty.
The Arboretum has many interactive features, such as driving and walking trails. There are also two glass greenhouses, recently renovated to accommodate plant propagation. There is also an orchid and tropical plant collection. Visit the website to learn more about the horticultural collections.
William P Wall Museum of Natural History
Visitors to William P Wall Museum of Natural History in Millledgeville, Georgia, are treated to a rich and varied collection of fossils. This museum is a part of the Georgia College and covers the long history of life on earth. Among the museum’s collections are mammoth and early mammal bones. The museum also houses a planetarium and educational exhibits.
A trip to the William P Wall Museum of Natural History in Millledgeville, Georgia, can include the John Marlor Building, which dates back to the 1830s. The building was once a center for the African-American community in Milledgeville until the 1980s. There’s a small gallery space inside the building that is used for rotating exhibits. The Allied Arts Center also hosts seminars and workshops.
A trip to Milledgeville would not be complete without visiting the city’s many historical sites. The town was the Georgia capital during the Civil War, and during this time, it was built on native land. The building was completed in 1804 and was a key part of the town’s history. Its architecture reflects medieval European style.
St Stephen’s Episcopal Church is an important part of the history of the town. During the Georgia statehood, this church played a role in the civil war. The 1843 building was constructed in the Rural Gothic style and contains beautiful stained glass. You can also walk around the town and explore the city’s history.
Georgia College’s William P Wall Museum of Natural History is a treasure in the southeastern United States. The museum is 2,500 square feet and emphasizes earth sciences. Its adjacent museum, the Macon County Historical Museum, collects and preserves Macon County’s history and culture. Its exhibits highlight the period between the 1837 founding and the 20th century.
Central State Hospital
Central State Hospital is the largest facility in Georgia for people with mental disabilities and mental illness. It was once the state mental hospital. Today, the hospital is a rehabilitation and treatment facility for those with serious mental illnesses and developmental disabilities. It is located in Milledgeville, Georgia. The hospital has a history of over 100 years and still serves many people today.
In 1842, the first patient at Central State was a thirty-year-old farmer from Macon. He had been sent there by his family after he was violent and destructive. He died there of “maniacal exhaustion” in summer 1842. Eventually, the hospital had over 11800 patients.
The hospital is covered in vines and has three cemeteries on campus. The cemeteries are neat, but lack individual grave markers. The cemetery contains the remains of over 10,000 former patients, many of whom have not been identified. Advocacy groups are working to re-identify them. The hospital also has the largest mental disability graveyard in the world. However, in the 1960s, prisoners working on groundskeeping detail threw thousands of the numbered grave markers into the woods. Many of these markers were lost in the underbrush. The cemetery eventually became a large, unmarked plot.
The hospital was built on the family-model, a philosophy that asserted that hospitals work best when they resemble a family. It was also the first mental institution in the United States to eliminate the use of rope and chain restraints. In its prime, the hospital treated thousands of mentally ill people. However, conditions deteriorated over time and the hospital received a bad reputation.
While Milledgeville State Hospital was once an infamous mental health facility, it was far more than a treatment center. During its time, the facility employed people in a variety of fields, including writing and gardening. It also had sports and dance programs. In addition, it was the main employer in the town of Milledgeville. Moreover, the hospital had its own fire department, water treatment plant, and greenhouse. It had three cemeteries.
Flannery O’Connor’s farmhouse
Flannery O’Connor’s farmhouse is now a museum dedicated to her life, work, and legacy. O’Connor was born and raised in Milledgeville, Georgia, and graduated from Georgia College. She lived in the farmhouse for almost a decade before her early death from lupus. In August 2017, the farmhouse was gifted to Georgia College.
Flannery O’Connor’s life began when her father moved from rural Georgia to a town outside of Atlanta. Her father was an appraiser for the Federal Housing Authority. He met Flannery while working in Atlanta. The couple eventually married and settled in Milledgeville, Georgia.
The farmhouse was owned by the O’Connor family until 2003, when it was donated to a private foundation for a museum. Georgia College acquired it in August 2017, making it available for public tours. The farm is now a National Historic Landmark. The designation will help the College apply for grants and maintain the building. A new interpretive center is currently being built. The new facility will have exhibits, research rooms, and rental space for the public.
While the farmhouse isn’t yet finished, there are still many beautiful parts of the home to see and explore. The farmhouse features the kitchen where Flannery O’Connor wrote and read. Visitors can even enjoy her beautiful antique wooden desk and personal mementos. During her time at the farmhouse, she was a regular visitor, often spending her mornings writing.
The Andalusia farm is one of the most beautiful places in Milledgeville, Georgia. It was home to the author from 1951 until her death in 1964. The home served as her home during her most productive years as a writer, inspiring many of her short stories. Her writing style was unique and unorthodox, with a blend of themes that continue to influence contemporary American writers.