Monday, March 29, 2010

Georgia Peaches

There are lots of small towns throughout Georgia that I am sure are loaded with history. They have not been included on this list. Due to the overwhelming amount of history in the state, I am focusing on Atlanta and Savannah.

Atlanta

Centennial Olympic Park is in the hear of downtown. It was built for the 1996 olympics, but now tells you the story of the Olympic games with quilt plazas, memorials, and Fountain of Rings. This public park also offers weekly concerts, a dancing water fountain, and a memorial quilt in remembrance of the victims of the 1996 Olympic bombing.

Martin Luther King National Site lets you explore the home where he was born, the church he preached, and the memorial site where he was buried all at once. Also visit Ebenezer Baptist Church is where Dr King served as senior pastor in the 1960s.

The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world with over 8 million gallons of water and more animals than any other Aquarium.


There are plenty of historic houses throughout Georgia including Wren’s Nest The 19th-century farmhouse that once belonged to Joel Chandler Harris, the author of Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox.

Piedmont Park is a 185-acre park that houses the Atlanta Botanical Gardens where many summer festivals are held. This is a great place to just be outside and bike or run.

Two main facets of US culture are located in Georgia. You can tour the Coca Cola factory or take a CNN studio tour. Your trip just wont be complete unless you tour these locations.


Savannah
Savannah is said to be the most haunted city in the nation. There are plenty of tours for you to jump in on, including the Creepy Crawl Haunted Pub Tour. Besides the numerous cemeteries in the area, you also have lots of historic houses, beautiful for their architecture and perfect for ghost stories. Likewise, Battlefield Park is where on October 9, 1779, the French, Haitian and American troops battled against the British soldiers who were defending Savannah. The battle ended more than 800 troops from each side either wounded or killed. Many of the dead were buried on the spot with no monuments to mark their graves.

One of the most popular haunted cemeteries is Colonial Park Cemetery. The magnificent arch at the main entrance to the Park was placed there in 1913 by the Savannah chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Made of Georgia granite, it was constructed to honor Revolutionary War soldiers buried in the cemetery. It is believed that close to 10,000 people are buried in Colonial Park Cemetery.
You will learn things like this at the Savannah History Museum , where they will explain history from 1733. That history includes the Roundhouse Railroad Museum, where Savannah handled freight and passengers and was said to be an indispensable site for a number of years
Savannah also is home of the first Girl Scout Headquarters. Troop activities, adult training and administrative offices were housed inside the house until 1985 when the Girl Scouts Council was moved to its new office on Bull Street.


Fans of Old Architecture should stop by the Wormsloe Historic Site, which is a former plantation with exhibits showing colonial life or go to Old Fort Jackson, which is Georgia’s oldest remaining fort, built in 1808.


Architecture usually includes churches. Beautiful places of worship are all over Savannah. Cathedral of St John was founded in 1700 by the first French Colonists and although the original early structures were destroyed by fire, the current cathedral dates back to 1874. Temple Mickve Israel is another gorgeous religious building. It is the third oldest Jewish congregation in the nation, built in 1876.

For those who just want to have some extra fun, head down to the Riverwalk, where you can enjoy dinner, shopping, and a beautiful view. Or make a day of Forsyth Park, which is 30 acres of beauty and history. There are several monuments that pay tribute to soldiers who fought in the Confederate and Spanish-American Wars as well as a Civil War monument is in the center. No park is complete without a fountain. The Forsyth Fountain was added to the park in 1858. The park also has a Fragrant Garden for the Blind. You can usually find a play or concert taking place here as well.

The City Market is another fun stop. It has been around since 1755 and still houses restaurants, shops, live music, museums, and art galleries. This is where the night life of Savannah is located. Don’t forget to take a horse drawn carriage ride!

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