Central Georgia Day Trip – Jarrell Plantation, Juliette and High Falls State Park

The sunshine was out – the first time in over a week. We had to get outside and do something. We headed down I-75 just about an hour south of Atlanta and did three distinctly different activities.

Jarrell Plantation:

Built in 1847, by John Fitz Jarrell, this plantation survived Sherman’s March to the Sea. As time went on and the family grew, more buildings were added, such as the 1895 House for son, Dick Jarrell and the sawmill in the early 1900’s.

At the visitor center, a 15-minute film describes the history of the plantation. Interestingly enough, one of the descendants continued farming on the land until the 1960’s. Fortunately, the family donated most of the buildings in 1974 to the state of Georgia to show others what plantation life was like.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the Tara or Seven Oaks type of house. Rather, the original 1847 House was just a one story house for the Jarrell’s and their seven children. The boys slept in the loft upstairs, while the girls had a room and the parents had a room. Later, the porch on the back of the house was enclosed making two rooms and a “honeymoon room” a room for travelers was added by enclosing part of the front porch.

My husband enjoyed that everything, especially the location of each of the buildings, was original. This was unlike Oconaluftee Mountain Farm Museum at the Cherokee, NC entrance of the Smokey Mountain National Park, where the buildings had been moved their from elsewhere in the area. Here, we could see how the house was built on the highest part of the property in order to get the best breeze.

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Live Nativity – Sardis UMC – Atlanta, GA

Last weekend, Sardis United Methodist Church held its live nativity on both Saturday and Sunday nights. It had been a few years since we’d been, so we made it a priority this year. Located on Powers Ferry Road near the intersection of Roswell Road, many don’t see this tiny church tucked in a residential neighborhood near Chastain Park.

Sardis UMC is one of the oldest church congregations in Atlanta.

The church itself was built in 1927, but the congregation has been around since the early 1800’s. Historians seem to think that Sardis UMC is the oldest church in Atlanta with a congregation forming as early as 1812. Unfortunately, an 1842 fire at the DeKalb County courthouse destroyed all records to substantiate that claim. Note that the location was part of DeKalb, before Fulton County was formed in 1853! (more…)

Krog Street Market – Atlanta, GA

Krog Street Market

Krog Street Market recently opened in the ultra hip Old Fourth Ward/Inman Park area. It’s Atlanta’s version of Vancouver’s Granville Island, albeit on a smaller scale.

Visitors can dine at the many eclectic restaurants in this upscale food court located in a new (but made to look old) warehouse. Offerings include ice cream from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream to Chinese fare at Gu’s Dumplings. Water – sparkling, chilled and un-chilled – is self-serve near the community tables. Other restaurants including The Luminary and Superica offer a full-scale restaurant. Along the way, you can shop retails establishments such as XOCOLATL Small Batch Chocolate and French Market Flowers. (more…)

Georgia Governor’s Mansion – Atlanta

“Are you sure we can do this?” my daughter asked. “I mean, doesn’t somebody live here?”

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We had just turned into the Governor’s Mansion in Atlanta. I presented my driver’s license and the guards at the gate told us where to park.Walking up to the orange brick building flanked with 30 white columns, we rang the front door bell where a white-haired, petite docent greeted us on this rainy day and gave us the history of the mansion. (more…)