The Georgia Guidestones

The Georgia Guidestones. . , The story of the Georgia Guidestones began in June 1979, when a stranger identified as "Mr. Christian" (later "R.C. Christian") visited Jo H. Fendley, Sr., President of Elberton Granite Finishing Company, Inc., and indicated that he represented a group of loyal Americans living outside the state of Georgia who wanted to build a monument focused on the theme of conservation. "Mr. Christian", who had assumed the pseudonym because he was a Christian, named Wyatt C. Martin, President of the Granite City Bank, as intermediary to hold funds in escrow for the project, explaining that the Guidestones Group, which wished to remain anonymous forever, had selected Georgia because of its excellent granite, mild climate, and the heritage of his great-grandmother as a native Georgian. "Christian" agreed to Martin's request to locate the monument in Elbert County if there were a suitable remote site for it, which they found on a hillside that is the highest point in Elbert County, on the farm of Mildred and Wayne Mullenix north of Elberton on Highway 77. Fendley's company carved the six-part monument from Pyramid Blue Granite. The Georgia Guidestones consists of four granite megaliths set in a paddlewheel arrangement around a central stone, which is surmounted by a flat capstone. Measuring 19 1/4 feet in height at the highest peak, the stone group measures 17 1/3 feet in width; and its diameter is 65 feet. The overall weight of the 951 cubic feet of granite used is 237,746 pounds. A ground marker west of the Guidestone provides additional data and covers a buried time capsule. Each of the four sides of the capstone features the statement of cautionary guidance to humankind translated into Babylonian Cuneiform, Classical Greek, Sanskrit, and Egyptian Hieroglyphics, to "Let These Be Guidestones to Reason." Below, the guidelines are carved into the eight faces of the four outer stones in English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian. In English, the guidelines specify the following: , Maintain Humanity Under 500,000,000 in Perpetual Balance with Nature , Guide Reproduction Wisely - Improving Fitness and Diversity , Unite Humanity With a Living New Language , Rule Passion - Faith - Tradition - And All Things With Tempered Reason , Protect People and Nations with Fair Laws and Just Courts , Let All Nations Rule Internally Resolving External Disputes in a World Court , Avoid Petty Laws and Useless Officials , Balance Personal Rights with Social Duties , Prize Truth - Beauty - Love - Seeking Harmony With the Infinite , Be Not a Cancer on Earth , Leave Room for Nature , Leave Room for Nature. , In addition to these conservation messages, the monument displays a number of astronomical features. The Georgia Guidestones monument, which is owned by Elbert County, was dedicated March 22, 1980, and since has remained a source of mystery and intrigue to its numerous visitors and those who learn of it from afar.