On J. R. Campbell Sr. Street just east of Cotton Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
One of the earliest hospitals in southwest Georgia devoted to the care of African Americans, the Americus Colored Hospital opened in 1923. The majority of the funds needed to build the hospital were provided by Dr. W.S. Prather. Practice in the . . . — — Map (db m40661) HM
On South Lee Street (Georgia Route 377) south of Brannan Avenue, on the left when traveling south.
Calvary Episcopal Church was organized in 1864 as a second effort to found an Episcopal parish in Americus. The cornerstone for the original wood-framed church was laid here in 1869. The current building was completed in 1921 under the leadership of . . . — — Map (db m205619) HM
On Southerfield Road east of Success Avenue, on the right when traveling east.
Charles A. Lindbergh captured the hearts of Americans during his successful non-stop flight from New York to Paris in the “Spirit of St. Louis” on May 20th, 1927. This famous American Aviator purchased his first airplane and learned to . . . — — Map (db m41210) HM
On East Church Street, 0.1 miles east of Taylor Street, on the left when traveling east.
Here rest 129 Confederate soldiers -- 45 of them “Unknown” -- all of whom died in Confederate hospitals in Americus. These men served in the Army of Tennessee. Some were with Gen. Jubal Early in the Washington, D.C. raid in July, 1864. Others were . . . — — Map (db m40203) HM
On North Jackson Street, 0 miles south of East Forsyth Street (Georgia Route 49), on the right when traveling south.
Thousands of Confederate soldiers were patients at Foard Hospital on this site between August and December 1864. Following a disastrous fire and explosion on August 31, the patients were evacuated to the homes of townspeople and to the country; . . . — — Map (db m39957) HM
Reduviid--or "kissing"--bugs live in the walls and cracks of houses in South and Central America. By depositing feces on a person's skin, the kissing bug transmits a deadly disease know as Chagas.
An estimated 16 to 18 million people are . . . — — Map (db m73163) HM
On South Lee Street (Georgia Route 377) at East College Street, on the left when traveling south on South Lee Street.
When Federal forces occupied Americus in 1865, the Colonel in charge selected this beautiful Greek Revival house as his headquarters.
The house is believed to have been built circa 1855 by Willis A. Hawkins, associate justice of the . . . — — Map (db m40187) HM
On Upper River Road at Lane Store Road, on the right when traveling east on Upper River Road.
Near this site the Bell Solar Battery — invented at the Bell Telephone Laboratories, converting the sun's light into electrical energy and later used to power communications from earth vehicles voyaging in outer space — received its first . . . — — Map (db m223579) HM
Near Prince Street just north of East Forsyth Street (U.S. 280), on the right when traveling north.
Created as a Memorial to Founding Fathers of Americus Buried here ——————— Known as Old City or Forsyth Street Cemetery ——————— Oldest Public Burial Ground in County ——————— First Mayor of Americus, First Sheriff of Sumter County, and men . . . — — Map (db m190935) HM
On Wheatley Street at East Glessner Street, on the right when traveling north on Wheatley Street.
Georgia Southwestern State University was founded in 1906 as the Third Agricultural and Mechanical School. In 1926, the Legislature authorized the school to offer two years of college work and change the name to Third District Agricultural and . . . — — Map (db m41068) HM
The Cinva-Ram Brick Press makes the kind of blocks used in many houses built by Habitat for Humanity. Bricks are made on the build site with locally available materials. Here's how it works:
1) A mixture of soil and cement is placed in the metal . . . — — Map (db m73167) HM
On Georgia Route 49 at Old Dawson Road, on the left when traveling south on State Route 49.
With a background in theology and agriculture, Georgia native Clarence Jordan (1912-1969), along with his wife, Florence, and Martin and Mabel England, founded Koinonia Farm in 1942. During the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, . . . — — Map (db m84938) HM
The "Lone Eagle" first flew solo in early May, 1923 from Souther Field. Charles Lindbergh had come to Americus to purchase a surplus aircraft from the World War I training center. He chose a Curtiss JN4 "Jenny." He got the plane with a brand-new . . . — — Map (db m11487) HM
Near South Dudley Street just south of West Lamar Street (Georgia Route 49), on the right when traveling south.
Corporal — U.S. Army Sumter County, Georgia B. July 20, 1931 D. Sept. 1, 1950 Naktong River Korea Awarded Congressional Medal of Honor In honor of those who gave their all in our four wars. Dedicated to all veterans of Sumter County to the honor . . . — — Map (db m190942) HM WM
An estimated 1.2 billion people in the world today live on less than $1 per day.
Nearly 3 billion people--close to half of the world's population--live on less than $2 per day.
Home, for many families, looks something like the structures you . . . — — Map (db m73162) HM
On Elm Street, 0 miles north of East College Street, on the right when traveling north.
Dr. Albert Rees, a pioneer local physician, deeded the land for this park to the citizens of Americus in 1846. Two decades later, following the battlefield death of his son Lt. Lucius Gibson Rees, C.S.A. (1841-1864) near Petersburg, Virginia, this . . . — — Map (db m41167) HM
On Taylor Street, 0.1 miles east of Lee Street (Georgia Route 377), on the right when traveling east.
Charles Frederick Crisp (1845-1896), Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, built this house in the 1880’s. A native of England and a veteran of service with the Confederate States Army, he had a distinguished career as judge of the . . . — — Map (db m41980) HM
Near South Dudley Street just south of West Lamar Street (Georgia Route 49), on the right when traveling south.
This County, created by Act of the Legislature December 26, 1831, is named for Gen. Thomas Sumter of South Carolina who fought in the French & Indian Wars and Revolution. At Andersonville was located the famous and unjustly criticized Confederate . . . — — Map (db m172817) HM
Near South Dudley Street just south of West Lamar Street (State Route 49), on the right when traveling south.
This solid bronze one half ton bell was in the clock tower of the North Lee Street courthouse, where it tolled the hours for seventy-two years. There have been four courthouses in Sumter County since it was incorporated in 1832. The first, a . . . — — Map (db m190907) HM
Near East Forsyth Street (U.S. 280) just west of Winn Street, on the right when traveling west.
This solid bronze one half ton bell was found stored at the Sumter County Stockade on McMath’s Mill Road along with a companion bell dated 1860 now mounted on the lawn of the fourth Sumter County Courthouse. The older bell, originally bought by . . . — — Map (db m190913) HM
Near South Dudley Street just south of West Lamar Street (Georgia Route 49), on the right when traveling south.
Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested for protesting racial segregation in Albany on December 16, 1961, and held in the Sumter County jail. Kings arrest dovetailed with community and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) efforts to . . . — — Map (db m172819) HM
On South Jackson Street south of West Lamar Street (U.S. 280), on the right when traveling south.
The First Presbyterian Church of Americus was established in 1842 by Col. George M. and Mrs. (Caroline) Dudley, Mr. H. K. and Mrs. (Catherine) McCay, Eleanor Gibson, May McCay, William J. Patterson, Mary Lynes and Rebecca Daniel. The first church . . . — — Map (db m190887) HM
Near South Lee Street (State Highway 377) 0.1 miles south of West Lamar Street, on the right when traveling south.
This marker placed by the Mayor and City Council of Americus and the Sumter County Board of Commissioners in remembrance of those persons who lost their lives during the flood of July 1994: Josephine Spencer Anderson • Oscar Brown • Roger Allen . . . — — Map (db m227399) HM
On South Jackson Street south of West Lamar Street (U.S. 280), on the left when traveling south.
On this site from 1926 to 1977 stood the Prather Clinic, where hundreds of Americus citizens were born. It was built by Dr. William Stuart Prather (1868-1941). Voted the most valuable Americus citizen in 1935, he was also responsible for building . . . — — Map (db m187297) HM
On West Lamar Street (Georgia Route 27) 0.1 miles west of South Dudley Street, on the right when traveling east.
The tree was grown from a branch of the original “Washington Elm” under which George Washington was sworn in as Commander of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Mass. in 1775. Donated to the people of Americus and Sumter County by John H. Gray, . . . — — Map (db m155680) HM
Habitat for Humanity has built houses in more than 20 countries in the Africa/Middle East region.
The continent of Africa is larger than the United States. China, India and Argentina combined, and to home to nearly 1 billion people. . . . — — Map (db m73166) HM
Habitat for Humanity has built homes in virtually every country of Latin America and the Caribbean. The first Habitat house in the region was built in Guatemala in 1979.
More Habitat homes have been built in Mexico than in any country except the . . . — — Map (db m73165) HM
On Church Street, 0 miles east of Oglethorpe Street, on the left when traveling east.
(Side 1):
The city of Andersonville was incorporated in 1853 as the village center of a small farming community. It came to national attention when Camp Sumter Prison opened here in 1864 and especially when its commandant, Capt. Henry . . . — — Map (db m40948) HM
On Georgia Route 49 at Church Street, on the left when traveling north on State Route 49.
This was the site of the Confederacy’s largest prison camp. During the 14 months it existed in 1864-65, over 45,000 Union prisoners were confined here. Of these 12,912 died from disease, poor sanitation, malnutrition, and exposure. Declining . . . — — Map (db m40147) HM
On Ellaville Street (Georgia Route 228) at Oglethorpe Street, on the right when traveling east on Ellaville Street.
Captain Henry Wirz, under the immediate command of Brigadier-General John H. Winder, C.S.A., absent on sick leave, August 1864, commanded the inner prison at Camp Sumter, April 12, 1864 to May 7, 1865. To the best of his ability he tried to obtain . . . — — Map (db m40369) HM
On East Church Street, on the right when traveling west.
Dedicated to all our nation's POW * MIA Past-Present
POW · MIA
World War I 06 Apr 1917-11 Nov 1918 7,470 116,708
World War II 07 Dec 1941 02 Sept 1945 124,079 30,314
Cold War 02 Sept 1945-21 Aug 1991 Classified 343
Korean War 25 June . . . — — Map (db m223697) WM
On East Church Street at Oglethorpe Street, in the median on East Church Street.
(east side)
Wirz
In memory
Captain Henry Wirz
C.S.A.
Born Zurich, Switzerland, 1822
Sentenced to death
and executed at Washington D.C.
Nov. 10, 1865.
To rescue his name from the stigma . . . — — Map (db m87990) HM WM
On Georgia Route 27, 0.1 miles west of Drayton Loop, on the right when traveling west.
The Luther Story Bridge honoring Luther Story and veterans from Dooly County and the following named veterans from Sumter County, all of whom gave their lives in World War II or the Korean War:
Autry, James A., Jr. •
Bankston, Howard D., . . . — — Map (db m53356) WM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
I had a pony then that lacked a way to work and pay her way, except that every year or two Lady had a colt we sold, but still for less than what was due to buy the fodder, hay and corn she ate at times she couldn't be on pasture.
Neither . . . — — Map (db m129833) HM
On Bishop Johnson Circle (County Route 61) near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
This rural community of Archery, established in the 1800’s, consisted of a train stop, houses of railroad employees, the St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, a school for black youth, and a store. The community was named for . . . — — Map (db m223537) HM
On North Broad Street, on the right when traveling north.
Miss Julia Coleman, the Plains High School superintendent, inaugurated Baby Row in the late 1930's. A special section of the school's Friendship Garden, Baby Row horned the "Little citizens of Plains."
Mothers with their new babies in arms . . . — — Map (db m56804) HM
On Church Street (U.S. 280), on the right when traveling west.
In 1954 Mill Jennings, owner and operator of Standard Oil station purchased this building from Thad Jones and moved the building to its current site. The Plains Hotel, which had recently been torn down, previously occupied the lot. Originally, the . . . — — Map (db m73058) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Our blacksmith shop was a small building ... with... a dirt floor. The forge and anvil, drill press, and emery wheel were used daily to repair farm tools and sometimes to make them. Our horses and mules were shod there, and our plow points . . . — — Map (db m56777) HM
On S. Bond Street, on the right when traveling north.
In 1951, the Carter Warehouse office was built on this location. Over the years the business grew to include a peanut shelling plant, a cotton gin and a processing plant. In 1962, Billy Carter came home from the Marines to enter the business with . . . — — Map (db m73062) HM
On Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
This fields is a small part of several hundred acres that earned a living for the Carters and the other families who lived here. Like his neighbors throughout southwest Georgia, Earl Carter mixed his plantings of cotton, corn, watermelons, sugar . . . — — Map (db m56769) HM
On Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Here, at the barn, the day started early.
During the ... seasons all the workers arose early each morning at 4:00 a.m...., wakened by the ringing of a large farm bell. We would go to the barn and catch the mules by lantern light, put the . . . — — Map (db m56773) HM
On West Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
The town of Plains was founded in 1885. Milton Leander Hudson donated land for the town, including land for a depot for the new railroad line. The train depot is the oldest building in Plains, built 1888.
Originally Creek Indians inhabited . . . — — Map (db m56800) HM
On North Broad Street, on the right when traveling north.
In May 1936, the Tri-County news of Americus, Georgia, reported, "Miss Julia Coleman {superintendent of the Plains High School} has directed a program for the beautification of the {school} campus this spring, and many shrubs and flowers have . . . — — Map (db m56803) HM
On West Church Street (U.S. 280) just east of Woodland Drive, on the left when traveling east.
"The thing that means most to me is coming back to Plains, GA, where I belong. My home folks have never treated me like a big shot. They treat me like one of you and that's exactly what I am." —Jimmy Carter, 1976 After winning the . . . — — Map (db m186800) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Just down this path is the shady, swept-sand yard where the 39th President of the United States played as a boy, during the years of the Great Depression. This plain white farmhouse, these tangled woods, and these broad fields were home to Jimmy . . . — — Map (db m56784) HM
On Old Plains Highway, 0.8 miles south of U.S. 280, on the right when traveling west.
On this site stood Lebanon Baptist Church, which was constituted December 1, 1848. The church served both white and congregations of the Lebanon community. It was the tradition of the black congregations to worship at separate times. This changed . . . — — Map (db m223541) HM
"Why do you fish and hunt?" I'm often asked, The easiest answer is : "My father and all my ancestors did it before me. It's been part of my life since childhood, and part of my identity, like being a southern or a Baptist."
I could add that . . . — — Map (db m56766) HM
On W. Main Street, on the right when traveling east.
Building was erected in 1902 by Everett Lunsford, Jon E. French and Edwin Timmerman and was named the General Store. In 1909, the building was sold to Alton Carter and renamed Plains Mercantile Company.
In 1934, Mr. Carter sold the building to . . . — — Map (db m73059) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
With a short walk around this farm you can just take a glimpse of the small, enclosed world that nurtured a future . . . — — Map (db m56768) HM
The nearest house to ours, between the barn and the main road, was the home of a special family.
Jack Clark was in charge of the barn, the mules and horses, the equipment and harness, and rarely worked in the fields... For me and the other boys... . . . — — Map (db m56771) HM
On W. Main Street, on the right when traveling east.
Plains Bank was organized in 1901 by R. S. Oliver, who served as president. W. L. Thomas, vice president, and C. C. Lunsford as cashier. The Plains Bank belonged to a chain of eighty three banks operated by Banker's Trust Company of Atlanta. The . . . — — Map (db m73060) HM
On West Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
Built in 1903, and intended as an hotel, the building housed retail services on the ground floor and the twenty-bed wise sanitarium on the top floor. The Wise Brothers used this location until the 1920's when they moved to the newly completed . . . — — Map (db m56802) HM
On West Church Street (U.S. 280) at South Hudson Street, on the right when traveling east on West Church Street.
In the 1930’s, Ernest Spann built and operated a service station here. In the 1940’s, Oliver Spann, son of Ernest and Carrie Oliver Spann, operated a bowling alley in the rear of the building. This building has served as a number of different . . . — — Map (db m186796) HM
On West Main Street, on the right when traveling west.
The train depot served as the Presidential Campaign Headquarters for Jimmy Carter in 1976. The depot became nationally recognized and served as the backdrop for many political speeches. In January 1977, an 18-car "Peanut Special" train departed . . . — — Map (db m56796) HM
On North Bond Street, 0.1 miles north of Church Street (U.S. 280), on the right when traveling north.
Side 1:
This school opened in 1921, racially integrated in 1966 and served students from Plains, Georgia until 1979. The school’s rich history of distinguished educators and progressive curriculum earned recognition at state and . . . — — Map (db m41126) HM
On West Church Street (U.S. 280) just east of South Hudson Street, on the right when traveling east.
[Seal of the President of the United States] 39th President United States of America 1977-1981 ”America did not invent Human Rights… Human Rights invented America.” Jan. 14, 1981 ”The greatest legacy we can leave our . . . — — Map (db m186899) HM
Near East Main Street just east of South Hudson Street, on the right when traveling east.
Originally the Oliver-McDonald Store, this building came into existence around 1901. A two-story section was later added to house a furniture store and funeral home managed by Ross Dean. In 1934, two of the buildings were sold to Alton Carter for . . . — — Map (db m186795) HM
On Main Street at South Hudson Street, on the right when traveling east on Main Street.
In the early 1900’s, this was a two story brick building erected by the Wise brothers for their first hospital in Plains. Plains Pharmacy was located on the ground floor of this building. Eventually, the hospital was relocated and the second floor . . . — — Map (db m186790) HM
On West Main Street at North Hudson Street, on the left when traveling east on West Main Street.
From this depot in 1975, James Earl Carter, Jr. launched a two-year campaign for the presidency of the United States. At first an unknown referred to as “Jimmy Who,” Carter was inaugurated as America’s 39th President on January 20, . . . — — Map (db m21351) HM
On South Bond Street (Georgia Route 308) at Botsford Road (Georgia Route 45), on the right when traveling north on South Bond Street.
Eleanor Rosalynn Smith was born in Plains on August 18, 1927 and grew up in this house. Her parents were Edgar and Allie Smith. She had two younger brothers and a sister: Jerry Smith, Murray Smith, and Allethea Smith Wall.
Rosalynn graduated . . . — — Map (db m40314) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
President Carter's life-long love of tennis began with his frequent, fierce contest with his father on this Georgia clay court.
My father... was an excellent tennis player. ... I could never beat my father. He had a wicked slice ball which . . . — — Map (db m56779) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Earl Carter always had a garden to add variety to the family's meals. A community sweet potato garden was also planted and shared among the residents who lived nearby. This garden was strictly for the Carter family's use although the farm . . . — — Map (db m56778) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
James Earl Carter, Sr. and his family moved into this middle-class rural dwelling as its second owners in 1928, six years after the home had been built. Heating was accomplished by fireplaces and wood stoves.
Initially, there was no running water . . . — — Map (db m56781) HM
On West Church Street (U.S. 280) just east of Woodland Drive, on the left when traveling east.
The Carter home is one-story containing 3,200 square feet of floor space. The opposite side of Woodland Drive contains their pond, stocked with bass, bream, and catfish for fishing, and a flagpole that was a gift from their children. When built, . . . — — Map (db m186799) HM
On W. Main Street, on the right when traveling east.
This section of the original Oliver McDonald Building was owned and operated by John and Katie Oliver as a grocery store in the 1930's and 40's. The store was sold to C.L. Walters, Jr. in 1943 and was renamed Walters Grocery Company. C.L. and his . . . — — Map (db m73061) HM
On South Bond Street (Georgia Route 45) south of East Main Street, on the right when traveling south.
Luther David Wise and Edwin Timmerman built Williams Warehouse, originally called Timmerman and Wise Warehouse, in 1896. Frank Forth Timmerman, Edwin’s son, also assisted with the efforts. The warehouse handled seed, fertilizers, cotton and bricks. . . . — — Map (db m186798) HM
Near Old Plains Highway, on the right when traveling west.
Purchased from a catalog in 1935 for about $100, a steel windmill like the one reconstructed here provided the Carters a welcome reprieve from the drudgery of pumping water for both the family and livestock by hand.
Windpower drew water from . . . — — Map (db m56776) HM
On Hospital Street, 0.1 miles west of Church Street (U.S. 280), on the right when traveling west.
Built in 1921 by Doctors Samuel, Thaddeus, and Bowman Wise, sons of Dr. Burr T. and Laura Addy Wise, early settlers of Plains, this innovative hospital was known as “the Mayo Clinic of the South”. Originally opening above Plains Pharmacy . . . — — Map (db m40163) HM
