It was built in 1820 and has a pretty interesting history that you can read about on the sign…read more Very cool bridge that makes for a great photo opportunity. I've seen people do engagement shoots, family photos, etc on the bridge as well as over on the rocks. We have not done photos here we just come here to explore the area and let the kiddos run out some of their energy. They like to run back and forth on the bridge and play on the rocks as well as explore the playground.

This park is a little off of the beaten path. It is really scenic and worth the effort to get to…read more I went on a day that was a dreary, but the upside was that nobody else was there. The rain also made the little falls rush a little bit more dramatically. The main attraction is the now covered with graffiti bridge. Historical and full of vibe. The trails are not that long but if you go all the way around you will be able to get some cardio. I think that you could sit and get some inspiration here, if your that type of person. I would recommend checking this place out at least once.

CHIEF WHITE PATH'S CABIN FIASCO!…read more The was to be the icing on the cake, the site that I was most interested to see while in Gainsville, but thanks to Brenau University, my experience was ruined. First let me give you a bit of history regarding this cabin: This cabin (built in 1780 near Ellijay), belonged to Cherokee Indian Chief White Path. He fought, (unsuccessfully) to prevent the takeover of land from the Cherokee and was a leader on the "Trail of Tears". In the land lottery of 1832 the cabin and the land it was on was awarded to the Pinson family who were white settlers. In 1995 under the direction of Counte Cooley, a descendent of White Path, the cabin was moved to it's current location, which is on the edge of a parking lot and flanked by a brick monstrosity of a museum. What were they thinking??? This is a hot mess and if I used expletives, I would insert one here because it would so reflect how I feel. This historical cabin deserves to be in a natural setting, for goodness sakes! IT'S A CABIN!!!! As it stands, the cabin is attached to the Northeast Georgia History Center which is a part of Brenau University. You can't access the cabin without going through the history center. When I realized this, I wanted to scream. I should have realized that something was amiss when I noticed the address: 403 Brenau. MMMMHMM! This cabin in not at all what I expected and since it was hidden behind a fence and trees, I was not confident that it would provide the historical experience I expected. Therefore, my husband and I chose not to take the tour.

We had a wonderful time at Chief White Path's Cabin! It's was so educational! Our Children loved it…read moreand learned so much. I would definitely recommend anyone to make this a must see attraction when visiting Gainesville!

Excellent spot for sightseeing. Great for adults; mildly ok for kids, as its light on interaction…read more Lovely, knowledgeable Docents waiting to share the story. Nice home, small for its era of plantation homes. It was nice seeing the true story of the impact of African Americans - without them there is no Roswell. Without black free labor there is no America in the way we see it now. Free labor fueled the wealth of many dynasties. A nice one hour or 1.5 hr is enough time to see everything. You may want to read up on the house and area before you arrive to ground you in the founding of Roswell. If you love antiques, there's tons to see! Lots of pics on wall. This specific founder wasn't ostentatious so its the opposite of gold, lavish, etc. Its humble wealth! They were devout Presbyterians who were conflicted on owning slaves; private/ secret abolitionist who taught their slaves to write. Telling other locals it was for God so his slaves could read the Bible. But truly it was so they had a skill and could be more than slaves! Remarkable! Fun visit. There are two more grand homes, larger, more lavish by 2 other Roswell early founders, about a mile away. So if you have more time, do it all in 2 to 3 hours. We sat on the porch for 30 min just rocking, nice chairs! We may not ever go back but it was worth seeing!

The city of Roswell has 3 preserved antebellum houses open for public tours. We stopped by all 3…read moreone Saturday afternoon in February. All are located within a 1/2-mile radius, and 2 are literally within about 200 yards of each other. Our third stop was at Smith Plantation. It is located close to the Roswell business / restaurant district, and is adjacent to the city hall (with which it shares a parking lot). Like the others, there is no fee here. We entered via the front door and interacted with the welcoming docent, who asked for our zip code and how we'd heard about the venue. You are then free to wander the house via whatever route you like. Most rooms have a sign with a 4-digit code. You call a phone number (the same one used at the other 2 houses) and enter successive codes as you proceed. For each code, there is an accompanying description of the room's historical context and of its furnishings. These mansions all seemed to follow the same basic floorplan - a central linear hallway with 2 or 3 rooms off each side and a staircase at the end. This home had been upgraded / modernized in the 1940s, so some parts have a different feel than the other 2 open homes. For instance, this one has a kitchen that is more relatable, and there is an actual master bath added upstairs. This also seemed to be the smallest of the 3 homes. There is a bit more information about the last people who lived in the house, as they were there until the 1980s. There are also a few outbuildings here. If you only had time to tour one house of the 3, I'd still begin with Bulloch Hall. However, this place was nice to visit if you have another 30 - 45 minutes.

This is excellent training trail for hikers. For some reason, I always feel fatigue on this trail,…read moremaybe because of gravel road surface or more uneven elevation changes.

AHHHHHHHHHH ..... ‍‍!!!! Met up for a group hike and this trail did NOT disappoint. Even on a…read morecloudy morning, the trail was well populated. And even after a heavy rain, the hike was manageable and not too muddy. 10/10 for sure in regards to incline, views and doability.

Closed every time we have tried to visit. Just like the Tara…read moremuseum or Ashley oaks. Need more posts or schedules.

Was a very educational visit. Becky and Darlene were very friendly and knowledgeable guides…read more Learned about history at the same time had fun. These two Ladies make this visit fun. Will come back around Christmas time again. I will tell my great experience to all my Texas friends. Great job Becky and Darlene !

It was a very humbling experience to be able to stand in a home with so much history…read more I don't want to go into too much detail describing the experience, because the things I saw were awe inspiring. Suffice it to say that some of the advances the Hardman's had in their home were unheard of for anyone in this time. Also, you can not imagine the emotional experience of standing on an original section of the Trail of Tears and hearing the stories of the people who were affected.

Hardman Farm was a nice walk from my hotel. There is a gift shop however, they do not allow pets…read moreand walking I had my dog with me. So that was disappointing that I couldn't go in and explore. we could walk around the grounds and explore the barns and areas of the farm. There are some fantastic views. The main house is gorgeous. The barns are cool. I liked seeing the dairy barn. The land is one of my dreams. The walk back to the hotel was just as nice under the shade of trees following the river.

One of the benefits of traveling is the cool little things that you can stumble across that if you…read moreweren't in that town, you would never have known even existed. I was out taking a walk in twenty-eight degree weather this morning, trying to get some walk in before my business meeting, and came across this old schoolhouse with such a historical importance. The house is from 1858, think about it, this house was here when the Civil War was ravaging our great nation. This house was here as our country built from a loose confederation of states, it seen our country attempt to split, and also witnessed this country turn from those loose collection of states into the great fifty states that we now know. I have always embraced history. It has always fascinated me the past footsteps that led us to where we stand today. This house is a testimony to the history of our country.

Georgia was once full of covered bridges, most built between the late 1700 - 1800's. Sadly decay,…read morefloods and even purposeful mutilation have done away with most of these treasures. There are less than 20 remaining in the state, but in 1997 the County of Rockdale boldly decided to add another to the numbers. Probably more popularly known as the Rockdale County Covered Bridge, it spans a full 150 feet over a historic ford where Mill Rock Creek is located. Jack Turner Dam was to be completed in 1998 to form a reservoir by impound the water from neighboring creeks and rivers. Engineers calculated the creek would swell from just a few inches deep to several feet, thus a bridge would be required. Nearby is also an old historic mill house, a general store, the old mill site and a blacksmith shop according to the Rockdale County website. However, the only visible buildings I saw south of the bridge were clearly marked with no trespassing signs. There is a trail on the north side of the bridge that allows for better side view pictures, but vegetation has grown enough to block most of the view except the very center of the span. FINAL THOUGHTS The County spent almost $900,000 completing the wooden bridge and designed it to look similar to other Town & Lattice styled bridges from the 1800's. It took 248 cubic yards of concrete and 31,000 lbs of steel to form the base columns for the bridge. It utilized Georgia wood and labor in hopes of promoting new timber bridge technology. But after 17 short years, I could see some obvious wear on the bridge floor and need of repairs. Still, it's a marvelous structure, even if it's not exactly historic.

We came to the Mansell House and Gardens for a friends Gender Reveal Party. I think it was the…read moreperfect spot especially since the weather was gorgeous! It's a bit small on the inside but has multiple rooms and an outdoor patio and garden area. It's very rustic and quiet right next to Wills Park. If you're having a small get together or party, I'd recommend this venue!

We attended a charming summer's morning wedding here over the weekend. There's ample parking when…read moreyou consider the space for the adjacent Wills Park. The house is small, but it was enough to offer respite from the warm summer sun for small groups, and to allow set up of all the food. The cakes were in the large parlor with the fireplace and piano. The buffet was in the smaller room off to the side - made it a little tight and warm, but with a small party, the line moved pretty fast. The gardens were a charming setting for the intimate ceremony. There were 8 tables (10 chairs each) on the grounds and another 4 on the wrap around porch. The guests (with the exception of the immediate family who sat in two rows at the front) just sat at their tables to watch. The band set up in the gazebo closest to the parking lot. I have to admit that much of what made it lovely was the weather, and having it at 10am helped that.