Do not live in this town. The city is worthless when it rains and the streets flood. It is more…read moreimportant city workers sit and have a long lunch than to unclog sewers. Nobody answers the phone when you call in hazards on the roads. If you get the operator they tell you to call a different number.

Madison, GA was featured in Budget Travel Magazine (2012) as one of the 16 MOST BEAUTIFUL towns in…read morethe world, which is an enormous compliment! Especially considering some of the other towns were Bilbury (England), Wengen (Switzerland), Eze (France), and Český Krumlov (Czech Republic). Urban legend has it that General Sherman, on his march through the south, refused to burn down this quaint little Southern city because it was simply too beautiful. THE SCENE The morning of my day trip to Madison I was suffering from debilitating muscle spasms in my neck. However, my yelp friend Brian S & his lovely wife Cindy were in town visiting for the 2nd time and I was determined to show them a great time! Their first visit two years ago was blanketed with rain nearly the entire visit and limited where I could take them. THIS visit was full of sunny blue skies and I intended to take advantage of every second! But by the time we made it to Madison, my neck spasms were so painful that I had to stop pretending they weren't bothering me. The frequency of the attacks were every 30 minutes or so at first, but advanced to every 3 minutes by mid-day. I could take no more and stopped at Thrifty Mac pharmacy in Madison to buy ibuprofen for the pain and lidocaine to help relax my neck muscle. The awesome part about a small town is how helpful the people can be. The pharmacist herself came down from behind the counter to search out the best cure for my ailment. Unfortunately, the spasms didn't fully go away until I'd gotten a good night's sleep, but they did relax enough so that I could enjoy time with my friends. THE EXPERIENCE We started our expedition at the Visitor Center, where a kind woman laid out all the points of interest. Madison is one of Georgia's largest historic districts, with nearly 100 historic antebellum homes and a beautiful courthouse built in 1901. At the exterior rear of the courthouse is a set of stairs leading to the courtroom balcony that was the entrance used by blacks. We briefly toured the building and the courtroom, where I was reminded of the court scene from the movie Lincoln. Next door to the courthouse is a home that precedes it by over 100 years! The ROGER HOUSE was built sometime in the early 1800's. The front porch ceiling is painted a pale blue, a customary practice meant to attract insects upwards. The home is filled with period furniture, including a sugar chest, where the lady of the house often kept raw sugar cubes under lock and key! Upstairs are two bedrooms. The master was the smaller of the two and had a second bed in a small corner nook used to house soldier seeking shelter. It was also used for traveling pastors or judges. Its placement inside the master bedroom was twofold. 1) to keep an eye on this stranger and 2) to keep the visitor uncomfortable so as not to overstay their welcome! Next to the Roger House is ROSE COTTAGE, built in 1891 by a hard-working former slave woman by the name of Adeline Rose. Legend has it that women could not take out loans at a bank and certainly not a black woman. But Adeline Rose was so respected for her arduous work ethic of washing and ironing linens for local hotels that she was granted a $100 loan to help build her modest home, which only consisted of three rooms. Only two furnishings are Adeline's: a portrait of her and a quilt made with her own two hands. You will notice the quilt says, "Jesus Saved" with the second 'S' on Jesus turned backwards signifying how a person's life turns toward Jesus when they become a follower. We then ate lunch @ Big Kev's where the catfish was some of the best I've ever had and walked off the calories visiting different businesses surrounding Madison Town Park. Cindy loves antiquing, so we wound up in a little store off Jefferson street called The Junque Korner. The park itself was lovely with different garden vignettes, huge lawn area and a stage. OTHER HISTORY Aside from its beauty, there are people from here and movies filmed here that you are likely familiar with. People include Oliver Hardy (1892 -1957), one of the two comedians to make up Laurel & Hardy and Raymond Andrews (1934 - 1991), an African-American novelist. R.E.M. recorded an MTV Unplugged session at Madison-Morgan Cultural Center in 1991 and several movies/TV shows were partially filmed here including: * Goosebumps (starring Jack Black) * I'll Fly Away (1991-93) * HBO's Warm Springs * Scenes from My Cousin Vinny & Road Trip * The Great Bank Hoax (1978) * Portions of October Road & The Originals' FINAL THOUGHTS I can't honestly say I found it to be beautiful enough to be in the top 16 most attractive towns in the world, but it does exude amazing Southern charm. If you want an authentic small town USA experience in the dirty south, Madison is an excellent choice for a day trip or even an entire weekend! Be sure to also check out the Cultural Center & Bonar Hall, one of the first of the grand-style antebellum mansions. 2017/97

The Confederate monument in Madison, Georgia was installed in 1908 by the Morgan County Chapter of…read morethe United Daughters of the Confederacy to commemorate local Confederate soldiers. It stands as a memory marker in a town that witnessed Sherman's March to the Sea. That history lingers here. The monument itself is a granite shaft, inscribed on all four sides with poetic and ideological tributes to the Confederacy. The north face carries a religious plea: "Lord of Hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget, lest we forget." The west face praises the soldiers' "heroism," "devotion," and "matchless valor." The south face notes the monument's sponsor and date of dedication. The east face spells out its purpose: "To the soldiers of the Southern Confederacy who died to repel unconstitutional invasion, to protect the rights reserved to the people to perpetuate forever the sovereignty of the states." It has weathered the years. Stained from long exposure under tree cover, the stone could use a good power wash. From what I could gather, there has not been any major public effort to remove the monument. Its placement in Hill Park, well removed from the county courthouse, may help it remain undisturbed for the foreseeable future. [Review 1270 of 2025 - 838 in Georgia - 24822 overall]

FEBRUARY is a celebration of BLACK HISTORY, largely because much of it is not included in modern…read moreschoolbooks. So I wanted to feature some of my previous reviews with Black History in the narrative! IF you have never heard of her, let me introduce you to the story of Adeline Rose. Madison, Georgia was considered by Budget Traveler magazine as one of the 16 most beautiful towns in the world in 2012. Part of the reason is because of its historic charm and architecture. There are only a few historic structures you can tour for a small fee and the two I was most interested in were the Rogers House and Adeline Rose Cottage. *** ROSE COTTAGE - This small 3 room home was built in 1891 by Adeline Rose, a hard-working African-American woman who was once a slave. Legend has it that women could not take out loans at a bank and certainly not a black woman. But Adeline Rose was so respected for her arduous work ethic of washing and ironing linens for local homes and hotels that she was granted a $100 loan to help build her modest home. A home that only consisted of two bedrooms and a work area for her laundering business. None of the furnishing inside the home are Adeline's except two pieces, a portrait of her and a quilt she made with her own two hands. You will notice the quilt says, "Jesus Saved" with the second 'S' on Jesus turned backwards. This was to signify how a person's life turns toward Jesus when they become a follower. The brochure states: "She earned her living by taking in washing and ironing at 50 cents a load. Most of her early work was done for the boarders of the Hardy House, which was owned by the mother of the famous comedian Oliver Hardy (of Laurel and Hardy). Adeline Rose died in 1959 after living in the house for 68 years. In 1966, the City of Madison moved the Rose Cottage to its present location. It was felt that it was very important to save this little house built out of the labor of love of a woman who was born into slavery." Adeline is of French origin meaning NOBLE. She was a widow and the mother of two children. She is part of a legacy of men & women who fought against ALL odds to not only survive, but thrive. *** ROGER HOUSE - When Madison was first established, it created 48 original lots with the average lot being sold for around $155. Reuben Rogers purchased lot #6 for $111 and built the house in what was known as an 'I-House' or 'Piedmont' plan style, which was popular in its day. The house was completed around 1810 and stands on its original lot as the last remaining residence from the original 48. The tour begins on the front porch where you will notice the ceiling of the porch is painted a pale blue, a customary practice of its day which was meant to attract insects upwards. Inside is a long hallway with a parlor (or family room) on one side and another identical room on the other side. The home is filled with period furniture, including a sugar chest, where the lady of the house often kept raw sugar cubes under lock and key! It also contained several decorative pieces from China, which were popular decorating choices of the time. Towards the rear were additions most likely added around 1820 when census records showed that 18 people lived in the house (according to the informative brochure). It also states the house pre-dates the Morgan County Courthouse (located just next door) by almost 100 years and has had 17 owners. The rear room is currently set up as a dining room, but was likely once a rear porch. It sits about 4 inches lower than the original home and includes a relocated set of steps that are horribly uneven, but add tremendously to the old charm. Upstairs are two bedrooms. The master was the smaller of the two and had a second bed in a small corner nook which was required to house any soldier that knocked on your door seeking shelter. It was also used for housing a traveling pastor or judge and its placement inside the master bedroom was twofold. One, to keep an eye on this stranger and two to keep the visitor uncomfortable. The bed also looked uncomfortable, but the tour guide said that was by design to encourage the soldiers and other visitors not to overstay their welcome! The children all slept in the larger bedroom. *** * Hours of Operation Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00AM - 4:30PM Sunday: 1:30PM - 4:30PM FINAL THOUGHTS The fact that this community felt it important to save and preserve the story of Adeline Rose alone is worthy of 5 stars. This is, after all, the South! History has not often been kind to African American, but emerging from the wreckage of this disastrous period in human rights are stories like Adeline Rose, letting you know there were pockets of kindness that have not been shared. I for one feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn of the history here. 2021 / 34 #BlackHISTORYseries

Fantastic notary service! We have used her several times. She's punctual, courteous and very…read moreprofessional. We will definitely continue to use North Georgia Signatory Services.

I had a simple, easy experience with North Georgia Signatory Services. The owner was kind and…read morehelpful. She was also very quick to respond. I needed an I-9 verification for a remote position, and she assisted me easily and quickly. I'm so grateful she was able to help me out. You will receive nothing but great service from her!

I was called for Jury Duty for my first time since I moved to this county almost 3 years ago. I was…read moreimpressed with the efficiency of the process. I had to be there by 8am. That was a bummer. There is a lot of parking in the garage and an elevator to take you to the right floor. I was grateful to the other kind ladies that gave me directions. I went thru security quickly. Stood in line to check in. All really smooth and efficient. Big room with lots of screens to update you on information. Although I was selected for a judges trial, the case never came to fruition and we were cut loose just before lunch. I made $30. Excellent.

I was summoned to jury duty on tuesday, and I had to get there by 8am. If you are reporting to this…read moreplace for jury duty, don't forget your yellow card that comes in the mail. There is security at the entrance, so they will ask you to pull out all your electronics out of your bag to put in a basket that goes through a machine. You get cleared, and you proceed to go up the escalators to the assembly room where you check in, and wait. (Make sure to check in every day that you go in, so they know that you were there). The staff were all friendly with happy-go-lucky faces at 8 in the morning. Once you check in, they tell you where to sit to wait for your bailiffs. There was coffee in the back, and magazines to look at on the right hand side of the room. The projector screen at the front of the room has a few slides playing on repeat about what to expect and how much you will be compensated. Here in gwinnett county, it's $30 per day, that comes after a couple weeks in the form of a debit card. Around 9am, we were assigned seating arrangements, and I got seated one seat to the left (I guess I got lucky, haha). Anyway, we waited another hour or so before we were called into the courtroom. There were about 40 of us, and they only choose ~12 people for the jury. The attorneys asked everyone general questions, then asked individuals specific questions, which took forever. We took a 15 min break where we went back to the assembly room/used the restrooms/ etc. Then went back in around 11:50am. The attorneys continued to asked questions til 12:30pm, where we took our 1 hr lunch break. I ate something in the cafeteria downstairs which ill review as well. Back to the court room, they ended up only asking 28/40 people individual questions because they had already had an idea of who to choose to be in their jury. They took 30-40 min to decide the final 12. Those who were not chosen went back to the assembly room, and got dismissed. By the time I left, it was already ~3pm. Before, if you were dismissed from jury duty from one panel, they would have you wait for the next panel to open up, but as of recently, if you get dismissed from the first panel, you are done for the rest of the week. You wont be summoned for jury duty for another two to three years. Hooray! We are all great citizens. All in all, minus the waiting, this was a great experience, and I hope to be selected to be part of a jury one day. The building smelled like the airport, and was really nice and neat. There were restrooms everywhere, so dont worry about not being able to find one. On a side note: if youre like me and you forgot to call in before jury duty and missed a day, you can just call to reschedule. But dont miss it on purpose. I literally forgot til the day of. Have fun!

Super friendly and nice people here. Very fast and helpful, they were also very sweet to my…read morechildren who loved to talk to everyone.

It is a very nice building. Only issue I had was in the interview room there was profanity words…read moreetched in the table.

This historic courthouse is one of six sites in all of Cherokee County listed on the National…read moreHistoric Register. (I think for a county with about 212,000 people having 6 NHR site is quite impressive) The other five includes: Alfred W. R House Crescent Farm: Edgewater Hall and the Rock Barn https://www.yelp.com/biz/rock-barn-canton?hrid=VQhh7jBjba90EElGVh-FVw&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) Canton WholeSale Company Canton Cotton Mill #2 Woodstock Depot According to The Cherokee County Historical Society's website...this is a five story classical revival built by prominent architect A. Ten Eyck Brown who also built The Fulton County Courthouse in Atlanta, GA. It's one of few surviving buildings in Georgia that was built using marble from the area. (I believe the marble is from Tate, Ga) If you look up you can see four eagles above the column thingies and they were sculpted by two local sculptures David A.H. Couche and B. Maloni. It's an impressive structure with it's gleaming white marble and it's formidable presence. I almost expect a bunch of men walking out of in white robes speaking Latin....it looks like it belongs in Athens, Greece... It's located in downtown historic Canton not far from the Historic Canton Cannon Park. Next to the courthouse is the Cherokee Justice Center as well as the superior court. It now houses the Cherokee County History museum and visitor center. It a pretty cool building to check out for a photo opt. If you're ever in the area.

We drove to the Mule Day Festival at Calloway Plantation on a whim and we had a great time. The…read morehome was open for tours and there were lots of craftspeople demonstrating lost arts from years gone by. This suburban girl really enjoyed seeing the mules too!!

While driving Hwy 78 from Athens, GA to Augusta, Ga I was looking for a tourist stop. My GPS found…read moreme the Callaway Plantation. Has 56 Acres of History. Modest cost of $4.00 with a docent to talk about the history of the plantation. Has picnic grounds available so take your time.

The downtown is a little smaller than I expected and I can't believe there isn't more shops/places…read moreto eat but it is sooo cute. So much history and so many movies and shows were filmed here! Known as Hollywood of the South™, Covington has become a mecca for the television and film industry. Dukes of Hazard (1978) You can see the General Lee on Elm Street in Covington jumping 157 feet into the air in the first episode. The Cannonball Run (1980) The city of Covington had to remove power lines around the square before filming the iconic plane landing scene. Friday the 13th VI (1986) The iconic hockey masked killer could be found stalking the Covington area and surrounding towns during this installment. My Cousin Vinny (1991) This Oscar winning film utilized many locations around Covington and Newton County to create the setting of a small town in Alabama. ‍ In the Heat of the Night (1988-1994) Covington was known as Sparta and home to Police Chief William Gillespie and police detective Virgil Tibbs in this long running crime drama. Black Dog (1997) Featuring Patrick Swayze, Meatloaf and Randy Travis, Black Dog disguised Covington as North Carolina for this truck driving, gun hauling action film. Remember the Titans (2000) This inspirational film starring Denzel Washington was partially filmed in Covington. Sweet Home Alabama (2002) Sweet home Covington, Georgia was one of the filming locations for this 2002 romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon. Halloween 2 (2009) The Myers House and Haddonfield Town Square were really historical Covington transformed for this Rob Zombie horror film remake. ‍ The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017) Covington transformed into "Mystic Falls" for 8 seasons of The Vampire Diaries. Footloose (2010) The courtroom scene in Footloose was filmed in the historic courthouse on Covington's square. Flight (2011) A church was erected and a broken aircraft was placed in Green Valley Farms fields, just a few miles outside of downtown Covington, to create the plane crash scene. Selma (2014) The iconic courthouse served as the Hotel Albert in the historical film recounting Dr. Martin Luther King's bid to secure voting rights for African Americans in Alabama. Vacation (2014) The sorority house scene in Vacation was filmed at one of Covington's many beautiful historic homes. ‍Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors (2015) Covington was the perfect picturesque backdrop for the television movie inspired by Dolly Parton's life story. Dr. Sleep (2018) The sequel to Stephen King's "The Shining" was filmed in Covington. The Jungle Cruise (2018) This live action movie inspired by the ride at Disney features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt. Sweet Magnolias (2020-present) shows small town Southern lifestyles/stores. Other popular films shot in Covington include "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay," "The Accountant," and "Ant-Man and the Wasp."

Amazing! Had a good time walking around downtown. Lallsmsmwmwkwmwkwmwmwmwmsmsm bananasread more