This historical marker stands prominently on the sidewalk in front of the Madison-Morgan Cultural…read moreCenter, offering a concise but meaningful account of Madison's early role in women's education. The Cultural Center itself occupies a former school building, lending architectural resonance to the story told on the plaque. The marker bears identical text on both sides, ensuring visibility and accessibility to pedestrians approaching from either direction. It reads, "Religious denominations organized Georgia's first colleges for women. Madison flourished as an educational center following the 1850 incorporation of both the Georgia Female College (Baptist), initially chartered as Madison Collegiate Institute, and the Madison Female College (Methodist). "The Georgia Female College opened for its Spring Session with 148 pupils in this building, which became the President's House after John B. Walker funded a three-story brick building to the right (burned 1882). The Madison Female College was also located in town but was also lost to fire in 1864. "A diverse curriculum attracted young women from as far as Philadelphia. Citizens supported the institutions with funding and provision of room and board. Both schools thrived until the outbreak of the Civil War, when the facilities were used as temporary hospitals. Post-war, private education never regained its former stature." This marker was installed in 2011 by the City of Madison and the Madison Bicentennial Commission 1809-2009, part of a broader effort to commemorate the town's cultural and civic legacy. Visitors will find convenient parking at the Cultural Center, making it easy to pause and reflect on the educational ambitions that once defined this corner of Georgia. [Review 1272 of 2025 - 840 in Georgia - 24824 overall]

Unexpected to find this name in this place but here it is. It is in the center of Madison, on the…read moresquare with the county courthouse. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Oliver Norvell Hardy, of the comedy team Laurel and Hardy, lived in the Turnell-Butler Hotel which once stood on this corner. He was born in Harlem, Georgia, on January 18, 1892. The family was in Madison by that February, and may have moved here earlier. Mrs. Hardy later opened a hotel in Madison named The Hardy House. Oliver began his education at age six at the Madison Grammar School. Mrs. Hardy and her children left Madison in October 1898. Oliver Hardy died in 1957 and is buried in California where a plaque reads: "His Talent Brought Joy and Laughter To All the World."" Hardy was born Norvell Hardy, taking the name Oliver later to honor his father, a Confederate veteran who died less than a year after Hardy's birth. Though he began formal education in Madison, Hardy was restless and drawn to performance. He attended Georgia Military College and later Young Harris College, but his real passion was music. He studied voice in Atlanta and sang in theaters for modest pay, sometimes skipping lessons to perform. Hardy's entry into film began in Jacksonville, Florida, where he worked as a cabaret singer and at the Lubin Manufacturing Company. He was often cast as a villain in silent shorts, and before teaming with Stan Laurel, he had a prolific solo career, appearing in dozens of films under the name Babe Hardy. Hardy married three times: first to Madelyn Saloshin, then Myrtle Reeves, and finally Virginia Lucille Jones, who remained with him until his death in 1957. He is buried at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in North Hollywood, California This is marker number 104-1. It was erected in 2002 by The Georgia Historical Society and the City of Madison. There is plenty of parking in the area as well as some restaurants and shops. [Review 1311 of 2025 - 851 in Georgia - 24863 overall]

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.

Madison was founded in 1809 and named for President James Madison. It flourished as a stagecoach…read morestop and residential haven for wealthy planters, who built the town's signature Greek Revival and Victorian homes. Its cultural prominence and architectural beauty spared it from destruction during Sherman's March to the Sea, preserving a historic core that remains intact today. Post-Civil War, Madison thrived through cotton trade and rail commerce, and its commitment to preservation has earned it national recognition as one of the South's best-preserved small towns, celebrated for its heritage tours, restored buildings, and civic pride. This marker is located on the town square next to the Welcome Center. It has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The Town of Madison Board of Commissioners selected one of their body each year to serve as President until an 1876 charter amendment incorporated the "City" of Madison and vested leadership in a Mayor and Board of Aldermen (later the Mayor and City Council). In 1990, the city shifted to the City Manager - Council form of government. With recovery following the Great Fire of 1869, the City also invested in civic improvements: a new cemetery (1880-1882); an electric plant and system (1891-1928); its own public school system (1895-1947); and a public waterworks system (1908). The City Hall & Firehouse (1887) replaced the former Town Hall, irreparably damaged by the 1886 Charleston earthquake. When the 1939 City Hall & Firestation made the previous building obsolete, a period of commercial use was followed by the eventual restoration of the building in 1991 by the Madison-Morgan Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. Chamber officer include the Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau, which operates a State Welcome Center." The marker was erected in 2011 by the City of Madison, Madison BiCentennial Commission 1809-2009. [Review 1314 of 2025 - 853 in Georgia - 24866 overall]

Buckhead is widely known as a neighborhood district in Atlanta, but I was surprised to discover…read morethat it is also the name of a small city in Morgan County, Georgia. This Buckhead is located beside the local volunteer fire department and a modest playground park, offering a quiet contrast to its urban namesake. The marker reads, "On the occasion of its Bicentennial, Morgan County placed this marker here to commemorate the community of Buckhead. "One of the earliest settlements in Morgan County, the area around Buckhead was still in close proximity to Native American Territory in the early 1800s. According to local lore, a group of hunters tracking game crossed the Oconee River from Greene County and found this area to be ideal for settlement. To attest to their good fortune, the head of a buck deer killed by the hunters was hung in a tree. "Though the town of Buckhead was formally incorporated by the Georgia Legislature in 1887 and recorded in 1908, the earliest document reference to this community dates to 1819 in an account ledger for a general store located here. By 1823, a post office had been constructed, and by the 1830s, the Georgia Railroad came through Buckhead. A Methodist Church was organized in 1824, and a Baptist Church in 1890. A four-room schoolhouse that had ten grade levels, employed eight teachers, and possessed an auditorium was constructed in 1900. "Buckhead also enjoyed a thriving commercial center that included four general stores, two drug stores, a bank, a cotton buyer's office, three restaurants, a barber shop, a livery stable and a hotel. Industries included a cotton gin, a grist mill, and a blacksmith shop. "Several large fires have taken their toll on Buckhead through the years destroying many of its old buildings. Additionally, the agriculture economy has shifted from cotton production to dairy operations." This marker not only honors Buckhead's early settlement and incorporation but also reflects the town's evolution from a frontier outpost near Native American lands to a bustling commercial hub, and finally to a quieter rural community shaped by fire, industry, and changing agricultural trends. The marker was erected in 2007 by the Morgan County Bicentennial Committee. [Review 1315 of 2025 - 854 in Georgia - 24867 overall]

Located on the actual town square at the intersection of North Main Street (U.S. 278) and East…read moreWashington Street, this marker provides some context on the design and layout of the city of Madison. It has the same text on both sides. In three dense paragraphs, it reads, "Reserved for public use in the original 1809 town plan, the public square was also used to establish the early town limits, first drawn as a half-mile radius (1822) and then as a mile radius (1849). This method formed circular town boundaries; a common early town planning technique in Georgia. "The square has also been in continuous use as public property -- County Courthouses (1st c.1810-1844; 2nd 1845-1907), City Hall (1909-1916), Town Park (1917-1930), and U.S. Post Offices (1931). A year later, the City sold the property to the federal government but negotiated its use as a park until construction commenced on the post office. "Public accessories and amenities have long adored the square. The 1856 Braswell Monument anchors the west corner. On the prominent north corner stood the town "Market" (1851-c.1885), a Victorian gazebo (c.1901), and later the city "Police Shack" (c.1950-75). The 1908 Cooke Fountain was also sited here (1925-31) when street paving began." The marker was erected in 2011 by the City of Madison, Madison BiCentennial Commission 1809-2009. For visitors interested in urban planning, Southern civic history, or simply the quiet poetry of place, this marker is worth a stop. It's a reminder that even the most familiar town square can hold centuries of stories beneath their bricks and benches. There is free parking nearby. [Review 1302 of 2025 - 849 in Georgia - 24854 overall]

This trestle has been used in one of my favorite tv shows from the late 80's and early 90's, In the…read moreheat of the night. It was also used in The Dukes of Hazzard. Stone pillars are thought to be leftover from the civil war.

Morgan County takes its name from Daniel Morgan, a celebrated general of the American Revolutionary…read moreWar and later a congressman from Virginia. His legacy of grit and civic duty is reflected in the county's enduring public architecture, most notably the Morgan County Courthouse. This two-story structure, built of red-colored brick, stone, and concrete, faces southwest and anchors the northeast corner of Hancock and East Jefferson Streets. Completed in 1907, the courthouse replaced the earlier 1845 building that once stood on the central town square before it was lost to fire. The new design embraces the Beaux Arts style, blending classical grandeur with early twentieth-century civic ambition. The courthouse's southwest façade commands attention with a broad porch framed by four colossal Corinthian columns. These rise to support a second-story balcony and culminate in a wide header topped by a pediment that breaks the roofline with elegant force. Just above, three large arched windows add rhythm and light to the upper level. Crowning the structure is a striking square clock tower, white in color with a black dome and lantern that gleams above the town. The tower not only marks time but serves as a visual anchor for Madison's historic district, echoing the courthouse's role as a symbol of law, order, and community pride. [Review 1283 of 2025 - 845 in Georgia - 24835 overall]