I loved visiting Athens and all the experiences that came with it. I am a Georgia Bulldogs fan so I…read moreloved seeing the college town and all it had to offer. I really enjoyed how they had little bulldogs all over the place and different designs on the bulldogs. This is a fun nice college town. I will be very excited to return.

THE GOOD AND THE BAD!…read more The first time I visited Athens, (UGA and surrounding area only), I was shocked because I had expected something different. What I had imagined would be closer to Ithaca, NY and Cornell University, (cute, quaint, clean). I have since learned that UGA it is the oldest state chartered university in the country and now I understand. Let's just say, there is not a lot of modernization and growth in this area. We decided to return to explore the downtown area (during the Christmas holiday), as I had heard about great restaurants and architecture. Parking downtown was very easy and it was interesting to see so many people downtown on such a dreary Sunday. This appears to be a popular destination for eating but the Irish restaurant we most wanted to visit was actually closed today. Booo! We were disappointed but understood that many businesses were still observing the holiday break. Be mindful of this: There are a number of homeless people hanging out in the area, but they are harmless. They will not approach you and usually are sitting quietly holding signs. Unfortunately, when walking through some areas the unmistakable smell of urine permeates the air. Downtown is truly a tale of two cities, you have wonderful stores that are beautifully designed, adequately staffed and masters at customer service and you have stores that make you want to scrub and shower once you leave. There is literally something for every personality and that is what makes this a really cool destination. The coolest aspect of being downtown is just visiting the old buildings that have been lovingly restored but still retain much of their character. People are very nice and you get a real sense of southern hospitality. We are actually planning on returning to Athens because we are interested in seeing a live performance at the local theater, visiting shops that were closed during this visit and finally having that Irish meal. We are also interested in exploring the outlying areas that are now starting to expand and offer some unique shopping opportunities. Interested to see what we might encounter during our next visit.

Located near the Braselton Town Hall, this marker points out the history of the earliest settlers…read morehere and how this started to grow into what it is today. The marker reads, "In 1876 William H. Braselton, Sr. and his wife, Susan Hosch Braselton, established a 796-acre farm in western Jackson County. The Braseltons' children, Henry, Green, John Oliver, Belle, and Lena , grew up working on the family farm, developing several support businesses such as a store and fertilizer operation. The arrival of first the railroad in 1902 and then a state highway in 1927 allowed expansion of farming operations. In 1916 the town of Braselton was incorporated. In addition to the farm, the development of a mercantile and grocery business as well as a grist and flour mill led the brothers to form Braselton Brothers, Inc. in 1921. Braselton Brothers also funded local schools, and published the monthly Four County Booster from 1912-1933. This is marker number 78-3 and it was erected in 2006 by The Georgia Historical Society and the Braselton Memorial Cemetery Foundation. There is free street parking nearby. [Review 1101 of 2024 - 758 in Georgia - 22128 overall]

Beautiful historic building, lots of friendly ladies working the counters, and nary a line in…read moresight, the downtown post office is my shipping location of choice. Today, I needed to send a birthday present to my friend in California and a box of Halloween goodies to a friend serving in the military overseas. The smiling clerk helped me decide on two day shipping for my friend's birthday present (so my gift won't be *too* belated), and she also helped me pack a flat rate box so everything will still be in ship-shape when unpacked in the Middle East. Okay, so you will have to scrounge for a quarter to feed the meter at this location, but the amazingly helpful and efficient staff certainly make up for it! And isn't anything better than that horrid parking lot at Beechwood where the next nearest post office is?

This post office is a joy to visit. I'm serious--the staff is helpful, courteous, knowledgeable,…read moreand friendly. The old building is beautiful, and the line is usually pretty short. Do not risk heartache by going to the Alps location -- go downtown!

Richard's excellent review covers all everything and I have little to add. This beautiful bridge is…read morestill in excellent condition, six years later and I had no problem accessing it from either side. It appears that some care has been taken to clear brush since his visit. The bridge has been added to the National Register of Historic Places and the application form gives a little bit of information. "Construction is of the Town Lattice design and the wood is rough sawn heart pine. The diagonals are made of 3 x 10 inch timbers and each is numbered indicating its - place in the truss. This was a common practice to ease assembly. There are two pins at each intersection. There are two lower chords and one upper chord, each made of 3 x 10 inch timbers, doubled. The floor sills are 4 x 12 inches in size and placed about six-feet apart. The floor joists are made of 3 x 6 inch planks with a longitudinal runner of the same size boards to provide a smooth surface for traffic and to minimize wear on the floor." It continues, "There are no visible ruins of the Comer's Mill complex within 800 yards of the Bridge. A 1910 map of Franklin County does indicate the presence of a mill near the Bridge. The area of the historic site will include the mill site as shown by the 1910 map. " The posted historical marker reads, "The Cromers settled on Nails Creek in Franklin County in 1845. Prior to the Civil War, the family operated a woolen mill near this site. Subsequently, the area maintained a cotton gin, flour mill and saw mill, though all operations had ceased by 1943. In 1907, the county contracted with James M. Hunt to build the present 110-foot bridge. Constructed in the Town lattice design, the bridge's web of planks crisscrossing at 45-to 60-degree angles are fastened with wooden pegs, or trunnels, at each intersection. Will Cromer, a descendant of the original family, built the stone abutments." It is, of course, closed to vehicular traffic but pedestrians are welcome. There are no facilities or even a picnic table here. [Review 13638 overall, 957 of 2020, number 329 in Georgia.]

Built in 1906 with the Town lattice truss design, the gravel road to this relic is near the…read moreintersection of Cromers Bridge Road and Hwy 106 (Allou Rd). Once you are on Cromers Bridge Road, Baker's Street (which looks like a driveway) will be on your immediate right. I searched but could not find much information about this bridge other than it's builder was J. M. 'Pink' Hunt. Hunt most likely employed the skills of Washington King to help him complete the project. Washington is the eldest son of former slave and bridge builder Horace King. Horace Kings story is one you don't really see in the history books, but worth getting to know. I have links to stories about his life in my Red Oak Creek Covered Bridge review. This bridge no longer allows traffic to cross it's aged planks, but still seems very sturdy. The gravel road is starting to grow in, so it probably won't be very many more years before it is inaccessible. The bridge itself is 110 feet long. Add-in the approaches on both ends and the official length is 132 feet. The Historical Society Marker reads as follows: "The Cromers settled on Nails Creek in Franklin County in 1845. Prior to the Civil War, the family operated a woolen mill near this site. Subsequently, the area maintained a cotton gin, flour mill, and saw mill, though all operations has ceased by 1943. In 1907, the county contracted James M. Hunt to build the present 110-foot bridge. Constructed in the Town lattice design, the bridge's web of planks crisscrossing at 45 to 60-degree angles are fastened with wooden pegs, or trunnels, at each intersection. Will Cromer, a descendant of the original family, built the stone abutments." FINAL THOUGHTS I love history and I love covered bridges. Something about them hints at the secrets of a bygone era. It leaves my mind to wonder what kinds of things this bridge has seen and what would it say if it could tell a story. Please, if you decide to pay this landmark a visit, be respectful. There is a sign on the opposite side that reads: "This property is owned by the Farmer Family. Please show your respect by not littering, damaging or destroying their property." Enjoy!

Athens is where the famous University of Georgia is located (Go Dawgs!) and the city has a long…read morehistory of education. This marker points out one of those earlier educators whose work led to the origin of the university. It reads, "Dr. Moses Waddel, educator and minister, was born in 1770 in North Carolina. At fourteen he began teaching pupils near his home. Moving to Georgia in 1786, he taught in the Greensboro area until 1787, opening another school at Bethany, Greene County, in 1788. While at Bethany Waddel decided to enter the ministry. He studied at Hampden-Sydney College and graduated in less than nine months in 1791, thereafter combining the careers of teacher and minister. "Establishing his most famous academy at Willington, South Carolina, in 1804, Waddel continued his work there until 1819 when he became President of Franklin College, now the University of Georgia. One of the most prominent ante-bellum leaders of that institution, he served until 1829. Unwilling to divorce education from religion, Waddel stimulated the religious life of the campus. In 1820 he organized and was pastor of the First Presbyterian congregation in Athens, which became the First Presbyterian Church. The present church building was erected in 1855. Waddel died in 1840 at his son's home in Athens. His pupils during a lifetime of teaching included John C. Calhoun, William H. Crawford, George R. Gilmer, Augustus B. Longstreet, and George McDuffie." In 1819, Waddel published Memoirs of the Life of Miss Caroline Elizabeth Smelt, a sentimental religious biography that became a transatlantic bestseller, reprinted in both the U.S. and Britain. Less widely acknowledged is that the 1820 census recorded sixteen enslaved individuals in his household, including nine children under fourteen, reflecting the complex and often contradictory legacy of Southern educators in the antebellum period. It is marker number 029-11 and it was erected in 1963 by the Georgia Historical Commission. [Review 1376 of 2025 - 860 in Georgia - 24928 overall]

We went to sign up for Medicare. I had heard so many horror stories about what an ordeal it was to…read morego to any social security office. It opened at 9:00 am and we were in a line of maybe 8 people and other folks trickled in as we waited. When you go into the office there is a kiosk for you to sign in and to indicate why you are there. You can make an appt prior to your visit for many things but not enrolling in Medicare. You are issued a number that pops out of the kiosk and you wait to be called. Apparently your number correlates with the type of service you require. We probably waited 15-18 minutes and then were called up to a booth. The young man assisting us was very professional and polite. It all went very smoothly . I would recommend this location.

I am applying of SS benefit's this year and I could not find the answer to two important questions…read morethat I had anywhere on the website. I called the Winder SS office and after a short wait I was connected with fantastic agent named Alexa who was able to provide me with the answers that I needed. What a great experience!!

While walking the campus of the University of Georgia, I spotted this marker in front of a rather…read moreimpressive looking building. It provides some modern history - remember, this is still the South - and a pleasant ending to the story. The marker reads, "On Jan. 6, 1961, Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter became the first two African American students to enroll at the University of Georgia when they walked past the historic Arch and into this building to register for classes. On this day, January 9, 2001, as part of the 40th Anniversary celebration of the desegregation of the University, we salute the courage and fortitude displayed by these students and their families in paving the way for others to follow." The building itself is hard to miss, a fusion of two antebellum structures built in 1831 and 1860 that are in a Beaux-Arts design with a grand Corinthian portico that was added in 1905. They were originally the Ivy Building and a separate library that was once a Presbyterian church. The new united structure contains the Office of the Registrar, Student Financial Aid, and the Institute for African American Studies. The marker was erected in 2001 by the University of Georgia. If you're here, know that you're following the footsteps of thousands before you. [Review 1382 of 2025 - 864 in Georgia - 24934 overall]

This marker is along US-29 (Business) that parallels the railroad between Athens and Atlanta. The…read moremarker is on the south side of the road and while there isn't parking, there is room to pull over and leave your car for a moment to read the marker and admire the home. The home is private property so please respect that. The marker has the same text on both sides. It reads, "The Russell House was built in 1912 by Richard Brevard Russell, Sr., (B. 1861 - D. 1938), and his wife, Ina Dillard, (B. 1868 - D. 1953), who were married June 24, 1891. Fifteen children were born of this marriage. Judge Russell was elected Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia in 1922, and served in this capacity until his death. Mrs. Russell was Georgia's Mother of the year in 1950. In 1954, the late Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr., the oldest son, became the owner of the house and made it his home until his death in 1971. Russell Memorial Park and Cemetery is located to the South of the house." The marker was erected in 1977 by the Winder Lions Club & Auxiliary. [Review 230 of 2025 - 799 in Georgia - 23794 overall]