The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation will showcase the history and architecture of Eatonton through one of its Georgia Trust Expeditions on Aug. 17, offering a rare opportunity for visitors and residents to visit inside more than 20 of the city’s and county’s most historic homes and sites during a day-long, self-guided tour.
The Expedition will begin at 10 a.m. with a brief historical orientation at The Plaza Arts Center (305 N. Madison Ave.). Built-in 1916 as a Mission Revival-style school building, it was renovated and transformed 15 years ago into the live entertainment showcase it functions as today.
Following the orientation, guests will be able to visit and tour historic private homes, including the rarely open-to-the-public 1814 Wilken-Cooper-Jenkins House, the oldest house on Madison Avenue; Panola Hall, an 1854 Greek Revival-style home reportedly haunted by a ghost named Sylvia; and the 1909 Walton-Carpenter—McClain House, among several others.
Additionally, GTHP tour guests can take a respite and enjoy a boxed lunch before exploring other historically significant downtown Eatonton buildings and sites, including the Tompkins Inn, a former stagecoach inn built in 1810; the Putnam County Courthouse, designed in 1905 by J.W. Golucke, Georgia’s most prolific architect of county courthouses; and the historic Hotel Putnam, currently scheduled for a significant restoration.
For those willing to travel a few miles, the self-guided tour will also officially include Rock Eagle, a prehistoric stone effigy built by Native Americans.
The Expedition will conclude with a special closing reception at the Alexander Sidney Reid House, a historic, meticulously maintained, and preserved three-story Greek Revival-style home.
Tickets to the complete Georgia Trust Eatonton Expedition experience are $75 each for Georgia Trust members and $100 for non-members, with tickets including lunch and the closing reception. Tour-only tickets that do not include lunch and the reception are also available for $40 each.
For more information or to register, visit GeorgiaTrust.org or call 404-885-7812. Proceeds from the Georgia Trust Eatonton Expedition will support the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's many preservation and educational programs.
Each Georgia Trust Expedition invites members and guests to explore an off-the-beatenpath Georgia town.
These day-long, self-guided tours are designed to reflect each destination’s unique history and development. They include several unique historic sites, from vernacular homesteads to historic industrial sites to grand homes, as well as historic landscapes and natural features.
Expeditions educate participants about Georgia’s small-town heritage while celebrating ongoing preservation and revitalization efforts.