The History

The residents of the tri-county area of Morgan, Putnam, and Greene counties cherish their history, as is evident in the avid preservation of the many old antebellum structures. A walk down the main streets of Madison, Eatonton, or Greensboro, with their gracious old restored homes shaded by centuries-old pecans and oaks, is like a trip through the past. Active Better Hometown programs in all three towns are constantly undertaking new projects aimed at preserving our heritage for future generations.

Madison and Morgan County

In 1864, General Sherman had just burned Atlanta to the ground and begun his march to the sea, destroying everything along the way. Madison lay directly in his path, but as luck would have it, Senator Joshua Hill, an early foe of secession and friend to Sherman’s brother, was one of Madison’s leading citizens. He was able to come to a gentleman’s agreement with Sherman not to burn the town, so many of the town’s fine old plantation homes were spared the torch.

Today Madison boasts one of Georgia’s largest National Historic Register historic districts. A national treasure of antebellum and Victorian buildings stand as monuments to an era when cotton was king.

Madison’s historic attractions include The Rose Cottage (c. 1890, restored in 1997), on 179 East Jefferson Street. Mrs. Rose, born into slavery, purchased the land and built her home prior to this century. Adjacent to the Rose Cottage is the Rogers House (c. 1810) a recently-restored house and museum. Located in the Horace Moore House (c. 1895).

The Morgan County African-American Museum & Moore House at 156 Academy Street promotes awareness and preservation of the contributions of African-Americans in the culture of the South.

Heritage Hall (c. 1833) at 227 South Main Street, is a Greek Revival antebellum house and museum furnished in the period and available for tours and special events. It is open daily (706-342-9627).

Map of Madison and Morgan County
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Eatonton and Putnam County

Named for General Israel Putnam, a Revolutionary War hero from Massachusetts, Putnam County was created from Baldwin County in 1807. On April 15, 1808, the site of Eatonton was laid off in 29 squares of six and a half acre lots surrounding the public square. These squares were then sold at public auction and the town named Eatonton after General William Eaton of Connecticut, a hero who gained fame in the war with the Tripoliton pirates in 1805. The Putnam County courthouse, which has recently undergone a major restoration/renovation project, is still surrounded by its original public square.

Among the more recent of Eatonton’s distinguished citizens are Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple, and Joel Chandler Harris, creator of the Uncle Remus Tales. The Alice Walker Trail is a driving tour that offers viewers insights into her family’s history and the early development of her talents.

The Uncle Remus Museum, located in Turner Park, is part of the original home of Joseph Sidney Turner, the “Little Boy” in the Tales of Uncle Remus. The museum was created from two original Putnam County slave cabins and features a large protrait of Uncle Remus and the little boy presented to the museum by Walt Disney. Among the displays are shadow boxes of delicate wood carvings of “de Critters,” first editions of many of Mr. Harris’s works, and numerous articles of interest.

The Adele Theater (c. 1914) located at 107 N. Madison Avenue, now home of Blackwell’s Furniture Co., was a silent movie theater that closed in 1923. The only significant alteration to the original theater was the leveling of the downstairs floors.

Map of Eatonton and Putnam County

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The Rock Eagle Effigy

Located north of Eatonton on Highway 441 is the Rock Eagle Effigy. This stone mound, in the shape of a great prone bird with its head turned to the east and its wings outstretched, measures 102 ft from wingtip to wingtip and rises ten feet above the ground. It is composed entirely of milky quartz rocks ranging in size from baseballs to boulders and is best viewed from the large granite observation tower built by the federal government in 1937.

The effigy was first described in 1877 by C.C. Jones, a Georgia historian, for the Smithsonian Museum. At that time, Jones made accurate measurements and drawings of the effigy, which is exactly the same today as it was when he viewed it. There is strong evidence that the area near the Rock Eagle Effigy Mound was occupied by Archaic Indians some 5,000 years ago, however, it is unlikely that the effigy existed at that time. The most likely builders of the mound are Woodland Indians, who inhabited this area from 1,000 BC to 1,000 AD. While it is possible that the people who built Rock Eagle were part of the Hopewell or the Adena Culture, it is more likely that these Woodland Indians were a distinct cultural development.

During the 1930’s, Dr. A. R. Kelly, a noted archeologist from the University of Georgia, excavated the breast area of Rock Eagle, finding a single set of human remains and a projectile point that may or may not be associated with the effigy. In 1954, Kelly reported that both Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk showed indications of having been enclosed by a wall of material similar to the rocks used to construct the effigies. This, perhaps, associates them with the builders of similar walls at Stone Mountain (destroyed, 1923) and Fort Mountain (still standing).

Greensboro and Greene County

Greene County was the 11th county formed in Georgia. The five municipalies of the county–Greensboro, Union Point, White Plains, Woodville, and Siloam–boast numerous sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places. A good place to start discovering them is at the Greene County Historical Society Museum. Displays include collections of artifacts, photographs, and manuscripts that offer a unique glimpse into the people and events that shaped the county’s origins.

One the most unique of Green county’s attractions is the “Gaol” Jail, one of the oldest penal structures in the state of Georgia. Built in 1807, the rock jail was patterned after the Bastilles with castellated battlements. It is open to the public by appointment.

Hawthorne Heights Historic Home (c. 1848) in Union Point was originally a raised cottage enlarged along Greek Revival lines. It is available for drive-by tours only. Another historic home, Jefferson Hall (c. 1830) is highlighted by its beautiful elliptical door lights framed by a two-story portico supported by ionic columns.

Scull Scoals, the remains of the Oconee National Forest Frontier Fort located off Hwy. 15 in Greene county, has been described as a prosperous mill village or a ghost town. Information is available from the Greene County Chamber of Commerce (706-453-7592). Another mill, The Union Point Chipman Union, is a 103-year old hosiery mill still in use. Tours are available by appointment only.

Map of Greensboro and Greene County

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