Georgia's Most Historic Towns

Georgia's history spans Native American civilizations, colonial settlement, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights movement. Its historic towns reflect all these layers.

Savannah
Founded in 1733 as the first settlement of the Georgia colony, Savannah is the crown jewel of historic Georgia. The city's 22 original public squares — planned by founder James Oglethorpe — remain largely intact and give Savannah its unique character. Forsyth Park, Chippewa Square, and Johnson Square are among the finest urban public spaces in America. The historic district is a National Historic Landmark District and one of the largest in the country. The city's antebellum architecture, cobblestone streets, and live oak-canopied boulevards are unmatched in the Southeast.

Augusta
Founded in 1736 and Georgia's second-largest city. Augusta was a major center of antebellum cotton trade and industry. The riverwalk along the Savannah River, the Cotton Exchange building (1886), and Meadow Garden (home of Declaration of Independence signer George Walton) preserve this history. Augusta is best known today as home of the Masters Tournament, held at Augusta National Golf Club every April.

Milledgeville
Georgia's antebellum capital (1807–1868) and home to the Old Governor's Mansion, one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the South. Milledgeville was Sherman's target during his March to the Sea — the town was occupied but largely spared destruction. Flannery O'Connor's childhood home (Andalusia Farm) is a literary landmark.

Macon
The "Cherry Blossom Capital of the World" hosts a major festival each spring when 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom. Macon's downtown has exceptional Italianate architecture from its 1840s–1870s prosperity. The Allman Brothers Band Museum (at 2321 Vineville Avenue — the band's former home) and the Tubman Museum (dedicated to African American art and history) are significant cultural institutions.

New Echota
Not a town today but a state historic site — the 1825–1838 capital of the Cherokee Nation before forced removal on the Trail of Tears. The reconstructed buildings, including the Cherokee Supreme Court and newspaper printing house, make this one of the most important Native American historic sites in the eastern US.