Georgia > Coast > Liberty County > Midway

The American Revolution in Georgia spring vividly to life on this do-it-yourself tour of Liberty County. See the Revolutionary War-era Fort Morris and Midway Museum and Historic District, as well as the environmental richness and African-American heritage of the region.

For centuries, Liberty County has held a mystical power over explorers. The Historic Liberty Trail is a unique driving tour offering a diverse experience integrating history, culture and ecology. It covers 10 stops, including: Midway Museum and Historic District, Cay Creek Wetlands, Geechee Kunda Cultural Arts Center, LeConte-Woodmanston Botanical Gardens, Dorchester Academy and Museum, Fort Stewart Museum, Melon Bluff Nature and Heritage Preserve, Seabrook Village, Fort Morris State Historic Site, and Sunbury Cemetery.

Begin the Historic Liberty Trail Driving Tour
Begin your tour at Exit 76 off I-95, where an information kiosk gives a glimpse of The Historic Liberty Trail. Visitors traveling the trail explore Liberty County, home of Dr. Lyman Hall and Button Gwinnett, signers of the Declaration of Independence. Your first stop is the Midway National Historic District. Leaving the kiosk, turn right (west) on US 84. Drive 2.2 miles, turn right on Martin Road. Drive 1.3 miles to arrive at the Midway National Historic District. The cemetery is straight ahead, the church and museum are on the right. For a map showing all of the points on the tour, click here.

Midway National Historic District
Midway Museum, honors the community famed as Georgia’s Cradle of Liberty. Browse through the museum, built in the raised cottage-style architecture, typical of 18th Century plantation houses. Exhibits, documents and furnishings used in coastal Georgia homes from colonial days until the Civil War reanimate the love of Liberty. Tour the grounds which include a detached kitchen, salt vat and extensive nature trail. One of the best sources in the area for genealogical research. Also on the property is the Midway Church, built in 1756, was burned during the American Revolution and rebuilt in 1792. In this white-frame, New England-style church, Sherman’s cavalry set up foraging headquarters during the Civil War. Today, giant live oaks draped with Spanish moss shade about 1,200 graves in the cemetery, among them two generals of the American Revolution and Governor Nathan Brownson. During the Civil War, Sherman’s cavalry plundered county plantations and corralled animals in the walled, two-acre cemetery.

Days and Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-4pm, Sunday: 2pm-4pm
Facilities: Small gift shop with a good selection of books on local history.
Restrooms available.
Fees: Small fee required. Group rates available.
For More Information: (912) 884-5837

Cay Creek Wetlands
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Midway Museum, turn left on US 17. Drive 0.5 miles, at the traffic light turn left on US 84. Drive 2.4 miles until you reach Charlie Butler Road. Turn right on Charlie Butler Road. Travel approximately 0.2 miles until you see the Cay Creek Wetlands sign on your right. Get a map.

As an excellent example of tidal, freshwater wetlands, Cay Creek Wetlands provide a unique opportunity for education and appreciation. The area is rich in diversity. Bay, Cypress and Oak trees are abundant, as are Palms, Palmettos and Magnolias. The area provides habitats for numerous species of animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The site is several different ecosystems. Each has specific traits that give it character, but the distinctions may be overlooked by the casual observer. Look closely and you may notice the differences in plant and animal life in those areas that are permanently wet when compared with areas that are intermittently wet and dry. The site has its history, too. Look for the low earthen berms that cross the landscape. In some instances, they may be the high ground on which you stand. These are the remains of dikes that were used for growing rice. Rice production was common to the area in the 19th Century. Cay Creek Wetlands has seen exciting activity recently with the completion of a boardwalk, allowing visitors to easily access the wetlands in both wet and dry seasons. An interpretive center building, designed to house exhibits and information, will soon follow.

Days and Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am-4pm
Facilities: None.
Fees: Free.
For More Information: (912) 884-3344

Geechee Kunda Cultural Arts Center
DIRECTIONS: Take a right onto Charlie Butler Road out of the drive and travel 0.7 miles, turn right onto Historic Cay Creek Road, a well-maintained, unpaved road. Only 3.8 miles from US 17. Enjoy the canopy of moss-draped oaks and the incredible marsh vistas as well as vibrant flowers and coastal wildlife on this scenic road. Once you’ve reached US 17 take a left and travel through the quaint town of Riceboro. Travel approximately 4.6 miles and turn left onto Ways Temple Road, Geechee Kunda is on the right 0.2 miles. Note: Nice picnic facilities at US 17 junction. Get a map.

Geechee Kunda (a Sarakole’ word meaning compound) is indicative of the culture of Gullah Geechees. Geechee Kunda is reflective of the family compounds that exist throughout the Gullah Geechee areas of the Carolinas, Georgia and Northern Florida as well as Africa. It is a living institution dedicated to preserving the culture of a living people. Its museum is filled with African art, textiles, painting, tools, utensils, implements, craftworks and essentials used by Gullah Geechees from the 1700’s to the 1900’s. The museum houses artifacts from the period of slavery and it’s an educational facility for lectures, workshops, classes, seminars, weddings and more.

Days and Hours: Group tours and classes available, call for an appointment.
Facilities: Gift shop, meeting and classroom space.
Fees: Call for further information.
For More Information: (912) 884-4440

LeConte-Woodmanston Botanical Gardens
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Ways Temple Road turn right onto US 17 toward Riceboro. Travel approximately 0.7 miles and turn left onto Sandy Run Road. Travel 4.3 miles then turn left at stop sign onto Barrington Ferry Road. Barrington Ferry Road is unpaved, but well-maintained. Look for wood storks, ospreys, egrets and herons that feed in the wetlands. Almost one mile south of the intersection you will find a historic marker for the Bartram Trail on the left. The sign marks the entrance to LeConte-Woodmanston. Get a map.

LeConte-Woodmanston, formerly the home of Dr. Louis LeConte, flourished as one of Georgia’s earliest inland swamp rice plantations and is now a nature preserve. Dr. LeConte achieved international fame in scientific circles as did his sons, John and Joseph. John was the first president of the University of California at Berkeley. Joseph and his friend, John Muir, co-founded the Sierra Club. Today, Louis LeConte’s world-famous 18th Century botanical gardens are being recreated with a myriad of antique plants. Visit the cypress forest and walk the interpretative trail along the earthen rice dikes leading through the Bulltown Swamp black-water eco-system. Take a stroll along the Avenue of Oaks or bask in an 18th Century nature experience. They are all part of the Historic Bartram Trail.

Days and Hours: Typically open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 10am-3pm or by appointment. Call to verify times before visiting.
Facilities: A small fee required.
Fees: Restrooms.
For More Information: (912) 884-6500

Dorchester Academy and Museum
DIRECTIONS: Leaving LeConte-Woodmanston, follow drive back to Barrington Ferry Road. Turn right and follow road until it dead ends into US 17, approximately 5 miles. Turn left and travel another 2.1 miles to the intersection of US 17 and US 84, turn left on US 84 and drive 2 miles. Dorchester Academy is on the left. Get a map.

The Academy, today an active community center and museum, was founded after the Civil War as a school for freed slaves. By 1917, the fully-accredited high school had eight frame buildings and 300 students. In the 1940s, its academic program ended when a consolidated school for black youth was built in nearby Riceboro. The brick school building, an example of Georgian Revival style architecture is where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. prepared for the 1963 Birmingham campaign, one of the first major victories of the Civil Rights Movement.

Days and Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 11am-2pm, Saturday: 2pm-4pm
Facilities: Free.
Fees: Pavilion with barbecue pit and restrooms.
For More Information: (912) 884-2347

Fort Stewart Museum
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Dorchester Academy, turn left (west) on US 84. Travel approximately 10 miles to General Stewart Way and take right fork. Travel 0.8 miles and turn left onto North Main Street. Travel 0.6 miles through historic Hinesville, where you will enjoy specialty shopping and excellent restaurants. Traveling another 0.9 miles take the right fork and drive 0.1 miles to General Screven Way. Take a right onto General Screven Way and drive 0.9 miles to the main entrance of Fort Stewart. Continue straight on GA 119 for 0.3 miles. From GA 119 turn left onto Bunker Road (the first left). Follow Bunker Road to a stop sign. At the stop sign make a left onto Frank Cochran Drive. The museum is on the immediate left. Get a map.

Fort Stewart, the largest military post east of the Mississippi, is home to the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (Mech) and is the summer training grounds for the National Guard. At the museum, Liberty County’s military heritage is showcased in ever-changing exhibits featuring objects from World War II, Vietnam, Korea, Desert Storm and present-day military activities.

Days and Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-4pm Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Federal Holidays.
Facilities: Gift shop, snack machine, restrooms and picnic area.
Fees: Free. Group tours upon request.
For More Information: (912) 767-7885

Please Note: Due to heightened security, Fort Stewart is now a closed post and requires all visitors to stop at the main gate. At the gate visitors must provide proof of registration, insurance and drivers license to receive a visitor’s pass.

Melon Bluff Nature and Heritage Preserve
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Fort Stewart drive straight on GA 119 until it dead ends into US 84 turn left, approximately 0.5 miles. Travel approximately 15 miles to I-95, as you cross I-95 travel another 2.9 miles and you will see Melon Bluff on your right. Get a map.

Nestled amongst 3,000 unspoiled acres on Georgia’s coast, Melon Bluff is set amid gorgeous, moss-hung oaks at the river’s edge. Melon Bluff offers 25 miles of grassy, forest trails for hiking, biking, picnics and riding. Birding is the prime attraction, offering 309 species, many uncommon and endangered. Visitors can find overnight accommodations ranging from a restored barn to a plantation cottage. On site, there is a delightful gift shop, a screened pool and a facility for small conferences.

Days and Hours: Saturdays: 9am-4pm from September 15th through May 15th. Public events are scheduled throughout the year.
Facilities: Overnight accommodations, full gourmet meal service, scheduled wagon rides, kayak expeditions, gift shop, pool and facility for small conferences.
Fees: Prices vary - Call for further information.

Seabrook Village
DIRECTIONS: From Melon Bluff, turn right onto Islands Highway. Travel 0.7 miles until you come to Trade Hill Road (Seabrook Village signs will be on your left). Turn left on to Trade Hill and drive 0.6 miles. Seabrook Village office will be on your left. Get a map.

An award-winning living history museum, Seabrook Village features eight turn-of-the-century buildings on a developing 104-acre site. Visit the one-room Seabrook School where “reading, writing and ‘rithmetic were taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick.” Or try your hand at grinding corn into meal and grits or washing clothes on a scrub board. Planned group visits are fully interactive as costumed interpreters engage visitors in all aspects of old time village life. On-going exhibits include the grave art of Cyrus Bowens, featured in Drums and Shadows, and the Willis Hakim J. Hones Material Culture Collection of hand-made items from a peanut roaster to twig furniture.

Days and Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am-4pm. Interactive tours available for groups of 15 or more. Special educational and Girl Scout programs available.
Facilities: Seabrook Village Museum Shop and Craft Gallery, meal service (by reservation), restrooms.
Fees: Small fee required.
Group Tours: Call for rates, brochure and availability.
For More Information: (912) 884-7008

Fort Morris State Historic Site
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Seabrook, turn left on Trade Hill Road. Drive 0.2 miles to the intersection of Fort Morris Road. Turn left, drive 2 miles. The entrance to Fort Morris is on the right. Get a map.

Fort Morris was built to defend the former town of Sunbury, once a bustling seaport second in Georgia only to Savannah. Fort Morris was used as a coastal fortification during the Revolutionary War. The earthen works were reconstructed during the War of 1812 and were later used as a Civil War Encampment. The site’s museum features displays of civilian and military life during Georgia’s Colonial, Revolutionary and Antebellum past. During periodic special events, reenactments bring Fort Morris alive with roaring cannons and the measured tread of marching soldiers. Listen! You can almost hear the fife and drums.

Days and Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 9am-5pm, Sunday: 2:00pm-5:30pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Mondays, except some legal holidays.
Facilities: Museum, gift shop, pioneer camping, picnic area, restrooms and nature trail.
Fees: Small fee required.
For More Information: (912) 884-5999

Sunbury Cemetery
DIRECTIONS: Leaving Fort Morris, turn right onto Fort Morris Road. Travel 0.7 miles past Sunbury Village and turn left onto Sunbury Road (dirt). Drive 0.1 miles to Dutchman Cove Road. Drive 0.1 miles to the end of the road, it will dead end into the cemetery. Get a map.

From the beginning of the town’s history, public burials were performed at a community cemetery located at the southeast corner of Church Square. Sunbury Cemetery housed the remains of members from the Midway Congregational Church, Sunbury Baptist Church and others. A sense of integrity remains even though no complete interment records are known to exist for the cemetery. Most of the markers were gone by the 1870’s. Of the thirty-four remaining, the oldest is dated 1788 and the most recent, 1911. Two iron fenced family enclosures are carefully arrayed with neatly lined markers for the Dunham and Fleming-Law families. The most famous tombstone is a full-length marker for Reverend William McWhir. The graves of Josiah Powell and Samuel Law, notables of the town of Sunbury, are also marked.

The cemetery is open year-round and is free to the public.

Adventures along Lookout Mountain await explorers along this 93-mile driving tour through three states. The spectacular Little River Canyon, DeSoto State Park in Alabama, Sequoyah Caverns, and the rugged hiking trails of Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia are among the many natural pleasures included on the tour.

This 93-mile driving tour follows Lookout Mountain from south to north through three states, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Depending on how frequently you stop and how many of the appealing activities along the way you engage in, it can be done in one day, or pleasurably extended over a weekend, or even a long weekend. It is filled with experiences in the region’s remarkable natural environment, hiking, cave exploring, and thrilling photographable views of rivers and waterfalls. There are plenty of dining and lodging accommodations choices along the way to appeal to every taste and budget. Look especially at Mentone, Alabama, and the state parks, including Desoto State Park in Alabama and Cloudland Canyon State Park in Georgia. Chattanooga, the Tennessee city that you have a spectacular view of from Point Park, the northern most point on the tour, has a wide range of hotels and motels. (more…)

Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia (4,782 ft.) is on the route of one of a dozen Georgia Department of Transportation Georgia Scenic Byways driving tours.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has put together a series of 12 Georgia Scenic Byways driving tours including:

• Altamaha
• Cohutta-Chattahoochee
• Historic Piedmont
• I-85
• Meriwether-Pike
• Millen-Jenkins County
• Monticello Crossroads
• Ocmulgee-Piedmont
• Ridge and Valley
• Russell-Brasstown
• South Fulton
• Warren County-Piedmont

Each tour feature a map, driving directions and a brief overview of the area being toured. Here for example is the summary of the Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway:

• Traveling through Putnam and Hancock counties, the Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway stretches for 82 miles, following State Highways 15, 16 and 77, and rural county roads which link the county seats of Eatonton, Sparta and the communities of Linton, Culverton, and Jewell. From the Rock Hawk effigy, built by Native Americans thousands of years ago, to Glen Mary Plantation and other antebellum homes, this route reveals a region of Georgia that is rich in historic and cultural qualities. The scenic and natural beauty of the Piedmont is also on display as the byway travels through the Oconee National Forest, across the Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers, and past acres of rolling farmland.

Links in the specific tours take you to photos, road history, and information on local attractions.

This driving tour over Patterson Gap in the Northeast Georgia Mountains of Rabun County takes visitors through scenic Moon Valley.

The road to Patterson Gap turns left off of Betty Creek Road about 3.5 miles from US 441 and crosses a bridge. As one climbs a steep grade, off to the left is Patterson Creek Falls. FS 32 passes through Moon Valley. After entering US Forest Service land, the road is steep but scenic through great coves of tulip poplar, which have come in after the death of the chestnut because of a blight in the 1930s and following logging in the early 1990s. Crossing Patterson Gap, one circles a cove hardwood forest, then descends along a pitch pine ridge. Along the road banks grows the rare sweetfern. This road eventually joins Persimmon Road, which dead-ends at US 76.

See “Patterson Gap” on the Tour Map for Coweeta Creek & Betty Creek Valleys.

Barker’s Creek Mill, on the Hambidge Center property, has been restored several times.  It is usually open on Fridays and Saturdays for grinding grains brought by local residents.

The Hambidge Center is the creation of Mary Hambidge, a feminist, environmentalist and preserver of Mountain culture, who was 50 years ahead of her time. She helped her husband, Jay Hambidge, codify his ideas pertaining to classical-art design principles, which they labeled Dynamic Symmetry. Their work gained international recognition. (more…)

The Vineyard at Frogtown Cellars. Frogtown Cellars is one of 10 wineries and vineyards on this do-it-yourself driving, tasting and shopping tour of northeast Georgia wine country.

Georgia has a long and colorful history of vineyards and wineries dating back to the 1800s and before. But state and national prohibition laws shut down the industry in the early 1900s, and it’s only in recent years that it has started to make a comeback.

The Wine Growers Association of Georgia produces a Georgia Wine Highway map available on the Georgia Wine Country website that inlcudes wineries and vineyards all over the state. It allows you to create your own driving tour to 10 or more wineries in the scenic northeast corner, including Blackstock Vineyards, Chateau Elan, Crane Creek Vineyards, Frogtown Cellars, Habersham Winery, Montaluce Winery, Persimmon Creek Winery, Sharp Mountain Vineyards, Tiger Mountain Vineyards and Wolf Mountain Vineyards.

Links

• If you like this Georgia Wine Country Tour, chances are you’ll want to read about the driving tour of Folk Potters of Northeast Georgia in the same Georgia Travel Region.

Red Oak Covered Bridge in Meriwether County is one of the points on this Meriwether-Pike County driving tour.

This 55-mile route begins at Warm Springs, Georgia on SR 85. It continues north to Gay and then moves west on the SR 109 spur back to Gay.  From Gay, the route extends eastbound along Flat Shoals Road across the Flint River and turns southwest on SR 18 to Molena. The route follows SR 18 back to SR 85 south of Woodbury to Manchester and proceeds to follow SR 190 back to Warm Springs.

During the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, President Roosevelt came to Warm Springs in hopes that the therapeutic warm springs would help improve his polio-stricken legs.  He built a home in Warm Springs, the Little White House, which is now operated as a state historic site.

The Meriwether-Pike County Scenic Byway offers several other attractions, including the Red Oak Covered Bridge, the Oakland Baptist Church and Jones Mill, where a large gristmill and millpond are the only reminders of a once-thriving farm community.  In May and October, the Cotton Pickin’ Fair and the Great Gay Marketplace attract thousands from around the Southeast.

Keown Falls is one of the points on this Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway tour.

The Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway provides a chance to experience the varied terrain of northwest Georgia. Mountain overlooks and fertile farmlands can be found along the 51-mile byway as it travels U.S. 27, State Highways 156 and 136, and rural county roads. Outdoor activities, ranging from hiking, camping, and picnicking to fishing and hunting can be enjoyed at the Keown Falls Scenic Area, the Pocket, and John’s Mountain Overlook and Wildlife Management Area. The surrounding countryside also holds the histories of the native Cherokee Indian Nation; Civil War battles; and early settlers whose farmhouses, built in the 1800s, still stand.

This driving tour following the route of scenic Georgia Highway 197 travels off the beaten track to the mountains and lakes of Northeast Georgia. It includes a map and information on shopping, restaurants and lodging along the way. One of the stops on the tour, Mark of the Potter on the Soque River, is pictured above.

Meander down Scenic Hwy 197 where you can stop to have a morning biscuit; go fly fishing or horseback riding; shop for handmade regional arts and crafts, flowers, and native plants; experience fine dining and local entertainment; stay at cozy bed and breakfasts or comfortable cabins; park your RV or camp at Moccasin Creek State Park or nearby Unicoi.

Start in the historic town of Clarkesville where Hwy 197 heads north, or head west from Clayton and enjoy the beauty of Lakes Burton, Lake Rabun and Lake Seed.  Or venture over from Alpine Helen and maybe you will see the occasional bear coming out of the woods.

Regional arts include pottery, painting, stained glass, woodcarving, rustic furniture, and other work of the many local artisans.  Lunch in historic Batesville and dine on the shores of Lake Burton.  Trout abound on the beautiful Soque River, and deer roam the woods. Tuck your head on your pillow after a long leisurely day and listen to the sounds of nature.

Links

Driving tours in the Northeast Georgia Mountains

• Scenic Highway 197 Driving Tour
• Exploring the Soque by James Sullivan
• Folk Potters of Northeast Georgia

Wood Storks at Harris Neck. Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge is one of 18 locations on the Colonial Coast Birding Trail that offers exceptional opportunities for birding and wildlife viewing.

The Colonial Coast Birding Trail will provide you with the opportunity to see and enjoy the beauty of a kaleidoscope of birds as well as glimpse the fascinating history of the Georgia Coast, its history and its residents.

Each site along the Colonial Coast Birding Trail is unique. Many sites offer visitors the opportunity to watch birds and visit 18th and 19th century historic places. Other sites are located on lands and waters that were once part of early plantations dedicated to growing rice, indigo and cotton. So, whether you want to see a bald eagle soaring over a coastal river, an endangered wood stork feeding its gawky young, sanderlings chasing the waves on a sandy beach, or a great egret standing motionless in a placid pond, the Colonial Coast Birding Trail has something for you.