Page 262 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

260  THE SOUTHEAST

u Americus elected as the 39th president
in 1976, in the wake of Nixon’s
* 16,400. @ n 123 W Lamar St,
(229) 928-6059. resignation (see p213). The
former president, recipient of
Off the beaten track in south the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002,
Georgia, the tidy county seat lives here and teaches Sunday
of Americus lies in a region of school at the Maranatha Baptist
diverse attractions. The Habitat Church when he is in town.
for Humanity, a worldwide Inter estingly, Jimmy Carter is
organization offering “self-build” one of the biggest supporters
housing for the poor, has its head- of Habitat for Humanity.
quarters downtown. Its Global
Village and Discovery Center E Habitat for Humanity
includes an international 121 Habitat St at W Lamar St. Tel (229)
marketplace and up to 40 924-6935. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri.
examples of habitat homes Closed Sat & Sun. & 7
built around the world,
including Papua New Guinea,
Botswana, and Ghana. i Macon Exterior of the Italianate Hay House
Located 10 miles (16 km) * 91,200. @ n 450 Martin Luther Museum, Macon
north of town, Andersonville is King Jr. Blvd, (478) 743-1074.
the National Prisoner of War ∑ maconga.org E Hay House Museum
(POW) Museum. This marks 934 Georgia Ave. Tel (478) 742-8155.
a spot that was a notorious Founded on the south bank of Open 10am–4pm Tue–Sat, 1–4pm
prisoner-of-war camp during the Ocmulgee River in 1823, Sun. Closed Mon (all year), Sun
the Civil War, which later Macon was laid out in a grid (Jan, Feb, Jul, Aug), public hols. &
became a veterans’ cemetery. of avenues, which still exist in
Almost 13,000 of the camp’s its downtown. Uphill from here
inmates died from the terrible is one of the city’s highlights, o Athens
living conditions. Housed in the Intown Historic District. * 118,000. @ n 300 N Thames
a structure built to resemble a This area has some of the city’s St, (706) 357-4430.
concentration camp, the most beautiful homes, a few ∑ visitathensga.com
museum’s disturbing exhibits of which are open to the public.
commemorate American POWs The 1855 Hay House Museum, Home to the University of
in conflicts from the Civil War built in the Italian Renaissance Georgia (UGA), Athens is
through Vietnam to the Gulf style, features period charac ter- well known as the state’s
and Iraqi wars. istics such as trompe l’oeil intellectual and literary center.
The local high school in marble, a ballroom, and hidden It has also gained repute as
Plains, 10 miles (16 km) west passages. The 1842 House Inn is the originator of alternative
of Americus, is part of the also located here. Guided music. Local bands such as REM,
Jimmy Carter National Historic architectural tours begin at the the B-52s, and Widespread
Site. It was here that a teacher visitor center. Panic have made it big, and
predicted that her student The city also has a vibrant the 40-Watt Club on West
would become president. musical history and was home Washington Street and the
Carter proved her right, and to such greats as Little annual Athfest in June
the school is now dedi cated Richard and Otis continue the tradition.
to the life of the Plains-area Redding. The Big The city is largely
peanut farmer’s son who was House Museum, deserted in summer,
located on Vineville while in fall it
Avenue, houses the overflows with
Allman Brothers Band UGA bulldog Georgia Bulldog fans
Museum, honoring mascot for the home football
the early years of the games. The visitor center
ultimate Southern rock band. provides details about house
The Georgia Sports Hall of and garden tours, such as the
Fame celebrates Georgia’s 1856 structure that now houses
famous athletes, such as Hank the Lyndon House Arts Center
Aaron and Ty Cobb. Across and the Founders Memorial
the river from downtown, Garden in North Campus.
the Ocmulgee National
Monument marks a historic P University of Georgia
mound complex built around Four Towers Building, 405 College
Headstones at the Andersonville cemetery 1100 AD as the capital of the Station Rd. Tel (706) 542-0842.
near Americus Creek Confederacy. ∑ uga.edu
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp276–8 and pp279–81

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm