Travel to visit the legacies of Americus and Plains, Georgia

By press time, Georgia was busy planning the 100th birthday for former President Jimmy Carter, a man whose public service work both home and abroad is celebrated with a national park in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter’s legacy stands on its own at the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, which offers several sites to learn about the president from Georgia.

However, the region also contains numerous people who worked to make the world a better place, the site of one of the most pivotal Civil Rights marches and a visit from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1942, the Rev. Clarence Jordan envisioned a community where Christians lived their faith through service, sharing of resources and equality. He discovered just the place outside Americus, Georgia, and named it Koinonia Farms, Greek for commune or community. The farm didn’t segregate between the races, and black and white children grew up together in a loving community. Even though violence ensued from the then-segregated Americus residents, Jordan insisted on nonviolence retaliation and supported and housed Civil Rights members. 

Today, the farm still works in social justice issues and offers visitors tours, chances to join members for lunch and sells unique items in their gift shop. Koinonia is known for its pecans grown on-site, plus chocolates, dessert breads and cakes that they ship nationwide. 

Mallard and Linda Fuller came to Koinonia to reject a materialistic life, and later envisioned an organization dedicated to affordable housing after a missionary visit to Africa. The couple established Habitat for Humanity International in Americus, an organization of “partnership housing” where homeowners and volunteers work side by side to build affordable nonprofit houses. President Carter and his wife, Roslyn, volunteered 36 years with Habitat.

Today, Habitat works nationwide in more than 70 countries. 

Civil Rights Movement and today

Civil Rights protests occurred in Americus from 1961 to 1965, largely comprised of preteen and teenage students, many of whom were incarcerated. In December 1961, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested in nearby Albany but held in the Sumter County Jail in Americus. The county courthouse and jail have since been rebuilt, but a historical marker and the door to King’s cell are on display in front of the new courthouse at 500 W. Lamar St.   

Local historian Steve Short offers free tours of Americus’s African American historic sites, including East View Cemetery where self-taught artist and minister the Rev. Pearly Brown is buried. Brown, otherwise known as Blind Pearly Brown, performed gospel blues, spirituals and country music on a bottleneck slide guitar and was one of the first African American performers at the Grand Ole Opry. 

Short gave a sneak peek at the Americus-Sumter County Civil Rights and Cultural Center, a future museum and a gathering place for community events that’s undergoing renovation with assistance by the National Park Service. The center was once the local “Colored Hospital,” built in 1923 to not only serve the African American community, but train African American doctors. 

“This was the only facility in South Georgia to allow black doctors to train,” said Juanita Wilson, who serves on the board. “You need to know your history so you don’t repeat it.”

Rest and relax

The best way to enjoy Americus and surrounding region is to make base camp at the historic and dramatically beautiful Windsor Hotel, built in 1892 and resembling a castle. Visitors may even stay in the Carter Presidential Suite located in one of the hotel’s towers. The recently renovated hotel features 53 guest rooms, a three-tier atrium lobby, Southern elegance at Rosemary & Thyme Restaurant and pub fare on the veranda at Floyd’s Pub. 

Be sure and stop at Café Campesino Community Coffeehouse in downtown Americus, another company born from service. Cofounder Bill Harris, Jr., learned about coffee farming while in Guatemala during a Habitat for Humanity trip in 1998 and came home to found Georgia’s first and only 100% fair trade organic coffee company for “human connections, conscious consumption and extraordinary coffee.” 

You can also find the coffee, plus wonderful breakfast and lunch items, at Sweet Georgia Bakery and Café across from the Windsor. 

Over at Gladys’ Kitchen, owner Tricia Tullis serves up Southern favorites, including the unique regional favorite “butter rolls,” an old family recipe. Visitors will be hard pressed to find this dish anywhere else.

Things to do

Take in a show at the Historic Rylander Theatre that’s been lovingly restored. Once called “The Finest Playhouse South of Atlanta,” the theater features concerts and theatrical performances. 

For something spirited, Thirteenth Colony Distilleries offers tours and tastings of its bourbons, whiskey, vodka and gin. Outside of town, Wolf Creek Plantation winery grows its muscadine grapes, but visitors may taste their products at Wolf Creek’s tasting room at the Windsor Hotel. 

A variety of live performances, family entertainment, crafts, food vendors and a Halloween costume contest make up the free Americus Music Festival Oct. 19 at the Jackson Street Train Depot. Special events and a farmers market occur regularly in downtown Americus.

Honoring Jimmy Carter 

If you want to learn more about the 39th president and Noble Peace Prize winner, the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains offers several sites: the former Plains High School serves as a museum and visitor’s center, the Plains Train Depot showcases Carter’s life and political career and outside of town visitors may walk through Carter’s boyhood home and view crops and animals on this working farm. 

For a bit of history and railroad fun — not to mention leaving the driving to someone else — the historic SAM Shortline Train departs from Cordele and Americus for a ride to Plains on most weekends.