If you love your history, the Meadow Garden will not disappoint. This is the home of George Walton, the signer for Georgia on the Declaration of Independence. The home dates back to 1791, and was nearly destroyed in 1900.
The property was bought by The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 1900 and opened in 1901 as a historic house museum. The home has remained with the Georgia State Society since then. Historic preservation work has been maintained for over 120 years as well as restoration work throughout the property, including the roof and porch.
Guided tours are provided by a docent with a wealth of knowledge to share with visitors about the history of the property, and take you through which parts of the home would have been where before alterations were made.
What’s interesting about the site is that it’s two homes of different time periods that’s been brought together to form one large home. One side of the property is a late 1700s structure, the other early 1800s.
The furnishings and the decor throughout the property aren’t the originals, but they have been carefully selected to reflect the time period.
The layout of the house and how it is setup gives you a real feel for what life would have been like back in the 1800s when the bedroom was also entertaining space with a dining table that could be pushed back against the wall when not in use, so as to only need to heat one room.
The museum has a long history and the docents are knowledgeable about the life of George Walton, the time period, and they have a knack for storytelling that really encapsulates the life of George Walton, his family, his lifestyle, the harder times he fought through during the revolutionary war, the money problems that caused, and the strategies used by George Walton to stay one step ahead of creditors.
There is a gift shop within the house where you can buy little trinkets and souvenirs. The Meadow Gardens is suited to all ages, and it’s right next to the Augusta Canal and the hiking trails run alongside it.