Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee

In the historic small town of Greensboro, Georgia, quaint shops and boutiques offer fashion, antiques, art, jewelry and decorative accessories. Driving and walking tours are available in Greensboro and Union Point, which feature historic districts and sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Providing the hub of small town activity in Greensboro, the downtown square is the site of yearly festivals, outdoor events and concerts in a charming, historic atmosphere.

Greensboro

History and friendliness surround you on a visit to Greensboro, a quaint town with antique shopping, historic sites and many friendly people.

History is a large part of the charm of Greensboro. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a multiple resource area with five historic districts and seven individual sites, Greensboro is home to such places as the third oldest courthouse in Georgia and the Old Greene County Gaol (Jail). The Courthouse was built in 1848, and the original structure is still in use today. The Old Gaol, built in 1807, is one of the oldest penal structures in Georgia.

Greensboro was also selected as the site of the first paper mill in Georgia and as the starting point for the Georgia Railroad in 1833. Named for the Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene, many of Greensboro's founders were Revolutionary War veterans.

Eatonton

The town of Eatonton is home to Brer Rabbit and the Uncle Remus Museum. As you drive through the tree-lined streets of the community, you will witness some of the most unique styles of Antebellum architecture.

Eatonton is proud of the renowned people it has produced. Two of the most famous are Joel Chandler Harris, creator of the Uncle Remus Tales, and Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple.

Putnam County, which was annexed from neighboring Baldwin County in 1807, was named for General Israel Putnam, who served in the Revolutionary War.

On April 15, 1808, the site of Eatonton was laid out into twenty-nine squares of six, one-half acre lots surrounding the public square, which were then sold at public auction. Shortly thereafter in 1809, the town of Eatonton was incorporated and named the county seat of Putnam County. The County courthouse is still surrounded by its original public square.

Madison

The town of Madison has been popular with visitors from its incorporation as the county seat of Morgan County in 1809. The young community was described in an early 19th century issue of White's Statistics of Georgia as "the most cultured and aristocratic town on the stage route from Charleston to New Orleans."

Annexed from Baldwin and Greene Counties in 1807, Morgan County was named for the popular Revolutionary War Hero General Daniel Morgan. Madison grew as the cotton economy prospered through the first half of the 19th century. Wealthy planters built fine plantation homes in the county, and some built elegant town houses in Madison as well. Professional people, educators, and craftsmen moved to Madison, and the buildings erected during this period reflect the town's growth and prosperity. A large portion of Madison's existing historic architecture was completed between 1830 and 1860.

Designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1974, the Madison Historic District was one of the first historic districts in Georgia to be so recognized. Today Madison boasts a wealth of antebellum buildings.