Eatonton’s history is more than what meets the eye. Founded in 1808, the town has endless amounts of rich history to get lost in. From restored landmarks to war heroes, take a peek behind the curtain and learn about the town’s storied past.
Back in the Day
Step back in time at the Old School History Museum, where a former public school building was transformed into the hottest museum in town. Located inside the Plaza Arts Center, the museum preserves Eatonton’s history with interactive exhibits featuring early downtown storefronts and Native American artifacts, all within four former classroom spaces. The Old School History Museum provides docent-led tours through each exhibition, or you can pick up a brochure to take a self-guided tour. Spend a relaxing afternoon at the museum’s Sunday lecture series, surrounded by fellow historians as you discuss topics like dinosaur fossils and classic local tunes.
Architectural History
Want to explore Eatonton’s historical architecture? Check out our historic walking tour brochure to plan your visit to our National Register Historic District, hosting buildings in architectural styles like Greek Revival, Folk Victorian, Gothic Revival and Neo-Classical. Don’t forget to stroll through Eatonton-Putnam Historical Society’s Bronson House. Serving as a tavern in the early 1800s, the Greek Revival home has a cottage behind it where Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories, lived with his mom as a child.
A Local Hero
Located in the heart of Downtown Eatonton is the Veterans Wall of Honor Park, honoring veterans who served in wars such as WWI and the Vietnam War. Here stands the Hiram Little Tuskegee Monument, sculpted to honor the legacy of the courageous veteran, Hiram Little. Born in Eatonton in 1919, Little served as a pilot in the Tuskegee Aviation program, the first African American military service member program, during WWII. He fought for the integration of black and white service members at officer clubs during the Freeman Field Mutiny and was arrested for his involvement. Alongside his fellow Tuskegee airmen, Little’s conviction was wiped from his record in 1995, and he later received a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor for his advocacy, integrity, courage and kindness. He passed away in 2017 at the age of 97.
Georgia’s Written Word
Explore the literary worlds crafted by local authors at the Georgia Writers Museum. Founded in 2014, this museum focuses on three writers whose artistic mastery started right here in Eatonton, GA: Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple, Flannery O’Connor, author of A Good Man is Hard to Find, and Joel Chandler Harris, author of Uncle Remus. These exhibitions go in depth on the authors’ creative processes and the personal lives that shaped their writing. In addition to these exhibits, the Georgia Writers Museum features authors in rotating exhibits. Want to get more involved? Discuss new book releases at Meet the Author events and put on your investigative hat at Crime & Wine night with Sheryl McCollum, founder of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute.
Looking for an even deeper look into these literary legends? Learn more about Alice Walker on a self-led driving tour, where you can explore key sites from her life. Or, visit the Uncle Remus Museum to see artifacts that tell the story of Joel Chandler Harris’s early years in Eatonton, which led him to write the Uncle Remus stories.
Native American Effigies
Discover our Native American roots at Eatonton’s stone effigies, mounds depicting animals that served spiritual or ceremonial purposes. Eatonton has two effigies, the only two east of the Mississippi River: Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk. Estimated to be 2,000 years old, the Rock Eagle effigy is an 8-ft-wide, eagle-shaped mound made of quartz rocks. Archaeologists believe the Hopewell culture created this effigy for religious purposes during the Middle Woodland Period, approximately 100-300 A.D.
The 120-ft-wide Rock Hawk effigy is a hawk-shaped quartz effigy, estimated to be 2,000 years old, and believed to have been created away from nearby villages. Due to a lack of preservation, the Rock Hawk mound has changed over time and originally had a larger wingspan. Learn more about the effigy and the surrounding area’s natural history through indoor and outdoor educational centers, plus informative displays throughout the facilities. Delve deeper into Eatonton’s natural wonders by walking the 30 miles of surrounding trails or the Lake Oconee shoreline.