9-11 Memorial Garden and Trail

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From 9-11 Memorial Garden

A close look at the calendar reveals that today is the 10 year anniversary of one of the marquee moments in living American’s lives. The very date of September 11 invokes an imaged of terror and death, and marks a sea change in the way we see ourselves as a people and as a nation. I feel compelled to take notice of the event as I am a red blooded American, but I shall do so in typical Baboon fashion, by telling the story of a geographical location within driving distance of Atlanta (about 1½ hours away) created by a U.S. Citizen, Georgia resident and folk artist by the name of Bob Hart near Athens. The place is called the 9-11 Memorial Garden and Trail, which is located on his property and is open to the public at 320 Morton Farm Lane in Athens GA.


Mr. Hart, a retiree from the University of Georgia, was so moved by the moments of that fateful day that he felt compelled to create something and made a personal monument to the tragedy and to the lessons which, hopefully, a grieving nation learned that September morning. It would be categorized as a folk art piece which I believe is fitting for a moment that struck a chord with every echelon of person in American Society. It is a simple trail about 300 yards in length walking through a young forest. As you enter, there is a visitor’s sign-in book and a copy of the book, Portraits: 9/11/01: The Collected "Portraits of Grief" from The New York Times, which gives a short bio of every person killed in the attacks. The construct that holds the books is adorned with two quotes from Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. The first reads, “Memory may be our most powerful weapon against fanaticism” and the second adds, “To live through catastrophe is bad, to forget it worse.” These sentiments are well chosen and well said to get your mind in the mood for a reflection of the events of 9-11.


The artwork itself is simple and mostly abstract, with items representing special numbers or places related to the day. As abstract art is often difficult to understand, the artist has placed several markers explaining his intentions. And they are rather straightforward, saying things like the red beam on the Pentagon Memorial represents the side that was struck by the aircraft and which was still on fire at the time of the monuments creation. There are four such special memorials along the trail: the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, Flight 93, and one to the noble concepts of Faith, Hope, and Love (this last piece has contributions from Athens artist Mary Padgelek). There are also a few other pieces of art placed throughout the trail, the most notable being an iron sculpture near the front called Migrations by local artist Harold Rittenberr. There are also several benches to sit upon for rest and reflection.


The most thought-provoking works are the signposts along the trail. They were simple wooden posts that resembled directional signs. There were 99 of them, a number chosen by multiplying the numbers in the date of the tragedy. On each sign were the hand painted names of every human being who died as a direct result of those terrorist attacks. These brought back vividly the human cost of the 10 year old event. They were people out there, like you and me, who were killed in this senseless act, and the power of a person’s name can bridge the gap between abstract and reality. Each is a person who had a job and a family and hopes and dreams. Atop each pole is a small hand painting, often of the U.S. Flag, but at other times about other concepts that should also not be forgotten like Love, Liberty, and Justice.


It would be difficult to visit such a place and not reflect on the attack on the United States, which brings me to the thoughts that swirled in my head at the memorial trail on that infamous moment and the 10 years hence. I remember the events as we all do. The feelings we all have are fairly universal; anger, sadness, fear, disgust, are all common. I was struck deeply by the days that followed. For a short while, we acted as one America in love with the country, what it stands for on its best days, and our fellow countrymen. I was so moved I even rooted for the Yankees during the November Series (and I am a baseball purist, as you know, and that is a monumental step).


But that feeling of fellowship and brotherhood drifted away from us. We let the worst parts of our collective psyche take over. We became a country filled with infighting. We became a country that trashed our 1st amendment protections, especially when it came to Muslim Americans. We became a country that was horrified to see Americans die in the destruction of iconic building, but who could make a top priority repealing a law that might keep fellow Americans dying due to lack of or inadequate healthcare. We became a country who trusted no one, and even questioned the legitimacy of birth of the person in the highest office in the land. We became a country that applauds at the mere mention of executions and that holds parties at the news of people’s deaths. We became a country that invades other countries for little or no reason, a renewed imperialism. We became a country that no longer cared about our hopes to be the beacon on a hill for all to emulate. We became a country that no longer cared about justice, right and wrong, and our fellow man, let alone our fellow citizens. I can’t help but look at the 3,000 names printed with love on the signposts and think that they would turn over in their graves, if they had graves and knew this was their legacy: that we the living, have let them down, and allowed their deaths be in vain.


So that’s the feeling I get from spending time at Bob Hart’s 9-11 Memorial Trail. They are holding a Commeration there at 6:30pm today and I encourage you to visit then, or at another time, when you can. Look at the names and look for the strength to be a better person and American. I know that this place challenged me to be just that.


There is a video you can watch here Watch.

Trail Essentials

Approximate Time: 1 hour

Approximate Distance: .2 miles

Features: Art Installation, Tribute to 9-11 dead, Folk art

Overall Rating: B

Scenic Quality: A

Athleticism: D

Solitude: A

Value: A

Parking: Free, but only for three cars 

Hours of Operation:  Doesn't close, but be respectful of property owners and neighbors

Facilities: None 

Maps: Not needed

County: Clarke

Ruby Falls

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From Ruby Falls

Tucked into the Northwestern Corner of our state is Lookout Mountain. On one side of Lookout Mountain, you have the pretty and pristine park known as Cloudland Canyon. On the other side of the Mountain, you have one of the most well-known tourist attractions in all of the Southeastern United States: a place that has attracted and is still attracting millions of visitors for better than 75 years. To be honest the entrance to this particular place is in Tennessee, just a stone’s throw outside of Chattanooga, and just over two hours away from Atlanta. Considering its reputation, its awesome photographical potential, and the fact it involves a waterfall, it amazes me that I waited until this year to visit Ruby Falls.

There are three tactics I use to beat the miserable heat during the dog days of summer. The most interesting method is to get underground, and it was exactly this motivation that brought my little group to Ruby Falls just a few weeks ago. I had read that the temperature at the Falls is a consistent 60 degrees. There is an Admission Fee of $17.95 ($9.95 children 12 and under) but discount Coupons are not hard to find. What you get is a 200-ft ride down in an elevator, a walk of about .4 mile to the falls, and then a nice view of a 145-ft underground waterfall. It is a very popular destination, so your time with the fall is limit to about 10 minutes to facilitate the number of visitors, but you do get to spend over an hour underground and out of the heat, in spite of the crowds.

This attraction was discovered in 1928 by Leo Lambert. Mr. Lambert had played and explored in the Lookout Mountain Cavern as a Youth, but the cave’s entrance had been closed out of necessity when the Southern Railroad Company built a tunnel nearby in 1905. Mr. Lambert received permission to drill from the top of the mountain into the earth to create and access point to the caverns. After drilling about 250 feet, still 100 feet from the intended cavern below, a gush of air came out. Mr. Lambert went down to investigate, crawling for 17 hours through a crevice 5 feet wide and only 18 inches high, he stumbled on the majestic Ruby Falls. He named the falls after his wife. Originally, the tour included the Lookout Mountain Cavern and the Ruby Falls Cavern, but has since been limited to simply the Falls tour.

The tour is a little strange. It is set up to wow its visitors the way you would expect a tourist attraction would, rather than the manner of a natural wonder. The place is filled with colored artificial light that in some ways enhances the experience, but at times makes you think that it would be pretty in its own right without it. At the end point, where the falls actually sits, it’s a full on roadside spectacular, complete with color-changing lights and majestic classic music to remind us that this is tremendous. In some ways, it creates a marvel to behold, but you still think the falls would be pretty neat on its own, regardless.

The primary criticism of the place is its touristyness. And they would be right. The waterfall is magnificent, but not so much more than others I’ve seen in the area. And the trappings create an aura of goofiness. To their credit, however, the place is well maintained and beautiful. The marketing doesn’t prepare you for just how beautiful the areas surrounding the falls are. I would even say the surrounding cavern, with its gorgeous terrains filled with stalagmites and stalactites, is better than the falls itself. And the fall is very nice on its own merits.

So if you are looking for a neat way to beat the heat, and don’t mind a medium length drive and a mid-range admission fee, Ruby Falls may be the place for you. I would actually go so far as to say, considering the omnipresent nature of the advertising for this place along the Southeastern highways and byways, it is something everyone in the area ought to see at least once in their life.

Auchumpkee Creek Covered Bridge

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From Auchumpkee Covered Bridge

OK, Some may criticize this post as just another covered bridge post in my seemingly endless quest to view and photograph every covered bridge within a reasonable drive of my home just outside of Atlanta, and to them I say sure you are right. There is something strangely attractive and compelling about covered bridges and I have been sucked in. This doesn’t make the covered bridge less cool, I really love seeing this friendly reminders of a bygone era in the Georgia Countryside. Today, I bring you a bit of information and photos of the Auchumpkee Creek Covered Bridge, just 1½ hours South of Atlanta, near Culloden in Upson County, Georgia.


The original bridge was built in 1892 by Herring and Alford, in the Town Lattice design. It spans the Auchumpkee Creek, originally at 120 feet in length, but currently at 96 feet. It has also been called the Hootenville Bridge, after the community of Hootenville that was once there. And Zorn’s Mill Bridge based on a nearby and now missing mill.

It seems the bridge was restored twice. The first one in 1985 was more of the general restoration you see in a lot of these bridges. The latter in 1997 came after terrible flooding in that part of Georgia destroyed the bridge, this was done by the firm of Arnold Graton & Sons. They used as much of the old bridge as possible, but there’s more new here than old. But I’m glad to see that it is truly in the spirit of the original bridge.

The bridge is located about 40 feet off the of Allen Road, a little bit East of GA 19 and about 10 miles South of Thomaston, Georgia. In addition to the bridge, the stream is pretty and apparently a decent place to fish. There is one picnic table that we utilized with pleasure. There are no facilities at the site.

So if you are a Covered Bridge Buff and want to see another of these quaint pieces of history, Auchumpkee Creek Covered Bridge is a pleasant diversion. It is held up well because of the rebuilds and the distant location has limited the destructive influences.

Stone Mountain Loop Trail

Best Hike I waited too long to write about. Tweet Map

From Stone Mountain Cherokee Trail

When I go hiking, more often than not, I am very goal orientated. I want to climb this mountain, or see this waterfall, or whatever. I realize that there are some truly great hiking trails that don’t have some sort of ultimate goal. Places where hiking is wonderful on its own terms: you get outside into nature, you stretch your legs, and get your heart pumping. The strange thing about these types of trails is that I don’t rush back and feel compelled to write about them right away. This particular trail I hiked for the first time about 5 years ago, and probably walked along its paths better than two dozen times. And I have written extensively about it surrounding home: Stone Mountain Park, but until today I have never told the story of the fantastic nearby walking trail: Cherokee Trail.

This trail has several names. Officially, it is known as the Cherokee Trail on the maps you get at the gate. But it’s often called the Stone Mountain Loop Trail or the Stone Mountain National Recreation Trail. Any way you slice it, it is one of the finest trails in the Atlanta Area. Boys Scouts can even earn a merit badge for completing it. If you search the internet, you will see it listed sometimes as 5 miles, sometimes as 5.5 miles, and sometimes as 6 miles. To clear this up, my belief is that the true white blazed Cherokee Trail is 5 miles long. However, many folks walk a longer loop, which keeps the trail easy avoiding any part of the mountain, but lengthens the stroll to 6 miles. If you enter via the free parking at the Stone Mountain Visitor Center you can start the trail on the connecting trail in question. However, my personal recommendation on how to do the trail is the 5.5 mile way.

Start at the Stone Mountain Walk up trail and walk up the mountain as if you are heading to the top. After walking about ¼ mile, keep your eyes open for two stone markers noting the Cherokee Trail. You can turn right or left here, I prefer right taking the trail in a counterclockwise direction. First you will get some very different views of the mountain as you descend: Rocky, Desolate, and Beautiful. There’s a sign here saying that this might be dangerous when wet and I assure you this is true. Follow the white blaze into the woods below. The bulk of the trail except for the mountain part gives pretty good tree cover making this walk quite doable even in the hottest months. You will meet up with the connecting trail shortly. Those who do 6 mile version tend to do it for those reasons: keeping the difficulty down and staying out of the sun.

The first marker you encounter is known as the old homestead, which is really simply the remains of an old chimney. You will continue out of the forest, across the road by the playground. At the end of the playground there is a nice little pond to look at. You then continue to the lake. The lakeside walk gives some very nice views of the mountain as well as Lake Venable itself. After crossing a bridge, your time with the lake will be over, and soon you will encounter Stone Mountain Covered Bridge, first at a distance on the water, and then at a place where it can be crossed. I normally cross the bridge knowing full well that it’s off the trail. Being just shy of the halfway point around, it makes a good quick break spot.

Back on the Trail, the next feature is the Old Grist Mill, which was moved here from the Elijay area back in the 60’s. If you like the sound of moving water, this part of the trail provides it. You follow the granite runway along a pretty creek. You cross street again and head toward the attractions areas. In this part of the woods, there’s some kind of Garden planted out there complete with a dedication marker, but I have never seen anything planted there. You then will come out of the woods at the main field where the grand Confederate Memorial sculpture can be seen in close proximity. You will then continue back into the woods for the final leg, which includes the walk back up the mountain to the point where it intercepts the walk up trail This part is pretty, serene, and difficult; but worth the effort to get your merit badge.

This is my preferred walking route as you get to nice uphill climbs at the beginning and the very end to really get your heart pumping. Some might add hiking to the top, which would add 40 minutes, 2 miles, and significant difficulty to your sojourn. If combine the two trails, you might just have the very best hike in the Greater Atlanta Area. The only drawback is the $10 parking fee. It has all the other key factors I look for: good exercise, pleasant surroundings to view, moments of tranquility, a sense of accomplishment, and only 30 minutes from downtown Atlanta.



Trail Essentials
Approximate Time: 2-2½ hours
Approximate Distance: 5.5 miles
Trail Surface: Stone, Compact Soil
Features: Mountain View, Lakeside Walk, Ruins, Mill, Covered Bridge, Huge Bas Relief

Overall Rating: A

Scenic Quality: A
Athleticism: A
Solitude: A
Value: A
Parking: $10
Hours of Operation: The Trail doesn’t really close
Facilities: At Attractions area, at Walk Up Trail
Maps: Hiking Map on this Page
County: DeKalb

Moore's Ford Lynching (part I)

Part I (Background)

From Moore's Ford Lynching

65 years ago, as of the publishing of this post, a terrible event occurred in the vicinity of the place where we all live. When you hear of tragic events like this, a part of your mind thinks, maybe wishes, that it is only a thing of the past to be forgotten like the Horse & Buggy or the 8-track tape. But there is a danger in forgetting too much history, especially the parts that make us nervous or queasy. My attempt to alleviate the perils of history forgotten will stand with the GABEO, and there presentation of the events surround the last mass lynching in the United States, or what is most commonly referred to as the Moore’s Ford Lynching.

The Dark event occurred on July 26, 1946 (Time Article). Not so long ago that there aren’t people still alive who remember the event. Four black people, George & Mae Murray Dorsey and Roger & Dorothy Malcom, were taken from a car at the bridge across the Appalachee River at the Walton-Oconee County Line, where they were repeatedly shot, some reports say 60+ shots were fired, ending their young lives. There is much more to the story: It came during a period when the idea of lynching a black person was something society knew was a practice, especially in the South. It came at a time prior to the rise of Civil Rights leaders such a Martin Luther King, and any real semblance of equal citizenship for black Americans. This was the way things were done in that period of American History, as ugly as it may be, we do ourselves great harm if we look away.

The Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials (or GABEO) feels the same way. And for the past several years they have held a commemorationof the event of that dark July night. This year is was this past Saturday, July 23rd. The first purpose is to keep this unsolved case from seeping out of our collective memories. The second purpose is that it stands to reason that somebody who lives in the area may have information that could bring the perpetrators of the murder to justice.

The Day began with a rally at the First African Baptist Church of Monroe at Noon. I can attest by my present that all were welcome to attend this event. It gave the organizers about two hours to get everyone together to make the trip around Monroe. During this time, Black elected leaders, community leaders, and religious leaders spoke to edify and amplify the attendees. There was also a fair amount of music and an introduction of the actors.

The first scene was done at the church. The players were Barnette Hester, Roger Malcom and Dorothy Malcom. Apparently, Barnette had made some disparaging comments about the propriety of Dorothy Malcom, and Roger aimed to do something about it. Roger confronted Barnette and a scuffle ensued. In the melee Roger stabbed Barnette and then fled. The historical versions of this event say that Barnette was armed with a pitchfork, and that it may have been sexual advances or even actions toward Dorothy that raised Roger’s ire. Any way you slice it, it was not a good time in history for a black man to stab a white man. Roger ended up caught and imprisoned for 11 days. In the past this part of the reenactment was held in front of Barnette Hester’s house at 2932 Hester Town Road. But due to logistics, and some trepidation, they decided to do this part at the church.

Click here to continue to PART TWO

Moore's Ford Lynching (Part II)

Part II – The Graves and Sites

From Moore's Ford Lynching

There then was a break from the action. They had made a decision to visit the graves of the victims and they were buried in three separate locations. The first stop was the Mount Perry Missionary Baptist Church in Appalachee, Morgan County. Here the bodies of George and Dorothy (Malcom) Dorsey were interred side by side. Most of the graves at the cemetery were simple wooden crosses, and when the Dorseys were buried they had the same. The Moore’s Ford Committee placed granite markers on all the lynching’s victims some years back. In front of George’s grave, there was a plaque recording his military service record, including the three medals he earned in service for our country during WWII. A prayer was said over the grave and we moved on to cemetery #2: Chestnut Grove Baptist Church in Rutlege, Morgan County, where Roger Malcomwas buried. Roger’s grave looked pretty much the same as the other, an elegant granite slab replacing the modest original marker. After the benediction here, we moved to another headstone, that of Lynn McKinley Jackson who died on August 8, 1982. Lynn was found hanging from a tree in Walton County, and even though most might think it suspicious, the local authorities ruled it a suicide. According to the GABEO leaders, they believe he was lynched as a result of his being involved in interracial relationships. After a prayer over Mr. Jackson’s grave, we moved on to the final gravesite.

The entire motorcade journey would wind up taking us better than 60 miles in total. The distances between the gravesites were the most substantial being 15 miles or better. The path to Mae Murray Dorsey final resting place took us through Hestertown. Hestertown, if you recall, was where Barnette Hester’s farm was and where the first scene was supposed to take place. Along the road, there were several old houses and barns, forming what might be almost a stereotypical idea of what rural country life in Georgia is like. The strange thing was the number of folk sitting on their front porches watching us drive slowly down there road. Many of them waved at me. This would normally be an endearing portrait of Southern warmth, if the fact was not known that there was little doubt someone from there either knew something, or knew someone who knew something about the unsolved murders. Were they greeting us or letting us know they had their collective eyes on us. It was an eerie experience.

Mae Murray Dorsey was buried at the now defunct Zion Hill Cemetery at 224 Alcovy Street in Monroe, Georgia. If you go to this site, you will notice a small office park with numerous small businesses. We parked there and in a field adjacent to the parking lot there were a fair number of graves marked with simply wooden crosses. We made our way down to the granite marker commemorating Mrs. Dorsey’s death. The marker has been place in the field apparently next to the grave of a member of Mae’s family because the actually grave is somewhere under the paved parking lot. A sad story true, but no more than the entire situation.

We then made our way to the Monroe Courthouse Annex IV at 203 Milledge Avenue in Downtown Monroe. In 1946, this building served as the jail where Roger Malcom was kept for the stabbing of Barnette Hester. At this site there were two reenactments. The first was of Eugene Talmadge’s stump speech taken from notes and recordings of the day. Mr. Talmadge had arrived in Monroe, two day s after the Hester stabbing. In this speech, he makes several references to purifying the Democratic Primary saying that black can vote in this election, but if elected he’ll make sure blacks won’t be voting in the next. The implication is that a racially inflammatory speech might have riled the mob into action against Roger Malcom. Some sources imply there was a direct deal between Talmadge and the Klan that their version of Justice would be permitted. The second reenactment centers around a man named Loy Harrision. Mr. Harrison had been George and Roger’s employer and apparently Mae and Dorothy were able to convince him to put up the $600 to get Roger out of Jail. Loy, pulled up in his car, along with George and the two women, and bailed Roger out. For the moment, the four were happy and filled with a spirit of reunion. They would work off their debt to Mr. Harrison and life might just return to normal.

But that brings us to the final reenactment, we drove down to Moore’s Ford Bridge. On the way, we saw the historical marker at the corner of Highway 78 & Locklin Road. Continuing down Locklin, 2.4 miles later we were at the bridge. The exact location is Mt Carmel Church Road, where the Appalachee river divides Walton and Oconee Counties. We had to walk about a half mile down to the bridge. It is now a concrete modern bridge, but at the time of the lynching it was a simple wooden structure. There is a signpost for Moore’s Ford Road, but there really is nothing there but a dirt path. At this place, the final confrontation was dramatized. For some unknown reason, Mr. Harrison decided to drive this circuitous route how with his four black travelling companion. We piece together the event of the day based on Loy’s testimony. First, armed Klansmen stop the car at the bridge, they pull the George and Roger out kicking and screaming. Roger’s crime was known to all, but apparently George had become to uppity after the coming back from the war or possible he was too friendly with white women. Mae recognized one on the armed men, and then the women had to be dispatched because they could have no witness. The four were tied together with a rope and shot over sixty times to make sure they were dead. They were then left in the field to rot. Hours later, funeral director Dan Young came to pick up the bodies for final preparation. Prayers were said and songs were sung concluding the reenactment.

Click here to continue to PART THREE

Moore's Ford Lynching (Part III)

Part Three – Conclusion

From Moore's Ford Lynching

In the interest of fairness I want to address a few issues that cause some turmoil around these reenactments.  The first is the strange call for accuracy.  A number of people thing that the reenactment is inaccurate, but the presenters know full well that there is not a valid account of the murders.  If there were then the perpetrators would have at least been tried.  If you rail about inaccuracy then you probably know something and should assist the authorities to finding justice.  Aside from the actual shooting, they point to the story of Dorothy Malcom’s pregnancy  as being apocryphal.  Laura Wexler, who wrote the definitive book on the subject, Fire in a Canebrake, as well as her family members disagree with this stance.  The presenter of the reenactment claims that he was told of the pregnancy by the funeral director Dan Young.  This idea is even recorded, using the word “reportedly” on the historical marker.  Those who believe the story even gave the child a name a few years ago, fittingly, it was “Justice Malcom.”  To those who object to this story, I say who really cares if she was pregnant or not?  Does it make the crime of murdering four people better?  As if somehow, a person might think I can live with you accusing me of murder, but don’t you dare label me an abortionist.  Albeit if it were true, it would add a fifth lost soul to the mix.  If the idea gets you riled, I think that’s the point.  They want you to come forward and set the record straight.  If I were making stuff up, I would do a lot more than just have the one girl pregnant.  I might go with the one report that had the Klansmen having sex with children, animals, and other men in a bloodlust frenzy.   You can’t tell me it didn’t happen, unless you know something and should come forward for the sake of justice.

The second thing to note is that this is not the last lynching in history.  We already talked about Lynn McKinley Jackson’ s story at Roger Malcom’s gravesite.  I was also told the story of Fredrick Jermaine Carter, who appears to have been lynched way back in December of 2010.  Sure, this wasn’t Georgia, but rather Mississippi, and it was ruled a suicide, but it has all the earmarks of good old fashioned mob justice.  These stories make us all understand the importance of remembrance.  We need to be vigilant against the atrocities that mankind is capable of so that we can minimize, stop, or prevent the darkest side on the human soul from gaining control.  I would be nice to think this American problem of lynching has been solved, but you would be kidding yourself. 

The final thing is probably the most scary to me, personally.  I’ll start by addressing the most frequently asked question: “If Dorothy, Mae, Roger and George were shot, why is it called a lynching?”  A lynching can mean the hanging of a human by rope from a tree and that may be the most common form of these murders, but in a more general sense it means putting someone to death without legal means, most often by  a mob.  That was the case in the Moore’s Ford murders.  The thing that scares me is the lynch mob mentality I see around us every day.  And it’s more than a black and white problem.  We sit a mere month out of this big Casey Anthony trial in Florida, and although acquitted, I’ve heard more than one person say she should be killed.  It’s a running meme on the internet to get Dexter and Casey introduced.  The comedians are joking about her guilt without regard to the justice system.  But a day like last Saturday helps me realize that the very same passions and rage which stopped the car at the Moore’s Ford Bridge, which led to the shooting death of four black people, are the same passions we kindle today.  We must learn to not just love justice, but to respect it.  To understand that the trial by jury is the seed from which all democracy and freedoms grew, planted in the Magna Charta centuries past.  If we can’t respect Justice in our community, then we no longer have a community and have digressed to the worst possible outcome of democracy: Mob Rule. 

Serenbe Farms

Up and Went, Palmetto, GA Tweet Map

From Serenbe Farms

When somebody uses the words, “organic farming community,” my first thoughts are of some kind of hippie throwback community with folks who make their own clothes and odors of patchouli drown out odors of, well, other things. Not exactly my primary thought when I’m looking for a getaway with my significant other. But so many Atlantans just love the place. It usually wins the readers polls for best daytrip. So when the right moment came, this monkey made an afternoon trip to Serenbe Farms in Palmetto, Georgia.

Serenbe Farms is exactly as it states a farming community using organic principles to emulate sustainability. Its produce can be sampled at three dining establishments in the area, as well as some Atlanta restaurants like Restaurant Eugene or Holeman & Finch. For the record, I like the principle of sourcing things locally and understand that if there was only organic farming, there would be a lot more starvation in the world. I think the folks at Serenbe get the idea: if you are blessed with the prosperity to allow yourself to make more environmentally friendly decisions, you really ought to, but I digress.

What you get to see at Serenbe is three basic elements. First, there are the Farmlands, which radiate a well maintained and rustic beauty. Farm Tours are available, but take some prior arrangement that we did not make, but one can still walk along the path enjoying its aesthetic beauty without understanding the agricultural science behind it. Second, are the shops and services. The reputation Serenbe has garnered has made it attracted a number of shops for your perusal. They are pricier, high end, sort of things, I would rarely buy from, but often find it fun to stop and look around. I will note that the wine store had a significant number of items under $20, so kudos to them for having something for the everyman.

Finally, and probably, the most notable attraction at Serenbe are the Restaurants themselves. There is a quaint little bakery shop called the Blue Eyed Daisy, which seems to be open most of the day, and doubles as the area’s grocery store. And then there’s the two major restaurants, The Hil, a more upscale eatery in the commercial district, and the Farmhouse, which is part of the original Farmhouse and Inn, where we chose to eat. Both places take and basically need reservations, and as I have said, we just up and went with no planning, but both offered to seat us without reservations, as long as we arrived immediately upon opening at 5pm (the website now says they open at 6p). We considered this generous and gladly accepted.

From 4-5pm outside the dining area at the Farmhouse, they had significant drink specials for happy hour. If my memory serves, mixed drinks were half off, and this wasn’t in the advertising. So we had a drink and waited for the doors to open. Then menu was simple, choice between two starters ($6), two entrees ($18), and two desserts($5). This made the deciding process quicker, but might hamper the more finicky eaters. I had the pork chops over grits, while my companion had the chicken dish. All the food was organic and local and very tasty. The menu does change regularly, but the format remains the same. We had planned to spend the afternoon at nearby Cochran Mill Parkexploring the trails, waterfall, and mill ruins, but the necessity of being at the restaurant at exactly 5pm curtailed that excursion.

So why do I think people love this place? Because it is sort of an oasis from what you normally see on a day to day basis in the Atlanta Area, and the food is authentic, organic, and really good. The Farmland and the area around the Farmhouse was the most beautiful. The commercial district was little weird to me, as I have a guttural disdain for planned playgrounds that only the affluent can enjoy, that comes from so much of my life being lived in the Shadow of Disneyworld. The Farm seems real and true to its purpose, the business district seems to be an overpriced and fairly surreal, a place where people should visit like a museum or a zoo but not live.

Restaurant Fundamentals

The Farmhouse at Serenbe
Address: Hutcheson Ferry Rd, Palmetto, Georgia
Hours: Thu & Fri 6-9pm, Sat 11:30-3pm, 6-9pm, Sun 11:30-3p
Phone: 770.463.2622
Website: Serenbe Farmhouse

Cultural Significance: B
Food Quality: A+
Healthiness: A
Price: B
Value: A

Overall Rating: A

Recommendations: I would suggest you order as much local vegetables and sides as you can. The Fried Green tomato on the salad was probably the best I’ve ever had.
Significance: Sustainable, organic, Farm to table restaurant ahead of its time.

Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Still Got that New Park Smell Tweet Map

From Chattahoochee Bend

It’s been 20 years since the State of Georgia has opened a new state park. Not that I’m complaining, they do an excellent job with the parks they run, but when a new park opens after that many years it’s kind of a big thing. The Georgia State Parks department is planning two new parks in the near future, and the good news is that they are both relatively close to Atlanta. The first to open just this month is called Chattahoochee Bend State Park, located about an hour and twenty minutes outside of Atlanta on the Western edge of Newnan in Coweta County.

Now, I live in Gwinnett County, so it’s a little further for me, but I bet that most of you have friends or reasons to be out that way. I have a good friend who lives in Peachtree City and I used the opening of the new state park as good excuse to spend the day with him and his 12 year old son.

Everything there is brand new. The visitor center is pristine, with a half dozen rocking chairs on the porch. The bathrooms are new. The Gift Shop is new. I’m sure the campsites are new too. But what is most interesting to me is that the trails are new. According to the map you can get at the visitor center, there are two hiking trails: One from the visitor center to the campground and the other, which seemed more interesting to us, the one along the Chattahoochee River itself.

To reach that trailhead, continue driving on the park road till it pretty much dead ends. There is a good size parking lot near the boat launch area. The trailhead is to the right of the launch about 150 feet. There were a good number of people using the area not just to get their boats into the water, but to cool off from the hot Georgia Summer. By the looks of things, the water is pretty shallow and calm there.

The trail is a pretty flat walk that goes all the way to the bend that gives the park its name. To be honest, I have to sort of trust them as we didn’t have the time to get there. According to the Friend of the Bend site there’s five miles of trail (and then you’d have to trek back, I don’t know if you can subtract the campground trail). We went up no more than three miles before turning around, but I believe you get the flavor of the trail in that time. The one thing that is notable about this trail is that the river is a little further away from the shore than I might like. And because it’s so new, the small side paths down to the water don’t exist as of yet. But we had fun fighting our way down to the shore in a couple of places. Who knows, somewhere down the line, our trails might become the trails. Along the path, there’s a nice, newly built lookout platform (that probably works better in the winter months), and a part where there’s an internal clearing on the non-river side where we saw a few deer run through.

So if you’re in the Newnan area, or are looking for an easy boat launch, or just want to see the new place, head on down to Chattahoochee Bend State Park. For me, it was a very nice day in nature with a good friend. His son really liked the place (lots of bugs and branches to play on), so I’d give it a better rating for kids. The only drawback was the July Heat, which I can’t fault the park for (The trail is mostly covered and there was a noticeable decrease in temperature on the trail itself).



Trail Essentials
Approximate Time: 3-3.5 hours
Approximate Distance: 10 miles round trip
Trail Surface: Compact Soil, Sand
Features: Riverside Walk

Overall Rating: B

Scenic Quality: C+
Athleticism: C+
Solitude: B+
Value: B+
Parking: State Park Fees ($5)
Hours of Operation: 7am-10pm
Facilities: at Visitor Center
Maps: At Vistor Center, white blazed
General Maps: here or here
County: Coweta