Historic and Cultural

The Woodpecker Trail has numerous historic, cultural and nature based assests. The trail has several interesting civil war related sites, including the Confederate Memorial Cemetery (Burke), the Blackshear Civil War Prison (Pierce), Blackshear Military Road (Pierce), Confederate Monument (Richmond), and Magnolia Cemetery (Richmond). The trail has several small, interesting local museums, including the Waynesboro-Burke- County Museum (Burke), Folkston Train Museum (Charlton), Pierce County Heritage Museum and Depot (Pierce), and Meadow Garden House Museum (Richmond). Larger museums mostly in Richmond County include the Augusta Museum of History, Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art, and Morris Museum of Art. Historic churches abound the trail, and are an interest from an architectural standpoint, as well as a religious perspective. Churches along the trail include the Graham United Methodist Church (Appling), Salem Church (Candler), Sardis Church (Charlton), Millen's Big Buckhead Church (Jenkins), Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery (Pierce), and First Presbyterian Church (Richmond).

Appling County Heritage Museum (Appling County)

The museum includes a turpentine industry collection, a room containing artifacts from several U.S. wars, a black history room, historical memorabilia, agricultural implements, an extensive archive collection accommodating genealogical research, county records and manuscripts, and collections and publications by local historians. The museum also includes item of persons of note, such as Caroline Miller, 1934 Pulitzer Winner for Lamb on his Bosom. Special events are planned at the museum throughout the year. Open during regular hours and located at 137 Thomas Street , the museum is open Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday 9 a.m to 1:30 p.m. Admission to the museum is free.
http://www.baxley.org

Surrency "Bright Spot"/Ghost (Appling)

The town of Surrency in Appling County is home to the "Surrency Bright Spot," a geologic anomaly nine miles underneath town that may be an ancient reservoir of water or other fluid formed more than 200 million years ago by the collision of North Africa and North America . The anomaly is thought to be connected to the Surrency ghost that supposedly haunted the old Surrency House (owned by the family for whom the town is named) during the 1870s and 1880s.
http://www.baxley.org

Waynesboro-Burke County Museum (Burke)

Established in 1970, the museum displays artifacts and relics from Waynesboro and Burke County's history. Known as the J.D. Roberts House, the Georgian cottage style home was built around 1858 and stands near the 1864 skirmish in Waynesboro between Confederate and Union troops. The museum is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends and holidays by appointment. Admission to the museum is free.
http://www.burkecounty-ga.gov

Historic Metter (Candler)

The Candler County Courthouse was built in 1921, and the South Metter Residential Historic District, composed of 75 late 19th and early 20th century homes are located on landscaped boulevards. Many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The historic downtown also offers many specialty shops.
http://www.gometter.com

1902 Metter Train Depot (Candler)

The 1902 train depot was attractively renovated in the 1990s under the direction of the Candler County Historical Society. The depot is located on Highway 46 East.
http://www.gometter.com

1928 Metter Commissary (Candler)

The commissary, which today houses the local welcome center and chamber of commerce, served lumber workers in the 1930s. Located at 1210 S. Lewis Street , the commissary is open in winter and fall, Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and in the spring and summer, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the commissary is free.
http://www.gometter.com

Folkston Train Museum (Charlton)

The first local railroad depot in Folkston was built after the turn of the last century. The depot has been restored and has become a favorite stop fo tourist who enjoy train memorabilia such as pictures, logbooks, lights, and train maps. The Folkston and Charlton County Chamber of Commerce and Development Authority offices are located here. Located at 202 W. Main Street , the museum is open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is free.
http://www.folkston.com

Blackshear Civil War Prison (Pierce)

In late November 1864, with the threat of General William T. Sherman storming through Georgia toward the coast, over 5,000 Union prisoners under the guard of Colonel Henry Forno and the 2nd and 4th Georgia Reserves were transported by rail from Savannah to a temporary prison camp established on the outskirts of Blackshear. The national archives documented 27 Union soldiers' graves here. An exhibit in the Blackshear Heritage Museum tells the story of the prison in more detail. There is a historic marker designating the site on Highway 203 North.
http://www.piercechamber.com

Pierce County Heritage Museum and Depot (Pierce)

The restored depot, built in 1902, now houses a museum that exhibits tobacco manufacturing implements, farm tools, a display about the Civil War prison camp outside Blackshear, Civil War artifacts, a fully furnished storefront counter from the 1900s, courthouse furnishings, land deeds, letters, and hundreds of photographs of the buildings, homes and people of Pierce County.

The genealogical library contains over 200 books pertaining to Georgia genealogy, local family histories, colonial Georgia , Native Americans in Georgia , church histories, Georgia in the Civil War, well-known Georgians, and books on historic preservation. Located at 200 South Central Avenue , the museum is an excellent resource. The museum and depot is open Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free.
http://www.piercechamber.com

Augusta Museum of History (Richmond)

The Augusta Museum of History is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting materials concerning the past of Augusta and its environs. The transportation section includes an early 20th century steam locomotive, a 1920s trolley car, and a reconstructed 1930s gas station. The museum also presents changing exhibits on topics relating to the people and events of the Central Savannah River Region. Located at 560 Reynolds Street, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Fees for the museum vary.
http://www.augustamuseum.org

Augusta Riverwalk Marina (Richmond)

The marina features a full-service stop for boats along the Savannah River between Augusta and Savannah . Sixty-eight slips have full hook-ups and other amenities, and pontoon boat rentals are available. The marina has accessible public restrooms. Sandwiches, snacks, and souvenirs are available in the marina store. Located at 1 Fifth Street , the marina is open Tuesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
http://www.augustaga.org

Laney-Walker Historic District (Richmond)

This area marks the center of the traditionally black business district dating to the days of segregation. Today Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Penny Savings Bank, and Pilgrim Life and Health Building are among the district's historic sites. The district is located between 300-1400 blocks of Laney-Walker Boulevard .

Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History and Conference Center ( Richmond )

The mission of the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History is to promote the legacy f well-known Georgia educator Lucy Craft Laney through art and history. Offerings include art and history exhibits, lectures and tours, computer art and history programs, youth leadership training, and senior citizens programs. Located at 116 Phillips Street , the museum is open Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
http://lucycraftlaneymuseum.org

Magnolia Cemetery (Richmond)

This 60-acre cemetery is the resting place for over 500 Confederate soldiers and seven generals, as well as other notables from the Civil War period. Its eastern wall was a defensive line for the city in 1864 and bears patches form wartime cannon emplacements. Located at 702 Third Street , the cemetery is open daily.
http://www.augustaga.org

Morris Museum of Art (Richmond )

The Morris Museum of Art in Augusta is the first museum in the country devoted to the art and artists of the South. Permanent collection galleries begin with antebellum portraits and continue through galleries devoted to such themes as the Civil War, the African-American image, still life, and Southern impressionism. Twentieth-century and contemporary paintings feature a wide range of subjects. The museum features a veranda-style gallery. Located on One Tenth Street, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. Fees for the museum vary.
http://www.themorris.org

Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home (Richmond)

The Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home is the place where President Woodrow Wilson lived the longest throughout his life. The home features 14 rooms, furnished in the 1860s Victorian style. On display are 13 original pieces of furniture used by Woodrow Wilson and his family and other objects belonging to the future president. The house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Located at 419 Seventh Street , the home is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fees for the home vary. Listed on the National Register of Historic places
http://www.wilsonboyhoodhome.org

Folkston Funnel Train-Watching Platform (Charlton)

During a 24-hour period, a visitor can see as many as 60 trains go through Folkston. Visitors can enjoy train watching from the viewing platform that is sheltered from sun and rain. There is also a scanner on the platform so that visitors can listen to train engineers as they pass. The platform is located at 103 North First Street and open daily.
http://www.folkston.com

August Canal Headgates / Towpath (Richmond)

Built in 1845 to harness Savannah River water for industrial power, the canal today is one of the 18 National Heritage areas and ideal for hiking, biking, and canoeing. The heritage area is 11.5 miles in length. An interpretive center housed in Enterprise Mills opened in late 2002, featuring a theater, gift shop, and interactive exhibits and tours of the historic Augusta Canal in replicas of the Petersburg boats that traveled along the canal. Located at 3300 Evans to Locks Road , the headgates are open daily 7 a.m. to dark and admission is free.
http://www.augustacanal.com

Augusta Riverwalk (Richmond)

Augusta Riverwalk contains two levels of brick walking paths and gardens along the Savannah River . The site hosts a variety of cultural events and festivals throughout the year. Riverwalk main entrances at Eighth and Tenth streets are highlighted with granite markers detailing the height and date of Augusta 's most devastating floods. It has a lower level that meanders along the banks of the Savannah River and includes a children's playground and Japanese garden, a gift from Augusta's sister city, Takarazuka. A point of interest is the Jessye Norman Amphitheater, a 1600- seat outdoor performance facility that hosts local, regional, and national performances. Throughout the year, Riverwalk hosts a variety of arts and crafts festivals and events.
http://www.augustaga.org

Downtown Augusta (Richmond)

Augusta 's revitalized downtown offers art, antiques, bars, coffee houses, and restaurants along with traditional downtown businesses. Broad Street has entertainment, restaurants, and shopping. The area is located around 111 Tenth Street and hours vary.
http://www.augustaga.org

J. Strom Thurmond/Clarks Hill Lake (Richmond)

The largest U.S. Army Corp of Engineers lake east of the Mississippi has 1,200 miles of shoreline bordering Georgia and South Carolina . Visitors can enjoy a variety of outdoor and water sports, including camping at Mistletoe State Park and Wildwood State Park (not in Richmond County ). Located about 20 miles north of Augusta on Washington Road , the welcome center of Strom Thurmond Dam offers exhibits about the lake and area history. Savannah Rapids Park (Richmond) Located on the banks of the Savannah River and adjacent to the canal at 3300 Evans to Lock Road, Martinez, this park offers a view of the rapids and an excellent opportunity for canoeing, fishing, and bicycling along a scenic eight-and-a- half mile trail leading to downtown Augusta.
http://www.sas.usace.army.mil

Savannah Rapids Park (Columbia)

Located on the banks of the Savannah River and adjacent to the canal at 3300 Evans to Lock Road , Martinez , this park offers a view of the rapids and an excellent opportunity for canoeing, fishing, and bicycling along a scenic eight-and-a-half mile trail leading to downtown Augusta .
http://www.savannahrapids.com