Downtown Eatonton Georgia- Close to everything, Next to perfect!
I went traveling around the streets of downtown Eatonton Georgia yesterday looking at the homes for sale and recalling such happy childhood memories of the years that I lived downtown. I lived on Sunnydale Drive right across the street from a store. Lots of other children lived in my neighborhood. In second grade I was the "infector" who gave all the other kids in the neighborhood chicken pox. One of my favorite things about living there was waiting at the bus stop in the mornings for the school bus. I'd always take a bit of my allowance and buy some penny candy and tuck that little brown bag into my book satchel for after lunch.
I also went by and photographed my old Grammar school. I credit my third grade teacher, Mrs. Dickey, with my love of books, reading and really just the love of learning in general. She was a wonderful teacher and at the end 
of every school day left a little bit of time for reading to her class. She read us the Pippi Longstocking books and they are still among my favorite. When new schools were built years ago I was saddened by the building sitting empty and unused. After all not only was it my Grammar school, but my mom's as well. And while not my daughter's grammar school she did attend her pre-k year there for three generations of my family went to school in this building.
A few short years ago I was so happy to learn a community group was "taking on the Grammar school". It's now known as"The Plaza" and houses a museum, the theater has been restored, and also the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce are there. In the spring and summer months the front lawn is filled with weekend activities. Plays and concerts fill the theater regularly now. I find it so comforting that my Grammar school is filled with fun, laughter and even learning again.
There are a few antebellum homes on the market in downtown. Some built as early as 1900 but with complete renovations making the old new again without giving up our southern style. The downtown area also has some really wonderful shops and restaurants now. And recently some really cool art was put along the downtown sidewalks.
Eatonton Georgia was the home of two very famous authors: Joel Chandler Harris (The Uncle Remus) stories and Alice Walker (The Color Purple). The Uncle Remus museum is just a few blocks from the court house and also has a wonderful park with picnic tables, a lovely flower garden and the shelter for the old Eatonton well. My first job as well as my daughter's was working as a docent at the Uncle Remus Museum. It's a "must stop" if you are every close to Eatonton. I recently took my grandsons for a visit and got them each their first book telling the Uncle Remus tales about the critters. There are also some cool critter carvings outside now as well.
On the first Saturday of June each year we celebrate the dairy industry in our neck of the woods with an annual "Dairy Festival". There will be road races, a parade, crafts, and some of the best bar-be-que you ever tasted along with out street fare. Get downtown early that morning as the roads to and from town are closed right around parade time at 10 a.m. There's also always some good speakers and great entertainment on the court house lawn in the afternoon. The Plaza usually has some great entertainment that evening as well.
Eatonton is a small quiet town located in the heart of central Georgia. It's just 20 minutes south of I-20, 30 minutes north of I-16 and I-75 and just over an hour from Atlanta. Thus close to everything, next to perfect is our town motto. Having grown up here and raised my own family here and now my daughter's family lives here too. I can personally attest to the benefits of small town living and would be happy to help you find your next home in downtown Eatonton, just give me a call.
Comments(6)