Historic Athens Welcome Center

Historic Athens Welcome Center Your first stop in Athens, Georgia! Visitor Information for Athens and the entire State. Let us help you make the most of your visit to our Classic City.

Your Destination for History & Hospitality • Built in 1820 • Operated by Historic Athens (501c3) • Georgia Regional Visitor Information Center

https://linktr.ee/historicathenswelcomecenter We are located in the beautifully restored 1820 Federal Period home of two early presidents of the University of Georgia. Daily Heritage Tours and Special Tours by appointment: Music History, African American

History, Museum Mile, and more. Gift Shop featuring works by local artists, hand-crafted gift items, books and publications, local honey and BBQ sauce.

GAM Conference day two has been a busy one! Caitlin started her day with a session focused on navigating staff transitio...
02/06/2025

GAM Conference day two has been a busy one! Caitlin started her day with a session focused on navigating staff transitions at museums, followed by indigenous history and reinterpretation of historic sites before a luncheon with an inspiring keynote from Director of Institutional History and Museum Galleries, Matt Davis. After lunch, she returned to the GCSU Russell Library for a session on collaborative partnerships between museums.

Tomorrow morning, Caitlin will participate in her second GAM Conference panel! This year, she will present alongside industry colleagues Liz Malone and Sandy White in a session entitled “Southern Gothic: Remembering Death as Part of the Whole Story at Historic Sites.”

What would Athens be without its unique, trendsetting and delicious local restaurants? Athens Eats: Past & Present will ...
02/06/2025

What would Athens be without its unique, trendsetting and delicious local restaurants? Athens Eats: Past & Present will take you on a culinary adventure of Athens’ delicious past, present and future! This tour is intended to be a resource for locals and visitors alike who would like to taste the flavors of Athens, reminisce on past establishments, and reflect on the excellent initiatives by many Athens restaurants to preserve historic buildings and operate within them. You can find this and many more self-guided tours at athenswelcomecenter.com/selfguided-tours-of-athens!

Today, Caitlin headed down to historic Milledgeville, Georgia for the 2025 Georgia Association of Museums Conference! Da...
02/05/2025

Today, Caitlin headed down to historic Milledgeville, Georgia for the 2025 Georgia Association of Museums Conference!

Day one started off with learning how to use antiquated measurements found in historic deeds to understand the boundaries of a plat, followed by a session on DIY and low tech exhibits, and finally a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the William P. Wall Museum of Natural History at GCSU.

Now, Caitlin is off to a progressive dinner hosted at three very special sites: GCSU Special Collections, the Old Governor’s Mansion Museum, and Andalusia, home to famed author Flannery O’Connor!

Recognized by many as the best place to grab a slice of artisan pizza in Downtown Athens, Ted’s Most Best offers a large...
02/05/2025

Recognized by many as the best place to grab a slice of artisan pizza in Downtown Athens, Ted’s Most Best offers a large selection of specialty pizzas, sandwiches, pastas, and much more, and they pride themselves on their vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. Located in a renovated tire shop in the West Downtown Historic District, Ted’s provides customers with an electric atmosphere, great food and drink selection and a sandbox for the little ones! The tire shop’s garage doors are still in place and are often open during pleasant weather to provide a hybrid indoor-outdoor dining experience.

You can visit Ted’s Sunday through Thursday from 11:00-9:30 and Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00-10:00. Consider ordering their server Brandon’s favorite menu item, the Edgar Pizza!

Near the Georgia-Tennessee border, in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, you can visit a true marvel… Rock City Gardens! A great...
02/04/2025

Near the Georgia-Tennessee border, in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, you can visit a true marvel… Rock City Gardens! A great destination for a day trip or a weekend getaway, Rock City Gardens is around a 3.5 hour drive from Athens. With its history as a tourist attraction dating back to the Great Depression, and its history as a geological marvel reaching back thousands of years, one can’t help but wonder what impressions it has made on all who have witnessed it over the millennia. You can learn more, and buy tickets, at seerockcity.com!

After starting its life as the Winterville High School, whose last graduating class walked through its doors in 1956, th...
02/03/2025

After starting its life as the Winterville High School, whose last graduating class walked through its doors in 1956, this historic building is now home to the Winterville Cultural Center. On the second floor is a gallery which showcases both a permanent collection and temporary exhibits featuring many different types and styles of art. Recently, an aluminum bas relief sculpture by artist Robert Clements was purchased for the collection to be weatherproofed and installed in front of the building!

Soon, three folk artists will have work on display in the large gallery space and a father/daughter show will be exhibited in the small gallery. Consider attending the opening reception on February 7 from 6:00-8:00! You can also visit during their regular hours, 10:00-4:00 Monday through Thursday and 10:00-2:00 on Fridays.

The self-guided tour of African-American History available on our website covers a wide array of significant sites in At...
01/30/2025

The self-guided tour of African-American History available on our website covers a wide array of significant sites in Athens, including schools, churches, residences and businesses. Learn about the integration of the University of Georgia, the founding of Athens’ first school for Black students, the first Black woman to obtain a dentistry license in Georgia, and more. You can conveniently navigate our selection of self-guided tours right on your smartphone! Visit www.athenswelcomecenter.com/selfguided-tours-of-athens

Just two doors down from Historic Athens headquarters, Birdies is a local gourmet market and deli that provides provisio...
01/29/2025

Just two doors down from Historic Athens headquarters, Birdies is a local gourmet market and deli that provides provisions, coffee, cheese and sandwiches! Shop owner Kirstin’s desire to shop at a local gourmet market turned into a dream to build one. This led to creating a space that sources and stocks the highest quality products to invite both gourmet experts and novices alike, which carries with it a hope to inspire and instill a desire for innovative, inspirational and international cooking and eating experiences.

According to Birdies staff member (and Historic Athens mayoral fellow) Claire, the all-time favorite sandwich among their customers is the hoagie! You can visit Birdies from 7:30-3:00 Monday through Friday, and 8:00-3:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

We are pleased to announce a fifth addition to the panels displayed daily on our back porch, listing the names of the 40...
01/28/2025

We are pleased to announce a fifth addition to the panels displayed daily on our back porch, listing the names of the 40 enslaved Black Athenians and South Carolinians discovered in diary entries written by Dr. Moses Waddel between 1821 and 1831.

Dr. Waddel relocated his family from Willington, SC to Athens, Georgia in 1819, upon accepting the position of President of the University of Georgia. He remained in Athens until February of 1830– living in the house we now call “home” from 1822 onward— when the family returned to Willington for his wife, Eliza, to live out her last days.

During his time in Athens, Dr. Waddel traveled frequently, including many trips to visit friends and attend to personal matters in Willington. Thanks to the detail of his daily diary entries, we have been able to learn a lot about the people whom he enslaved and those who were enslaved by other white planters, educators, doctors and businessmen in his circle.

We are always working to share a more complete history of our institution, and of Athens as a whole. You can learn more about some of the responsibilities and experiences of these enslaved Black Athenians and South Carolinians by visiting https://www.athenswelcomecenter.com/black-athenians/ #2

Around a 30 minute drive from Athens, you can find just about any old thing your little heart desires at Neat Pieces Ant...
01/28/2025

Around a 30 minute drive from Athens, you can find just about any old thing your little heart desires at Neat Pieces Antiques & Heritage Heart Pine! Neat Pieces occupies a row of repurposed historic buildings in the small town of Carlton, Georgia.

Proprietors Jimmy and Peggy Sue, whose names are painted on the side of the buildings as part of a whimsical mural by artist Kip Ramey, have filled the property with everything from books, records and vintage clothes to glassware, furniture, hardware and architectural salvage, and so much more, all collected over the past 20+ years.

Historically, this strip of buildings was home to several businesses– including two banks, a general store, and a skating rink, to name a few– and many of their original features have been preserved. You can visit Neat Pieces Thursday-Sunday from 10:00-5:00!

The Carter-Coile Country Doctors Museum is based inside an 1874 rural doctors office in nearby Winterville, Georgia. Her...
01/27/2025

The Carter-Coile Country Doctors Museum is based inside an 1874 rural doctors office in nearby Winterville, Georgia. Here, Dr. Warren Carter practiced medicine from 1874 until his death in 1908. Twelve years later, Dr. Frank Coile moved his practice into the building. The building became a museum with a focus on rural medicine in 1972, and has since been a place to explore the role that medicine has historically played in rural American communities.

Inside, the collection includes a wide variety of medical artifacts. Outside, a botanical medicine garden has been installed to help tell the story of how certain plants were used medicinally. Museum director and curator Jonathan Scott’s favorite item is a brand new addition coming to the museum soon…an interactive exhibit where visitors can try their hand at putting a tourniquet on a life-sized human leg! You can visit this museum Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00-2:00.

Have you taken the Cobbham Century Homes Walking Tour with Jacob Richardson? The Cobbham neighborhood, a locally designa...
01/23/2025

Have you taken the Cobbham Century Homes Walking Tour with Jacob Richardson? The Cobbham neighborhood, a locally designated historic district, pre-dates the Civil War and contains a variety of architectural types and styles to admire as you stroll along the tour route. This tour is available to book on weekdays at 10:30. Visit our website to book your tour!

Good morning! We will be opening at 1:00pm today, January 23, to give the temperature time to rise above freezing and th...
01/23/2025

Good morning! We will be opening at 1:00pm today, January 23, to give the temperature time to rise above freezing and the remaining icy patches on roads and bridges a chance to thaw.

If you’re nearby, consider dropping in for a tour of the house museum or to learn more about what the Classic City (and, the state of Georgia) has to offer!

Good evening! We will be opening at 1:00 tomorrow to give the temperatures time to get above freezing and, hopefully, th...
01/22/2025

Good evening! We will be opening at 1:00 tomorrow to give the temperatures time to get above freezing and, hopefully, thaw the remaining patches of ice on roads and bridges. See you then!

The Athens Beer Trail has gone digital! As of today, Visit Athens is introducing a new beer trail experience. Participan...
01/22/2025

The Athens Beer Trail has gone digital! As of today, Visit Athens is introducing a new beer trail experience. Participants can now scan a QR code at each brewery to earn points! Once all breweries have been visited, points can be used to redeem either a classic Athens Beer Trail pint glass in-person at the Historic Athens Welcome Center, or online for a comfy tee shirt.

Did you know that the building housing The Globe started out as a laundromat? Rumor has it that a tunnel still exists un...
01/22/2025

Did you know that the building housing The Globe started out as a laundromat? Rumor has it that a tunnel still exists underground that allowed staff at the neighboring Holman Hotel to carry laundry across the street!

Today, guests can enjoy a variety of delicious menu items in a cozy space that was awarded by Historic Athens in 2023 for Outstanding Revitalization. Grab lunch or dinner at The Globe sometime soon, and try the Globe Chips while you’re at it!

📸: Lotta Milde

While we are closed for in-person visitation, you can still reach us via email at info@athenswelcomecenter.com!
01/21/2025

While we are closed for in-person visitation, you can still reach us via email at [email protected]!

Here we go again! We will be closing at noon today due to the incoming weather system. There will be an update on tomorr...
01/21/2025

Here we go again! We will be closing at noon today due to the incoming weather system. There will be an update on tomorrow’s hours of operation in the morning. Stay warm!

Address

280 E Dougherty Street
Athens, GA
30601

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

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Videos

Loom Craft Kit Instructional Video
Loom Craft Kit Instructional Video

Please enjoy this helpful instructional video to walk you through the process of using the cardstock loom craft kit!

Sundial Craft Kit Instructional Video
Sundial Craft Kit Instructional Video

Please enjoy this helpful instructional video to walk you through the process of using the sundial craft kit!

Daffodil Craft Kit Instructional Video
Daffodil Craft Kit Instructional Video

Please enjoy this helpful instructional video to walk you through the process of using the paper daffodil craft kit!

Good afternoon! We apologize for the delay. Thank you for your patience. Please enjoy this informative video presentation about early nineteenth century death and mourning customs.

Arts & Architecture: Faux Bois with Sabrinna Cox
Arts & Architecture: Faux Bois with Sabrinna Cox

Learn about the architecture of the Church-Waddel-Brumby House with SCAD Professor of Preservation Design , Sabrinna Cox.

Arts & Architecture: Federal Architecture with Lisa Gardiner.
Arts & Architecture: Federal Architecture with Lisa Gardiner.

Learn about the architecture of the Church-Waddel-Brumby House with architectural historian Lisa Gardiner.

Arts & Architecture: Woven Floor Coverings with Rabbit Good
Arts & Architecture: Woven Floor Coverings with Rabbit Good

Learn about woven floor coverings with master weaver Rabbit Goody of Thistle Hill Weavers. Rabbit wove the carpets installed in the Church-Waddel-Brumby House

Historic Wallpapers with Steve Larson
Historic Wallpapers with Steve Larson

Learn about historic wallpapers with Steve Larson, co-owner of Adelphi Paper Hangings. Adelphi created the wallpapers installed in the Church-Waddel-Brumby House

Each Monday over the past six weeks, Caitlin has visited a different section on the north side of the river at Oconee Hill Cemetery to create a series of Instagram reels about gravestone symbolism. Now that the series is complete, we wanted to share with all of you here on Facebook throughout this week! Today’s video covers symbolism found along River Road. The descriptions are all based upon Caitlin’s online research. As there are several ways that symbols and combinations of symbols can be interpreted, this “Crash Course in Gravestone Symbolism” covers many but likely not all of their meanings.

Each Monday over the past six weeks, Caitlin has visited a different section on the north side of the river at Oconee Hill Cemetery to create a series of Instagram reels about gravestone symbolism. Now that the series is complete, we wanted to share with all of you here on Facebook throughout this week! Today’s video covers symbolism found in the Congregation Children of Israel burial ground. The descriptions are all based upon Caitlin’s online research. As there are several ways that symbols and combinations of symbols can be interpreted, this “Crash Course in Gravestone Symbolism” covers many but likely not all of their meanings.

Each Monday over the past six weeks, Caitlin has visited a different section on the north side of the river at Oconee Hill Cemetery to create a series of Instagram reels about gravestone symbolism. Now that the series is complete, we wanted to share with all of you here on Facebook throughout this week! Today’s video covers symbolism found on the West Hill. The descriptions are all based upon Caitlin’s online research. As there are several ways that symbols and combinations of symbols can be interpreted, this “Crash Course in Gravestone Symbolism” covers many but likely not all of their meanings.

Please enjoy this short video on the topic of grave houses with your host Caitlin Short!

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