Jimmy Carter National Historic Site

After leaving Andersonville on June 19th, my second destination was to Plains, Georgia about 20 minutes down the road to see the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site.

The Visitor Center is located at the old Plains High School building.  Plains, GA is a very rural town.  And, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter still live there today!  There's was a sweet love story.  He even teaches Sunday School in the Maranatha Baptist Church just behind the High School Visitor Center.  His 2018 teaching schedule is here if you want to drop in on a service that happens every other Sunday.

Downtown is just beyond this sign.  See the red, white and blue banner in the distance?
That was the Carter family store building and the HQ for Jimmy Carters Presidential campaign!
They sell THE BEST peanut butter ice cream on the planet!
The Carters were just in the shop a few days before I was there...

Green on left - Boyhood Home
Green in Center - Current Carter Compound
Green on Right - Plains HS Visitor Center
Depot - Location of Carters Presidential HQ
Blue - Carter Store w/ Peanut Butter Ice Cream

The old Plains High School has been turned into the visitor center with classrooms restores and a wonderful display leading from room to room.  The entire first floor of classrooms has become a lasting tribute to Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.

Along the walls of the school are quotes from his teacher, Miss Julia Coleman.  Many of these tenants, Jimmy Carter lived by.  The quote below impressed Jimmy Carter as a youth, "Students, Always do your best - Someday one of your may grow up to become President."  Little did she know that would become reality.

There is also a very nice bookstore just through the doors where the photos above are.

The first two photos are of the principal's office.

Next is Miss Julia's 7th grade English classroom.  It was in Julia Coleman's classroom that Jimmy Carter felt that he was someone special and could make a difference in the world.  He later learned that Miss Julia was such a great teacher that she inspired not only him but all the children that came through her doors.

Next is the school assembly room.

The next set of photos are of a large exhibit in three classrooms showing Jimmy as a boy as well as he and Rosalynn's life together.  From 1943-46, Jimmy Carter attended the US Naval Academy and married Rosalynn in 1946, his childhood sweetheart.  Jimmy Carter was in the military until his father passed away in 1953.  He resigned from the Navy and returned to Plains to run the family farm and business.  From 1963-66 Jimmy Carter was a Georgia Senator.  1971-75, he was the Governor of Georgia on a second run.  1977-81, Jimmy Carter is the 39th President of the United States.  1981-today he lives in Plains just a half mile on the same street as the family store.

Before I left I left the high school, there were a few more exhibits along the corridors of the school halls.

Jimmy Carter also liked to paint and a couple of his painting are on display.

There is also a reproduction of his presidential desk and his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize.

Next, I headed out to the boyhood farm and passed the Carter complex there on Church Street just down the street from the store where the Carter's still live to this day.  It's heavily guarded, as you would expect.  They live on the corner of Church Street and Woodland Drive.  I took these photos from the truck when I slowed nearly to a stop on the street since no one was behind me.

About a mile away is the boyhood home of Jimmy Carter on Old Plains Highway.  First, let's start at the small Visitor Center area that also had a small bathroom attached.  There is even places there for an RV.   It's a great place to visit, as well.  Bedrooms on the right and kitchen and living on the left.  It was a very small home, but the nice thing is that you can come and go in the house as it's a self-guided tour.

As you can see by the map, you tour the home via the back door first and then wind you way over to the barn and gardens and then back to the parking area.  I'm going to take you through the house via the front door instead of the back door, though.

Walking toward the back of the house

You can see part of the garden to the left

A billy goat in a tree was eyeing me

The outhouse

Hen house off the back of the house

Now, let's proceed through the front door.  Jimmy Carter was 4 years old when the family moved to this home.

Hall leading all the way to the back door

Gloria and Ruth's Bedroom was across from the Living Room

Jimmy's room was the last bedroom at the back of the house.

The phone across from Jimmy's bedroom

Back porch

Back Porch

Backdoor

From here (now we're in the front of the house because I did the photos from front to back), I turned left and headed over to the farm part of the property, but not before seeing the tennis court!

Now to the farm.  This next building was the first Carter store.  The weather vane was bought from a Sears catalog.

And, finally, the garden, blacksmith shed and the barn.  There were volunteers out today cleaning up the property.  They have many volunteers who come to help - many teenagers.

It was a gorgeous farm and the property was just right - not too much and not too little - a perfect hobby farm.  Unfortunately, the bugs were out in full force...they would attack you as you walked so I made quick work of taking photos and getting back into my protected car.

Next, I wanted to go down the little business part of Plains and get myself a peanut butter ice cream.  I had heard from the first visitor center hostess that it was worth the visit, so I drove back past the Carter Complex and parked outside the store.  When, I entered, it looked like an old-fashioned mom & pop shop with lots of tourist food for sale.

This was the entire downtown - 5 or 6 buildings

The old Carter Store in Plains

The ice-cream was all the way down where the T-shirts were hanging.

The depot was where Jimmy Carter's Presidential Headquarters were located.  This was just across from the store and down 1/2 block.

Photo via JimmyCarterInfo.com

I had a great time here.  I think it would be very interesting to kids...visit the high school, small farm and HQ and then an ice-cream.  What kid wouldn't like it?  The site has a Junior Ranger program associated with it and I bet it would be a lot of fun doing this one.  I'd give the experience 2-thumbs up.  It was fun and informative.  You can't get lost in Plains because it only about 1/4 square mile and just a few small streets.  It was just a great place.