Historic Homesites in Oconee County

North Georgia Tours has a new project. I am currently researching, investigating and mapping historic homesites in Oconee County Georgia. I am reaching out to anyone who might have information regarding any historical sites. Please contact me through the North Georgia Tours website or phone number. This is very exciting stuff! More later!

A Ghost Visitor at the jail?

Sunday night March 14th was a really interesting ghost walk. I had a private tour for a couple of ghost enthusiasts and we may have had a ghostly intervention.
I always walk people down to the old jail to talk about an awful lynching that happened in 1905 and end there with a ghost story straight from the mouth of the person that witnessed it. In the story there is a ghost that knocks repeatedly on the wall. Wellll....right when I start talking about the knocking sure enough we hear clear knocking coming from the gutter and it didn't happen just once but three times. We investigated but couldn't figure it out. There was some noise coming from the plumbing but it was very different. Now I don't know what it was but it certainly made us go hhmmmm. See you on the tour!

Historic Preservation at the City Cemetery

Well DAR did it again with the help of my husband and Dory Brown's husband Steve. Not to mention a lot of power tools! We were able to clear a large section of Privet, small trees and briar's. Did I mention briar's. Jason and I are covered in scratches. Even I may add on my face. Laurie was on fire ant duty and Dana, our esteemed president, and Mary Ann were scrubbing old gravestones. Jason brought the water tank on the back of his gigantic army truck, called a Deuce, I think. This allowed them to pump water to the stones for cleaning.
We are really making progress but this is literally going to take a year or more. It is a much bigger cemetery than people realize.
We also uncovered 3 new grave stones which is always fun. It is almost like they call to you. Over here, over here, me next, me next. What fun! Till next time.

Watkinsville Ghost Tours

The Ghost Walks are about to get back into gear. After a long, cold and wet winter the ghosts are once againg starting to stalk the shadows of downtown Watkinsville. I hear them call our name to come out and visit with them. I swear they like the company and attention. We now have the opportunity to tour the Eagle Tavern in the evenings. The only catch is that there is a $2 donation required in order to go inside. This is in addition to the $10 fee for the ghost tour. the $2 goes directly in the donation jar inside and helps to maintain the preservation of this historic treasure. Oh and please don't forget to sign the guest register. Signing the guest register helps the county secure operating funds for the Tavern.
I know you are wondering if I have had any experiences inside the Eagle and the answer to that question is yes. If you want to hear the story or have an experience of your own I guess you will have to get brave and come along!!!

Historic Cemetery Tour

The first Historic Watkinsville Cemetery Tour is March 21st at 2:30. I have put an enormous amount of time and effort into this tour. It seems the more research I do the more I have to learn. Watkinsville has such a long and fascinating history. I only hope that I can do it justice. I can imagine that as time goes on the tour will get better and better not only from research but from all of the wonderful things that people tell me. I love it when people share their stories and insights. I even hope they correct me if I make a mistake and I am positive that I will make a few.

The tour will start at the Eagle Tavern because in order to get a real feel for the Watkinsville Cemetery you just have to start in this spot. The Tavern was built in the late 1700's and and continued to operate until the early 1900's. Several of the Eagle Tavern's proprietors are buried in the Cemetery. The old stage coach road pulled up to the Tavern and then journeyed down Mulberry Street and past the Watkinsville Cemetery.

I sincerely hope that people are interested in learning about their community. We are so fortunate to live in such an interesting and historic area. I will be posting the results of the first tour very soon.