Plains, Georgia brings back memories of an idyllic Southern childhood with family gathered on the front porch and the smell of Sunday dinner from the stove. By those standards the 39th president of the United States had that charmed childhood. The Jimmy Carter National Historic Park has preserved Carter’s story from his life growing up on a farm just outside of downtown Plains to his rise to the White House. You don’t have to love politics or history to fall in love with the story of our oldest living president.
Jimmy Carter’s boyhood home
This was our first stop when visiting Plains, Georgia. The Carter family moved into the white frame house on Old Plains Highway in 1928 when Jimmy Carter was four years old. The Carter family lived there until 1949. The house and 17 acres were purchased in 1994 by the National Park Service, which restored the home to resemble how it looked in the 1930s, before electricity was available in the area.
Visitors enter through the back of the property and encounter chickens and goats. Oh, and there’s an outhouse, too– I don’t think it’s operational. You go around the property to a welcoming front porch with two white rockers and a porch swing.
The living room has an old piano and a fireplace. Walking down the long hallway you will see beds neatly made, including one designated as the room of the future president. In Jimmy’s room you will see a small bookcase. His mother, Lillian, encouraged her children to read.
The dining room table off to the kitchen is set with replicas of Southern favorites–ham, fried chicken, deviled eggs and sweet tea. And like many Southern spreads, the table is so full a separate table was set aside just for desserts like pecan pie.
But the house also reflects some of the hardships of life before electricity and washing machines made everyday tasks easier. Old fashioned washboards are found at the back of the home. A well where water was drawn is just a few feet from the porch.
A short walk from the house is a windmill. You will also find a stable, corn grinder and other items that show what farm living was like in the 1930s.
The Carters’ former high school
The National Park Service turned the former Plains High School into a museum that chronicles the Carters’ lives. Jimmy and Rosalynn both attended the school and graduated three years apart.
Not only does the school tell the Carters’ story, it takes you on a journey through time, beginning with a “classroom” much like the one the Carters would have attended as elementary school children. Rosalyn was “at the top of our class,” making all “A’s” and graduating as valedictorian in 1944. It was in this school in Plains, Georgia that Mrs. Carter first dreamed of traveling the world.
Have you ever wondered what it is like to sit behind the President’s desk? The museum also includes a model of the Oval Office.
A large portion of the museum is dedicated to the work the Carters did after they left the White House. In 2002, Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The campaign headquarters
Jimmy Carter didn’t announce his presidential campaign from a fancy ballroom in a big-city hotel. He chose to announce it from the depot in downtown Plains. The depot has been renovated by the National Park Service. Included is memorabilia with slogans well known during the Carter campaign–”The Grin Will Win” and “Welcome to Carter Country.”
A 70’s era television set plays some of the highlights of Carter’s campaign.
Plains, Georgia’s cute downtown
You can’t leave plans without spending some time in the downtown area where Carter grew up and still frequents today. A welcome banner is above the old Carter Peanut Warehouse where Carter’s father, Earl, ran several businesses. And you can’t visit Plains without tasting some of its famous crop. You’ll find plenty of peanut-inspired snacks and souvenirs in Plain Peanuts. You have to get a peanut butter ice cream cone and taste some of the fudge.
And before you leave the store, make sure you have your picture made at the “I Went Nuts in Plains Georgia” sign. Not only did I go nuts, I got a tote bag to prove it.
The Plains Historic Inn and Antique Mall is in a 100-year-old building that was previously used as a furniture store, funeral home and mercantile company. The mall features the usual vintage items you see in most antique stores. But look closely for some unique items you won’t find anywhere else. Some of it is campaign memorabilia. But you will find some pretty cool items like this one–the Happy Mouth Bottle Opener.
The Carters have added some personal touches to the rooms at the inn, according to its website. We plan on staying there if we return to the area. Check out the unique rooms on the inn’s website.
Carter’s brother, Billy, became a public figure himself during Carter’s campaign and his presidency. He promoted “Billy Beer” and tried to jumpstart a political career of his own with an unsuccessful run for Plains mayor. The gas station that Billy owned for much of the 70’s has been turned into a museum and is across the tracks from downtown.
If you get hungry, the Buffalo Cafe is right in the middle of downtown in an old bank building. The restaurant serves sandwiches, salads and other items but we were told to try their hamburgers. We understood why at first bite. The meat was so fresh and the condiments were perfectly added. We added a side of potato tots, or “tater” tots as we say in the South.
Want to know more about Jimmy Carter?
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum is located in Atlanta, about three hours north of Plains. The library is home to some of the records accumulated during Carter’s presidency. The Carter Center, the former president’s non-profit human rights organization, is also located on the site.
Other thoughts on Plains, Georgia
The Plains Trading Post was not open on when we visited. All of the sites in Plains are free to visit. We also hope to visit the Historic SAM Shortline Railroad. It runs mostly on the weekend and stops at the historic Plains Depot.
We visited through the week and found plenty of parking. Plains, Ga. is just a short drive from the Sumter County seat, Americus. The Windsor Hotel in the city’s downtown is another historical place to stay during your visit. Several celebrities and dignitaries have stayed at the hotel. The hotel named the Carter Presidential Suite after the former first couple. We didn’t stay in the
One last piece of advice–we went to Plains in July and it was hot. If you are averse to heat, you may want to visit in the fall, winter or spring.
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