Cultural history and nature experiences shape the way visitors see Clarke County. One notable historic landmark is the Morton Theatre: Monroe Bowers, known as “Pink” Morton, had it built in 1910. It is one of the first and the oldest surviving vaudeville theaters in the United States built, owned, and operated by an African American. The fully restored theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was converted into a performing arts venue in 1993.
Houses and Stories Spanning Centuries
Historic homes also offer glimpses into different chapters of the past. The Church-Waddel-Brumby House is Athens’ oldest surviving residence. The house, dating to around 1820, is home to the Historic Athens Welcome Center. Guided tours offered there last about 90 minutes; check when they take place before your visit. The Ware-Lyndon Historic House, dating to around 1850, houses decorative arts. It also features the exhibition and film “Resilient Civic and Musical Life: Ware-Lyndon House Enslaved and Descendant Stories.”
Another perspective on history takes you to Whitehall House in southeastern Clarke County. It was the site of Clarke’s first major water-powered mill, established in 1830 to process cotton from nearby plantations. A total of 52 sites in Clarke County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The variety of places and themes gives the area’s heritage more depth than a single era could.
Art, Theater, and Campus History
For contemporary art, exhibitions rotate at the Lyndon House Arts Center, which also offers art classes. Athens Creative Theatre presents several productions each year, including comedies, dramas, and musicals, and offers theater classes for children, teens, and adults. The permanent collection at the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia includes more than 18,000 works of art.
A campus tour can also be tailored to your interests: the UGA Visitors Center’s two-part tour combines a 15-minute drive through South Campus and West Campus with 45 minutes on foot through historic North Campus. The free tours are led by student tour guides. Reservations are required for the full guided tour.
Gardens and Trails Through the Landscape
At the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, five miles of trails wind through natural areas and native plant communities of the Piedmont. The Heritage Garden adds a history of Georgia agriculture to the natural scenery, from colonial-era pioneer gardens to the sprawling farms of the 20th century. The Sandy Creek Nature Center encompasses 225 acres of forests and wetlands, along with more than four miles of trails, including an accessible interpretive trail. Its Education and Visitor Center features live reptiles and amphibians, saltwater and freshwater aquariums, and interactive natural history exhibits.
Sandy Creek Park offers more than 14 miles of trails through easy to moderate terrain for hikers, walkers, and horseback riders. The Buckeye Horse Trail is a 4.2-mile out-and-back trail for hiking and horseback riding. The park is also home to the only beach in Athens-Clarke County; an area of more than half an acre is designated for wading and swimming.
For another way to think of trails—as connections between places—there are two more options: more than three miles of the Firefly Trail run through Athens-Clarke County. The trail begins in downtown Athens at the original terminus of the Athens Branch of the Georgia Railroad and provides pedestrians and cyclists with routes away from immediate motor vehicle traffic. The North Oconee River Greenway Trail runs from the Sandy Creek Nature Center through Dudley Park and is open to pedestrians, cyclists, and other non-motorized users.
Garden Worlds and Wildlife Watching
The accessible Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden covers 2.5 acres. Its interactive areas include a chestnut treehouse, a fossil wall, large water-spraying mushrooms, a vegetable garden, and a replica of a North Georgia cave. The Sweet Pea Club program is for families with children ages three to six, with songs, puppet shows, stories, walks, activities, or games. The Garden Gnomes program is a free five-to-ten-minute activity offered several times a week by garden staff and volunteers.
Bear Hollow Zoo is home to native wildlife that cannot be released into the wild and serve as ambassadors for their species. The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; check opening hours before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Athens, Richmond, Wayne County, Stephens County, Colquitt County, Floyd, Walton, Franklin County.
For the main travel overview: Georgia.
