McDuffie County offers different ways to explore its history: Wrightsboro represents the early Quaker settlement, Hickory Hill is a home with a distinctive family history, and the McDuffie Museum tells the story of the past of Thomson and the county. Art, an annual experience in the countryside, and activities related to nature and agriculture add to this picture. Exploring the area lets visitors discover a range of stories and interests.
From Wrightsboro to Hickory Hill
The history of McDuffie County dates back to the settlement of Wrightsboro, founded in 1768. It is considered the southernmost point of Quaker migration in North America. Historic Wrightsboro preserves the old Wrightsboro Church and cemetery, both built around 1810. The settlement’s founding year and the buildings that appeared about two generations later offer different points of reference in time: first the settlement, then the surviving landmarks.
Another historical trail leads to Hickory Hill. Thomas E. Watson bought the house in 1900, named it “Hickory Hill,” and moved in in 1904. The nearly 270-acre estate includes an arboretum with paths through beech and oak alleys and an orchard. The history of the house and the designed landscape sit side by side here: the alleys and orchard are just as much a part of the estate as the historic house.
Near Thomson, the “The Birthplace of George McDuffie” historical marker commemorates George McDuffie’s rise to become a member of Congress, senator, and governor of South Carolina. It offers another point of historical reference, this time focused on a political career and its milestones.
Museum, Gallery, and Public Art
The McDuffie Museum is dedicated to the history of Thomson and McDuffie County. Exhibits cover topics including Indigenous tribes, the Wrightsboro Quaker colony, and residents who played an important role in the history of the United States. The museum’s scope ranges from settlement and regional communities to people whose significance extends beyond county lines.
In Thomson, the MAC on Main Art Gallery and Studio showcases local and regional art. The gallery and studio are located in a restored building in the city center. McTell’s 12-String Strut offers another way to experience art: this public art project features several hand-painted, seven-foot-tall replicas of Stella guitars, designed by local visual artists. The gallery and project have different focuses—artworks in a restored gallery and studio setting on the one hand, and large painted guitars as public art on the other.
Landscape and Activities
The Clarks Hill Wildlife Management Area–East extends across McDuffie, Wilkes, and Lincoln counties and borders the Little River arm of Clarks Hill Lake. Its setting connects woodland and water across county lines. It is important to note that the area is not limited to McDuffie County, but also extends into two other counties.
The McDuffie Environmental Education Center offers fishing events for children at a stocked pond by request. Instruction, fishing rods, and bait are included. This is a specific option for interested families, with a clear format: it is intended for children and arranged by request.
Agriculture is another way to discover the area. During tours, Hillcrest Farms showcases its technology, sustainable practices, environmental management practices, and cows. White Hills Farm grows lavender, other herbs, and flowers, harvests and dries them, and makes them into handmade products such as teas, sachets, and bath products. Private events and tours there are available by appointment.
For visitors looking for activity and an annual event, there are two more options: Sweetwater Park has an 18-hole disc golf course. At the Belle Meade Hunt Opening Meet on the first Saturday in November, a ride through the McDuffie County countryside in a tally-ho wagon is part of a simulated fox hunt. If you want to include the event in your travel plans, check the current event dates.
Discover more destinations: Thomson, Clarke County, Spalding, Richmond, Bleckley County, Terrell County, Fannin County, Chatham.
For the main travel overview: Georgia.
