|
|
| North Georgia The Lillian Smith Center
In the small town of Clayton, Georgia, there's a site you don't want to miss. The Lillian Smith Center is a remote historic site about a mile or two east of Clayton on Route 76. The narrow gravel road snakes about a mile and a half up the mountian to the place where author Lillian Smith directed a girl's camp. Some of the buildings were destroyed by arson in 1955, and the fireplace chimney marking Miss Smith's gravesite stands alone on the hill, a stark reminder of the stand, Miss Smith took against racial injustice, during her life. See my photos taken April 18, 2009. Not generally, open to the public, the center is a summer retreat for artists who need peace and quiet. Applications for residence are available on the foundations website. The Foxfire Museum and Heritage Center
About a mile west of Clayton in the tiny community of Mountain City, GA, visit the Foxfire Museum. The self guided tour of the Appalachian community costs $6 per adult. The village has a mixture of authentic and replicated cabins including, a hog scalder, a wagon shed, blacksmith shop, mule barn, and more. Don't miss the nature trail leading to The Chapel and gristmill. The project is educational for children and adults interested in the life of their pioneer ancestors. The series of Foxfire books are available for sale in the souvenir portion of the gatehouse. Good Eats
If you're travelling through Dillard, GA, look for The Dillard House, when it's time to eat. We stopped for dinner on our way back from Foxfire and The Lillian Smith Center and enjoyed a feast. The meal is served family style. We had more than a dozen bowls around our table. For about $20 per adult, here's what we enjoyed: Chicken two ways -- roasted and fried, country ham, country steak, a basket of bread -- cornbread, biscuits, and rolls, fried potatoes, fried okra, acorn squash souffle, cabbage casserole, coleslaw, calico salad, vidalia onion relish, strawberry jam, corn on the cob, green beans, collard greens, followed by blackberry cobbler with a dollop of ice cream. OMG. This was a table full. Here's a hint. Don't go there hungry. Go there starved. This is an all-you-can-eat dining experience. There are no menu choices. You try the entire slate and reorder your favorites. The main dining room has a spectacular view of the North Georgia mountains. Drinks cost extra. But, this is one meal you don't want to miss. If being full makes you tired and sleepy, book a room or a cottage and spend the night. Relax at the pool, enjoy the whirlpool, or check out the stables. Sleep good and wake up to enjoy a hearty Southern breakfast as extensive as the lunch listed above. Mmm Mmm. | |
|