Andersonville Civil War Site?

[Farrar]

Has anyone been?

 

We're visiting family in Georgia and I'm probably going to take the kids there for a side field trip as it's very close and we're studying the Civil War right now. I just wanted to make sure it's not too intense for my kids. I've seen pictures of survivors from the end of the Civil War who look pretty much identical to Nazi concentration camp survivors.

 

I don't shy away from hard topics with them and we've certainly talked about a number of difficult things in history. When we went to South Africa, we went to a number of sites dealing with Apartheid, for example. But one of my ds is kind of sensitive, so I just wanted to know any warnings - like do go to this part, but not this other one - or avoid a particular exhibit in the museum. It was hard for me to get a feel from the NPS website if it was just going to be a persevered place and a lot of text (good) or lots of graphic images on the walls everyone (not so good).

 

Thanks!

[Stayseeliz]

We went with family members for a visit there when my kids were 5 and 3. Of course they didn't understand most of it but they did get some from it. It was powerful and very interesting. I think you could shield them from some of it if you wanted to. It's intense at some points but very important historically. We'll be taking the kids back in the spring since we're studying the Civil War this year. Mine will be 11, 9, 5 and 2 at that point. It's a very very interesting site.

[Farrar]

Thanks! Yeah, since we'll only be about half an hour away, it seems like we should definitely go. Also, it's not like there's a ton to do in central Georgia (no offense to central Georgia) so I'm always trying to find something different for us to see when we come each year.

[EmilyK]

We went when my kids were 9 and 12, I think. It was not upsetting to them, but of course YMMV. They are very interested in military history. As I remember, they had a really good ranger tour and perhaps a movie. Part of the complex (if you can call it that) is something like the national POW museum, so there's more there than just Civil War history.

 

ETA: Not sure which direction you will be staying, but we combined it with a trip to Ocmulgee NM. http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/cultural_diversity/Ocmulgee_National_Monument.html#plan

We stayed in Americus and one regret is that we didn't push on to Plains to see the Jimmy Carter site. http://www.nps.gov/jica/index.htm

Edited July 25, 2012 by EmilyK

[ereks mom]

Thanks! Yeah, since we'll only be about half an hour away, it seems like we should definitely go. Also, it's not like there's a ton to do in central Georgia (no offense to central Georgia) so I'm always trying to find something different for us to see when we come each year.

 

I'm in central Georgia, and you're right that there's not a lot of touristy stuff. I can recommend a visit to Milledgeville, the Antebellum Capital of Georgia. A tour of the lovely Old Governor's Mansion (recently restored at a cost of $5 million) is very interesting, as is a visit to the Old Statehouse (also recently restored) and museum, and also Lockerly Hall. Most, if not all, of these places are featured in the Trolley Tour, which, IMO is a MUST! You will see the beautiful architecture of the old homes in the historic district and hear all the fascinating stories (including ghost stories!), and you will see the church in which General Sherman quartered his horses and his troops poured molasses down the pipes of the organ.

[Farrar]

Ooh, more Mississipian Mounds! Yeah, I should have asked for ideas for that too. My family is in Cordele, so we've done the train trip to Plains, and have driven down to the "animal park" all the way in Albany and one time we did a very long day excursion to Okefenokee where I canoed the kids among the gators. I've been to Milledgeville, but not in ages... I don't think I realized it had much... that's a thought.

 

Thanks, guys!

[EmilyK]

I'm in central Georgia, and you're right that there's not a lot of touristy stuff. I can recommend a visit to Milledgeville, the Antebellum Capital of Georgia. A tour of the lovely Old Governor's Mansion (recently restored at a cost of $5 million) is very interesting, as is a visit to the Old Statehouse (also recently restored) and museum, and also Lockerly Hall. Most, if not all, of these places are featured in the Trolley Tour, which, IMO is a MUST! You will see the beautiful architecture of the old homes in the historic district and hear all the fascinating stories (including ghost stories!), and you will see the church in which General Sherman quartered his horses and his troops poured molasses down the pipes of the organ.

 

I'm not the OP, but this is great to know. We have done the Governor's Mansion and the Statehouse, but I didn't know about the Trolley Tour. We'll have to plan a return trip. We loved what we saw before.

[ereks mom]

I'm not the OP, but this is great to know. We have done the Governor's Mansion and the Statehouse, but I didn't know about the Trolley Tour. We'll have to plan a return trip. We loved what we saw before.

 

Here's some info about the Trolley Tour. And if you're a Flannery O'Connor fan, Milledgeville was her home, and her farm, Andalusia (where she did much of her writing and cared for her flock of peafowl), is located outside of town on US 441N. It's open for tours also.