GET OUT OF TOWN
Mountains � Beaches � Daytrips
Panoramic Pine Mountain Outdoor fun, historic sites, and Callaway Gardens make for a perfect weekend getaway
The view from Dowdle’s Knob at FDR State Park (Photos courtesy Explore Georgia)
By Collin Kelley
The town of Warm Springs (warmspringsga.com) takes its name from the nearby springs – 88 degrees Fahrenheit and full of minerals – that edge Pine Mountain. Creek and Iroquois Indians used the springs to heal their sick and wounded, and in 1832, David Rose built the area’s first resort around them. The town’s original name was Bullochville, and today, tight alleys lead visitors to Old Bullochville, a reconstructed homage to Warm Spring’s past, found behind Bulloch House and the many shops on Broad Street.
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gar, and lake sturgeon. It’s also used to recover species that are listed under the Endangered Species Act and restore freshwater fish habitats. The hatchery includes a public aquarium and visitors’ area with walkways amid a beautiful, natural environment. Looking for a place to stay? Hotel Warm Springs (hotelwarmspringsbb.com) in downtown was built in 1907 but has retained its historic charm with the addition of modern conveniences like wi-fi, plus a full southern breakfast in the third-floor dining room. And if you’re still hungry, the famed Bulloch House Restaurant (bullochhouse. com) on Broad Street serves up Southern food like your grandma used to make. Hotel Warm Springs
A mountain getaway usually means heading to North Georgia, but why not head south instead? Pine Mountain and nearby attractions like Callaway Gardens, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Little White House, the historic towns of Warm Springs and Manchester are perfect for a weekend away from the city. Located about 80 miles south of Atlanta, Pine Mountain is both scenic and activity-filled whether you’re an outdoor or history enthusiast. There’s also plenty in the way of accommodations, from resorts to campgrounds.
Warm Springs
A waterfall at FDR State Park.
Warm Springs gained national recognition in 1924 when President Roosevelt visited the area to treat his polio-related paralysis. The springs are no longer open for public use, but they are used therapeutically by the Roosevelt Warm Springs Institute for Rehabilitation, founded by FDR. Since the invention of the polio vaccine, the institute provides Vocational Rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities. A touch pool allows visitors to feel the warm spring waters and learn about its history. Also be sure to check out the Warm Spring National Fish Hatchery, which was established in 1899 to restore and manage fish such as striped bass, alligator
Little White House Built in 1932 when he was governor of New York, the Little White House (gastateparks.org/LittleWhiteHouse)
became FDR’s home while he visited the area to take advantage of the springs. The people he met and the experiences he had in Warm Springs prompted some of his programs once he became president, such as the Rural Electrification Administration. In 1945, while posing for a portrait, FDR suffered a stroke and died shortly afterwards. The “Unfinished Portrait” is one of the many exhibits in the museum, as is his 1938 Ford convertible with hand controls. The Little White House has been carefully preserved much as FDR left it. Visitors are welcome to visit the home, museum, and pools.
F.D. Roosevelt State Park and Manchester Georgia’s largest state park (gastateparks.org/FDRoosevelt) is set among the Pine Mountain Range. The 9,000-plus acre park offers more than 40 miles of trails, winding through pines and hardwood trees, over creeks, and past small waterfalls. Dowdell’s Knob offers a breath-taking view. It’s a spot where FDR was known to sometimes picnic and ponder national and international issues. He was so fond of the spot that a brick oven was installed for Continued on page 40 At l a n t a I n t o w n Pa p e r. c o m
