More than 50 historic homes and sites will be open for tours during the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Spring Ramble in Augusta, April 22-24.
Co-hosted by Historic Augusta, Inc., the event will offer visitors and residents alike a rare opportunity to explore private historic homes and buildings that are not usually open to the public.
On Friday, “ramblers” will tour beautifully restored houses and impressive residential lofts in Augusta’s revitalized Downtown Historic District. Ticket holders will enjoy tours of the recently rehabilitated Handkerchief Factory, a former commercial building that has been uniquely converted into 12 loft apartments; Meadow Garden, the home of Declaration of Independence signer George Walton, where visitors can learn about its ongoing restoration; and the Miller Theater, which underwent a $23 million rehabilitation, winning the Georgia Trust’s highest preservation honor in 2018.
Saturday’s Ramble will take guests to exquisite private residences in the stately hilltop neighborhood of Summerville, historically home to Augusta’s most influential citizens. Guests will have the rare opportunity to tour the Italianate style Gould’s Corner, one of the grandest architectural statements on The Hill; Overton, an award-winning Neoclassical Revival showplace; and the Redmond-Hickman-Haltermann House, a Carpenter Gothic style house constructed in 1861 by Dennis Redmond, who had previously built Fruitland, now the Augusta National Clubhouse.
On Sunday, registrants will experience the charm and southern hospitality of Thomson and McDuffie County. Guests will tour Hickory Hill, the 270-acre estate of Senator Tom Watson, featuring the 1865 main house, an arboretum and various outbuildings. Guests also will explore the 18th century Rock House, the oldest stone building in the state; the 1795 Usry House, which underwent an extensive renovation in 2020; and the 1806 Bowdre-Rees-Knox house, one of the best examples of a raised cottage in Georgia. In the afternoon, guests will be treated to a traditional English-themed fox hunt demonstration led by Belle Meade Hunt.
The Ramble also includes special dining experiences held at historic sites throughout the weekend. On Friday night, “ramblers” will enjoy cocktails and dinner at Springfield Park, located across from Springfield Baptist Church, one of the oldest continually operating African American churches in America.
Saturday morning, the historic Saint Paul’s Church will host breakfast, followed by the Georgia Trust’s Annual Meeting, the Trust’s 45th annual Preservation Awards ceremony, and a brief historical orientation of the area. Lunch will be in downtown Augusta, where guests can choose from a variety of local eateries.
On Saturday evening, guests will feast upon a dinner on the picturesque grounds of the privately-owned Salubrity Hall, built in 1928 as a winter retreat for one of the founding members of Augusta National Golf Club. On Sunday, guests will enjoy breakfast at Enterprise Mill, followed by lunch, provided by the Wrightsboro Foundation, at Wrightsboro Church in McDuffie County.
Multiple registration options are available. To view the complete itinerary or purchase tickets, visit www.GeorgiaTrust.org. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.GeorgiaTrust.org. Proceeds benefit the Georgia Trust and Historic Augusta.
