Jimmy Carter National Historic Site

Yesterday, after our tough ascent to the highest point in Florida, We pointed the car northeast and ended up at one of the most wonderful, free campgrounds I've ever stayed at: Rood Creek Camp.

It's an Army Corps of Engineers campground on the Georgia side of the Alabama/Georgia border. There were nice views of Rood Creek and the trees along the creek were draped in Spanish Moss

(which is a member of the pineapple family by the way). The only downside is there is no water. We had to carefully conserve the little bit that we had. Still we made it through the night and enjoyed watching herons and other birds fly around from our campsite.

This morning we packed up camp and hit the road. We were headed about an hour east to the town of Plains, Georgia. Plains is home to our nation's 39th president Jimmy Carter.

Our first stop was the visitor center inside the old Plains High School.

As you enter the exhibit area you are immediately presented with the opportunity to pose in the Oval Office as the President of the United States. We made Sierra sit behind the replica desk and got a few photos.

We then checked out the exhibits about the school

and both Jimmy and his wife. There was lots of good information about his family's days as peanut farmers.

We then walked around town a bit, visiting the Plains Depot

which was used as campaign headquarters

and the Plains Baptist Church which Jimmy Carter was formerly a member of.

Upon returning to the visitor center we ate a picnic lunch outside in the shade.

After lunch we headed over to the Carter Farm and home where young Jimmy grew up.

There were some outbuildings

and animals.

Of course Sierra liked the cat the best.

Jimmy Carter wrote his name and molded his hand-prints into the concrete walkway leading to the home.

Sierra placed hers inside the casts for comparison.

We went inside and toured the various rooms

and then headed out onto the porch for a rest in the porch swing.

There was lots of azalea in bloom around the home.

Next door was the commissary, or store that the Carters ran.

There was an audio presentation of Jimmy describing opening up the store for customers when the family was eating their dinner. Past the commissary was the tenant home which housed the farm manager.

When we had finished our tour of the home we headed back to town. We drove over to the housing project Jimmy lived in for a short time

and then headed over to one of the stores downtown for peanut butter ice cream.

The Jimmy Carter National Historic Site was a great experience. I didn't expect much, but it really exceeded my greatest expectations and I learned a lot about this interesting man.