Discover Early: Courthouse, Mounds and Covered Bridge

Early combines impressive history with archaeological sites, waterscapes and unusual details. Highlights include the Early County Courthouse, Kolomoki Mounds, the Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge and a series of distinctive murals. This makes the destination suitable for you if you do not want to limit a vacation trip to a single attraction, but instead want to combine culture, nature and regional features.

History and art around Court Square

The Early County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Blakely Court Square Historic District is a small commercial district in the city center, grouped around the Courthouse. Court Square is also home to a stone peanut monument, erected in 1954. The peanut points to an important aspect of regional identity, without requiring you to limit your trip to it.

In Early County, you will also encounter several murals on different themes. The oldest mural in the county is located in the Blakely Post Office and was commissioned in 1937. The Coheelee Creek Bridge mural is on the side of Tom's Barber Shop opposite the post office. Immediately next to Court Square, between City Hall and the County Administration Building, is the Birdsong Peanuts warehouse mural. The Cornerstone Insurance Group mural depicts a timeline of “Life on the Square.” The gift shop at the Early County Museum also offers paintings and handicrafts by local artists.

For a trip with children or multiple generations, these local discoveries can be combined well with nature and historical experiences. The Peanut Proud Festival is an annual celebration held on the fourth Saturday in March at Blakely Courthouse Square; the festival includes the Peanut Proud Parade. If this date fits your travel plans, it offers additional insight into the region's festival culture.

Kolomoki Mounds: Archaeology, trails and water

Kolomoki Mounds consists of eight Native American mounds. Kolomoki Mounds State Park is the oldest and largest Woodland Indian site in the southeastern United States. Mound A is the largest platform mound of the Woodland Period in eastern North America. The top of the Temple Mound can be reached by stairs. These details help you classify the visit as an archaeological focus and plan your expectations for the site accordingly.

Two lakes in the park offer opportunities for fishing and boating. At the same time, Kolomoki Mounds State Park currently has no museum experience. If you want to visit the historic site, you should therefore focus your planning on the mounds, the landscape and the existing outdoor areas rather than assuming that a museum visit is available.

Covered bridge, waterfall and nature experiences

The Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge is located nine miles southwest of Blakely in Early County. It is the southernmost covered bridge in the United States. Fannie Askew Williams Park, a picnic area, is located next to the bridge on Old River Road.

Coheelee Creek Falls is one of the notable waterfalls in Early County; its beauty can be viewed from the respective public roads. The Spruce Pine Trail, which is part of Georgia’s Southern Rivers Birding Trail, is also of interest to birdwatchers. Together, these destinations offer different travel highlights: historic structures, archaeological evidence, water and nature observation.

The right accommodation for your travel plans

When looking for a vacation rental or holiday home in Early, it is worth first deciding on your preferred focus. Those who primarily want to get to know the Courthouse, Court Square and the murals can plan local history as a separate part of their trip. Those more interested in archaeology and landscapes can plan their days around Kolomoki Mounds, the lakes and the nature destinations. The Covered Bridge and the festival can also influence the timing of your trip or the desired mix of cultural and outdoor activities.

More destinations

If you would also like to compare other destinations: Towns County, Rockdale, Polk County, Spalding, Dooly County, Whitfield and Stephens County.

For the higher-level travel overview: Georgia.