History is a short drive away from Athens

ATHENS, Ga. – There’s a lot of history in Northeast Georgia within a short drive of Athens.

About 25 miles from downtown is the Crawford W. Long Museum in the Jackson County city of Jefferson.

On March 30, 1842, Long stepped into the history books when he used Ether as a surgical anesthesia. His legacy lives on at the museum that bears his name, which can be visited Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. General Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 3-12.

In nearby Winder, go to jail – the old county hoosegow that now serves as a museum, that is.

If you don’t want to get locked up, visit when it’s open from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, and staffed by volunteers, the museum offers a primer into the founding and evolution of this fast-growing county on the fringes of metro Atlanta and Athens.

Every February, learn a little about the country’s founding at a ceremony in honor of Revolutionary War battle of Kettle Creek. The battle was fought on Feb. 14, 1779, in the Wilkes County city of Washington.

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About Todd DeFeo 1625 Articles
Todd DeFeo loves to travel anywhere, anytime, taking pictures and notes. An award-winning reporter, Todd revels in the experience and the fact that every place has a story to tell. He is the owner of The DeFeo Groupe and also edits Express Telegraph and Railfanning.org.