Brief History of Milledgeville
Founded in 1803, Milledgeville was designed to be the new capital of Georgia, featuring beautiful squares and wide streets.
As Milledgeville entered the twentieth century, it became home to notable figures like chemist Charles Herty, epidemiologist Joseph Hill White, treasury secretary William Gibbs McAdoo, and historian Ulrich Bonnell Phillips. Notably, Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy lived here briefly, Congressman Carl Vinson represented Milledgeville for fifty years, and writer Flannery O’Connor did much of her best work at her family’s farm, Andalusia.
In the 1950s, the creation of Lake Sinclair added to the town’s identity. During the 1980s and 1990s, downtown revitalization highlighted Milledgeville’s heritage.
Our historic sites, houses, churches, and museums offer visitors a unique opportunity to explore a captivating period in our nation’s history. Stroll along oak-lined streets and immerse yourself in our historical grandeur.
