About 30 miles south of Athens, Georgia, at the intersection of U.S.
Highway 129/441 South and I-20 (which connects Augusta with Atlanta and points beyond), lies the small town of 4,500 souls, Madison, the county seat of Morgan County.
It was named after James Madison, the 4th President of the United States, and incorporated in 1809. It is notable for two things.
One is its historic district, one of the largest in the state, with nearly 100 antebellum homes, carefully restored, mostly built between 1840 and 1860, during the cotton-boom era. That district is deservingly listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and brings many visitors to the area. Local legend has it that the town of Madison escaped burning during Union General William Tecumseh Sherman’s infamous “March to the Sea” in 1863, during the Civil War, because of its architectural beauty.
But at the time, Madison was also home to pro-Union congressman, and later Senator, Joshua Hill, who had ties with General Sherman’s brother in the U.S. House of Representatives. So that was more likely the reason the town escaped Sherman’s dastardly practice of burning all towns in his way to the coast.
A connection that proved fortuitous in the end. The other is the grand and imposing 1895 Romanesque Revival building which is now home to the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, located in the heart of the historic district. This center is home to both the visual and performing arts, and also to a permanent exhibit showcasing the area’s Piedmont region. It has also hosted many musical events and been the site of movies filmed in and around Madison.
It was originally built as one of the first public schools in the Southeast, and operated as such until 1957. After an extensive renovation, the building took on a new life in 1976 as the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center. It includes a restored classroom from the 1890’s, and the original school auditorium, which today serves the Center’s main stage productions.
My wife and I have been through Madison many times, and enjoyed dining in several of the restaurants on the town’s main square, and enjoyed visiting nearby art galleries and antique shops.
The historic district makes for a grand afternoon walking or driving tour. During Decembers, the town goes all-out in decorating for the season, and local churches put on many Christmas programs.
Georgia is fortunate to have such a lovely town maintain and preserve its rich architectural and historical treasures for others to continue to enjoy today. It takes vision, commitment, and funds; and all three are not always available at the same time.
Rafe Semmes is a proud graduate of (“the original”) Savannah High School and the University of Georgia. He and his wife live in eastern Liberty County, and are long-time Rotarians. He writes on a variety of topics, and may be reached at rafe_semmes@ yahoo.com.