Several months ago, we introduced the Puzzle Pieces series, hoping to share what we love about our homes, to bring out more knowledge about various areas of the country we all love. We have fallen behind in the series, so I thought this patriotic weekend would be a good time to get back to it.

I would like to share a little history, a little folklore, a little of my love of my home state, Georgia.

A few fast historical facts, then on to the fun stuff.

Georgia was the last of the original Thirteen Colonies, and was named after King George II.  Established in 1732, it was the vision of James Oglethorpe. In February 1733 a new colony was started on a location chosen by Oglethorpe, a location which would ultimately become present day Savannah.

Georgia was a haven for many groups of Europeans, and several religious sects including Quakers, Lutherans, and Puritans. Jews fleeing persecution arrived in 1733. In fact, the only group not welcome in Georgia were Catholics. Georgia became the fourth state in the union after the Revolutionary War.

The first gold rush in American history occurred in the North Georgia Mountains. This led to an influx of settlers who in turn pressured Congress to seize land from the Cherokee, resulting in the Indian Removal Act of 1830. All eastern tribes were sent west to reservations in Oklahoma. In 1838 federal troops were sent in to round up the Cherokee, The Trail of tears. Over 4000 Cherokee died on this march.

Georgia declared secession from the Union January 21, 1861, becoming one of the original seven Confederate states, and was the last state restored to the union. Major battles took place at Chickamauga, Kennesaw Mountain, and Atlanta. William Tecumseh Sherman earned his infamous place in Civil War lore with his March to the Sea, laying waste from Atlanta to Savannah. From reconstruction to the beginning of the twentieth century was a time of violence, lynchings, and the white supremacy movement. Rising to prominence were two black leaders. Booker T. Washington, the educator born a slave who became the head of Tuskegee University and W. E. B Dubois, the teacher and author. Washington advocated blacks work within the structure of society to better themselves. DuBois disagreed, openly advocating agitation and protest. Fast forward to January 15, 1929, the birth date of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta. The Civil Rights Era led to great changes in Georgia during the 1960’s and 70’s.

Enough with the Cliff Notes History. Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn. OK, just had to get that in here. Let’s go on to the fun and interesting stuff. Gone With the Wind, written by Margaret Mitchell in 1936, features Scarlett O’Hara and was set in Clayton County Georgia, as well as Atlanta. The title of course, has become the one line description of the fate of the Antebellum South.

In Gainesville it is illegal to eat chicken with a fork. Georgia is the nation’s largest producer of peanuts, pecans, and peaches. Known as the sweetest onion in the world, the Vidalia can only be grown in fields around Vidalia and Glennville. The Masters Golf Tournament is held in April at the Augusta National.

Shall we take a little tour of some of my very favorite Georgia places? Let’s just start in Ringgold, in the northwest corner of the state. On April 27, Ringgold was hit with a devastating tornado, killing 8 people and destroying much of the town. Prior to April 27, a stroll through downtown Ringgold was a trip back in time. There is a favorite photo of downtown Ringgold that hangs on the wall of many of the businesses. From the style of the cars, it appears to have been taken in the forties. Not much looks different. Old brick buildings, many with tin ceilings and wide windows. Two story brick courthouse on the square. Tiny little park with benches right in the middle of the road, where people sit and enjoy their lunch while watching who goes where. The historic depot, civil war era, right on the edge of town. Further out, The Old Stone Church, also  pre Civil War era, used as a battlefield hospital.

Follow Highway 2A to Lafayette Road and head toward Chickamauga Battlefield. Site of a significant Union defeat, it is said that Chickamauga is a Cherokee word meaning “River of death”, a loose translation. The battlefield is a mysterious and haunting site, quiet, brooding. Every child raised in these parts has heard tales of Green Eyes. Every teenager goes into the battlefield at least once at night in the company of friends, a test of bravery, a challenge to a ghost.

Atlanta, heart of the state. Capital, birthplace of Martin Luther King Jr., economic powerhouse. Tour the High Museum of Art, see the Georgia Aquarium, visit the zoo. Underground Atlanta, the Braves, the Falcons. Music, food, shopping. You name it, Atlanta has it.

Dawsonville Georgia, isolated mountain town, home of Bill Elliott, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, one of Nascar’s most successful and beloved stock car drivers. Stop in at the pool hall, have a coke, experience the nostalgia of a small town for a local hero. Stock car racing evolved from the moonshining activities so successfully carried out by generations of enterprising Georgia mountaineers.

Savannah, ah Savannah, truly a jewel of the South. Quirky, beautiful, seductive, relaxing, charming. Enter this southern town, and you may never want to leave. Savannah is a city built around 22 parks, called squares. It is one of the best preserved cities in the country. The Port of Savannah has always been critical to the economy of the city. Walk along the cobblestones on River Street, Visit Factor’s Row, formerly the center of commerce for Savannah’s cotton brokers. If antiques are your passion, this is the city for you, both for the old homes preserved and open for tours, and for the shopping. Some of the best food in the south can be had in Savannah. Did you know that Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in America? For the end to a perfect Savannah day, finish with a ghost tour. You meet in one of the squares, and walk through the town, hearing the stories, voodoo, murder, betrayal, and spirits who refuse to give up.

From the beautiful mountains where a rainy evening provides the beautiful low hanging fog over the hills, to the bustle of Atlanta, the rhythm of Savannah, the fields of cotton (yep, we still grow some), the rivers of trout, hallowed battlefields, towering forests, to the Okefenokee Swamp, there is something for everyone to love. The people talk slow, walk slower, and meet for Sunday dinner at Grandma’s after church. We have it all. Stop in for a slice of Peach pie, and some cold, sweet tea. Settle in on the porch, rest a spell. Life is usually slow here, and that’s how we like it.