2012 June 19, Tuesday, Trip to Plains, Georgia Home of President Jimmy Carter

Tuesday, Jun 19, 2012

My husband and I were up at 4:30 A.M. We both ate a tomato sandwich for breakfast. (I ate 1/2 of a sandwich.)

We stopped at the rest area in Birmingham, AL, to use the restroom and get snacks of Reese's Pieces and Diet Pepsi. $3.00

We filled up with gas in Alexander City, which cost $50.00. At 8 A.M., we put 15.38 gallons in the van for $ 3.24 per gallon.

After we filled with gas, our GPS went crazy and stopped working. 

We drove through Columbus, Georgia, and we stopped at Carl Gregory Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Dealership at 2201 Victory Dr., Columbus, Ga.. 

My husband wanted to ask someone in the services department why the GPS was acting the way it was, but they didn't know.

We stopped at the Webster County Courthouse (red brick with four large white columns) to take pictures of the historic markers for Walter F. George (1878-1957), who served as a senator from Georgia for 34 years, and the historic marker for the First Confederate flag that was raised in Georgia and Webster. I took several pictures of the surrounding area. 

Webster County Courthouse

The buildings across the street from the courthouse were Simply Country Thrift and Snack Bar, Mom's Kitchen Restaurant, which had a mural of grilling out in the park, and Jesus with the twelve disciples sitting at the Lord's Supper. 

We arrived in Plains, Georgia. Our first stop was Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Farm. 

After parking, we both walked to the restroom at the front of the parking lot. 

There were several markers along the walkway, "From here to Plains, Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Farm, Jimmy Carter's signature and his hand print in the cement dated Sept 24, 2010, and Always a reckoning.

We saw chickens inside the pen, an outhouse, a garden with fresh vegetables planted, a marker reading "Carter Slept here," a chicken house, money on trees, and a water pump.

Inside Earl and Lillian Carter's home, we saw the kitchen, which had a dough bowl, rolling pin, bowls, cook stove, in the hallway an old talking telephone, Jimmy Carter's bedroom, bathroom, dining room, breakfast room, Earl and Lillian's Bedroom, Gloria and Ruth's bedroom, and the living room. 

I sat in a rocker on the front porch while my husband took my picture.

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home 

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home 

We walked past the Carter tennis court, the windmill water pump, and the old gas pump next to the store that was owned and run by the Carter Family.

We walked past the Winds of Change marker, the Carter family garden, which grew velvet beans, black-eyed peas, sweet potatoes, collard greens, and peanuts.

The Carters also owned a Blacksmith Shop and a barn.

Jimmy Carter's Boyhood Home & Barn 

 We walked past the marker of Catch the Mules and the next-door neighbors, Cash Crops, Never Far from Home, and Legacy of an Outdoor.

We were greeted by Park Ranger Pierson (Ivan). He told us a little about the farm and walked around the park with us. We asked him about his college, and he said he was going back to get his master's in History, but that he loved what he was doing.

We thanked him, and we rode into the small town of Plains. 

We crossed the railroad tracks and spied the historic marker of President Jimmy Carter.

We stopped at the Train Depot that Carter used as his campaign headquarters when he was running for President.

I took many pictures inside the depot.

Our next stop was the Plains Museum, the former Plains High School.

Jimmy & Roseland Carter

Sitting at a President's desk 

We were greeted at the door and given a paper about the school. We walked through, taking pictures and reading posters inside. 

Bought four postcards and was told that we could get them stamped at the post office.

We asked where a good place to eat was, and we were told that Mama's Kitchen,n 203 Church St, Plain, GA.

We rode over to Americus, GA, and ate lunch at Captain D's on 1305 East Lamar Street, Americus, GA 31709. 

I ordered a 12-butterfly shrimp plate with green beans and a salad. 

My husband ordered a deluxe seafood Platter with baked potato and slaw. 

Next, we rode over to the Charles Lindbergh monument at Souther Field near the airport. 

Next, we rode to the historic downtown of Americus to tour the Best Western Plus Windsor Hotel. 

I took pictures of storefronts, the hotel, and the visitor's center that was inside the hotel.

Inside the hotel was an ice cream shop called Richelle's Bakery, 123 W. Lamar St, Americus, Ga. Richelle's

Bakery

My husband and I share a bowl of vanilla ice cream and two chocolate chip cookies, which cost $5.50.

We rode back to Plains, Georgia, to the Golden Peanut Company, formerly the Carter Warehouse, where we tasted the peanut butter ice cream, bought a basket of tomatoes and a bag of peanuts, and spent $9.76.

We drove to the post office, where I had my four postcards stamped with the seal "Hometown of the 39^th president of the USA" and the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize Recipient Stamp, which said "Plains, GA Jun 19, 2012 AM 3180." Cost $2.14.

Post Cards

 Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm, Plains, GA. As a young boy, Jimmy Carter lived on a farm in Plains, GA. Smiles from Plains. Pictures are (1) Commissary and Gardens, (2) Jimmy Carter, (3) Barn, (4) Boyhood Farm.

The Smiling Peanut (The Smiling Peanut was made for a Carter Rally in Evansville, Indiana, in 1976 and was later given to Plains in 1977. It is a favorite spot for photographs and a reminder of the importance the peanut played in Jimmy Carter's presidential campaign. Jimmy Carter.

President and Mrs. Jimmy Carter at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia. The Carters returned to their hometown of Plains in 1981 after leaving the White House.