Celebrating National Travel & Tourism Week in Liberty County
Liberty County is rich in history and lots of fun little-known places that we love to explore. During National Historic Preservation Month we can’t think of anything better than to celebrate this place that we call home! Read along with us & learn about 6 of our favorite stops along the way. Celebrating National Travel & Tourism Week in Liberty County is going to be a blast!
- Dorchester Academy
Liberty County has rich roots that positively impacted black history in the south. Many people wouldn’t think that this coastal community played such an important role in the education of African Americans, the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Movement. All of these life-changing events would not have been possible without our own Dorchester Academy. The space that Dr. King used as living quarters is set up as it originally was in the 1960’s so visitors can truly experience what it was like when Dr. King was there. The museum houses various artifacts and documents that provide details of the African American journey in Liberty County.
- Historic Bacon Fraser House
If you’re a Liberty County native, then you already know the history of the historic home located in downtown Hinesville. For more than 180 years the Bacon Fraser house has sat nestled beneath a beautiful canopy of Live oak trees & a variety of flowers. The Liberty County Chamber of Commerce and Liberty County Convention & Visitors Bureau were pleased to purchase the property in 2017. Currently the house sits on 2.6 acres of land and serves as the welcome center to all who visit Liberty County. In 1982 the home was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Midway Museum
The Midway MuseumThe Midway Museum was built in 1959 and is a reproduction of an 18th century plantation cottage. The Museum is set up as an early 18th century home would have been, and contains original furnishings, artwork, documents, jewelry, clothing and artifacts. Since its founding, the Museum has received many 18th and 19th century family heirlooms, documents, books, genealogical lineages and furnishings. It is a non-profit organization that survives only through the generosity of donors, plus the revenues from tours, special events, the gift shop and event rentals.
- First African Baptist Church
Oral and written church history from the surviving descendants of the First African Baptist Church indicate that as early as the 1840s the Historic Baptismal Trail was used as a place where ritual Christian baptism was performed by leaders of a congregation of enslaved people. The church is where the enslaved members of the congregation began their journey to the Historic Baptismal Trail. It is the oldest African-American church in Liberty County.
- Walthourville Church
Founded in 1809 the North Newport Baptist Church has had several homes over the years. In 1952 the church members voted and renamed the church Walthourville Baptist. The first building was burned during Sherman’s March to the Sea, however, church members were able to save the original Bible. The present sanctuary was built in 1923 with solid brick walls and a theater style floor made of heart pine.
- Old Liberty County Jail
The Old Liberty Jail is a significant example of a late 19th century jail for an agricultural county and a small, but growing, community in Georgia. It is one of the earliest brick structures in Hinesville and probably Liberty County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Contact the Hinesville Downtown Development Authority at 912-877-4332 to schedule a tour.
We hope that you get out & #ExploreLiberty during National Historic Preservation Month. If you need more ideas for places to visit be sure to check out 10 Reasons You Should Drive To and Not Through Liberty County! We hope that you enjoy celebrating National Travel & Tourism Week in Liberty County.
