Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Facts for Kids

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Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Former U.S. National Historic Site
U.S. National Historical Park

Jimmy Carter National Historical Park Visitor Center
Location in Georgia (U.S. state) Show map of Georgia (U.S. state) Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	300 N. Bond St., Plains, Georgia
Area	71 acres (29 ha)
Visitation	51,580 (2018)
Website	Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
NRHP reference No.	01000272
Designated NHS	December 23, 1987
Designated NHP	2021

The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia, is a special place. It protects important sites connected to Jimmy Carter, who was the 39th president of the United States. He lived from 1924 to 2024.

This park includes his childhood home, the school he attended, and the train station. The train station was even his campaign office when he ran for president in 1976. The old Plains High School is now the park's museum and visitor center.

Jimmy Carter and his wife, First Lady Rosalynn Carter (1927–2023), are buried here. Their gravesite and a peaceful memorial garden are open to visitors. The Carters' home is also part of the park. It became publicly accessible in July 2025.

After his presidency, the Carters returned to Plains in 1981. They worked hard for human rights and world peace through the Carter Center in Atlanta. Jimmy Carter also taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist Church, which you can visit.

The park started as a National Historic Site in 1987. It became a National Historical Park in 2021.

Explore the Park
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Explore the Park

The Visitor Center and Museum

The Plains High School building is now the park's visitor center and museum. Both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter went to school here. You can see a classroom, the principal's office, and the auditorium. They look just like they did when Jimmy Carter was a student.

The museum also has a copy of the famous Resolute desk. This desk is used by presidents in the Oval Office. You can also see Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize, which he won in 2002. Other exhibits share stories about the lives of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. A short video tells about Jimmy Carter through the eyes of his friends and family.

Jimmy's Boyhood Farm

You can visit the farm where Jimmy Carter grew up. It is in a rural area called Archery. He lived there from age four in 1928 until he went to college in 1941. The farm has been restored to look like it did before electricity arrived in 1938. It shows what life was like for a farm family back then.

The Campaign Headquarters

The old Plains Train Depot was Jimmy Carter's campaign headquarters. This is where he planned his run for president. Today, it is a museum about the 1976 Presidential Campaign. You can learn all about how he campaigned to become president. The train depot was busy from 1888 until 1951. After that, trains stopped coming to Plains.

The Carter Home, Gravesite, and Memorial Garden

The Carters' long-time home at 209 Woodland Drive is part of the park. They lived there since 1961. While he was president, it was known as his "Summer White House." The National Park Service plans to turn the house into a museum in the future.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter are buried across the street from their home. Their gravesite and a beautiful memorial garden are by a pond. A willow tree stands nearby. This peaceful area became open to the public in July 2025.