Meadow Garden (Augusta, Georgia) facts for kids
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George Walton House
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Meadow Garden, 2017
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1320 Independence Drive, Augusta, Georgia, 30901 |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1794 |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000646 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 19, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | December 21, 1981 |
Meadow Garden is a special old house in Augusta, Georgia. It is now a historic house museum that you can visit. This house was once the home of George Walton (1749–1804). He was one of the important people known as Founding Fathers.
George Walton was a very important person for Georgia and the United States. He was one of only three people from Georgia who signed the Declaration of Independence. This document declared America's freedom from Great Britain. Later, he became the governor of Georgia and even served as a United States senator.
Meadow Garden was saved and turned into a museum in 1901. This was thanks to a group called the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1981, the house was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important place in American history.
Contents
Exploring Meadow Garden: A Historic Home
Meadow Garden is located in downtown Augusta. It sits near the Augusta Canal and a walking trail. The house is a 1+1⁄2-story building made of wood. It has a tall brick basement.
How the House Grew Over Time
The house was built in different stages. The oldest part, on the right side, was built in 1791. It started as a smaller house with three sections. Later, after 1800, three more sections were added to the left side. The porch you see at the front was also added later. It has a simple roof and thin columns. The front of the house has two doors and four windows, arranged in a unique way. It is a type of building called a Sand Hills cottage.
George Walton's Life at Meadow Garden
Even though George Walton didn't own the property, he lived here from 1791 until he passed away in 1804. He was a lawyer by trade. He played a big role in the early days of the United States.
Walton served in the Continental Congress from 1776 to 1781. This was the group of leaders who helped guide the American colonies during the American Revolutionary War. He also served in the Georgia army. During the war, he was captured by the British in 1778 when they took over Savannah.
After being released, he quickly became the Governor of Georgia. He held this job from November 1779 to January 1780. He also worked as Georgia's Chief Justice. He served a second term as Governor from 1789 to 1790. George Walton died in 1804 at his country home, College Hill.
Meadow Garden Today: A Living Museum
The Walton family no longer owned the house after 1812. Today, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution owns and runs Meadow Garden. They keep it as a museum. This allows visitors to step back in time and learn about George Walton and early American history.
The house was studied by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1934-1935. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Then, in 1981, it was given the even higher honor of being named a National Historic Landmark.
See also
