Travelers Rest (Toccoa, Georgia) facts for kids
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Traveler's Rest
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HABS photo, 1934
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Toccoa, Georgia |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) (size of landmarked area) |
| Built | 1816 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000283 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 29, 1964 |
Travelers Rest State Historic Site is a special place near Toccoa, Georgia. It's like a museum that shows what life was like a long time ago. The main building, called Traveler's Rest, was once a busy inn and tavern. People traveling through the area would stop here to eat and sleep.
This historic site was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964. This means it's a very important place in American history. It's special because it's a well-preserved example of a 19th-century inn. It also played a big part in how northeastern Georgia grew and developed.
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A Look Back at Traveler's Rest
Traveler's Rest is located about 6 miles (10 km) east of Toccoa, Georgia. It's close to the Tugaloo River. This area was once part of the land of the Cherokee people. A Cherokee town called Tugaloo used to be nearby. Today, that area is covered by Lake Hartwell.
How the Land Became Traveler's Rest
In 1785, Major Jesse Walton received this land. He was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War. The state gave him the land instead of money for his service. Sadly, Major Walton was killed by Cherokee people in 1789. They were trying to protect their land from new settlers.
Later, the Walton family sold the land to James Rutherford Wyly. He built the main part of the house between 1816 and 1825. Mr. Wyly then opened the house as an inn. It was a perfect stop for travelers on the new Unicoi Turnpike road.
A Busy Inn and Plantation
Devereaux Jarrett bought the house in 1838. He made it the center of his very large farm, which was about 14,000 acres (57 km2). On this farm, cotton was grown as a crop to sell. The farm's work was done by people who were forced into labor. Mr. Jarrett also added more rooms to the building. He kept the inn and tavern open for the public.
As more people moved to the area, Traveler's Rest became even busier. It was not just an inn. It also served as a trading post and a post office. Many important travelers stayed at the ten-room house. The guest books, which were also used for business records, show famous names. One guest was George William Featherstonhaugh, an English scientist and writer.
"Here I got an excellent breakfast of coffee, ham, chicken, good bread, butter, honey, and plenty of good new milk for a quarter of a dollar...What a charming country this would be to travel in, if one was sure of meeting with such nice clean quarters once-a-day!"
What the House Looks Like Today
The main building is a large, two-story wooden house. It's over 90 feet (27 m) long and has six chimneys. The house is built from wide pine planks. One of the fireplaces has a special mantel with drawers. These drawers were used to store valuable items.
The front porch leads to seven rooms on each floor. Each room has its own entrance. There's also an inside staircase to reach the second floor. The innkeeper's family lived in the back of the house. The public rooms, like the dining room and parlor, were in the middle. The post office was located on the second floor.
Today, you can also see reconstructed buildings on the property. These show what other buildings on a 19th-century farm might have looked like.
Traveler's Rest Today
The Jarrett family owned the property until 1955. Then, the state of Georgia bought it. Now, visitors can explore the house. You can see many original items and furniture. Some of these pieces were made by Caleb Shaw. He was a famous furniture maker from Massachusetts.
Images for kids
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Entrance sign
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Portrait of Devereaux Jarrell
