Traveler's Rest (Georgia)

Living near Travelers Rest (S.C.), I was intrigued about Traveler's Rest (Ga.) when a co-worker mentioned visiting a few months back. Located just across the Georgia border in Tugaloo Valley it wasn't too far off our route to visit some family down in Atlanta, so we decided to take the scenic route and avoid most of I-85 on our way down.

The original inn was built by a James Wryly strategically along the Unicoi Turnpike (toll road) through the Georgia mountains into Tennessee around 1815. The inn served as a stagecoach stop being approximately 20 miles down the road from other inns/taverns. Twenty miles being about how far you could expect to travel in a day. Later the home was purchased by neighbor Devereaux Jarrett who expanded the inn and owned a half dozen other businesses in the area. He was known at the richest man in the Tugaloo Valley.

Devereaux died of tuberculosis in 1852 and the inn/home remained in the family for another century. For a building of that age in our climate, its preservation is rather remarkable. The interior woodwork was almost entirely original, and we were surprised by how many of the original furnishings were still inside! The interior of the inn was dimly lit due to the artifacts, so I didn't take many photos indoors. Next time you're crossing the SC/GA border on a weekend consider a slight detour.

Found underneath the paint during restoration

Faithful adventure buddy