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Forsyth-Monroe County’s attractions appeal to a variety of
people. The Whistle Stop Café in Juliette is one of Monroe County’s popular
tourist attractions. The café became famous in 1991 when movie producers chose
downtown Juliette as the set for Fried
Green Tomatoes. Juliette’s whistle-blowing trains that come through town
more than 40 times every 24-hour period, also added authenticity to the movie.
Today, tourists can walk the streets and enjoy the southern delicacy:
fried-green tomatoes.
The town’s
historic gristmill houses the Old Mill Motorcycle Museum, Georgia’s only museum
featuring restored Harley-Davidson motorcycles. This museum run by motorcycle
restorer and enthusiast, Les White, opened in 2000.
Inspired by his passion for antique and vintage motorcycles, White renovated
two floors of the grist mill, about 2500 square feet for the museum.
For those
who love the outdoors, Forsyth-Monroe County has plenty to offer. From state
parks to riding trails, avid outdoorsmen can choose from a number of rewarding
options. High Falls State Park, one of the most-visited parks in the Georgia
State Park system with more than 500,000 visitors yearly, features a 700-acre
lake ideal for fishing and boating, a dramatic waterfall on the Towaliga River,
and scenic hiking trails leading to the remnants of an 1880s grist mill.
Lake
Juliette provides a fishing paradise with some of the largest stripers an
angler has ever seen. As a quiet fishing lake, it is open to boats with engines
less than 25 horsepower and has two boat ramps, one at the northwest end of the
lake and the other at the east side of the lake. The 3,600-acre lake is open to
the public and limited hunting and camping is allowed. There are no private
cabins, docks, marinas, beaches or commercial areas, and the full-service
campgrounds have water and electrical hook-ups, picnic tables and
grills—perfect for the family outing.
Down the
road from Lake Juliette sits the 6,000-acre Rum Creek Wildlife Management Area,
which provides an ideal location for hunters, birdwatchers, and butterfly
gazers alike. The wildlife management area is adjacent to the Rum Creek MARSH
project, a refuge area for wintering waterfowl.
Each year,
thousands of sportsmen journey to the Meadows National Gun Club, an internationally
renowned sporting gun club, to participate in national shooting competitions,
as well as casual play. Founded in 1989, the club operates on 400 acres of
meadowland and wooded terrain, offering an excellent topographical combination
for sporting clays. In addition, the club has been listed repeatedly in the
NSCA top 20 clubs for amount of targets thrown. It hosted the 1998 US Open, the
2006 World Triple Classic, state and zone championships. The Meadows also has
been the home of the National Wild Turkey Federation turkey shoot since 1999,
as well as numerous charitable fundraisers.
For those
outdoorsmen looking for the thrill of “extreme” sports, Rocky Creek ATV Trail
in Culloden provides the ultimate off-the-road experience. Whether it is riding
20 miles of trails or competing in “Just Add Dirt,” part of the Southern Mud
Racing Series, a sportsman’s need for thrills will be well satisfied.
Taking a
trip into Forsyth, guests can visit the historic downtown square with its 1896
courthouse and eight blocks with 61 structures listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Just a short walk from the courthouse, visitors can explore
the Historic Train Depot, which was built in 1846 when regular freight and
passenger service was started in Monroe County. Extremely busy during the Civil
War, the depot served as an unloading point for wounded soldiers from various
battles in north Georgia and Atlanta. A second building was built in 1898, but
over time, both structures were forgotten until they both were condemned. Then,
the Forsyth Women's Club saved the depot in the early 1970s. It was
refurbished and opened as a museum in December 1993 and now houses the Monroe
County Historical Society, as well as a museum, gift shop, and genealogy room.
Dining, art,
and culture also draw tourists to downtown Forsyth. Restaurants such as Grits
Café, Jonah’s on Johnston, and Ann’s Deli are anchor businesses. The Rose
Theatre, Monroe County Arts Alliance, as well as ATG Studio and Gallery 51
attract consumers who are interested in entertainment, art, and music. Downtown
Forsyth also welcomes family-fun events, such as the Forsythia Festival, the
Hometown Holidays Parade, and the Forsyth Alive! event series.
Families
can also spend the day at Twin Oaks Fun Farm for special, seasonal events. In
the springtime, families can pick strawberries and in the fall, pumpkins. The
farm has also expanded to include a corn maze in the fall.
Because of
our unique geographical location (Central Georgia on Interstate 75), Forsyth-Forsyth-Monroe
County is a convenient stop-over for travelers to and from the coast. Monroe
County offers something for everyone and
is a convenient and affordable destination for meetings, conventions,
tradeshows, and reunions.
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