HISTORICAL FOURTH OF JULY, FIREWORKS AND MORE

Georgia's Historic Sites Offer Holiday Celebrations, Battlefields
Presidential Retreats, Plantations, Native American Sites 
 
   One of America's original 13 colonies offers 13 historic sites and 5 historic parks for families to experience this Fourth of July with sights and sounds from yesteryear. This holiday weekend, Georgia's historic sites will celebrate the birth of our nations with festivities that include canon and musket firings, blacksmithing, historical games, arts, crafts, food, guided tours and more.
    "Heading to a historic site for the Fourth gives families a chance to experience the day from a whole new perspective," said Sally Winchester, marketing and communications manager for Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. "You can almost step back in time when you hear the cannons or muskets, when you visit a Victorian home, walk through a battlefield, or listen to the story of the country's first Gold Rush. We're thankful to be able to share our nation's history, our history, through these amazing sites."
    Located throughout the state, Georgia's Historic Sites are categorized into six themes for the celebration, each from a different time in the state's history: Native American, Plantations, Civil War, Unique Homes, Coastal Forts & Colonial Georgia, and Gold Rush. Four of the historical site celebrations include:

--July 4th Mountain Style at Unicoi State Park and Lodge
 July 4th-July 6th, 2008, 1 p.m. July 4th- 9 p.m. Sunday, July 6th
 Unicoi State Park & Lodge, 1788 Hwy 356, Helen, GA 30545
 Admission: $3 Park Pass
 Info: 1-800-573-9659, ext 305; Unicoi_Programming@dnr.state.ga.us
  Come celebrate July 4th mountain style!  We will be having field day activities on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm daily, including watermelon eating and seed spittin contests, a bluegrass concert with Buck & Nelson on Saturday night at 8 pm, and a hoedown on Sunday night at 8 pm.  These activities will be fun and exciting for everyone in your family, so we hope you will come and join us for the July 4th weekend!

 
--4th of July Celebration
Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site
Dahlonega, Ga.
Activities include a formal flag raising, patriotic speeches, Appalachian music, arts and crafts, food, a patriotic parade, theatrical skits and a fireworks show at dark.
 
--4th of July Celebration
Fort McAllister Historic Park
Richmond Hill, Ga.
Celebrate our nation's birthday with the troops of Fort McAllister. Cannon firings, musket firings, blacksmithing and historical games will run all day
 
--Independence Day Colonial Fare
Fort Morris Historic Site
Midway, Ga.
Celebrate the 4th with colonial games, contests of skill, colonial music, musket firings, cannon firings and activities for all. Prizes will be awarded to all participants. The day is sponsored by the City of Flemington, Ga.
 
--Ol' Time 4th at Jarrell Plantation
Jarrell Plantation Historic Site
Juliette, Ga.
A noon reading of the Declaration of Independence is followed by 3-legged race, sack race, egg toss, tug-of-war and old fashioned Independence Day fun. Demonstrations of traditional crafts and skills are ongoing throughout the program.
 
            Recently, Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites launched Get Outdoors Georgia (GO Georgia) a multi-year initiative to help every Georgian rediscover the great outdoors. The program invites Georgians, especially families and children, to take part in family-friendly, nature-based, healthy outdoor recreation in the beautiful, secure surroundings of Georgia's state parks and historic sites. More information can be found online at www.GetOutdoorsGeorgia.org or by calling  1 (800) 864-7275 .