Callaway Plantation, a 56-acre historic restoration project, offers a glimpse into the bygone era of working plantations in the agricultural South. Telling the intimate story of one family’s legacy, visitors to Callaway Plantation can see, feel and touch 200 years of Wilkes County history. Callaway Plantation humbly began with a log cabin built by Job Callaway in 1785, then, by 1869, grew to a more than 3,000-acre working plantation complete with a brick Greek Revival home. Gifted to the City of Washington by the Callaway family, the property is now home to seven unique historical structures open for public tour – the Log Cabin (1785), the Grey House (1790), the Gilmer House (1800), the Dally Slave Cabin (1840), the Brick House (1869), a one-room School House (1891) and the General Store (1930).
Special highlights at Callaway include:
The Brick House – This brick Greek Revival style mansion was built with Georgia red clay. Parker Callaway started the building process and Aristides Callaway completed it in 1869. The Callaway family lived in the Brick House between 1869-1910. The house has never been modernized so it contains no indoor plumbing or electricity and it is decorated to reflect the grandeur of the time period when the plantation thrived. Many antiques located within are original to the house.
The Log Cabin c. 1785 – Job Callaway’s original log cabin burned down, but a log cabin similar in layout & design was moved from the Heard Plantation in Danburg, Wilkes County, Georgia to Callaway to serve as an example of the type of dwelling that Job Callaway had built. The log cabin represents a one room cabin with a sleeping loft and is decorated with antique tools and household items of the late 18th century.
The Grey House c. 1790 – Built by Jacob Callaway, this was their second residence on the Plantation and was occupied until the Brick House was built. The Grey House is also decorated with period antiques and serves as an excellent example of Federal Plain Style architecture.
The School House c. 1871 – This one room school house was built in Wilkes County and serves as a fine example of rural school houses seen throughout Georgia at the turn of the century.
The Dally Cabin c. 1840 – The Dally Cabin is an original slave cabin that was moved to Callaway from Social Circle, Georgia.
The General Store c. 1930 – The General Store was built by Howard Jackson at Jackson Crossroads. It was moved to Callaway to serve as the Plantation’s gift shop and information headquarters. Carrying a variety of period gifts for all ages, the gift store also contains a variety of books for sale pertaining to the history of the area and the Callaway family.
Visit Callaway Plantation
Callaway Plantation is open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Guided tours are available at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Guests are welcome to come to the plantation and look around at the outbuildings, but tours happen on the timed schedule. A small fee is charged for admission, and school groups and specialty tours are encouraged.
The plantation is located five miles west of Washington on Highway 78, across from the Washington-Wilkes Airport. Picnic area and RV Campsites are available on site. Please call for more information.
Callaway Plantation
Lexington Avenue – Highway 78
Washington, GA 30673
Tel. 706-678-7060
