in
hi h
i i an at
screen cable televisions. According
to Christy, “The hardest part was
keeping the hotel historically
accurate, yet compliant with building
codes and viable for today’s traveler.”
The room also includes a tiled gas
r a
or a
a ian
I stayed in the Tower Room which, as
you might guess, includes a section
of the round tower. Three beautiful
windows wrap around the space,
large enough for a small table and
two chairs.
The room also includes a tiled gas
r a
or a
a ian
The hotel can be booked for groups
or social events that need a
conference room, ballroom, full
catering kitchen, or an outdoor
event in the courtyard. Continental
breakfast is served each morning.
The Fitzpatrick Hotel is located on
Courthouse Square in the center of
the 7.9 square mile city, commonly
called Washington-Wilkes, to avoid
confusion with the nation’s capitol.
Despite being small, population
around 4,000, Washington-Wilkes
claims to have more antebellum
homes per capita than any other city
of its size in Georgia. There are over
a hundred houses with white
o
n
a ni
nt orti o an
wrap-around porches. They say, in
Washington, you experience a sense
of place and a sense of grace. I
agree, I was touched by true
southern hospitality.
And if you think not much
happens in small cities?
Think again
During the War Between the States,
Washington-Wilkes played host to
the last full cabinet meeting of the
40
Confederacy, which took place in
the old Bank of Georgia building–
also known as the Heard House. It
a h r that ff r on a i an
a in t
r o ia y i o
the government of the Confederate
States of America. It was also the
last place that the infamous
Confederate gold was tracked...
and never found.
Here are some other
interesting facts about little
Washington-Wilkes:
• First successful cotton gin was
perfected and set up by Eli Whitney
in Wilkes county, 1795.
• First woman newspaper editor in
U.S. was Sarah Porter Hillhouse,
who became editor of the Monitor
in 1804.
• First stamp mill for gold in the
world was invented and put into
use near Washington by Jeremiah
Griffin, 1831-1832.
• One of the first plastic garments
ever cut in the world was in Wilkes
County by Margo and Alfred Moses
in February 1946.
• Washington was the home of
Baptist minister Reverend Jesse
Mercer, who wro te many world
famous books about the Christian
faith, and was the founder of
Mercer University in Macon, GA.
• Home of the first free public
library in the state of Georgia.
The Mary Willis Library was built
in 1888.
The area also played a major role in
early United States history. The
Revolutionary battle of Kettle Creek
was fought in Wilkes County on
February 14, 1779. This battle was
responsible for driving the British
out of northeast Georgia.
Washington-Wilkes
Attractions Worth a Visit
Callaway Plantation
Callaway Plantation is a historic
restoration project of the City of
Washington. History is brought to
life for those who visit the three
restored homes, structures, farm and
tart at th
h n o
cabin, which is authentic, but had to
be moved to the property. Here, a
family with seven children lived for
six years.
The plantation includes the great
manor house in Greek Revival style,
which remains virtually unaltered
from when it was built in 1869. The
brick mansion was built by the
Callaway family out of Georgia red
clay. It contains no indoor plumbing
or electricity, since it was never
modernized. Connected to the rear
of the mansion by a breezeway is a
self-contained brick kitchen with
numerous interesting artifacts.
You can also visit a smokehouse,
pigeon house, barn and cemetery and
pick cotton in the small plot behind
the main house. Don’t miss the 1871
one-room schoolhouse, an 1840 slave
cabin, and a 1930 general store.