Milledgeville

Rivers State Prison: One Building, Three Very Different Lives

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Front entrance of the abandoned Rivers State Prison building at the historic Central State Hospital campus in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Some places seem destined for a single purpose. A school is built to educate. A courthouse is built to deliver justice. A hospital is built to heal. Then there are places like Rivers State Prison. What began as a hospital dedicated to treating one of America’s deadliest diseases eventually became a prison, only to spend … Read more

The River Is Slowly Reclaiming This Forgotten Georgia Mill

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The weathered concrete ruins of the historic Oconee Mill stand along the rushing Oconee River near Milledgeville, Georgia, surrounded by winter trees and riverbank vegetation on a cold, rainy day.

Not every memorable stop comes with a visitor center, interpretive signs, or even good weather. During our first day in Georgia, Ki and Dusty found themselves standing in the rain beside the ruins of the old Oconee Mill near Milledgeville. It was cold, wet, and thoroughly uncomfortable. It was also one of the most fascinating … Read more