Part 2: Strange and Unusual Places

Here is the second part of our visit to the strange and unusual places in Athens.

After our visit to the iron petting zoo, we headed over the Elder's Mill Bridge, one of the 15 remaining covered bridges in Georgia. It is located on the way back to Athens city limits about ten minutes up from the horse. The article states that a sign will designate the area; however, I have suspicions about the alleged “sign.” So, don’t count on it and look for the road name Elders Mill Road on your left. Once you find the road, you travel about 2 minutes and then you hit the bridge. It was my favorite place during our escapade. Encompassed by sweet Georgia pines, the bridge sits over a tranquil creek. Standing in the outdoors with the gentle hum of the nature surrounding me was pretty remarkable. If you choose to visit only do one spot, go here!

Next, we back into Athens. We drove to the intersection where Finley meets Dearing Street and immediately found ourselves in front of “The Tree That Owns Itself.” Colonel W.H. Jackson willed the tree to itself back in the late 1800s, and it has remained a landmark of Athens history.
There is a plaque in front of the tree declaring the rights of the tree.

Once we left the tree to itself, we drove downtown for our last stop: the double barrel cannon. A remnant of the civil war, the cannon was an unsuccessful craft built at the Foundry when it was a steam mill. During a test, the two cannon balls ended up going in opposite directions, killing a cow and knocking down a chimney. Today, the cannon rests outside of city hall and faces due north, still protecting the south from the Yankees.