Washington Historical Museum

10/06/2026

📖 NEW AT THE WASHINGTON HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Revolutionary War Patriots Who Fought in Georgia and Died Before the End of the War
“Patriot Souls Are Never Forgotten”
By David A. Noble
We are pleased to announce the arrival of a new book documenting the men who gave their lives during the American Revolution in Georgia.
This important work looks beyond the familiar names and stories to identify the Patriot men who lived in Georgia and fought during the Revolution, as well as Patriots who came to Georgia to fight and died here during the war.
Using primary sources, military records, and contemporary accounts, the book examines the men who fought in Georgia and died before the war was over. Historical accounts have often repeated numbers and stories for generations—but our responsibility is to continue examining the evidence and seeking the most accurate account possible of those who sacrificed for Georgia and the American cause.
“Patriot Souls Are Never Forgotten.”
This is more than a list of names. It is an effort to remember the individual men behind the history—to put names to those who fought, suffered, and died for the American cause.
📍 Available now at the Washington Historical Museum
308 E. Robert Toombs Avenue, Washington, Georgia
💲 $15
If you have an interest in the American Revolution, Georgia history, genealogy, or the men who fought for American independence, this is a book you will want to add to your collection.
Come by the Washington Historical Museum and get your copy
“Patriot Souls Are Never Forgotten.”

09/16/2026

🍺 TAVERN TALK — COMING IN 2027 🍺

What if you could sit inside an 18th-century tavern and experience history as it unfolds around you?

Imagine eating and drinking with the men and women of the backcountry, listening as they argue, laugh, share news, and speak of the dangers surrounding their families.

Meet Elijah Clarke, John Dooly, Stephen Heard, Thomas Brown, Micajah and Sarah Williamson, and others as they bring the months leading up to Kettle Creek to life.

The danger wasn't just the British. Hear about the Creek and Cherokee conflicts, the White and Sherrill families who were killed in 1773, the forts built for protection, isolated farms, and the uncertainty facing everyone on this frontier.

You won't simply watch history. You'll be sitting in the tavern while it's happening.

We are planning Tavern Talk for 2027, and we want to know:

Would you come sit down, eat, drink, and experience this evening of living history with us?

Tell us in the comments! 🍺

09/08/2026

Why Washington Can Honestly Be Called “The Most Historic Town in Georgia”
That statement is going to sound bold to some people—and it should. But there is a legitimate argument behind it.
Washington isn't necessarily the oldest town in Georgia. Savannah has that distinction. Nor is it the largest or most famous.
The argument for Washington is something different:
Few towns in Georgia have been connected to as many major chapters of the state's history in one place.
Consider what happened here:
* 1773 — The Ceded Lands: The land around Washington was opened to settlement following the Treaty of Augusta, bringing a huge new territory into the expanding Georgia frontier.
* 1777 — Wilkes County: Georgia created its first county under the new state constitution. The original Wilkes County covered an enormous portion of what would become Georgia.
* 1779 — Kettle Creek: A major Patriot victory took place in the Wilkes County frontier during the Revolutionary War.
* 1780 — Washington: The town was incorporated on January 23, 1780, placing it among Georgia's earliest incorporated communities.
* 1780s–1790s — Petersburg: Just down the road, Petersburg became one of Georgia's important early commercial centers, connecting the interior to the Savannah River trade.
* 1793 — Eli Whitney: His cotton-gin work became associated with the Talbot/Mount Pleasant Plantation near Washington, helping launch an economic transformation that changed Georgia forever.
* State and national politics: The original Wilkes County produced an extraordinary number of political leaders, including governors, legislators and Robert Toombs.
* Law: Washington produced John Archibald Campbell, who went on to serve on the United States Supreme Court.
* 1865 — The War Between the States: Jefferson Davis held his final Confederate cabinet meeting in Washington.
And there's another piece that often gets overlooked:
The original Wilkes County became the parent of much of Georgia.
As Georgia expanded, counties were carved from that original territory. Communities that grew out of it eventually became part of the Georgia we know today.
So when someone says, “Washington is the most historic town in Georgia,” I don't think the claim should be based on one famous building or one famous person.
It should be based on the sheer number of pivotal moments that happened here—and the influence this place had on the development of the state.
Savannah has its story.
Augusta has its story.
Milledgeville has its story.
But Washington has a remarkable argument of its own:
Washington wasn't simply where Georgia's history was preserved. It was one of the places where Georgia's history was made.
And that's why “The Most Historic Town in Georgia” isn't just a slogan.
It's a claim we can defend.

09/04/2026

08/07/2026

A Patriot Just 13 Years Old
Most of us have never heard of Benajah Nordyke, yet at just 13 years old he rode with Colonel John Dooly's mounted Georgia militia into the Battle of Kettle Creek. Born into a Quaker family that opposed war, his life was marked by extraordinary choices, sacrifice, and hardship. Discover the remarkable story of one of Washington-Wilkes County's forgotten Patriots.

08/04/2026

The Washington Historical Museum will be closed today due to mandatory off-site training, meetings, and work being conducted at Callaway Plantation.
If you need information about the museum or have questions, please call 706-678-2105
We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming you back during our regular hours.

08/01/2026

Petersburg helped shape Georgia’s frontier before disappearing into history.