A Sunday drive to Augusta

There’s only so much squirrel watching one can take while hiding out in the woods for two weeks, so we decided to take a drive over to Augusta to see the city.

We could easily jump on I-20 and would have been there in 45 minutes, but we decided to see Georgia and take the back roads GA-150 and GA-104. It didn’t really add any time to the trip, but we did get to see the local communities along the way.

Upon arriving at the downtown area, we saw a massive odd-looking building in the distance and had to drive over to check it out.

The tall chimney on the left side of the photo is the last standing permanent structure built by the Confederacy as part of the Confederate Powder Works complex. It stands 153 feet tall and was saved as a monument when the powder works was demolished in 1872.

The complex included 26 buildings stretching for two miles along the Augusta Canal and produced 2,750,000 pounds of gunpowder, more than enough to supply the Confederate armies in the field. By the end of the war, it has a surplus of 70,000 lbs. when the factory closed in 1865. 

The land was sold off and a canal widening project destroyed most of the buildings. The adjacent Sibley Mill (the building with the flag) was built in 1880 and was not part of the original Confederate Powder Works. However, it was built with bricks and other material from the demolished complex and was one of the largest cotton mills in the region. The Sibley Mill closed in 2006, but its water-driven turbines still generate electricity, which is sold to the Georgia Power Company. 

We then drove over to 8^th Street and checked out the Riverwalk 

Where there are markers showing the flood levels that impacted the city over the years.

However, the real attraction of the Riverwalk is the stunning views of the Savannah River.

As we were leaving Augusta, we happened to pass the James Brown Statue, on our way back to Mistletoe to hide out in the woods for another week.

It was another great Sunday drive. 

Until next time, Stay Safe