ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Meadow Garden, Home of George Walton
ExploreSouthernHistory.com - Meadow Garden, Home of George Walton
Meadow Garden in Augusta, Georgia
One of the oldest homes in Georgia, Meadow
Garden was the farm residence of George Walton, a
signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Meadow Garden
This charming 18th century
house was the home of
George Walton, signer of the
Declaration of Independence.
George Walton
A native of Virginia, Walton
signed the Declaration of
Independence and served as
a colonel during the American
Revolution.
Meadow Garden, Home of George Walton - Augusta, Georgia
Georgia Signer of the Declaration
Copyright 2012 by Dale Cox
All rights reserved.
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Home of George Walton
The historic house is owned
and operated by the Georgia
State Society Daughters of the
American Revolution. The
home is open Monday - Friday.
Signers Monument
George Walton is buried in a
crypt at the base of Augusta's
Signers Monument. Fellow
signer Lyman Hall also rests
there.
Sites of the American Revolution
Meadow Garden is the historic home of
George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of
Independence. The house is located in
Augusta, Georgia.

Born in Virginia in 1749, George Walton was
one of the most distinguished men of his
era. He moved to Georgia in 1769 to study
law and would become one of the state's
most successful lawyers.

A strong advocate of American independence
from Great Britain, he became active in the
Sons of Liberty and was one of the leaders in
Georgia's early involvement in the American
Revolution. At the age of only 25 he was
named President of the Executive Council of
Georgia in 1775.

Georgia named Walton one of its delegates
to the Continental Congress in February of
1776. Braving bad roads, difficult conditions,
Loyalist militia and British troops, he headed
north for Philadelphia.

On July 24, 1776, George Walton signed the
Declaration of Independence. Only 26 years
old, he was one of the youngest signers.

Like many of the Patriots of 1776, Walton did
not limit himself to political matters alone. He
returned home to Georgia to become the
senior colonel of the state militia. He was in
command of the militia forces at Savannah in
1778 when that city was attacked by the
British.

Wounded in the first Battle of Savannah,
Walton was taken prisoner and held by the
British until the following year. Upon his
release from captivity, he became Governor
of Georgia.

Over the years to come, George Walton
would serve as superior court judge, Chief
Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court,
governor again in 1789 and U.S. Senator
from 1795-1796. He contributed significantly
to the early development of Georgia and the
United States.

Like many of America's Founding Fathers,
Walton suffered great financial loss during
the American Revolution. He never fully
recovered from these losses and spent
much of the rest of his life keeping creditors
at bay.

Walton moved to Augusta in around 1787
and four years later moved into the house
known ever since as Meadow Garden. To
keep his creditors from seizing the property,
he acquired it in the name of his nephew,
Robert Watkins.

George Walton lived at Meadow Garden from
ca. 1791-1792 until he died on February 2,
1804. His son, George Walton, Jr., lived in
the house until 1812 when he sold it. Several
different owners lived in the house for the
rest of the 19th century.

In one of the earliest such preservation
efforts of its time, however, Meadow Garden
was purchased by the National Society
Daughters of the American Revolution in
1901. The Augusta chapter assisted greatly
in the purchase and DAR members across
the nation contributed 10 cents each to
meeting the $2,000 purchase price.
Georgia's first house museum, Meadow
Garden is built in the Sand Hills Cottage
style. Similar homes were common in the
Summerville area of Augusta. When first
built, it was a 2 1/2 story frame structure over
a high brick basement. The house was
enlarged and altered somewhat over the
years, but still looks much as it did when
George Walton lived there over 200 years
ago.

Although Walton never actually owned the
house, he often identified himself in letters
as "George Walton of Meadow Garden."  His
funeral procession began at the house and
he is buried today at the historic Signers
Monument on Greene Street in downtown
Augusta.

Meadow Garden today is a beautiful house
museum operated by Georgia State Society
Daughters of the American Revolution. The
house is furnished to reflect its appearance
at the time Walton was in residence there.

Original Walton family memorabilia is on
display and visitors can see late 18th century
furniture, porcelain and paintings. A restored
herb garden can be found outside the house.
The historic Augusta Canal runs within feet of
the property.

Meadow Garden is at 1320 Independence
Drive in Augusta, Georgia. The house is
open for guided tours Monday - Friday from
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last tour beginning
at 3:30 p.m.

The cost of admission is $4 for adults, $3.50
for seniors, $3 for students and $1 for kids
under school age.

Please click here to visit the official Meadow
Garden website for more information.