The Backroads Traveler: Watkinsville, Georgia

The Eagle Tavern has been a Watkinsville landmark for 225 years.Entering Watkinsville from the northwest via Main Street, on your left, across from the courthouse, is the Eagle Tavern, at 26 North Main Street. Built around 1801, it was an important inn, tavern, and stagecoach stop on the route between Milledgeville and Athens. The tavern also has a rich history of ghostly tales and is considered by some to be the most haunted building in North Georgia.Today, the Eagle Tavern is a history museum depicting frontier life in Georgia 200 years ago. It is open for tours Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Visitor Information Center is across from the Eagle Tavern at 21 North Main Street. They will be happy to provide guidance about tours and points of interest. Watkinsville, probably because of its proximity to Athens and the University of Georgia, is also home to a very active and extensive art colony, with numerous shops and galleries awaiting your exploration. The Old Oconee County…