Visited: Nov 2022
Nearby town: Plains, GA; Nearby city: Americus, GA
"We have to inspire our children and grandchildren to take on challenges and risks that at first may seem overwhelming, or even impossible. They need to understand that the only failure is not trying."
-Jimmy Carter
I'm sure it seemed overwhelming (if not impossible) to a small boy, born to a modest farmer in rural Georgia, that he would one day rise to become the governor of the state and eventually the President of the entire country. But little Jimmy was determined to give it a try.
Jimmy Carter National Historical Park details the life & times of our nation's 39th president (1977 - 1981). The park preserves: (1) the boyhood farm - where Carter lived from age 4 until he left for college; (2) the former Plains High School where Carter graduated in 1941 (the high school serves as the Visitor's Center and Museum); and (3) the old railroad depot that served as Carter's campaign headquarters for the 1976 presidential election. Technically, the park boundaries also include Carter's residence at 209 Woodland Drive. However, this site is not open to the public as Jimmy and his wife, Rosalynn, still reside there.
Jimmy was born James Earl Carter, Jr. on October 1, 1924 at the local hospital in Plains, Georgia. Carter was the first president to be born in a hospital. Plains is a small town (pop. 573) in southwestern Georgia. Carter's father, James Earl Sr., ran a local general store and invested in farmland. Carter's mother, Lillian, worked as a nurse. At 4 years old, Carter's family settled on a farm along a dirt road just outside of town in an area almost entirely populated by African-Americans.
Start your visit at the boyhood farm. Learn about Carter's earliest years and some of his earliest memories. There is a nice trail of about 1-2 miles to see the boyhood home and other outbuildings on the farm.
A room inside the boyhood home.
Little Jimmy was an avid reader. When he wasn't working on the farm, he would frequently spend time here, reading any book he could find
farmland
boyhood home. Jimmy lived here from age 4 until he left for college at the US Naval Academy
kitchen
Jimmy's bedroom
Jimmy's father ran a country store on the property
inside the country store
as a teenager, Jimmy demonstrated an entreprenurial spirit. His father gave him an acre of land to run and manage on his own. Jimmy grew, packaged, and sold peanuts.
Tara saw this black cat hanging out by the barn
this small tennant home is where Rachel & Jack Clark lived. Rachel & Jack worked for Carter Sr. as farmhands. As a boy, Jimmy worked alongside them on the farm: hoeing weeds, stacking peanuts, picking cotton, and tending to the farm animals. After the chores were done, Jimmy would go fishing with Rachel and listen to her stories about life and her words of wisdom.
Jimmy's interactions with Rachel, and other African-American farmhands, influenced his views and led him to support the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s (at least moderately) at a time when most whites in Georgia were staunchly pro-segregation. Jimmy later wrote that "of all the people who lived near us on the farm, Rachel Clark was the most remarkable and made the most significant and lasting impact on me."
Once you conclude your visit of the farm, head into town to see the Plains High School, which also serves as the site's Visitors Center and Museum. Plains High School opened in 1921 and operated as a high school until 1979. Carter was known for being studious and somewhat reserved. He played on the basketball team and was a member of the Future Farmers of America, where he developed woodworking skills.
While Carter was enrolled at Plains High School, the Superintendent was Julia L. Coleman (aka "Miss Julia"). Miss Julia, an English teacher, was the first female superintendent in the Georgia public school system. Her innovative cirriculum developed at Plains High School was later adopted at other schools statewide. Miss Julia had a profound impact on Jimmy's life. In his inagural address, Carter quoted Miss Julia who taught him that "we must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles."
front entrance to Plains High School
classroom arranged to look as it did when Jimmy attended school here
Jimmy's mother Lillian was famously interviewed while sitting in this rocking chair during the 1976 campaign.
auditorium
the Plains High School is a beautiful building
From a young age, Jimmy was a devout evangelical Christian. In 1942, at 18-years old, he became a deacon in the local baptist church and taught Sunday School. Carter continued to teach Sunday School in Plains all the way until 2020. Carter's deep faith in Jesus shaped and influenced his humanitarian views, commitment to peace, and progressive ideology.
In 1943, Carter enrolled at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. While there, he fell in love with Rosalynn Smith, who was a friend of his younger sister Ruth. They married upon his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1946. As an officer in the Navy, Carter worked on the fledgling nuclear submarine program.
In July 1953, a tragic event changed the course of young Carter's life. Carter's father died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 58. As the eldest son, Carter felt he should manage and run the family farm. He left active duty on October 9, 1953 and returned to Plains. Times were tough for their young family, but he soon built a large and financially successful peanut farm.
As a lifelong Democrat and due to his interest and involvement in civic affairs, Carter decided to enter politics in the 1960s. He became a state senator in 1963, and ran for governor of Georgia in 1966, but was unsuccessful. He tried again in 1970 and won. Carter surprised many (and angered many) when he announced during his gubernatorial inauguration that "the time of racial discrimination is over." He introduced reforms (merging 300 state agencies down to 22) to reduce the budget, provided equal state aid to schools, and attracted attention of environmentalists when he vetoed a controversial plan to build a dam on the Flint River.
Running on a platform to restore trust in the White House, Carter entered the 1976 presidential campaign. Carter was largely unknown outside of Georgia, so much so that pundits derisively said "Jimmy who?" upon hearing the announcement. Carter proudly responded "I'm Jimmy Carter, and I'm running for president." Positioning himself as a moderate between ardent-segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace and more liberal candidates such as Sen. Frank Church of Idaho and Gov. Jerry Brown of California, Carter won the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary and eventually became the nominee.
The old train depot in Plains became Carter's official campaign headquarters.
this memorable peanut statue was presented to Carter by the Indiana Democratic Party during the 1976 campaign. The statue now stands just north of the Plains High School. The statue emphasizes Jimmy's career as a peanut farmer and his distinctive toothy grin.
Carter's humble roots, cheery disposition, apparent sincerity, his promise to restore integrity and trust in the federal government in the wake of the Watergate scandal, and his position as a Washington outsider, helped elevate him in the 1976 election over Nixon's former VP-turned-President Gerald Ford.
As president, Carter established the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. He negotiated the Panama Canal treaties, which transferred control of the canal from the US to the nation of Panama in the year 1999. He also created a number of national monuments in the state of Alaska. Perhaps Carter's greatest success as President was his negotiation of the Camp David Accords, a monumental peace treaty that normalized relations between the nations of Israel and Egypt, who had been at war for decades and decades.
Carter's term was also fraught with many difficulties. Carter's "outsider" status, which had served him well during the campaign, led to conflicts with the House and Senate, even though they were both controlled by Carter's own Democratic party. Carter did not have much desire to engage in the "political games" necessary to convince legislative leaders to pass the bills and set the budgets/funding he wanted to enact. Many congressional leaders (who were also Democrats) felt slighted when Carter did not return phone calls, or balked at their proposals (which Carter denounced as "pork barrel" spending, etc.). Complicating the rift between the White House and the Capitol was a period of high inflation, the energy crisis, gas shortages, and economic stagnation/recession. Carter's speech about economic troubles, in which he called it a "crisis of confidence" was rather infamous and dubbed as the "malaise" speech.
The US boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow (in response to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan), and the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the resultant hostage crisis led to a perception among the American public that Carter was weak and ineffective. The struggles took a toll on Carter. He seemed tired and worn-out, the charm and optimism of Jimmy during the 1976 campaign was gone.
As the 1980 election approached, Carter was challenged by Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy in the primary. Although Carter managed to survive the primary, he lost re-election in a landslide to the charismatic movie-star and former governor of California, Ronald Reagan.
After his single term in office, Carter returned to Plains and has revitalized his reputation as a great humanitarian. His charity organization, the Carter Center, seeks to advance human rights and alleviate suffering by monitoring elections, expanding democracy in foreign countries, advocating for victims of human rights abuses, and working to eradicate guinea worm disease, malaria, river blindness, trachoma, elephantiasis, and other contagious diseases.
Carter and Rosalynn are also instrumental figures in the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity, and have personally volunteered to build affordable homes for thousands and thousands of people. In 2002, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to "find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development" through the Carter Center.
Jimmy and Rosalynn still live in the modest home they purchased in 1961 at 209 Woodland Drive in Plains, GA. It is the only home that the Carters have owned. The site is not open to the public, but when the proper time comes, the home will be a part of the NPS site and operate as a museum. The Carters plan to be buried on the property.
You can drive by the house, it's right along the main highway that runs through Plains. It is estimated that the Secret Service vehicles on the property combined are worth more than the home itself. 😀 Carter prides himself on his simple, modest, and frugal lifestyle. He attributes his longevity to his happy marriage. Carter entered hospice care earlier this year (April 2023), but his caretakers report that he enjoys spending time with Rosalynn and his family, and eats a bowl of peanut butter ice cream every day.
Carter residence along the highway, behind security fencing.
Carter holds the record for longest-lived President (he turns 99 on October 1, 2023), the longest post-presidency (he left office over 42 years ago), and the longest marriage of a President (he and Rosalynn have been married for over 77 years and counting!)
Tara and I also had the privilege to visit the Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, GA several years ago. What struck me the most from learning about Carter is that, whatever his shortcomings were as President, and wherever you happen to sit on the political spectrum, it is undeniable that he is a truly sincere person, a good man that tries his best to do what is right, and has devoted his life to serving others less fortunate than himself.
To learn more about the NPS site:
