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Eat. Live. Be. HEALTHY |
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| WaltonWellness.org 770-856-1251 info@waltonwellness.org |
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Imagine this...a beautiful day, in a place steeped in history, where preserving heritage is common place, where people are friendly, where you can learn and enjoy... Wellness Walk Through Historic Downtown Monroe Wellness Walk Through Historic Social Circle
In The News... Around the well: Covington News Online Madeline Burgess Do you remember "This Ole House," a popular song Rosemary Clooney introduced back in the 1950s? The "ole houses" described in the song were ready to fall in from neglect and disrepair. Unlike the houses that Rosemary sang about, Social Circle has some beautifully restored and maintained historic homes along the two walking routes described in our new brochure, "Wellness Walk through Historic Downtown Social Circle." All of these properties were listed in the Social Circle Historic District entered on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Wellness Walk concept was originated by Walton Wellness Coordinator DeDe Harris. It unites congruent interests (history and health) in a program that appeals to health minded and history loving residents and visitors. Through her efforts the Walton Heath Care Foundation was able to provide the necessary funding. DeDe developed the historic walk based upon information from a variety of sources, including an old walking tour map of Social Circle; the Walton County history, "Wayfarers in Walton," published in 1967; and county records. She delineated two walking routes beginning from the entrance to the Welcome Center: a 1.8-mile east loop incorporating 21 historic sites and a 2.5-mile west loop incorporating 23 sites, together measuring just over four miles. Pedestrian safety was a concern, and most streets chosen for the walk have sidewalks. The draft brochure was prepared and reviewed by an editorial committee consisting of residents Dena Bailes, Barbara Sams, DeDe DeMarks, Madeline Burgess and Better Hometown Manager Mike Miller. Our resident artist B.B. Sams prepared colorful east and west loop maps (the originals are framed and may be seen at the Social Circle Welcome Center). The result of this local effort is a beautiful Wellness Walk brochure which features not only maps, photos, snippets of history and descriptions of our historic homes but health information and guidance as well. So the next time you are in Social Circle, drop by the City’s Welcome Center to pick up a brochure and be sure to take a walk! http://www.covnews.com/section/18/article/17167/
Social Circle Wellness Walk SOCIAL CIRCLE — Exercise is good for the body, and now in Social Circle, it can also be a learning experience. The Wellness Walk through historic Social Circle has been established. Formed as a partnership between Walton Wellness, Social Circle Better Hometown and the Historic Preservation Society of Social Circle, the Wellness Walk consists of two separate routes through the Social Circle downtown, each marked with various points of interest. For example, the East Loop is 1.8 miles long and winds past the former Monroe Telephone Exchange on Sycamore Street; the Depot and Georgia Railroad near the intersection of Sycamore and S. Dogwood streets; and the Dukes of Hazzard Bridge on East Hightower Trail, where the famous jump scene from the popular television show The Dukes of Hazzard was filmed. The West Loop takes walkers or joggers through 2.5 miles of Social Circle history. This route passes by the Abercrombie-Thomas House on West Hightower Trail; the historic cemetery on Lakewood Drive; and the Co-operative Department Store and Mill Village on South Cherokee Street. DeDe Harris, Walton Wellness coordinator, worked on the project and put together a brochure that outlines the two routes. But it offers more than just the maps. The brochure describes each of the points of interest that walkers will pass along the way. For instance, walkers along the East Loop who pass by the Coaling Tower on Sycamore Street can learn that coaling towers stored the coal used to refuel steam engines that traveled the railroads. “Once numerous, they are now vanishing,” the brochure states. “This tower is one of only six left in the state of Georgia.” Those traversing the West Loop can learn that the back portion of the attic in the Knox-McKibben House at 336 W. Hightower Trail is believed to have been “used in the Underground Railroad. This happens to also be the exterior set for Cuba Gooding Jr.’s movie, ‘The Fighting Temptations,’” according to the brochure. Snippets of history and basic health and wellness information are also provided in the pamphlet, including “5 Tips To Wellness” and nutrition information. Bicycle enthusiasts are provided a map and 52.4-mile route for the Social Circle Buffet Rambler. This route begins at the Blue Willow Inn and winds through Walton County, including the cities of Rutledge and Good Hope. Harris presented the Wellness Walk brochure Tuesday to the Social Circle City Council. “This is a project I very much enjoyed doing, and I have wanted to do this for a long time,” she told the council. “Hopefully, we can do a kick-off event and I’d like to do a couple of guided tours.” Harris also helped establish a Wellness Walk in Monroe, which also consists of a 1.5-mile loop and a 2.5-mile route. Brochures will be available at the Social Circle Welcome Center and City Hall. For more information, call Social Circle Better Hometown at 770-464-1866 or DeDe Harris with Walton Wellness at 770-856-1251.
Wellness Walk comes to Social Circle SC offers residents chance to learn history while walking
“This was a project we’d wanted to do a long time,” said DeDe Harris, director of Walton Wellness. The walk – similar to a historic/fitness walk in Monroe offered by Walton Wellness – will offer partakers a chance to make a circuit of historic downtown Social Circle and surrounding neighborhoods, with multiple historic homes and landmarks to be seen along the way. Rather than a guided walk, the project offers free brochures at the Social Circle Visitor’s Center, which include maps of the two possible routes, the location of walk highlights and historic information on each landmark. Walk organizers, presenting the project to the Social Circle City Council at its Dec. 14 meeting, offered a look at the new, color brochures. “They’re fresh off the press,” said Mike Miller, director of Better Hometown. Mayor Jim Burgess thanked Miller and the Historic Preservation Society of Social Circle, as well as Harris and representatives of the Health Care Foundation of Walton County, which also contributed to the project to help promote better health and exercise. “It’s a great project and a credit to the community,” Burgess said. Patsy Joiner, representing the Better Hometown board, also was happy to thank the partners in the project. “We would like to thank DeDe Harris and the Walton County Health Care Foundation for their work on the brochures,” Joiner said. “Get out and walk!” Highlights of the walk include The Poet’s House on East Hightower Trail, the “Dukes of Hazzard” bridge, supposedly used in the taping of the show, the Blue Willow Inn restaurant, the well in downtown Social Circle and several historic churches. And while the walk is a self-guided tour, Harris said guided tours as done in Monroe could be organized in the future, and plans for a larger promotion are in motion. “Hopefully we can do a kickoff event,” Harris said. |
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