Located about 100 miles southeast of Atlanta, Milledgeville was Georgia’s capital during the early 19th century. Today, the city is better known as the historic home of Georgia College and State University and the Georgia Military College. Both sit in downtown Milledgeville on the city’s southside, which is filled with local businesses, art galleries and museums, and early 19th- and 20th-century buildings. The colleges account for much of the area’s employment, as well as the healthcare industry. The country seat of Baldwin County offers a combination of educational opportunities, ample historic spots and outdoor amenities that attract potential residents to the area. Milledgeville has a population of about 16,400, down from the 2020 US Census count of 17,085.
Milledgeville got its name in 1803 from the Georgia governor at the time, John Milledge. It was named as the state capital in 1804. Many of the buildings from when the city was the state capital still stand to this day, some have been named to the National Register of Historic Places. Residents and visitors can check out all of the city’s historic sites on the city-run trolley tours.
History is everywhere in Milledgeville, from the original State Capital building to Civil War sites.
The original Georgia State Capital building can be found in Milledgeville.
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Historic downtown homes and lakeside mansions
Milledgeville offers an array of single-family homes, from historic homes in the downtown area to midcentury ranchers in established neighborhoods. The median price for single-family homes in the city is around $330,000, lower than the national average. Townhomes and apartments are also available. North of the city limits on Lake Sinclair, there’s a mix of brand-new developments and established neighborhoods. Homes with lake views can sell anywhere between $730,000 and $1.2 million. “People love living on the lake,” says Carla Bentley, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty Lake Oconee and longtime resident of Milledgeville. “It’s very popular for people to move here or retire here to live on the lake.”
Lakeside homes with boat docks can be had on Lake Sinclair near Milledgeville.
The city of Milledgeville is home to many historic homes.
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Historic Georgia College and State University
Georgia College and State University is centrally located in Milledgeville and is the alma mater of the famous writer Flannery O’Connor. The Georgia Military College is located on the west side of downtown in the 19th-century Old Georgia Capitol Building. Local kids can attend the Baldwin County School District, which receives a C-plus from Niche. Milledgeville’s also home to a few private school options, including John Milledge Academy, which has a B rating from Niche and the EBLA Academy High School, which scores an A-minus score.
Historic buildings in Milledgeville, like the Old Courthouse, gain new life as part of Georgia College & State University.
Milledgeville is home to the Georgial Military College.
Baldwin High School teaches over 1,300 students in the Milledgeville area.
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Live music at the Deep Roots Festival
Historic downtown Milledgeville is the city’s epicenter for art, culture and history. For a single day in October, downtown’s streets are lined with arts and crafts vendors, food trucks and bouncy castles for the annual Deep Roots Festival; when day turns into night, the event sends off with a concert. GCSU’s Music Department regularly hosts music festivals of its own like JazzFest, and its Department of Theatre and Dance puts on plays at the historic Campus Blackbox Theatre. “Downtown has First Fridays every month. There’s always different themes, too,” Bentley says.
The John Marlor Art Center hosts art galleries and workshops for all ages. GCSU’s Museum of Fine Arts and Leland Gallery also house additional paintings and sculptures. Historic cemeteries dot the downtown area, and Memory Hill is home to the grave of Flannery O’Connor. The City of Milledgeville also hosts a fireworks show on July 1st over Lake Sinclair, where families can cook at barbecue stations along the shoreline. As the water flows from Lake Sinclair into the Oconee River, kayakers take to the water at night for the Full Moon Float event.
The annual Deep Roots Festival occurs during October in Milledgeville.
The John Marlor Art Center, one of three historic buildings comprising the Allied Arts Center, is a key cultural landmark in Milledgeville.
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Downtown’s local businesses and North Columbia’s shopping centers
The historic avenues of downtown Milledgeville make up the city’s commercial center. Dining options here range from Southern comfort food to international cuisines like Metropolis’s Greek and Indian fusion. Scattered among the restaurants are many antique stores and fashion boutiques, as well as a few big box retailers. Along North Columbia Street, north of downtown, shopping plazas are home to big box and grocery stores. The Milledgeville Shopping Mall can also be found here and offers big chain retailers and restaurants.
Local shops, like Charmed Salon & Spa, make up the heart of Milledgeville's downtown.
Metropolis in Milledgeville, offers Greek and Indian fusion food.
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Waterside activities at Lake Sinclair
Lake Sinclair touches the northeastern edge of Milledgeville and is filled with boats and fishers during the summer months. Along the Oconee River on the city’s east side, the Oconee River Greenway connects to dog parks and boat docks for kayakers. Parks dot the downtown area, including Central City Park by GSCU’s campus and Huley Park on the northside. On Milledgeville’s western border, the Little Fishing Creek Golf Club has an 18-hole course. Most times of the year are good for a day on the lake, as Milledgeville has a temperate climate throughout the year. The city has mild but hot summers, while winters are short. The city experiences an average amount of rainfall throughout the year.
Milledgeville's residents and visitors can enjoy fishing on nearby Lake Sinclair.
LIttle Fishing Creek Golf Course, in Milledgeville, is a popular golf spot.
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Rising crime rates and anti-crime initiatives
Crime data for Milledgeville isn't readily available, but in 2022, Baldwin County reported a crime rate of 35.16 per 1,000 people according to Georgia’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program. In 2023, the City of Milledgeville and Baldwin County bought over 60 Flock Cameras to better monitor crime, and the NAACP started a community garden at the Milledgeville Mansion in the downtown area.
A long, indirect journey to Atlanta
State Route 49 and State Route 22 directly connect Milledgeville to Macon, the nearest major city 30 miles away. To make the 98-mile trip to downtown Atlanta, Milledgeville commuters must drive 41 miles north to reach Interstate 20, the closest Atlanta-bound roadway. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is 102 miles away. To travel within Milledgeville, locals can use Baldwin Transit and Legacy Shuttle buses.
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