DEL.ICIO.USAJC TRAVEL NEWS
Take short Amtrak ride to Clemson, Toccoa or Anniston for quaint fun
For The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sunday, March 01, 2009
As travelers we’re accustomed to being herded into cramped airplanes or fighting traffic to get to our destinations. But there’s an easygoing alternative that harks back to the heyday of graceful travel — the passenger train.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
The Currahee Military Museum, inside Toccoa’s restored depot, includes an exhibit on the GIs who inspired ‘Band of Brothers.’
Lisa Lowe Stauffer / AJC Special
Not far from the Amtrak stop in Toccoa, you will find Toccoa Falls, one of northeast Georgia’s loveliest sights.
Clemson University
If you’re looking for souvenir clothing that says Clemson University, Judge Keller’s, on the South Carolina city’s College Avenue, has been a good place to check out for generations.
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Every day for nearly 30 years, Amtrak trains have swept through Atlanta on the Crescent route from New York to New Orleans and back again. Clean, efficient cars offer accommodations from coach seats to deluxe handicapped-accessible sleepers. Porters tend to travelers’ needs. And the dining car serves meals on real china. Your vacation begins immediately.
For Atlanta residents, three charming towns make great getaways via Amtrak. To the north — passing over the highest train trestle on the East Coast along the way — are Toccoa and Clemson, S.C. To the south is Anniston, Ala. Yes, you could drive there, but why deal with traffic when you can relax on the train, watching scenic countryside slide by the window?
Toccoa
Toccoa owes its start to three speculators who sold land lots and brought in an excursion train with the first tourists in 1873. As a cooler summer alternative to steamy Atlanta, Toccoa has attracted travelers ever since.
Today downtown Toccoa is still vibrant. Visitors can step off the train, walk a block to a historic inn and spend the weekend browsing antique shops — all without renting a car. Antique buffs should make their first stop the Whistle Stop Mall on Sage Street. Housed in an old department store, there’s a large selection of antiques at prices that are bargains by Atlanta standards.
Two shops that reflect Toccoa’s mix of culture and small-town ambience are Dream Giver’s Gallery and Allye & Co., both on East Doyle Street. Dream Giver’s Gallery features only artists from the Toccoa area. Pottery, paintings, wooden bowls, sculptures and jewelry are all one-of-a-kind items. Across the street, at Allye & Co., visitors can shop for flowers and gifts or get their hair done.
For those who want to explore a little farther afield and don’t mind a short walk, Toccoa Falls is about 1 1/2 miles from downtown, on the campus of Toccoa Falls College. Or rent a car (Enterprise serves the area) near the train depot and drive five miles to Currahee Mountain, site of Camp Toccoa, which was a training ground for World War II paratroopers. WWII buffs may want to visit in early October, during Currahee Military Weekend, to see displays of military memorabilia, vintage cars and planes, a USO mobile canteen and battle re-enactments.
Inside the restored train depot is the Currahee Military Museum (www.toccoahistory.com) featuring exhibits on local military men and women, as well as the paratroopers made famous by HBO’s “Band of Brothers.” The horse stable that housed the 506th’s Able and Easy companies in England is also on display.
For more information visit http://mainstreettoccoa.com.
Clemson, S.C.
From the Amtrak station, visitors can take a Yellow Cab (864-882-3454) to the James F. Martin Inn on Clemson University’s campus. Just four blocks away is a stop for the “CAT” bus (www.CATBUS.com), which provides free transportation around Clemson and to the towns of Anderson, Pendleton and Seneca.
Like any college town, Clemson offers plenty of college sports events and student arts events at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts (www.clemson.edu/Brooks). While on campus, be sure to stop by the ‘55 Exchange (www.clemson.edu/icecream) in the student center for student-made ice cream and blue cheese. Fans of the university will want to check Judge Keller’s on College Avenue. Located in a former general store, it specializes in Clemson University clothing and memorabilia.
For Southern history buffs, Clemson boasts two historic homes. The white-columned Fort Hill Plantation, built in 1803, was the home of John C. Calhoun, who was vice president under two presidents — John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. Anna Maria Calhoun, his daughter, married Thomas Clemson, founder of Clemson University. On the plantation’s walls is the university’s European art collection.
Relocated from an area near Charleston, S.C., the Hanover House (www.clemson.edu/welcome/history/hanover.htm), built in 1716, is typical of the French Huguenot colonial-style home. The interior is filled with 18th- and 19th-century reproductions and antiques, and an heirloom vegetable garden graces the backyard. Beside the house is the South Carolina Botanical Garden
(www.clemson.edu/public/scbg), which encompasses 295 acres and features the Bob Campbell Geology Museum, walking trails and a 70-acre arboretum.
For more information, visit www.cityofclemson.org.
Anniston, Ala.
Three times was the charm when it came to naming this northeastern Alabama town. Established in 1872 as a home to the employees of the Woodstock Iron Co., it’s first name was
Woodstock. In 1883, when land lots were sold to the public, it was renamed Annie’s Town. Say that a few times in rapid succession and it’s easy to see how the name morphed into the present-day Anniston.
Train travelers will likely encounter Amtrak caretaker Al Applegate when they disembark. His job is to meet the train in Anniston and help passengers board in the scant minutes the train stops. He’s also likely to direct visitors to the 31-foot-tall “World’s Largest Chair” in front of Miller’s Office Furniture at 625 Noble St.
Visitors will want to make arrangements in advance to be picked up from the station by a rental car company. (Avis, Enterprise and Hertz serve the area.) If you’re traveling with children, head straight to Lagarde Park. Its 65 acres have play areas, picnic pavilions and walking trails. Nearby are two great museums.
The Anniston Museum of Natural History (www.annistonmuseum.org) features exhibits on ancient Egypt, Alabama’s natural history, birds in their habitat and a re-creation of the African savanna. The Berman Museum of World History (www.bermanmuseum.org) features 8,000-plus artifacts, including paintings, bronze statues, historic documents and antique weaponry.
In summer, Longleaf Park at the former Fort McClellan is the site of Music at McClellan (www.musicat mcclellan.org), an outdoor concert series by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and guest artists.
For more information on the city of Anniston, visit www.ci.anniston.al.us.
Lisa Lowe Stauffer is the author of www.Sweet-Tea-Travels.com, an online guide to the Southeast.
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