There is no shortage of unique architectural offerings in the Deep South.
In fact, many region-defining design destinations are within a weekend's drive of metro Atlanta. Two longtime experts, Mark Reinberger, University of Georgia College of Environment and Design professor, and George B. Johnston, Georgia Tech University architecture professor, break down 15 of the most architecturally significant buildings and cities to visit during your next vacation.
Each selection was chosen for its distinct architecture as well as its strong social, cultural and historical context.
Classic
Antebellum-era architecture
There are enough intact pre-Civil War colonial buildings from Savannah to Charleston, S.C., to plan a weekend road trip through the coastal destinations. Between the two cities, stop into Beaufort, S.C., to see a smaller but equally impressive collection of Antebellum-era structures.
Homes dating back to the 1790s through the Civil War era help make Augusta a sight to behold, said Reinberger, who also recognized the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, first constructed in 1810, and mills along the historic Augusta Canal as evidence of the city's architectural significance.
This Georgia island destination once hosted a who's-who list of VIP members, eventually inspiring its clientele to build similarly fascinating Queen Anne Revival residences around the Jekyll Island Club Hotel.
Original North Carolina capital
Edenton, N.C., and the coastal Carolinas are home to some of the first Colonial-era, 18th-century settlements. The original North Carolina capital is home to the state's oldest courthouse, which was built in 1767, and homes spanning the past two and a half centuries.
The historic Moravian settlement within Winston-Salem, N.C., lives on through numerous museums, parks and residential structures. Much of the Protestant neighborhood established more than 250 years ago lives on to provide visitors a snapshot into early American life.
Contemporary
Sea life is on display at this contemporary public building in Chattanooga, Tenn. Johnston said the aquarium, completed in 1992 and expanded about a decade ago, helped inspire other downtown Chattanooga revival projects that also incorporate established urban surroundings.
This 4-acre artistic mecca near Buena Vista was created by Eddie Owens Martin, or the self-proclaimed St. EOM, from the 1950s until his death in 1986. Columbus State University took over ownership this spring as part of a restoration process to maintain the property's six structures. Public tours relaunch in October.
Another life-long project done by one designer, Howard Finster developed this Summerville art haven one piece at a time. The eclectic folk art — mostly sculptures and paintings — litter the unique property in a museum environment that still inspires architects and designers today.
This Gulf Coast community has established itself as a "poster child of new urbanism," Reinholder said, for its modern-looking ocean dwellings. Best known as the filming location for "The Truman Show," Seaside still serves as a model modern neighborhood despite first being developed 35 years ago.
Downtown Greenville, S.C.
Visionary leadership and public-private partnerships helped reshape this South Carolina downtown landscape, according to Johnston, into an urban destination that "even Atlanta would admire." Aiming to create a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere, Greenville has converted downtown into an area to live, work and play by using unique, modern design principles.
Historical
Settings that inspired some of the most inspirational 20th-century novels and plays are showcased in this tri-state tour. The Southern Literary Trail covers parts of Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, recognizing 21 cities — including Atlanta — made famous by the likes of William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Harper Lee, among others.
As the nation's only preserved blast furnace, this National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Ala., was first constructed in the early 1880s. Sloss Furnaces now serves as an inspiration for other industrial redevelopment projects and helped establish a local metal art scene.
The Old Capitol Museum in Milledgeville first hosted the Georgia Legislature in 1807 and remained the state capital until 1868. Now the Gothic Revival Style building serves as a Civil War museum in honor of Georgia's on-site vote to succeed from the union.
St. Augustine, Fla.
Known as the oldest established U.S. city, there are many historical sites in St. Augustine. That includes the Castillo de San Marcos, the country's only remaining 17th-century masonry fortress built using a rare form of limestone, and the former Hotel Ponce de Leon, which was built using the same Spanish Renaissance Revival architectural style seen throughout St. Augustine.
This outdoor museum in Jefferson travels back in time to capture the essence of agriculture life back in the early 20th century despite being such a close drive from Atlanta. Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm has more than a dozen intact buildings, including the original cotton gin.
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