Georgia's longest yard sale, the Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale, takes place March 12 and 13. This 211-mile long treasure hunt follows US Highway 341 from Culloden in central Georgia to Brunswick and The Golden Isles on the Georgia coast.
The first Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale was held in 2005 and ran from Perry, Georgia to the coast. My son, Richard, and I drove the route starting in Perry and working our way south. We discovered that Hwy 341 is a beautiful drive that takes you through at least a dozen small towns and villages. One of my favorites was Lumber City, where the local VFW served delicious barbecued chicken dinners just steps away from the community's yard sale site. Others included Hazlehurst, which had an expansive yard sale site in its community park, and Helena with its interesting old hotel next to the railroad tracks.
Each community has
its own "official" yard sale site, which is identified by Peaches to the Beaches signs and banners. In addition, you'll typically find "unofficial" yard sales at shops, homes, churches and other sites along the way.
Offerings are what you would expect for any yard sale or flea market, and run the gamut from antiques and collectibles to arts and crafts, used clothing and household items and, of course, all sorts of food.
Peaches to the Beaches is modeled after the "World's Longest Yard Sale," which covers 654 miles from Ohio to Gadsden Alabama. It was begun by Evelyn Simmons, then interim president of the Golden Isles Parkway Association, which organizes the yearly event.
Held the second weekend in March, the annual sale's popularity has grown and the route has expanded from its original 172 miles to its current 211. Many "early birds" flock to the Friday sales in search of the best treasures, though Saturday seems to be the biggest sale day. For a complete listing and schedule, click here.
If you're looking for a delightful weekend activity, consider a road trip to the Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale. It's a great way to explore a beautiful segment of Georgia!
Recent visitors to the village on St. Simons Island have marveled at the sight a large, canvas-wrapped edifice in the spot where the lighthouse normally stands. No, it is not the latest work by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude; rather, it is part of an ongoing restoration project.
The St. Simons Island Lighthouse is undergoing a top-to-bottom, inside-and-out restoration that began Feb. 9.
The work began with sandblasting of all interior metal work including the 129 stairs, landings, railings and decorative window grates. The outside metal work is receiving similar treatment, necessitating the use of an enormous containment tarp which enshrouds the 104-foot structure and keeps the abrasive media and removed paint from being carried away by the wind.
After the metal has been stripped bare and, if needed, repaired, it will be given a primer coat, a middle coat and a urethane top coat. According to construction manager Paul Gilbert, the primer is equal to galvanizing in protecting the metal from the elements of sand and salt from the sea.
Eight cast iron handrail posts from the gallery level are being replaced, and will be recast from one of the originals. All windows, including the exterior metal, are being replaced as well. The lighthouse's outside masonry will be pressure washed and repaired as needed. It will then be repainted (white, of course) with two coats of acrylic paint.
The contractor went to great pains to protect the light's third order fresnel lens. The lens was encased in a layer of bubble wrap, followed by a layer of shrink wrap, with an outer layer of 1/4-inch plywood. Every chip and crack in the lens was documented.
The project includes renovation of the old storage building, which will receive a new metal roof and door. Its masonry will be repointed, and its exterior cleaned and painted. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.
Total cost for the lighthouse restoration project is $700,000. Of that amount, $500,000 has been financed with transportation enhancement funding by the state department of transportation. The Coastal Georgia Historical Society, which owns and operates the lighthouse, storage building and keeper's dwelling, is required to match $200,000 toward the project, for which donations are being sought.
Pavers or benches are being sold as part of the Historical Society's fundraising effort. The benches and pavers will be placed around the base of the lighthouse after the renovation and landscaping are completed. For more information, call the society at 912-638-4666 or visit them online.Photos courtesy of Natalie Bishop, St. Simons Island.
The first Peaches to the Beaches Yard Sale was held in 2005 and ran from Perry, Georgia to the coast. My son, Richard, and I drove the route starting in Perry and working our way south. We discovered that Hwy 341 is a beautiful drive that takes you through at least a dozen small towns and villages. One of my favorites was Lumber City, where the local VFW served delicious barbecued chicken dinners just steps away from the community's yard sale site. Others included Hazlehurst, which had an expansive yard sale site in its community park, and Helena with its interesting old hotel next to the railroad tracks.
its own "official" yard sale site, which is identified by Peaches to the Beaches signs and banners. In addition, you'll typically find "unofficial" yard sales at shops, homes, churches and other sites along the way. 
Peaches to the Beaches is modeled after the "World's Longest Yard Sale," which covers 654 miles from Ohio to Gadsden Alabama. It was begun by Evelyn Simmons, then interim president of the Golden Isles Parkway Association, which organizes the yearly event. 
Held the second weekend in March, the annual sale's popularity has grown and the route has expanded from its original 172 miles to its current 211. Many "early birds" flock to the Friday sales in search of the best treasures, though Saturday seems to be the biggest sale day. For a complete listing and schedule, click here. 
