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The Lake

Lake Sinclair was named for B.W. Sinclair, Georgia Power’s superintendent of power plant construction and operations during the completion of the project. The lake is a 15,330-acre hydropower impoundment at Furman Shoals on the Oconee River and boasts 417 miles of shoreline.

The Georgia Power Company began building Sinclair Dam in 1929, but construction was suspended in 1930 during the Great Depression. Work on the plant resumed in 1949, and the plant was placed into operation in 1953.

Two factors make Lake Sinclair an unusual lake, the first being the location. Lake Oconee is just upstream of Lake Sinclair, with Wallace Dam separating the two lakes. The dam operates as a pump-back operation, meaning that during times of peak electrical demand, water is released through the dam into Lake Sinclair. At times of low demand, the Wallace Dam turbines are reversed and pump water from Lake Sinclair backs up into Lake Oconee. The result is that current can flow either way in Sinclair depending on the operation of Wallace Dam.

The other factor is that Lake Sinclair serves double duty for Georgia Power. Not only does the water running through Sinclair Dam generate power, but the waters of the lake are used in the cooling towers of Plant Harlee Branch, a coal-fired generation plant in the Beaverdam Creek area. The water returning to the lake from the plant is 5 to 10 degrees warmer than the lake itself, making the area around the hotwater discharge a great place for wintertime fishing.

Fishing

A favorite of fisherman of all skill levels, Lake Sinclair is the site of several national and local fishing tournaments, and is second only to Clarks Hill in the number of bass tournaments held each year. Largemouth bass and white bass abound here, as do crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish. Good opportunitues also exist for catfish, including channel catfish, bull catfish, and white catfish.

One the best fishing areas on the lake is the Sinclair tailrace area, located immediately downstream of the Sinclair Dam and Powerhouse. It has a fishing platform with handicap access and safety railing and is accessible from Sinclair Dam Road on the west side of the river. On the northern stretches of Lake Sinclair where the Oconee River flows from the Wallace Dam, is the Oconee Tailrace. This fishing pier and recreation area is easily accessible from Georgia Highway 16 in Putnam County.

Remember - fishing in Georgia requires a fishing license. Licenses can be purchased at some sporting goods stores, convenience stores, marinas and county courthouses. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources offers online applications for fishing and hunting licenses, boat registration, and state park reservations, as well as a wealth of other useful information.

Have Fun Fishing is the original Southern Fishing Report. Hosted by Georgia fishing authority Ken Sturdivant, the site is updated weekly and is a must-see for lots of great fishing and boating tips.

Georgia Outdoors is another useful source for fishing-related news and events across the state.

O'Neill Outside is the homepage of television and radio host and producer O'Neill Williams, who hosts a Saturday morning radio talk show with fish and game reports, tips and tricks, and anything else the outdoor enthusiast could desire. You can also sign up for a free newsletter on the site.

For a daily report on lake levels, visit Georgia Power's lake levels site.

Recreational Areas

Georgia Power operates several public parks in the Lake Sinclair area, including places for camping, fishing, boating, swimming, and picnicking. For a full list of activities and locations of the Georgia Power parks, visit Georgia Power Park Activities.

Among Georgia Power's Lake Sinclair recreational areas, the newest is Rocky Creek Park. Located on the southeast side of the lake in Baldwin County near Sinclair Dam, this park provides popular day-use access to Lake Sinclair. Facilities at the park include a pavilion with restrooms and vending machines, picnic tables, grills, a fishing pier, swimming beach, playground, and a boat ramp. This park is open to the public each year from Memorial Day through Labor Day. There are no camping areas available at this facility.

The Cheek Recreation Area is located directly across from Plant Branch on Highway 441. Designed for bank fishermen, its facilities include a large fishing pier, shoreline enhanced with fish attracting structures, and a parking lot.

Cosby's Landing is another fisherman-friendly access area. Located in a quiet cove on the Island Creek branch of Lake Sinclair, this park has a boat ramp, fishing pier, and parking lot. It is easily accessible from Carrs Station Road on the southeastern portion of the lake.

The Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites is a one-stop source for information regarding all of Georgia's state parks, including locations, reservations, lodging, historic sites, golf courses, events, and numerous other resources.

The History

Lake Sinclair spans two Georgia counties: Baldwin and Putnam. Baldwin County, named for Abraham Baldwin, was created in 1803 by the Creek cessions of June 1802. The land was distributed by the 1805 Land Lottery. The Second (1807) Lottery of Georgia, Act of Legislature was passed on June 26, 1806, creating five new counties out of parts of Baldwin and Wilkinson: Morgan, Randolph (later to become Jasper), Jones, Putnam, and Telfair. (This information was provided by the Baldwin County and Milledgeville Georgia American History and Geneology Program.)

As mentioned above, Putnam, Georgia's 33rd county, was created in 1807 from a portion of Baldwin County. It was named in honor of General Israel Putnam of Connecticut, one of the Patriot commanders at Breeds Hill, in the engagement misnamed as the Battle of Bunker Hill.

For more information on the antebellum history of the area, visit the Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails and Georgia's Historic Heartland websites.

Milledgeville and Baldwin County

That's the slogan of the largest community in Baldwin County, Milledgeville. This town of 18,000 (2000 census figure) is located on the Fall line at an elevation of 301 ft. The town lies south of the lake, with the Oconee River running just east of downtown.

Milledgeville was named after Georgia governor John Milledge. It was laid out at the start of the 19th century to be the new state capital, for which it served from 1804 to 1868, and has the distinction of being the only American city ever designed for the purpose of being a state capital.

Notable former residents of the city include vaudeville actor and motion picture comedian Oliver Hardy, author Flannery O'Connor, professional baseball player Willie Greene, professional football player Earnest Byner, Congressman Carl Vinson, author Barry Reese, author P.T. Deutermann, and Confederate States Army General Bryan M. Thomas.

Central State Hospital, founded in Milledgeville in 1842, was Georgia's first public psychiatric hospital.

Milledgeville is home to three institutes of higher education, Georgia Military College, Central Georgia Technical College, and Georgia College & State University.

Milledgeville's Trolley Tour is the best way to take in the town. A drive through the landmark historic district includes rotating visits to the Old Governor's Mansion, c. 1838, Old State Capitol, c. 1807, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, c. 1841, Lockerly Hall, c. 1839 and the Stetson-Sanford House, c. 1825. The trolley tour is available Monday - Friday at 10:00 AM and on Saturday at 2:00 PM. The cost is $10.00 per person for adults and $5.00 for children ages 6 - 16. All tours begin at the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Tour stops vary daily.

Current weather for Milledgeville.

Map of the Milledgeville area (courtesy Google Maps).

The Old Governor's Mansion

The Old Governor's Mansion in Milledgeville was home to eight Georgia governors from 1839 until 1868. One of them, Governor Joseph E. Brown, served as governor for more consecutive terms than any other governor of the state. His terms spanned three important eras--the Antebellum period, the Civil War, and the beginning of Reconstruction.

The Mansion also served as headquarters for General William T. Sherman during Sherman's March to the Sea, bringing 30,000 Union soldiers into Milledgeville.

After the capital moved to Atlanta in 1868, the Mansion was used as a barracks for Georgia Military College cadets. Since 1889, the Mansion has been a part of what is now Georgia College & State University. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973 and is open to public tours.

Andalusia

Andalusia, listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980, was brought to life in the published letters of Flannery O’Connor's, The Habit of Being. The oldest existing structures at Andalusia date back to the early 19th century, but local historical records and physical evidence indicate the property had much earlier occupation.

The earliest recorded occupants of the property were Joseph and Mary Pleasant Stovall, when title records called this tract and surrounding acreage the Stovall Place. Though Stovall was a Milledgeville merchant with a home in town, Andalusia remained an active plantation throughout his ownership. After his death, the 1700-acre plantation was sold at auction to Nathan Hawkins for $6.00 an acre.

Nathan Hawkins served as Mayor of Milledgeville for three terms in the 1850s and was a representative of Baldwin County in the state legislature. Hawkins's wealth was such that his was one of only four Baldwin County households in 1860 that owned more than 100 slaves. It is likely the Main House was built under his direction sometime in the late 1850s.

The recorded title history of the plantation began after Hawkins' death in 1870, when the vested portion was auctioned to Col. Thomas Johnson of Lexington Kentucky. The remainder of the estate went to his second wife, Amanda, which roughly matches the boundaries of Andalusia. In 1930, Johnson sold his tract to Madison A. McGraw of Milledgeville.

For a more detailed history and description of the plantation, visit the Flannery O'Connor - Andalusia Foundation website.

Additional Attractions in Milledgeville

The Stetson-Sanford House, a circa 1825 home, is reknowned for its beautiful Palladian double portico, original pilasters, spread eagle and dogwood blossom fanlights, and the cantilevered, spiral staircase that dominates the central hall. It was built for George T. Brown by British-born builder-architect John Marlor and later operated as the Beecher-Brown Hotel to serve visitors and legislators during the city's years as state capital. From 1951-1966 it was known as the Sanford House Tea Room. The family donated it to the Old Capital Historical Society in 1966. Open by request, the home is included on the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Convention & Visitors Bureau Trolley Tour.

Lockerly Arboretum is a 50-acre private, nonprofit arboretum located on Business Highway 441 South in Milledgeville. It is open daily, except Sundays, without charge. The arboretum was chartered in 1965 on the grounds of the antebellum Lockerly Hall (circa 1839). In 1998, Col. Oliver N. Worley donated an additional 200 acres to the foundation for an Environmental Education facility. The arboretum is a horticultural laboratory, with collections of azalea, camelia, conifers, holly, rhododendron, and viburnum, as well as daylily, iris, and a greenhouse for cactus and tropical plants.

Putnam County - Eatonton

On April 15, 1808, the site of Eatonton was laid off in 29 squares of six and a half acre lots surrounding the public square. These squares were then sold at public auction and the town named Eatonton after General William Eaton of Connecticut, a hero who gained fame in the war with the Tripoliton pirates in 1805. The Putnam County courthouse, which has recently undergone a major restoration/renovation project, is still surrounded by its original public square.

The entire town of Eatonton is on the National Register. Classic Georgian architecture can be found on many of the tree-lined streets near the center of town.

Among the more recent of Eatonton's distinguished citizens are Alice Walker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Color Purple, and Joel Chandler Harris, creator of the Uncle Remus Tales. The Alice Walker Trail is a driving tour that offers viewers insights into her family's history and the early development of her talents.

The Uncle Remus Museum, located in Turner Park three blocks south of the courthouse on Hwy 441, is part of the original home of Joseph Sidney Turner, the Little Boy in the Tales of Uncle Remus. The museum was created from two original Putnam County slave cabins and features a large protrait of Uncle Remus and the little boy presented to the museum by Walt Disney. Among the displays are shadow boxes of delicate wood carvings of de Critters, first editions of many of Mr. Harris's works, and numerous articles of interest.

The Adele Theater (c. 1914) located at 107 N. Madison Avenue, now home of Blackwell's Furniture Co., was a silent movie theater that closed in 1923. The only significant alteration to the original theater was the leveling of the downstairs floors.

Current weather for Eatonton - Putnam County.

Map of the Eatonton - Putnam County area. Courtesy of Google maps.

The Rock Eagle Effigy

Located north of Eatonton on Highway 441 is the Rock Eagle Effigy. This stone mound, in the shape of a great prone bird with its head turned to the east and its wings outstretched, measures 102 ft from wingtip to wingtip and rises ten feet above the ground. It is composed entirely of milky quartz rocks ranging in size from baseballs to boulders and is best viewed from the large granite observation tower built by the federal government in 1937.

The effigy was first described in 1877 by C.C. Jones, a Georgia historian, for the Smithsonian Museum. At that time, Jones made accurate measurements and drawings of the effigy, which is exactly the same today as it was when he viewed it. There is strong evidence that the area near the Rock Eagle Effigy Mound was occupied by Archaic Indians some 5,000 years ago, however, it is unlikely that the effigy existed at that time. The most likely builders of the mound are Woodland Indians, who inhabited this area from 1,000 BC to 1,000 AD. While it is possible that the people who built Rock Eagle were part of the Hopewell or the Adena Culture, it is more likely that these Woodland Indians were a distinct cultural development.

During the 1930's, Dr. A. R. Kelly, a noted archeologist from the University of Georgia, excavated the breast area of Rock Eagle, finding a single set of human remains and a projectile point that may or may not be associated with the effigy. In 1954, Kelly reported that both Rock Eagle and Rock Hawk showed indications of having been enclosed by a wall of material similar to the rocks used to construct the effigies. This, perhaps, associates them with the builders of similar walls at Stone Mountain (destroyed, 1923) and Fort Mountain (still standing).

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