Candler County: Discover History and Nature

When planning a trip to Candler County, you can focus on cultural history, nature, and a range of activities. In Metter, historical highlights include a regional museum and a former supply building for timber workers. Charles Harrold Preserve offers a different focus, with protected land and diverse habitats. Other attractions include gardens, a safari, golf, a market, and a recurring festival in Metter. Consider which themes you want to shape your stay; the details below will help you understand what makes each place distinctive and where advance arrangements are needed.

Nature and access to the preserve

Charles Harrold Preserve protects 73 acres of ecologically significant land in Candler County. Its habitats include a sandhill community, flatwoods, and a floodplain swamp. The preserve is home to the silky camellia and the Georgia plume plant, which is listed as endangered in the state of Georgia. The different habitat types and the plants found there give the preserve its distinctive natural history focus. In April 2026, it was temporarily closed to visitors while restoration work was underway following damage from Hurricane Helene. Check current access before visiting.

Museums, churches, and architectural history

The Candler County Historical Society converted the Metter High School building, constructed in 1921, into a regional museum. It illustrates the agricultural, architectural, and cultural ways of life of several generations of Candler County residents. Tours are available by appointment only, so plan this visit well in advance.

The South Metter Residential Historic District includes numerous homes from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Old Lake Church was built in 1839 and is the oldest church in Candler County. Together with the museum’s school building, these sites offer different historical reference points: the church dates back the furthest, the district’s homes were built in the following decades, and the school building was constructed in 1921.

The 1928 Metter Commissary served as a supply building for timber workers in the 1930s. Today, it houses the local Welcome Center and Chamber of Commerce. The building thus brings together the history of timber work and present-day visitor information. The Metter Welcome Center is located on the Woodpecker Trail, near I-16 Exit 104. The Georgia section of the trail stretches 204 miles from Augusta to Folkston and runs along State Routes 25 and 121.

Gardens, safari, and other activities

The Parrish Mill complex at George L. Smith State Park includes a gristmill, a sawmill, a covered bridge, and a dam built in 1880. Together, they offer a range of historical points of interest, from mill buildings to a dam. Guido Gardens offers a different focus, with waterfalls, fountains, streams, and a prayer chapel. The garden is also the production site for The Sower television programs.

Wild Georgia Safari Park operates a petting zoo year-round and offers a safari adventure. At the petting zoo, visitors can touch and feed domesticated farm animals. On the safari, an experienced guide drives a rugged safari vehicle. The main difference between the two experiences is the direct contact with animals at the petting zoo and the guided ride on the safari.

Willow Lake Golf Club was expanded into a full 18-hole course in 1989. The National Long Drivers Association’s annual long-drive competition takes place on a 575-yard par-5 hole. Another Bloomin' Festival has drawn visitors to Metter’s downtown park for more than 21 years. The program includes a bike ride, a 5K run, a one-mile fun run or walk, and a community Easter egg hunt. If the festival is important to your travel plans, check the specific event dates.

Metter Farm Market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables, freshly cut meats, and locally made cakes and other treats. The options available therefore span a wide range of interests, from architectural and regional history to nature, events, sports, and market offerings.

Discover more destinations: Metter, Dekalb, Elbert County, Washington County, Douglas, Newton County, Jefferson County, Mitchell County

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