The Fayette County Recreation Department plans a tour each month for senior citizens in the county. Last week it offered a historical bus tour of Fayette county and 34 interested persons participated.

They began by visiting the Fayette County Public Library for coffee and donuts and a tour of the facility. They then traveled to the Fayette County Historical Society, where they were joined by official county historian Carolyn Cary. They learned of the thousands of pieces of information on the county and its citizens; next they stopped at Heritage park, and inspected the 65 granite plaques around the fountain that tell the story of the county.

They took a drive around the Hollingsworth House, pausing for the story on the house, and then it was on to the Fayetteville City Cemetery. Cary gave a brief description of the 1,400 gravesites, along with the story of the Fitzgeralds who are buried there. They are the great-grandparents of Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone with the Wind,” and are the prototypes for the O'Haras in her book.

At a stop at the Holliday-Ware-Dorsey-Fife House, they were greeted by ladies in mid-19th century costumes, who explained the history of the house and the families who have lived there.

Heading south, they paused in Inman and in Woolsey for the history of those two communities and then headed farther south, stopping at Antioch Baptist Church. The group learned that it was one of six Fayette churches that began in the 1820s that still have viable congregations. Continuing south, they paused in the town of Brooks and then headed north to stop for a moment at Starr's Mill.

Going north again, they parked at the Peachtree City Library and had a salad in one of its meeting rooms. Cary told the story of its beginning in 1959 and that it was the first pre-planned city in the Southeast.

Continuing north, they stopped at the City hall in the town of Tyrone for turkey and dressing and to hear the history of the town. The group was welcomed by the mayor of Tyrone, Sheryl Lee, who is the director of programs for the Recreation Department and had gone along on the trip.

Heading east, they paused at Bethany United Methodist Church and turned the bus in the direction of Coleman's Corners and then continued east until they reached the community of Kenwood. The final stop was in Kenwood at the 1916 home of the Steve Allgood, which was formerly the home of C. B. Thornton. Dessert was served around the pool and everyone then headed back to the point of the tour's beginning.

Those interested in another historical bus tour of the county can call the Recreation Department at 770-461-9714.

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