Tate, Georgia is a tiny town that will just take a minute or two to drive through (unless you get caught at the railroad crossing). But as you pass through, there are a couple of places that will likely catch your eye.
The big industry in and around Tate is marble, and the biggest, fanciest house in town stands as a testament to the man who made his fortune from local quarries: Colonel Sam Tate. His mansion, the Tate House, stands at the side of Route 53.
The Tate House is made entirely of a rare, pink marble that’s found in the area. Sam Tate and his family lived here from its completion in 1926 until 1955.
Just up the road from the Tate House (at the aforementioned railroad crossing) is the town of Tate’s old train station. It would make for a good picture later in the day (when the sun isn’t directly behind it), but you can’t do much besides admire it from the road. It is apparently still in use, since there were signs of life inside when I visited.
Perhaps the most appealing thing about the old Tate train depot is that it clearly has not been restored in any way. At least, not yet.
Note: This trip was first published in 2006.
No comments