Augusta, no ordinary town come Masters Week

Post by Sports Writer, Derek Clements 

IT IS fair to say that were it not for a piece of real estate known as Augusta National and a golf tournament called The Masters, very few people would ever have heard of Augusta. It's a pretty ordinary town and, to be perfectly honest, there is nothing especially remarkable or memorable about it.

But for one week in April each year it becomes the focal point for everybody and anybody who cares about golf. The Masters is a very special tournament, played on a very special golf course, perhaps the most famous 18 holes in golf alongside the Old Course at St Andrews. And for this week, the eyes of the golfing world will be on Augusta National.

For the town it is also a special week, as hotels and motels, bars and restaurants hike their prices. During Masters week, there is not a room to be had and the "No Vacancies" signs hang in every window. The irony is that while the town does its level best to cash in, the powers-that-be at the golf course go out of their way to ensure that the "patrons" are not ripped off when they enter the hallowed gates to the property. If only the R&A could honestly say the thing about the concessions at The Open.

Augusta residents reckon that the Riverwalk, located along the Savannah River behind Reynolds Street downtown is something special. It is a multi-tiered brick esplanade that is nicely enough landscaped and filled with various paths, benches, monuments and plaques. But, to be frank, you will find the same sort of thing in most towns.
Located on Independence Drive near the intersection of Walton Way and 13th Street, (706) 724-4174, Meadow Garden was the home of George Walton, significant in American history because he was one of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Early in 1996 the "municipal attic" moved into a new home at Sixth and Reynolds streets. The 23 permanent galleries are filled with Revolutionary and Civil War weapons and uniforms, Native American culture, natural history (including a major dinosaur exhibit), space exploration, communications, vintage photographs and a tribute to the city's and Georgia's founding father, Gen. James Edward Oglethorpe. Savannah River marine life inhabits a small aquarium. Train buffs shouldn't miss "Old No. 302," the Georgia Railroad's last steam engine. It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 1-5pm. Admission prices are adults, $4; seniors, $3, and children, $2. Children 6 and younger are admitted free of charge. Phone (706) 722-8454.

The deep south is uneasy about the way it treated America's black population, and the Lucy Craft Laney Museum is the only African-American Museum in the Central Savannah River Area. The museum, which opened in 1991, was the former home of Miss Lucy Craft Laney. It is open from 9am-1pm, Monday to Friday, and by appointment on weekends and holidays.

Dedicated to the art of the south, the Morris Museum of Art is a short stroll from Augusta's Riverwalk. Two centuries of southern art are represented in this new museum. The  collection includes works by Augusta native Jasper Johns and mixed media artist Robert Rauschenberg. Special exhibits are held throughout the year. It is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 5.30pm and Sunday 12.30pm to 5.30pm. Admission is $2.

You can't come to this part of the world without finding out something about the cotton industry upon which is made its fortune. The Cotton Exchange Welcome Centre will tell you everything you need to know Augusta's once-lucrative trade in what was known as "white gold." It's open Monday-Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and Sunday 1pm to 5pm. Walking, driving and group tours are available.

Found on 1840 Broad Street, Ezekiel Harris House, is Augusta's second-oldest structure. In 1797 Harris came to the area from South Carolina with plans to build a town to rival Augusta as a tobacco market. On a hill overlooking Augusta, the house is an outstanding example of post-Revolutionary architecture. The gambrel roof and vaulted hallway are reminiscent of New England. Tiered piazzas are supported by artistically beveled wooden posts. Rooms are furnished with period antiques. It's open Monday to Friday 1pm-4pm, and Saturday 10am-4pm. Adults are $2; students, 50 cents.