Do you ever find yourself going down random rabbit holes? One search leads to another, then another, and now you can’t even get back to where you started in the first place.
That’s the internet for you! It can have you going for hours. A recent random rabbit hole that I decided to go down was finding out random facts about Augusta, like things that even the average Augustan wouldn’t know.
There’s just something intriguing about learning random facts that you never knew.
When you think of facts about Augusta, the two main things that may pop in most people’s heads are that it is the home of The Masters and that James Brown grew up in Augusta.
Sure you’ve also probably heard about the Haunted Pillar that WAS in Downtown Augusta.
The ten-foot-tall cement-covered brick pillar was the only remaining piece of a farmer’s market from the 1800s and it was believed to be cursed. Well, emphasis on the “was”cause that pillar was destroyed by an out-of-control car back on December 17, 2016. The remaining pieces of the pillar are supposedly stored in a garage, but the specific location remains disclosed. It has also been said that it would be rebuilt but 8 years later no signs of that seem to be happening.
But let’s go deeper than that!
For example, did you know Augusta used to be home to the world’s only James Brown Cam? A James Brown cam was set up to honor his legacy: the Greater Augusta Arts Council commissioned a life-size bronze statue of James Brown on Broad Street. Across from him, all you had to do was pose, no selfie required: you just send a text message, and the built-in cam snaps the picture for you and sends it right to your cell phone.
Unfortunately, that cam is not there anymore, but I think it would be great to get it back going!
Let’s keep going! Here are 5 random facts about Augusta you probably didn’t know.
General William T. Sherman didn't burn down Augusta because of his girlfriend
(Photo by Hector Quintanar/Getty Images)
General William T. Sherman led the March to the sea from Atlanta, Georgia, to the Georgia seacoast; destroying and burning down each city in his path except for Augusta. It is rumored that Sherman – who had been stationed as a young federal officer at the Augusta Arsenal – had an old girlfriend in Augusta and saved the town for her.
Grovetown's Walmart Has Treasure Buried Underneath
People walk near the entrance to a Walmart Supercenter on February 20, 2024 (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
There is a rumor that right on the land where the Grovetown Walmart is settled, a large amount of money or treasure was buried there years before. Guess there’s no way to truly find out unless the Grovetown Walmart was completely demolished.
Has anybody else heard of this? I can’t be the only one!
Augusta National Has Underground Tunnels
(Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
Now this is cool! Augusta National has underground tunnels: beneath the surface of Augusta National lies a network of underground tunnels used for various purposes, including maintenance, transportation, and shelter during inclement weather. These tunnels help preserve the course’s immaculate appearance during major events.George Washington's dog may or may not be buried in Augusta
(Photo by Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images)
U.S. President George Washington visited Augusta in 1791. It is rumored that he had a dog, Cornwallis, that died here in Augusta. But animal experts at Mount Vernon also say there was never a dog named Cornwallis. That rumor was started by an April Fool’s joke printed in the Chronicle.
Which are you siding with?
Two signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried in Augusta.
NEW YORK – APRIL 08: An autograph letter by Declaration of Independence signer, Button Gwinnett (pictured, background) is seen at Sotheby’s auction house April 8, 2010 in New York. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)
Two signers – George Walton and Lyman Hall – now rest together beneath a monument on Greene Street in front of the Municipal Building. But the question remains – Where is Button Gwinnett, the third Georgia signer of the Declaration of Independence, buried?
