Ben Hill County: Nature and History
Accommodation in Ben Hill County
Ben Hill County offers plenty to explore for nature and culture enthusiasts. In Fitzgerald, there’s everything from historic streets and cultural sites to events. Wetlands, boardwalk trails, and a wooded campground add to the options. You can shape your stay around time in nature, history, or event dates.
Nature Trails, Birdwatching, and Camping
Ben Hill County and the City of Fitzgerald jointly maintain nine recreational parks. There is also a river access park on the Ocmulgee River in Ben Hill County. Two boardwalk loop trails offer different distances: the Paulk Park Nature Trail is about 150 feet long. At the Milton “Buddy” Hopkins Nature Preserve, a boardwalk loop about one mile long circles a grassy wetland. The preserve is a year-round birdwatching spot, where visitors can see about 100 different bird species. If you’re looking for a shorter loop, consider the Paulk Park Nature Trail; the longer loop at the preserve combines the trail with wetlands and birdwatching.
Ben Hill County Landing offers a wooded, natural setting for camping. The site is on Mobley Bluff Road, which branches off Highway 107 East. Fitzgerald also has a connection to cycling: Georgia Bike Route 20 runs through the city, adding a route option for cyclists alongside the nature destinations.
Fitzgerald’s Architecture and History
Fitzgerald’s Downtown Historic District, listed on the National Register, spans more than 26 blocks of historic streetscapes. Its residential streets feature a range of styles: Queen Anne, Victorian architecture, Neoclassical, Craftsman, Spanish Colonial, and Gothic. Architecture enthusiasts will find not just one style, but a broad range of historic forms within the same designated district.
Cultural sites also tell different sides of the city’s history. The Carnegie Center is housed in a historic Carnegie Library that opened in 1915. The center also offers a changing program of visual arts exhibitions, performances, events, and classes. The Blue and Gray Museum in Fitzgerald displays a rare collection of relics and artifacts from the American Civil War. The Fitzgerald Grand Theatre is a restored movie theater dating to the 1930s.
The historic landscape also includes buildings and places with different current or registered statuses: the Ben Hill County Courthouse remains in use and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The Charles W. Kimball House, also known as the C. W. Smith House, is listed there as well. Fitzgerald Evergreen Cemetery is a historic cemetery and the resting place of numerous historical figures. Together, these sites offer different ways to explore history—through public buildings, a listed house, and a cemetery.
Wildlife, Tours, and Events
One unusual wildlife-watching experience in Fitzgerald involves its free-roaming chickens: visitors can book a golf cart tour called the Chicken Safari at the visitor center to see them. The Wild Chicken Festival takes place every spring in Fitzgerald’s historic Downtown District. The Ebony-in-Arts Festival and the Colony City Chase are also annual spring events associated with Ben Hill County. These spring events add a seasonal highlight, while birdwatching at the Milton “Buddy” Hopkins Nature Preserve is possible year-round. If you’d like to plan your trip around a festival, check the dates for your preferred travel period in advance.
For the broader travel overview: Georgia.
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