Pierce County: River, History and Wine

Pierce County is a rural destination with farmland, small-town charm, and natural wonders. Scenic drives along country roads are a year-round highlight. River activities, historic sites, and the Rabbiteye wine tradition offer distinct ways to shape your trip.

Country Roads and Nature

The rural setting is part of Pierce County in every season: farmland and small-town charm define the area, along with its natural wonders. Scenic drives along country roads offer a way to take in the landscape as you travel.

The waterways offer a variety of activities, too. The Alabaha River runs through Pierce County and offers opportunities for fishing and outdoor recreation. The Satilla River Water Trail is about 140 miles long and runs downstream from Jamestown to Woodbine.

The Satilla River Water Trail

Access to the Satilla River Water Trail in Pierce County is at Hwy. 121 Landing, where parking is permitted. Check access and parking information before you go, as river facilities may change.

West of GA-121 Landing, the section of the Satilla River Water Trail in Pierce County passes through a forest of cypress and slender pines. Water levels and navigability vary.

History at the Courthouse, Museum, and Memorial Sites

The Pierce County Courthouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. The Pierce County Heritage Museum & Depot features exhibits on tobacco processing, farm equipment, and Civil War artifacts. The museum also has a genealogy library with more than 200 books. Together, these subjects bring local agriculture, family history, and Civil War history into a shared perspective.

Shiloh Primitive Baptist Church is also part of Pierce County’s historic landscape; the congregation was organized in 1833. In Blackshear, a memorial stone marks the site of a temporary prison camp dating from late 1864 to early 1865. About 5,000 Union prisoners were held at Blackshear Civil War Prison Camp. These sites and memorials highlight different aspects of the past, from an early congregation to the traces of the Civil War.

Blueberries and Rabbiteye Wine

Bell Farms Rabbiteye Winery is located on a farm in Bristol in Pierce County. For three generations, Bell Farms has grown and harvested Rabbiteye blueberries; several blueberry varieties are used to make the wine.

Rabbiteye Winery offers wine tastings and wine sales, as well as tours of the winery and packing shed. Small events can also be booked. Reservations are required for tastings. Wine enthusiasts can get a look at the production process here, as well as the chance to taste or buy wines.

Geocaching in Blackshear and Pierce County

There are more than 50 geocaches in Blackshear and Pierce County. The Blackshear Better Hometown Program also offers its own geocaching challenge in Blackshear. Those who complete it can receive a trackable “Blackshear Geocaching Challenge Geocoin” and/or a “Blackshear Geocaching Challenge PathTag.” As the availability of caches, the challenge, and rewards may change, check the latest details before making plans.

Explore more destinations: Blackshear, Lamar County, Lowndes, Union, Clayton, Glynn, Muscogee, Gordon.

For the main travel overview: Georgia.