Mary Ann Anderson | Tribune News Service

In Lafayette Square, the centerpiece of LaGrange, it is still the 1890s. As I walk the entirety of the red-bricked circular pathway around the square and admire the massive fountain jetting untold thousands of gallons of crystal-clear water toward the bluest of skies, myriad crepe myrtles and roses provide showy pinks, reds and purples to complement my stroll.

The square, at the heart of LaGrange’s historic district, pays homage to Gilbert du Mortier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette, the French nobleman and diplomat who fought in the American Revolution. LaGrange, at its heart a small town with a population of about 32,000 and in the rolling hills of Georgia’s Piedmont about an hour’s drive southwest of Atlanta, is named for Château de la Grange-Bléneau, the ancestral estate of Lafayette’s wife, Marie Adrienne de Noailles. When Lafayette visited Georgia, he remarked the landscape was similar to the countryside surrounding the chateau. Call it the French connection.

Lafayette Square enhances LaGrange’s small-town architecture with boutiques, restaurants and businesses that face the park from all sides. The historic buildings, constructed from 1828 until 1957, make Lafayette Square undoubtedly one of the most picturesque and charming squares in Georgia. So beautiful and nostalgia-evoking is LaGrange’s commercial district that it earned a coveted entry into the National Register of Historic Places. As night falls, the square is all aglitter with thousands of twinkling lights, illuminating downtown in an ethereal glow and providing a soothing place to unwind after a day of eating and exploring all that LaGrange has to offer.

With its Old World past layered perfectly with contemporary charm, LaGrange packs a powerful punch when it comes to history, eats and antebellum and postbellum architecture.

What to do

Self-guided and guided tours are a must-do, with maps available at LaGrange Visitor Center just steps from the square. Plenty of attractions dot LaGrange, including, for shoppers, the Marketplace at Lafayette Square, a two-story emporium filled with unique artwork, antiques and other local treasures. Plus there’s the Legacy Museum on Main that tells West Georgia’s whispered secrets and storied past from the Creek Indians to the world’s oldest bale of cotton to a replica covered bridge.

Hills & Dales Estate was once the country home of Fuller E. and Ida Cason Callaway. The 30-room mansion, completed in 1916, is surrounded by acres of manicured, terraced gardens. (Visit LaGrange/TNS)

On the verges of LaGrange is the Hills & Dales Estate, the historic country home of textile magnate Fuller E. Callaway and his wife, Ida Cason Callaway. While its centerpiece undoubtedly is the 30-room, 16,000 square-foot Georgian Italian villa with its commanding fireplaces and terra cotta roof tiles, the evocative remnant of early 20th century architecture flows in perfect symmetry into a series of manicured gardens enhanced by dramatic fountains and statues.

The gardens date to the 1830s, and in all four seasons, particularly spring, flowers are fragrantly abloom in clouds of vibrant azaleas, tulips, magnolias, hydrangeas, tea olives and camellias. The estate is named for is rolling hills and shady dells, and the captivating gardens have withstood the Georgia-style tests of time of extreme heat and humidity, drought, frosts and snowfall.

Leaving the early 20th century of Hills & Dales, travel further back in time to the Biblical History Center, a place that helps bring the Holy Bible into context. Visiting the center is akin to stepping back 2,000 years into the Middle East with its archaeological replica garden reminiscent of ancient sites in Jordan and Israel and including Old and New Testament duplications of tombs, millstones and goat hair tents. The Israeli Antiquities Authority lent more than 250 pieces to the center, among them stunning examples of pottery, oil lamps and farming implements. Although reservations are required, also enjoy a four-course biblical meal including soup, salad, main course and dessert or a shepherd’s breadmaking experience.

Fancy the great outdoors? The clean, sparkling West Point Lake with its 525 miles of shoreline offers all the usual water-based fun of boating, fishing and camping. Fancy old-fashioned storytelling? Then visit LaGrange during the first weekend of March for the Azalea Storytelling Festival, a lively, laughter-filled event focusing on the time-honored tradition. Fancy shooting the Hooch? Wait. What? It means simply to rent or bring your own kayak and paddle down the Chattahoochee River – locally the Hooch – for some of the best natural scenery in all of Georgia.

Where to eat

Georgia has an unparallelled obsession with food, and LaGrange is one of those places that defies expectations for such a small town in that it brims with festive hotspots to enjoy the Peach State’s best cuisine.

Tutto Pepe is a fine Italian dining room featuring made-from-scratch pastas and Italian wines. The dishes include specialties such as rigatoni al pesto with pan seared flounder or classics of lasagna and spaghetti.(Mary Ann Anderson/TNS)

Relish the savory secrets of Tutto Pepe, a fine Italian dining room featuring made-from-scratch pastas and then fashioned into dishes such as rigatoni al pesto with pan seared flounder, gnocchi di gamberetti with potatoes and shrimp, or classic dishes of lasagna and spaghetti. Take note of this Tutto Pepe treat: I’ve had shrimp. I’ve had toast. I’ve had fried foods galore. But never fried shrimp toast. With its crispy, crunchy snap of flavor, it was love at first bite. Tutto Pepe shares building space with Beacon Brewing, if you have an inkling for an aperitif or digestif in the form of beer.

Taste of Lemon, a LaGrange restaurant featuring traditional Southern fare, is housed inside a historic Methodist church. Open for lunch only, the 1892 building was once the Second Methodist Church. (Mary Ann Anderson/TNS)

Also try Taste of Lemon, a local favorite serving traditional Southern dishes in meat-and-three style. For those not baptized in Southern lingo, that’s a meal with a meat and three vegetables. Among its culinary treasures are roast beef, baked chicken or fried pork chops served with sides ranging from turnips to green beans to corn to okra. Desserts vary but could be strawberry pie or peach cobbler. Don’t forget to ask the blessing before the meal, as Taste of Lemon is housed inside a historic Methodist church.

Katelynn Phillips pours wine at Your Pie pizza restaurant, a trendy spot that also offers craft beer and handcrafted vodka. (Mary Ann Anderson/TNS)

Stopping for lunch at Nutwood Winery Restaurant and Wine Bar, the downtown location of Nutwood Winery Tasting Room and Vineyard Cafe, my husband and I sample their buttery chardonnay and a wonderful pinot noir before I settle on shrimp and grits and he a cheeseburger. In peeking at the dinner menu, I note the offerings include porterhouse and filet steaks, pan-seared scallops and shrimp linguine.

Gus’s Grill in downtown LaGrange is known for its generous portions of great food. Breakfast offerings include omelets, skillets and biscuits. (Mary Ann Anderson/TNS)

Living large in LaGrange also means sampling the hot dogs at Charlie Joseph’s, a counter-service downtown diner, or indulging in a rich sundae or milkshake at the old-fashioned soda counter at the Medicine Cabinet Soda Shoppe. We opt for breakfast at Gus’s Grill, a cozy downtown restaurant known for its omelets, biscuits and skillets. Later in the afternoon, we pop into Wild Leap Brewery, in a building that was formerly Westbook Tire & Service, for tastings of craft beer and handcrafted vodka.

Where to sleep

During our visit to LaGrange, we want lodging near Lafayette Square and choose Courtyard by Marriott. It’s directly on the square and with its red brick façade it easily blends into the historic landscape of downtown. The Bistro, the hotel’s restaurant, offers both breakfast and dinner and it seems always busy. An outdoor fire pit and small splash pad adds to its homey atmosphere.

For a resort-style family stay, Great Wolf Lodge has themed suites with outdoorsy names that include Grizzly Bear, KidCabin and Wolf Den. The showstopper, though, is a 100,000-square-foot indoor water park with pools and slides and that’s kept at a soothing 84 degrees year-round. Adventure-minded kids enjoy a ropes course, mini golf, and a climbing wall. Several restaurants and bistros are scattered around the resort, offering a wide range of options of pizza and burgers to steaks and cocktails.

Backcountry and electric camping sites are available at West Point Lake, as are several RV options. At Highland Pines Resort and Marina, also on the lake, cabin rentals are supplemented by pontoon, fishing boat and kayak rentals.

The last word

In all my years of rambling through Georgia, I was sure I knew every back road and town in the state but somehow had missed LaGrange. While I’m not a fan of clichés, it can be truly described as one of Georgia’s hidden treasures and is certainly worth the hunt.

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If you go

Contact Visit LaGrange at www.visitlagrange.com. The LaGrange Visitor Center at 206 Ridley Ave., just off Lafayette Square, is an ideal first stop for brochures and lodging and dining recommendations. Its living room-style furnishings and knowledgeable, friendly staff are the perfect Southern hospitality welcomes to LaGrange.

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