The Georgia Guidestones

These stones, described below, caught my interest when searching the web on my last days in Jacksonville, FL. I stumbled across the website in a general search of things dealing the Druids. I was fascinated to find something so culturally significant in the middle of north Georgia. I set my mind to going to check them out, and I finally did on June 21st of this year, the summer solstice. Details of this trip will follow in my next post, but first, here's an introduction compliments of http://www.thegeorgiaguidestones.com/stones.htm

"Elberton Granite's reputation as one of the world's best monumental stones, Elbert County's geographic location, and fate seem to be key elements in why one of the nation's most unusual monuments was unveiled near Elberton, March 22, 1980. Already called "America's Stonehenge," after the mysterious monuments in England which have puzzled men for ages, THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES has attracted nationwide publicity and promises to become a major tourist attraction.Overwhelming in size and steeped in enigma, the GUIDESTONES was revealed to the nation in the Winter, 1979, ELBERTON GRANITEER -- and is as much a mystery now as it was then -- and probably still will be when man ceases to record his history. The gargantuan, six-piece monument stands 19-ft. high in the beautiful hill country eight miles north of Elberton and proclaims a message for the conservation of mankind. Its origins and sponsors are unknown; hence, the mystery.

Challenging Project

The components were manufactured from ELBERTON GRANITE FINISHING COMPANY, INC.'s "Pyramid Blue Granite", and the firm's President, Joe H. Fendley, Sr., said the project was one of the most challenging ever for his quarrying and monument manufacturing concern - partly because of the magnitude of the materials and partly because of the exacting specifications from the mysterious group of sponsors, "and those specifications were so precise that they had to be compiled by experts on stone as well as construction," said Fendley.He said it all began late on a Friday afternoon in June when a well-dressed and articulate man walked into his offices on the Tate Street Extension in Elberton and wanted to know the cost of building a large monument to conservation. He identified himself as "Mr. Christian." He told Fendley that he represented a small group of loyal Americans living outside Georgia who wished to remain anonymous forever, and that he chose the name "Christian" because he was a Christian. He inquired where Fendley banked and Joe put him in touch with both local banks. Wyatt C. Martin, President of the Granite City Bank, was selected by "Mr. Christian" to be the intermediary for the mysterious project. According to Martin, the man showed up at his office 30 minutes later, explained the project, and said after completion he hoped other conservation-minded groups would erect even more stones in an outer ring and carry the monuments message in more languages. He told Martin that he wanted the monument erected in a remote area away from the main tourist centers. The gentleman also said that Georgia was selected because of the availability of excellent granite, generally mild climate, and the fact that his great-grandmother was a native Georgian.

Elbert County Chosen

Martin persuaded the mystery man that Elbert County was the ideal location for the memorial; and he agreed, provided a suitable location could be found. He returned later and he and Martin inspected sites. "Mr. Christian", who now called himself "R. C. Christian", chose a five-acre plot on the farm of contractor Wayne Mullenix. It is the highest point in Elbert County. A few weeks later , Martin contacted Joe Findley and told him that funds for the project were in an escrow account and to start work immediately. Martin promised that when the project was completed, he would deliver his file on the affair to the anonymous sponsors and that the secret would never be known.He said "Christian" told him that the sponsors had planned the monument for years and that the ten "guides" for the conservation of mankind and the earth were carefully worded as a moralistic appeal to all peoples of nationality, religion, or politics.The guides are brief maxims espousing population control and other conservation messages in eight languages. The guides are inscribed in eight different languages on four huge stones set in a paddlewheel arrangement with the center stone carved and drilled so that the sun will mark the time of day and the seasons. The guides, which were accompanied by ten explanatory precepts in the specifications, are: "Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature; Guide reproduction wisely - improving fitness and diversity; Unite humanity with a living new language; Rule passion - faith - tradition - and all things with tempered reason; Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts; Let all nations rule internally, resolving external disputes in a world court; Avoid petty laws and useless officials; Balance personal rights with social duties; Prize truth - beauty - love - seeking harmony with the infinite; and , Be not a cancer on the earth - leave room for nature - leave room for nature.""

Location

The Guidestones are out in the middle of nowhere on a farm near Georgia State Highway 77, 7.2 miles North of Elberton Georgia, 1.3 miles South of Hart-Elbert County Line, 7.8 miles South of Hartwell Georgia.