Need something to do before the big game? Three North Georgia destinations are among 85 places around the state taking part in Super Museum Sunday, offering free admission and special hours at historic sites, museums and other points of interest on Feb. 5.
Super Museum Sunday is presented by the Georgia History Festival, a K-12 educational program of the Georgia Historical Society meant to bring history to life for students and encourage residents to explore the state's "diverse and fascinating" past. The festival culminates in February, the founding month of the Georgia Colony in 1732.
The New Echota Historic Site in Calhoun, Chief Vann House Historic Site in Chatsworth and the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park are the closest stops for area residents.
* Calhoun: New Echota Historic Site, 1211 Chatsworth Highway NE, which is normally closed on Sundays, will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Considered one of the most significant Cherokee Indian sites in the nation, New Echota is where the Trail of Tears removal officially began. Call 706-624-1321 for more information.
* Chatsworth: Chief Vann House Historic Site, 82 Highway 225 N, will offer free admission from noon to 4 p.m. (open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). The home is named for James Vann, who established the largest and most prosperous plantation in the Cherokee Nation, covering 1,000 acres of what is now Murray County. Call 706-695-2598 for more information.
* Fort Oglethorpe: Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, 3370 LaFayette Road, invites visitors to explore the country's first national military park, dedicated in 1895. Call 706-866-9241 for more information.
Learn more at www.GeorgiaHistoryFestival.org.