Meadow Garden, on Independence Drive near Walton Way in Augusta, is the former home of George Walton, a Georgia governor and one of three Georgians who signed the Declaration of Independence. ANNETTE M. DROWLETTE/STAFF

Some call it Georgia's Treasure. But because of its obscure location, Meadow Garden is a treasure most people might miss.

The former home of George Walton, Meadow Garden once sat on a sprawling parcel of more than 100 acres of land. Records indicate that it might have extended from the Savannah River to what is now 13th Street. Walton, a Georgia governor and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived there from 1792 to 1804. Even though the home was never listed in his name, The Augusta Chronicle reported his death there in February 1804, only two months after the death of his oldest son, Thomas.

According to Louise Henry, the house chairman at Meadow Garden, the building was the first house purchased for historical preservation in Georgia. It is also the oldest documented house in Augusta.

"The Daughters of the American Revolution bought the home in 1900 because of its historical value," she said. "It was opened to the public in 1901."

Meadow Garden now sits on less than a half-acre, wedged between Walton Rehabilitation Hospital and 13th Street. Cars can be heard zooming down Walton Way from the front porch of the home.

Meadow Garden's dining room is painted buttercup yellow. The color is based on paint that would have been used when Walton lived here. ANNETTE M. DROWLETTE/STAFF

The inside of the house tells a different story. Its period furnishings and brightly colored walls are reminiscent of another time and place. Walls are painted with colors that were used in the period. Wallpaper is hung in 2-foot squares, and the Federal and Victorian furniture dates back to the early 1800s.

"None of the present furniture belonged to the Waltons," Mrs. Henry said. "The house was empty and about to be torn down when we acquired it."

The dining room is buttercup yellow. The living room is paradise blue.

"(The blue) is quite a conversation piece," Ms. Henry said. "We've used paint analysis to get the colors as close as possible to what was used then."

The original home contained four rooms - two downstairs and two upstairs. The upstairs rooms were accessible only by a ladder in the closet. Another home, with four additional rooms, was added about 1810, and the roof was raised after 1900. The last major restoration was finished in the 1970s.

According to Mrs. Henry, the site entertains visitors from around the world, including schoolchildren and members of Daughters of the American Revolution chapters. Augustans don't miss out on their chance to see Georgia's treasure, either, she said.

"Some of the high school teachers require their children to come down for history classes," she said. "We get anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 (visitors) per year."

IF YOU GO

Meadow Garden is at 1320 Independence Drive, at 13th Street and Walton Way. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and by appointment Saturdays. Admission costs $4 for adults and college students, $3.50 for senior citizens, $3 for high school students, $1 for grades three through eight, and 50 cents for kindergarten through second grade. Group rates are available. For more information, call 724-4174.