Historic Resources - Landscapes

Georgia’s historic landscapes range from small formal gardens to vast expanses of agricultural countryside. Examples include courthouse squares (often the largest public landscape space in a community), city parks, streetscapes in neighborhoods with their street trees and sidewalks, cemeteries (ranging from the formal and park-like to the vernacular), landscaping at institutions like college campuses and vacation resorts, and state parks. A well-documented type of historic landscape is the yard; fifteen major forms of historic "domestic" landscapes dating from the 18th century to the mid-20th century have been identified through the "Georgia's Living Places" project.

Farmsteads with their field systems, woodlands, orchards and groves, hedgerows, fences, field terraces, and dirt roadways are another important form of historic landscaping in Georgia. Many of the largest historic landscapes in the state are found in state parks and public and private conservation areas that were developed to reclaim worn-out agricultural and timberlands while providing opportunities for outdoor recreation.