As owner of the Monroe Railroad in 1883, General Lewis Lawrence Griffin envisioned a prospering town and planned one that included wide roadways, plots for six churches, two schools, parade grounds and a cemetery. While you’re in town, explore the birthplace and dental office of John Henry “Doc” Holliday, who was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist in the late 1800s. Join in the fun for the annual Doc Holliday festival.

Today, the city, now called Griffin, has expanded and diversified into a friendly community. The local government has worked very hard over the past few years to redevelop and revitalize the city in efforts to create more business, more jobs and more homes. This busy, but not crowded town offers diverse heritage and history, unique eateries, world-class sports facilities and arts.

Trulia, an online website for home buying, lists 895 homes in the area priced from around $64,500 to $1,200,000. There are also many places to rent priced from $650 to $2,500 per month.

Along with the excellent living conditions, Griffin has highly ranked school systems that continue to achieve high academic scores.

Griffin also provides an amazing location for recreation with tons of restaurants, shops, parks and historical attractions.

Be sure to check out these great places in Griffin:

Shopping and Dining

• American Mills Outlet Store. Founded in Griffin in 1921, this store has a large variety of interior and exterior décor to complete your new dream home.
• Slices Pizzeria. This place is sure to have something everyone will love. The menu includes cheesy garlic bread, a variety of salads, subs, paninis, wraps, wings, stone oven pizzas, pasta dinners and much more. Become a VIP and gain access to the secret menu!
• Downtown Griffin. Spend the day visiting downtown’s restaurants, shops and places to walk. Businesses include Auction Block Antique Mall, Main Street Players, and Mill Towne Gourmet.
• Mill Towne Gourmet. This local restaurant found downtown offers great food and atmosphere. You can find anything from hand-crafted sandwiches, salads, soups and pastries under one roof.
• J. Henry’s. A white-tablecloth restaurant located close to downtown Griffin offers steak, seafood, pasta and more. They also offer curbside pickup every day except Friday and Saturday nights after 6 p.m.
• Angelo’s Mediterranean Cuisine. Open only on weekdays, this casual restaurant serves the freshest food found in Griffin and is known for great quality meats, seafood and produce.
• Mcghin’s Southern Pit. A family-owned barbecue joint that’s been in business since 1984 and is well-known for its friendly service. They offer everything from slow-smoked BBQ to all the fixin’s. They are only open four days a week, Wednesday through Saturday, giving the employees time with their families.

Entertainment and Recreation

• Main Street Players. Located in the heart of downtown Griffin in the old Woolworth’s building, Main Street Players features many productions throughout the year. The next upcoming show is Another Night Before Christmas beginning December 1 through the 12th.
• City Park Community Center. This facility features a one-court gymnasium and meeting rooms. Adjacent to the facility are two softball fields and The Grind Skate Park.
• The Oakfuskee Path. As the main branch of the Upper Creek Trading Path from the Savannah River to the Creek Indians of Alabama, The Oakfuskee Path in Griffin was a trading trail in the 1700s and was a pioneer trace and early-stage route later on. Now, much of the old path remains in use today.
• Fairmount Park. The park is one of Griffin’s favorite gathering spots. It offers a gymnasium, multiple meeting rooms, concessions, a large pavilion, playground, outdoor basketball court, horseshoe pits and a softball field.
• Cherokee Rose Sporting Clays. Since 1981, Cherokee Rose has established a legacy of being the premier sporting clays club in the US and is known for its exceptional, first-class experience. In 2019, it was purchased in an effort to revive one of the oldest and iconic sporting clays facilities.  Today, it offers two sporting clay courses, a regulation Helice ring, two pavilions for group events and a clubhouse.

Historical Attractions

• Griffin Museum. Located upstairs in Griffin’s Welcome Center, the museum includes city artifacts and memorabilia dating as far back as the mid-1800s. Additionally, The Doc Holliday Museum, representing Griffin’s legendary son, has a small display here.
• Old Medical College Historical Area. One of just four pre-Civil War college buildings still standing in Griffin, this school was incorporated as the Middle Georgia Medical College in 1859. From medical college to hotel to apartments to being on the National Register of Historic Places, the area has been preserved well.
• Sam Bailey Building. Built in 1870, the Sam Bailey Building is the oldest public school building in Griffin. Now, the building is incorporated into the Griffin High School campus. Originally built for the Griffin Male Institute, it was named for Sam Wesley Bailey, a banker and landowner who came to Griffin after the Civil War and donated generously to the school’s building fund.
• Walker Hill Museum. The house was built in 1867 and purchased by the Walker family in 1905. It then became the home to the first dairy in Griffin, which closed in 1933. Over the years, the Walker family collected rare antiques and in an effort to share the history of this Southern home, the family opened it to the public for viewing. They are a private museum that is open by appointment only and they take special consideration for school field trips. Please call them at 678-643-1796 to schedule your visit. Self-guided tours are $20 per person (1-4 guests), $15 per person (5-9 guests), or $10 per person (10+ guests).  Your admission includes a ride on the “Little Beauty” Carousel as well as a little something extra to remember your visit.

Griffin offers visitors and locals everything from great restaurants to fun museums that bring out the charm in history. To learn more about things to do in metro Atlanta cities visit www.AtlantaRealEstateForum.com.