Jimmy Carter’s Georgia Farm to be Preserved and Opened to the Public

The Conservation Fund has announced the acquisition of the former family farm belonging to Jimmy Carter, the 39th U.S. president. The organization intends to permanently protect the 2,458-acre property located near Plains, Georgia, where the late leader’s conservation ethic was first established. This initiative ensures the preservation of the land that was deeply significant to the man who served as president from 1977 to 1981.

Protecting the Jimmy Carter House and Land

While the U.S. National Park Service maintains the boyhood home where the former president lived as a child, this newly acquired property represents the working farm where he labored alongside his father, Earl, in peanut, corn, and sugarcane operations. The site also served as a lifelong refuge for the president and his late wife, Rosalynn, who frequently returned to the woods and the property's pond to walk, fish, and hunt. The Conservation Fund stated that the land helped shape the legacy of a man who later championed massive environmental protections.

During his time in office, Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act in 1980, which protected over 104 million acres of public land. He also established 39 national park system units, including the Martin Luther King Jr. national historic site. The group noted that these national achievements were directly influenced by his upbringing on this Georgia farm. In his final years, Carter personally requested the replanting of native longleaf pine trees on the property to restore the local habitat for endangered tortoises and protect rare freshwater mussels in nearby creeks.

The Conservation Fund will open the former president's farm to the public for recreation by 2027.

According to the non-profit, the farm will be open for public hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation by 2027. By 2028, the organization plans to transfer the land to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The property will eventually become part of the state’s Lanahassee Creek wildlife management area, expanding the protected zone to nearly 7,000 acres. Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson, expressed gratitude that the land, which his family treasured for generations, will be protected for the future.

Why it matters

The acquisition marks a significant effort to preserve the environmental heritage associated with a Nobel Peace Prize winner who dedicated much of his post-presidency to humanitarian work. By converting private family land into a public wildlife management area, the project ensures that the habitat remains healthy for native species while providing a space for public outdoor recreation.

This transition serves as a model for how historical sites can be repurposed to support biodiversity and long-term conservation goals. For those interested in the history of U.S. land management, the project highlights the enduring impact of the policies enacted during the Carter administration.