Georgia Master Gardener Extension volunteers work throughout the state on many diverse demonstration gardens, in addition to providing educational information on good gardening practices through our speakers bureau, online classes, and Ask A Master Gardener booths at Farmers’ Markets. One such demonstration garden is located at Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center, 9770 Autrey Mill Road, off Old Alabama Road in Johns Creek. Autrey Mill sits on 46 acres of ravine forest and has over 3 miles of walking trails that meander past a creek, rocky shoals and wildflowers, and provides a chance to view native Georgia plants and animal life. The park features a visitor center with live animal exhibits, a heritage village with historic buildings, wildlife and animal displays, nature and heritage play areas, a farm museum, picnic pavilions and restrooms. There is also a beautiful butterfly garden filled with flowers, walking paths, a little pond and gnome homes! Recently a new wildlife rehabilitation clinic has been added to aid injured and displaced wildlife, administered by Jess Legato, licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Originally inhabited by the Creek, and then the Cherokee Indians, the land was given to Georgia residents in the 1832 land lottery. Autrey Mill sits on several of the “gold lots,” and on the property are the remains of an old gold mine. However, not much gold was ever found, and the land was more profitable for farming cotton, corn and wheat. Several families have owned the property, and it passed to the Autrey family in 1877, who owned it until 1907. The Summerour family owned the land where the Heritage Village is today. The village consists of the Summerour farmhouse, a tenant farmer’s house, the Green General Store and the old Warsaw Church. All of these buildings were moved to the property for…
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