Madison, the county seat of Morgan County, was incorporated
March 12, 1866. The city was named in honor of former U.S. President James Madison.
Madison has a big commitment to
its history and historic preservation. Founded in 1809, "The Town that Sherman Refused
to Burn" escaped extensive destruction during the Civil War.
Madison has the largest designated historic district in
Georgia that encompasses most of the town. During the Civil War, Sherman's Army
spared Madison destruction because it was the home of pro-Union Senator Joshua Hill.
The Morgan County courthouse in Madison, built in 1905,
is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This recently refurbished
courthouse is often used as a filming site.
Today, Madison contains a wealth of antebellum and Victorian
buildings, from modest cottages to opulent town houses with formal gardens to impressive
public buildings. Most of the city falls within the boundaries of the Madison Historic
District, one of Georgia's largest designated
historic areas.
At the heart of Madison's cultural life is the Madison-Morgan
Cultural Center, housed in an adaptively used Romanesque-Revival style school from
1895.
Madison is also home to the Morgan County African-American
Museum and several house museums, including the Rogers House (1810), Heritage Hall
(1811), and the Rose Cottage (1891). The city is an important stop on several tourist
trails, including Georgia's Antebellum Trail, the March to the Sea Civil War Heritage
Trail, and Georgia's Antiques Trail..
The City's Historic Preservation Commission was created
in 1987 and administers the community's historic preservation ordinance. Madison
has been designated a Certified Local Government by the National Park Service and
is also a Main Street Community.
