A year or two after moving to Georgia, we heard about the Georgia Guidestones in passing. Just from the little bit I heard, I could already tell they were notoriously thick with folklore. We love quirky road trips stops and we knew we had to visit. After doing a little bit of research, I knew the Georgia Guidestones were full of conspiracy theories that involved the Illuminati and new world order (both of which we are definitely not associated with haha!).
We decided to take a short Georgia road trip to see the Georgia Guidestones to see what the hype was about. Even after visiting, It is still a little bit difficult to separate what is conspiracy and what is fact, but it was very nice to get some fresh air out in the country.
WHERE ARE THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES?
The location of the Guidestones is 1031 Guide Stones Road, Elberton, GA 30635. I joked with Devin that we should buy some property near there because it is really pretty country and there are lots available on the road. The location is near some gas stations (nice bathrooms), a Dollar Store, and is seven miles away from the city center of Elberton.
The Georgia Guidestones are available to be seen for free all year round.
WHAT ARE THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES?
They’re nearly 20 feet high granite slabs in the middle of nowhere. On the slabs there are 10 directives written in 10 different languages; 4 are ancient and 6 are the most populated languages in the world. These languages are respectively: Spanish, English, Russian, Hebrew, Hindi, Swahili, Babylonian Cuneiform, Classical Greek, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, and Sankskirt.
According to Wired.com: “Built to survive the apocalypse, the Georgia Guidestones are not merely instructions for the future—the massive granite slabs also function as a clock, calendar, and compass.” There are also some other interesting technicalities the article mentions regarding the placements of the stones:
- The monument sits at the highest point in Elbert County and is oriented to track the sun’s east-west migration year round.
- On an equinox or solstice, visitors who stand at the west side of the “mail slot” are positioned to see the sun rise on the horizon.
- An eye-level hole drilled into the center support stone allows stargazers on the south side to locate Polaris, the North Star.
- A 7/8-inch hole drilled through the capstone focuses a sunbeam on the center column and at noon pinpoints the day of the year.
Image is from the following Wired article here
WHO BUILT THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES?
This definitely adds to the mystery!
A man with a pseudonym of Robert C. Christian said he represented a “small group of loyal Americans” who planned the Georgia Guidestones. He also explained to Martin from the Wired.com’s article:
It would also need to be engraved with a set of guides written in eight of the world’s major languages. And it had to be capable of withstanding the most catastrophic events, so that the shattered remnants of humanity would be able to use those guides to reestablish a better civilization than the one that was about to destroy itself.
Christian was quoted several different prices that were ridiculous in hopes that he would leave, but he was always okay with the price every time. Christian was referred to a local area banker named Wyatt Martin. Martin was told by Christian that the group had been planning this monument for over 20 years and wanted anonymity in building. Martin still explained to him that he would not sign the agreement unless he actually knew his name; a non-disclosure agreement was made and then money was sent from different banks from all over the country afterwords.
After the building of the Georgia Guidestones, lifetime cattle-grazing rights were given to the person who sold a 5-acre lot to the construction site. Additionally, the monument’s ownership was transferred to Elberton County. A free book about the monuments is available here through Wired.com’s article.
GEORGIA GUIDESTONE INSCRIPTIONS
The Guide Guidestone inscriptions definitely continues to add to the intrigue behind the stones; the inscriptions are definitely unique. Wikipedia lists the inscriptions as saying:
- Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
- Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.
- Unite humanity with a living new language.
- Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.
- Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
- Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
- Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
- Balance personal rights with social duties.
- Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.
- Be not a cancer on the earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature.
A few yards from the Guidestones, there are explanatory tablets that explain the astronomical features as well as the erection date, languages represented on the stones, and it explains there is a time capsule underneath it that will be opened on a certain date. From what I understand from various articles I read, a time capsule was never placed underneath the explanatory tablets, but this still doesn’t keep people from trying to dig around it to find a time capsule.
WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE GEORGIA GUIDESTONES?
It was a fun day trip and the countryside was pretty. We like seeing quirky roadside detours, and it was a great way of adding to my yearly goal of visiting 12 places in Georgia with my husband.
I would be curious to learn more about the Georgia Guidestones, but I found a lot of the information is very polarized and highly emotional. The monuments are definitely unique and now we can say we visited them!
