Jimmy Carter National Historical Park ⓘ

Jimmy Carter National Historical Park manages a wealth of objects and information in its museum, archives, and library collections. The collections are maintained by the Resource Management Division. Park rangers, volunteers, and museum staff use these collections to conduct research, prepare temporary exhibits, and develop interpretive programs.

Jimmy Carter National Historic Site and Preservation District (redesignated as Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in January 2021) was established by Congress in 1987 to preserve the key sites and structures located within the historic site associated with Jimmy Carter. The sites and structures within the park all hold significance to President Carter and his relationship to Plains. As part of the effort to preserve and interpret these important sites and the relationship with the Carter family, the park administers a museum collection comprised of more than 200,000 objects and archives.

The park's museum collection includes primarily history objects that encompass the material culture of President Carter’s life. These items include furnishings from the various structures within the park boundaries, campaign memorabilia, objects associated with the Carter presidency, and a large collection of books from Plains High School. The collection also contains a large archive that include the park’s resource management records, some Carter family archives, documents associated with President Carter’s political career, and collections focused on the town and residents of Plains, and school administration in Sumter County, Georgia. Additionally, the park has archeological collections that were collected in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act.

The museum collection was established to preserve this history – for scholars and researchers; children; visitors to Jimmy Carter National Historical Park: and anyone who wants to learn about this important part of the country’s history. Objects donated, if accepted, are documented, cataloged, and preserved in perpetuity according to National Park Service museum standards. Because of this mandate to preserve the history of sites, as well as the availability of storage and exhibit space, National Park Service and Jimmy Carter National Historical Park policy aids the park in choosing what objects to accept into the collection. The guidelines used to determine which items to accept for the museum collection are outlined in the park's Scope of Collections Statement. Above all else, the park acquires items that have a direct association with the Carter family and their life in Plains or a direct association to the sites and structures that comprise Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Each possible donation is reviewed by the collection advisory committee (CAC) to determine if the collection meets the scope of collections statement for the park.

The National Park Service does not accept conditional donations. The park cannot guarantee that a donation will be placed on exhibit. This is not an indication that the item is less valuable than those which are on exhibit. Rather, the park must be free to design exhibits and its interpretive programs based on its needs and resources. As noted above, the museum collection has great value beyond exhibits. Moreover, this policy does not mean that new donations will not be exhibited; it merely states that the park must have flexibility in carrying out its mandate to interpret their interpretive themes.

We give each potential donation careful consideration. The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park CAC will evaluate the offer and determine if it contributes to the park’s mission and meets collection policy requirements. Donors should contact the park in advance, rather than shipping or bringing an item to the park unannounced. This will reduce confusion and ensure the potential donation is given the greatest care and consideration. Ideally, a potential donor can provide a photograph and/or detailed description of the object when contacting the park.

All donations to the park collection will be well cared for and preserved. Collection items are available to park staff and qualified researchers. Donors and/or their families are welcome visit the park and view their donations after making an appointment with the curator in advance of your visit. Those interested in donating items to the park to contact the park’s museum staff by phone at 229-824-4104, e-mail us , or by mail at Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, 300 North Bond Street, Plains, GA, 31780.

In order to fully appreciate the relationship between Jimmy Carter and the town of Plains, Georgia, there must be an understanding of the geographical features of the region in which they were both developed.

The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park is located in what is part of the southwest Georgia Costal Plain's Flint River region which covers approximately 8,400 miles. The waters of the region contain various types of fish, such as catfish, bass, perch and carp. The woodland wildlife in the area consists of animals such as deer, turkey, duck, opossum, raccoon and fox. There are an abundance of birds in the area and include cardinals, bluebirds and bluejays.

The Boyhood Farm also hosts a colony of honeybees that assist with the pollination of the crops on the farm. Mr. Earl Carter used honeybees to pollinate the crops on his farm and for the honey that was produced by the bees which was sold in the farm commissary store.

The majority of the soil in the region is sandy loams that are acidic and infertile. Because of the lack of lime content the soil requires fertilization and other additional augmentation for crop cultivation. The upland soils are well-drained and support crops such as cotton, corn, peanuts, tobacco, pastures, small grains, soybeans and similar plants. The majority of the earth bed in Sumter County is comprised of burnt umber, oxblood and bright red ferrous hues.

Various trees and plants including sweet and black gum, red and sweet bay, tupelo, hickory, red, white and water oaks grow in the watershed. Long leaf and yellow pine, persimmon, post and upland willow oak, and black walnut accompany the introduced species of pecan and peach in the uplands. ArbNet, an interactive, collaborative, international community of arboreta and tree-focused professionals. ArbNet facilitates the sharing of knowledge, experience, and other resources to help arboreta meet their institutional goals and works to raise professional standards through the ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park has been awarded a Level I Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum, for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park is also now recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants. For more information: http://www.arbnet.org/

Industrial pollution problems are minimal and the region remains, for the most part, rural and agriculturally based. Summers are hot, averaging above 80 degrees with fall and winter bringing mild and rainy weather with temperatures averaging around 50 degrees. Springtime brings a landscape that is green and punctuated with the whites, pinks, and reds of the magnolia, chestnut, and peach trees along the pastel yellows of the honeysuckle bushes. The intoxicating fragrance that is produced designate that it is springtime in the region.