Georgia's Old Capital Heritage Center at the Depot

This year marks the 133rd birthday of the Depot/Storehouse located on the former Central State Hospital campus in Milledgeville, GA. In 2017, Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center at The Depot, Inc. (GOCHC), began the transformation of this handsome Victorian building, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, for a regional heritage center. Gradually, with your support, the building that once served as a storehouse and train depot, pharmacy, print shop, waiting room for passengers, offices for human resources, and finally a small museum, is coming back to life as a true heritage center.

Your past support enabled us to first address the deconstruction of inappropriate additions followed by the addition of access ramps, replacement of entry doors, stabilization of the exterior walls, reconstruction of the former loading dock for open-air events, the installation of an interior fire alarm and sprinkler system, and the renovation of three offices in the west wing for a meeting room that now houses the “Fast Fading: A History of Central State Hospital” museum exhibit. The coming challenge in 2025, is to restore the east wing with the addition of restrooms and open gallery space to display local historical artifacts, space for educational programs, art and cultural events, and history events that will bring this building back to life for our community and its visitors.

When will the east wing doors open? YOU can help make that happen! GOCHC depends on partnerships, grants, donations, and fundraisers such as Georgia Gives to renovate The Depot. Our generous supporters helped us meet challenges in the past, and YOU can make it happen again for this next phase in 2025!

Partner with us to “Open Our Doors” to the east wing to promote history, education, art, and culture in Central Georgia and stimulate economic development in an under-served area of south Baldwin County. Make your donation online to Georgia’s Old Capital Heritage Center at The Depot, Inc., click the featured campaign icon below, or on GAGives Day, stop in for a glass of iced tea at The Cottage (95 Depot Circle Drive in Milledgeville, GA), or by mail (GOCHC, P.O. Box 1177, Milledgeville, GA 31059-1177).