The Georgia Guidestones have long been a source of mystery and intrigue for visitors to Elbert County, Georgia. Many people wonder about the ownership of the land where this enigmatic monument once stood.
The property at 1031 Guidestones Road in Elberton, Georgia is owned by the Elbert County Board of Commissioners. A local resident named Wayne Mullinex helped establish the foundation for the monument and has connections to the land.
The history of the Guidestones begins in June 1979, when a mysterious man using the pseudonym Robert C. Christian commissioned the project through the Elberton Granite Finishing Company. This massive granite structure stood as a tourist attraction for decades until its destruction by an explosion in July 2022. Wayne Mullinex, who has ties to the property, simply stated after the incident, “They’re gone that’s all I can tell you- they’re gone.”
Key Takeaways
- The Elbert County Board of Commissioners owns the land where the Georgia Guidestones were located at 1031 Guidestones Road.
- Wayne Mullinex helped establish the foundation for the monument and has connections to the property where the Guidestones stood.
- The mysterious granite monument was commissioned in 1979 by someone using the name Robert C. Christian and was destroyed by an explosion in 2022.
Ownership and Location
The Georgia Guidestones stand on land owned by local government in the “Granite Capital of the World.” Their location in rural Georgia has played a significant role in their history and accessibility.
Current Ownership
The property where the Georgia Guidestones were located at 1031 Guidestones Road is owned by the Elbert County Board of Commissioners. This ownership came about when a mysterious man using the pseudonym R.C. Christian donated the monument and its land to the county.
Before their destruction in 2022, the landowner was Wayne Mullinex, who provided the physical plot where the stones were placed. After the explosion that destroyed the monument, Mullinex simply stated, “They’re gone that’s all I can tell you- they’re gone”.
The transfer of ownership to Elbert County ensured the monument would be publicly accessible and maintained for visitors.
Geographic Setting
The Guidestones were strategically placed in Elberton, Georgia, known as the “Granite Capital of the World” due to its massive 35-mile-long granite deposit. This location wasn’t chosen by accident – the abundant high-quality granite made it perfect for constructing the monument.
Situated about 90 miles east of Atlanta along Highway 77, the site offered visitors a rural setting with open skies. The monument stood in a field that provided clear visibility from different angles.
The geographic placement on one of the highest points in Elbert County gave the Guidestones astronomical significance. Their alignment with celestial bodies was possible because of this carefully selected location, far from city lights and with an unobstructed view of the horizon.
Historical Background
The Georgia Guidestones have a fascinating origin story dating back to the late 1970s. The monument’s creation involves mystery, pseudonyms, and careful planning.
Erection and Dedication
In June 1979, a mysterious man using the name Robert C. Christian approached the Elberton Granite Finishing Company with an unusual request. He wanted to build a massive stone monument with messages for current and future generations.
The granite structure was completed and unveiled on March 22, 1980. It stood as a 19-foot-tall monument with stones arranged in a specific pattern and inscribed with ten guidelines in eight different languages.
Wayne Mullenix helped lay the foundation for the structure, playing a key role in its physical creation. The monument was designed to withstand time and serve as a guide for rebuilding civilization after a potential catastrophe.
The Identity of R.C. Christian
The man who called himself R.C. Christian never revealed his true identity. This pseudonym created an enduring mystery around the monument’s origins.
Some believe the name was a nod to Christian Rosenkreuz, the founder of the Rosicrucian Order. Others think it might reference the values of the “Age of Reason” that the monument seemed to promote.
Despite numerous investigations over the years, the true identity of the monument’s commissioner remained unknown for decades. The secretive nature of the creator added to the Guidestones’ mystique and controversy.
Recent investigations may have finally solved part of this mystery, though details are still emerging about who was truly behind this enigmatic monument.
Physical Description
The Georgia Guidestones stood as a remarkable granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia until their destruction in 2022. The structure featured precise craftsmanship, multilingual inscriptions, and special astronomical alignments that made it a unique landmark.
Materials and Construction
The monument was constructed primarily from local granite, which is fitting as Elberton calls itself the “Granite Capital of the World.” The structure consisted of six granite slabs in total. Four large upright stones stood in a paddle-wheel arrangement, with a center stone and a capstone on top.
Each upright stone weighed approximately 20 tons, and the entire monument stood about 19 feet tall. The center stone had a slot through which the sun would shine at noon, and the capstone functioned as an astronomical calendar.
The construction was impressive for its precision. A small hole in the capstone allowed sunlight to shine through and mark the day of the year. The monument was designed to withstand extreme weather and natural disasters.
Inscriptions and Languages
The Guidestones featured ten guidelines or principles inscribed in eight different languages: English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, and Russian. These inscriptions wrapped around the four main stones.
The messages advocated for:
- Maintaining humanity under 500 million
- Guiding reproduction wisely
- Uniting humanity with a new language
- Balancing personal rights with social duties
- Protecting people with fair laws
- Letting nations rule internally while resolving external disputes
The capstone had shorter inscriptions in four ancient languages: Babylonian cuneiform, Classical Greek, Sanskrit, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. These translations essentially said “Let these be guidestones to an age of reason.”
Astronomical Features
The Georgia Guidestones incorporated several fascinating astronomical alignments. The center column featured a hole through which the North Star was always visible, regardless of time or season.
A slot cut through the center stone marked the winter and summer solstices. On these days, sunlight would beam through this slot in a special way. The capstone had a small hole drilled through it that allowed a beam of sunlight to shine on the center stone, marking noon each day.
The four outer stones were positioned to mark the limits of the moon’s migration during a 18.6-year cycle. This attention to celestial details showed the careful planning behind the monument’s creation and placement.
Damage and Vandalism
Throughout their existence, the Guidestones faced several incidents of vandalism. People sprayed graffiti on the stones and chipped away small pieces of granite as souvenirs.
In 2022, the monument was severely damaged when someone set off an explosion that destroyed one of the main pillars. Following this bombing, officials decided to completely demolish the remaining structure due to safety concerns.
Wayne Mullinex, who owned grazing rights to the property, simply stated after their destruction: “They’re gone that’s all I can tell you- they’re gone.” The site where the Guidestones once stood is now empty, with only the foundation remaining as evidence of this once-mysterious monument.
Cultural Significance
The Georgia Guidestones became an important cultural landmark that sparked debate and fascination across America. Many saw them as a modern mystery with deep meanings about human society and its future.
Symbolism and Interpretations
The Guidestones functioned as both a compass and a calendar, with special features that tracked celestial movements. A center column had a hole through which the North Star was always visible, while another opening aligned with the sun’s position throughout the seasons.
The monument’s messages promoted ideas like population control, environmentalism, and global harmony. Some people viewed these principles as wise guidance for humanity‘s future, especially in times of potential crisis.
The stones stood as what many called an “American Stonehenge,” reflecting both ancient wisdom and modern concerns. Their placement in rural Georgia created an interesting contrast between traditional southern culture and the monument’s global perspective.
Conspiracy Theories
Many conspiracy theorists claimed the Guidestones promoted satanic values or revealed plans for a New World Order. These theories gained traction because the monument’s creator remained anonymous, operating under the pseudonym “R.C. Christian.”
Some believed the stones outlined plans for population reduction or global government control. The first guideline, which suggested maintaining humanity under 500 million people, particularly fueled these fears.
The mystery deepened as no one could confirm who actually commissioned the monument or their true intentions. This uncertainty allowed conspiracy theories to flourish, especially in online communities where the Guidestones became a frequent topic of discussion.
Role in Popular Culture
The Guidestones appeared in numerous documentaries exploring mysteries and conspiracies. Their distinctive appearance made them recognizable even to people who knew little about their history or meaning.
Television shows like “Brad Meltzer’s Decoded” featured the monument, bringing its story to wider audiences. The stones also inspired fiction writers, who incorporated them into novels about secret societies and apocalyptic scenarios.
After they were partially destroyed in 2022, the Guidestones gained even more cultural attention. Social media discussions exploded with theories about who might have damaged them and why.
The land owned by Elbert County became a pilgrimage site for tourists, photographers, and those interested in mysterious monuments.
Controversies and Criticisms
The Georgia Guidestones sparked heated debates from their 1980 installation until their destruction in July 2022. Critics questioned both the message inscribed on the stones and the intentions behind them.
Accusations of Satanic and Eugenic Messages
The monument’s first commandment stating “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature” raised many eyebrows. Some religious groups labeled the stones as “satanic” due to what they perceived as anti-Christian messages.
The inscriptions became fertile ground for conspiracy theories. Critics argued that the guidelines promoted genocide by suggesting a global population reduction from about 4.4 billion (at the time of construction) to 500 million people. This fueled accusations of promoting eugenics.
These theories gained traction in certain communities and on social media platforms. The anonymous nature of the stones’ creator, known only by the pseudonym R.C. Christian, added to the mystery and suspicion.
Political Attention
The monument eventually caught the attention of political figures. In May 2022, Kandiss Taylor, a candidate in the Republican gubernatorial primary in Georgia, made the Guidestones a campaign issue.
Taylor promised to demolish what she called the “satanic” monument, incorporating its destruction into her “Executive Order 10” campaign platform. Though she finished a distant third in the primary, her attention to the stones amplified existing controversies.
Just weeks after the election, on July 6, 2022, someone placed an explosive device at the base of the granite monument around 4 AM. The explosion demolished one of the 19-foot-tall slabs, and for safety reasons, the remaining structure was completely dismantled later that day.
Conservation and Future
The land housing the Georgia Guidestones has been dedicated to preservation efforts since the monument was donated to Elbert County. This transfer of ownership helped ensure both conservation of the site and public access for visitors interested in this unique granite monument.
Preservation Efforts
The Elbert County Board of Commissioners owns the Georgia Guidestones property, taking responsibility for its preservation. When the anonymous group behind the monument completed the project, they transferred ownership to the county, ensuring its protection for future generations.
The site includes a time capsule buried beneath the monument, though details about its contents remain mysterious. This adds another layer of historical significance to the preservation efforts.
Elberton, known as the “granite capital of the world,” has embraced the monument as part of its cultural heritage. The granite used in the Guidestones connects directly to the region’s primary industry.
Public Access and Safety
The monument stands just east of state Highway 77 on Guidestone Road, making it accessible to visitors. The county maintains the site to ensure public access while addressing safety concerns.
Unfortunately, the Guidestones became targets for vandalism over the years. In July 2022, portions were damaged in an explosion, highlighting ongoing security challenges.
Safety measures have been implemented for both the monument’s protection and visitor welfare. The site’s open location near Athens, Georgia, makes it easy to visit but also vulnerable to damage.
Guidestones in the Broader Context
The Georgia Guidestones represented more than just a local landmark; they connected global ideals with physical presence on land owned by Elbert County. Their messages about humanity’s future sparked both fascination and controversy during their 42-year existence.
Comparisons with Other Monuments
The Guidestones were often called “America’s Stonehenge” due to their astronomical alignments and mysterious origins. Unlike ancient monuments built by known civilizations, they were created in 1979 by a man using the pseudonym “Robert C. Christian,” who claimed to represent a group of concerned citizens.
Other monuments worldwide share similar purposes of preserving knowledge for future generations. However, the Guidestones were unique in explicitly addressing global challenges like population control, governance, and environmental balance.
Their messages about maintaining humanity “in perpetual balance with nature” and establishing “a world court to resolve external disputes” set them apart from purely commemorative monuments.
Relevance to Global Challenges
The inscriptions on the stones addressed several pressing world issues that remain relevant today. Their call for “balance with nature” reflected environmental concerns that have only grown more urgent since their creation.
The monument’s message about “guiding reproduction wisely” sparked debates about population ethics and control. Similarly, its call for “fair laws and just courts” resonated with ongoing global struggles for equitable governance.
Before their destruction by bombing in 2022, the Guidestones attracted both tourists and controversy. Some saw them as wise counsel for surviving global catastrophes, while others viewed them as sinister.
Their enigmatic presence on Elbert County land made them a strangely magnetic attraction that drew visitors seeking to understand their deeper meaning and connection to modern challenges.
Visitor Information
The Georgia Guidestones site on Guidestones Road offers visitors a unique roadside attraction experience with easy access from nearby highways. The property, now owned by the Elbert County Board of Commissioners, has specific visiting details travelers should know before planning their trip.
Access and Amenities
Visitors can reach the Guidestones site via Guidestones Road, just east of Georgia Highway 77. Though the monument itself was destroyed in 2022, the location remains accessible to the public as it sits on county-owned land.
The site offers:
- Parking area for visitors
- Open grounds to walk around the former monument location
- No entrance fee required
Unfortunately, the site has limited amenities. There are no restrooms, food services, or visitor center facilities available. Travelers should come prepared with water, especially during Georgia’s hot summer months.
Since the explosion and subsequent removal of the stones, visitors will now find only the foundation and possibly some remnants of what was once called “America’s Stonehenge.”
Visiting Hours and Best Times to Visit
The Guidestones location has traditionally been open to the public from dawn to dusk. It’s an outdoor site with no gates or formal entrance, so access follows standard county property hours.
Best times to visit:
- Weekday mornings tend to have fewer visitors.
- Spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather conditions.
- Sunrise or sunset provides dramatic lighting for photography enthusiasts.
Summer visits are possible, but be prepared for Georgia heat and humidity. Winter visits are less crowded but may include colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours.
The Elbert County Board decided against rebuilding the monument. However, history buffs still visit the location. Some travelers combine their stop with other nearby attractions in Elberton, known as the “Granite Capital of the World.”
