Historic Settlement

The oldest home in Rockdale County is an important part of the tapestry of human history found in the National Heritage Area.

A Shared History

Built around 1822, the Parker House is a relic of white settlement along what was at that time the Georgia frontier. This home stood at the center of the Parker family’s plantation, where as many as 24 enslaved people farmed cotton and wheat. Other buildings, including slave cabins and barns, once dotted the landscape, but today only the main house remains.

While the Parker House likely did not have a direct connection to the community that would become Flat Rock, sites such as the Lyon House have a shared history of agriculture and enslavement.

Plantation Plain

The Parker House is an example of a “Plantation Plain” style home. These homes are usually two rooms wide and one room deep. This style was common throughout the American South between 1820 and 1850.

Today, the Parker House is part of Panola Mountain State Park, which preserves the historic structure and educates the public about its significance.

Panola Mountain State Park

protects the delicate ecological features of an 100-acre granite monadnock.

Visit the Park