PLAINS, Ga. (WALB) — It has been one year since the passing of former President Jimmy Carter, and from storefronts to sidewalks, Carter’s small hometown of Plains is still helping to keep his memory alive.

Plains remains a destination for reflection. Visitors walk the same streets Carter once did, often without realizing they have arrived on the anniversary of his death.

|READ MORE: Covering the Carters|

For the Bird family, the visit was not planned around the date, but being here still offers a connection to the former president, especially for younger generations learning about him for the first time.

“You can feel the love that people had for Jimmy Carter. I see that people really respected him and what he did for the community. It’s a really cool historical place,” said Hank Bird.

That respect is exactly what keeps Plains meaningful. It is not a hometown frozen in history, but a place where Carter’s values still shape how people experience it. One man made sure that he stopped by Plains on his way to Florida to pay his respects to an old friend.

“I was fortunate to serve on Jimmy Carter’s campaign committee when he ran for governor. I was able to drive him from town to town in Southwest Georgia, where he made speeches, and we built a strong relationship. When he became governor, he asked me to redesign the governor’s office. A lot of the furniture and the things we did there are still in existence today,” said Jim Fausett.

Fausett said that being able to come here years later is priceless as he looks back on not only his life, but the life of the former president.

“I tell you, he’s really well respected here in Plains. I remember visiting him and Rosalynn and sharing meals in their home quite a few times. It’s nice to see the restoration that’s going on at his house and to visit the burial site where he and Rosalynn are buried. This is just a wonderful memory for me,” Fausett said.

For many, coming to Plains is not just about remembering a former president. It’s about understanding the legacy he left behind, and why this town remains a place to memorialize Jimmy Carter, one year later.

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