History of Huntington Park

In 1802, Col. David Meriwether of Virginia settled in Clarke County, purchasing approximately 1,000 acres of land along the Middle Oconee River. The land he purchased included what is today Huntington Park.

Col. Meriwether went on to become a member of Georgia's General Assembly, was elected to the U.S. Congress, and later became a commissioner to the Creek Indians. He was influential in bringing the Methodist Church to the county.

Col. Meriwether's son, James, gave up a law practice to settle on the land and become a farmer. At different times, the land was used for a tree farm, horse pastures, open fields, and even a family gravesite. Remnants of the tree farm can still be seen on lots bordering the railroad tracks. The graveyard also remains, located near the front entrance, just off West Huntington Road.

Mr. Marion Ivey purchased 302 acres of the original Meriwether plantation from the Strothers family in 1962. His intention was to use the land for his own home and develop the remainder into one of Athens' most desirable residential areas. The property possessed many ideal traits, including gently rolling hills, creeks, many kinds of trees and plants, and a feeling of quiet seclusion.

Started in 1979, Huntington Park developed in different phases with the final phase beginning in the early 2000s and is now complete. While growth near the subdivision has been rapid, the area still retains a distinctly rural beauty, and it is ideally situated just outside Georgia's "Classic City."