He’s finally home.
On January 9, 2025, the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, was laid to rest in the red clay of Plains, Georgia. No skyscrapers. No marble monuments. Just a small town, a quiet garden, and the woman he loved for 77 years.
Honestly, the whole thing felt different than the usual Washington spectacle. You’ve seen the state funerals—the heavy pomp, the stiff-necked ceremonies at the National Cathedral. And yeah, he had all that. All five living presidents were there in D.C. to say their piece. President Biden talked about "simple decency." But the real story didn't end in the capital. It ended in a peanut town of roughly 700 people where the air smells like woodsmoke and damp earth.
The Final Journey to Woodland Drive
The logistics were massive, but the vibe was intimate. After lying in state at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Carter’s casket made the final trip back to Georgia. They flew him into Fort Moore, then a motorcade wound through the tiny towns of Richland and Preston.
People lined the highways. It wasn't just a political thing; it was a "neighbor" thing.
When the hearse reached Plains, it stopped at the Maranatha Baptist Church. This is where Carter taught Sunday school for decades. He didn't just show up for photo ops; he actually knew the people in the pews. The service there was private—family and church members only. They kept it small because, at his core, Jimmy was a guy who preferred a hammer and a pair of jeans over a tuxedo.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Burial Site
There’s a common misconception that former presidents have to be buried in some grand, public cemetery or at their library. Carter said no to that. He wanted to be at home.
The Jimmy Carter laid to rest ceremony took place at the Carter residence on Woodland Drive. Specifically, he was interred in a memorial garden that Rosalynn herself designed before she passed in 2023.
- Location: Across the street from the only house the Carters ever owned.
- The Setting: A peaceful garden overlooking a pond he and his brother Billy built.
- The Grave: A simple granite headstone. It looks a lot like the one Richard Nixon has, which is kind of a surprising bit of trivia.
- The Companionship: He’s right next to Rosalynn. They spent nearly eight decades together, so it makes sense they’d spend the rest of time together, too.
Why the "Missing Man" Flyover Hit Different
As the motorcade pulled into the residence around 5:20 p.m., the U.S. Navy performed a missing man formation flyover. If you’ve never seen it, it’s haunting. One jet pulls away from the pack and climbs straight into the sky, leaving a gap in the formation.
It was a nod to his time as a submariner and his deep love for the Navy.
The military cannons fired a final salute, and then... silence. The Secret Service, who had protected him for half a century, gave their final posts. It’s wild to think about—the longest-living president in American history, reaching 100 years old, finally finishing the race.
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Visiting the Site: What You Need to Know
If you’re planning to pay your respects, things have changed since the funeral. The National Park Service (NPS) took over management of the site in July 2025. You can actually walk the grounds now, but don't expect a theme park.
- Entry is Free: Like most of the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, there’s no ticket fee.
- The Walkway: There is a paved, wheelchair-accessible path that leads from the entrance at 1 Woodland Drive straight to the memorial garden.
- Nature First: Rosalynn was obsessed with pollinators. The garden is full of native Georgia plants and is part of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail. You'll likely see more butterflies than people most days.
- The House is Off-Limits: For now, the actual house is closed to the public while the NPS works on turning it into a museum. You can see the exterior through the fence, but that’s it.
A Legacy of Humility
Basically, the way Jimmy Carter was laid to rest tells you everything you need to know about how he lived. Most world leaders want to be remembered for their power. Carter wanted to be remembered for his service.
He didn't want a tomb that looked like a fortress. He wanted a garden where people could sit on a bench, listen to the birds, and maybe think about how they can help their own neighbors.
It’s sorta poetic. A man who negotiated the Camp David Accords and fought for global human rights ended up exactly where he started—in a small town in Georgia, surrounded by family and the quiet beauty of the South.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit to Plains
If you want to experience the legacy of the 39th president properly, don't just stop at the grave. Start at the Plains High School Visitor Center to get the context of his childhood. Then, drive out to the Boyhood Farm to see where he grew up without indoor plumbing.
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Finally, head to the Carter Gardens.
Go early in the morning. Georgia summers are brutal, and there aren't many places to hide from the sun in the memorial garden. Bring water, wear some comfortable shoes, and just take a second to breathe. Whether you agreed with his politics or not, there's something deeply moving about a life that comes full circle so perfectly.
The site is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Check the NPS website before you go, as they sometimes close for maintenance or special events.
Plains is a small place, so be respectful. The people there didn't just lose a president; they lost a friend who used to buy his groceries at the same store they do.