From 1980 to 2022, the Georgia Guidestones stood as a unique and controversial granite monument in Elbert County, Georgia, near the South Carolina border. This structure, often referred to as the American Stonehenge, sparked curiosity and debate due to its mysterious origins and cryptic messages.
Similar to Stonehenge, the Georgia Guidestones served as a celestial calendar, marking the passage of time through its design. However, unlike its ancient counterpart, the Guidestones contained a message for humanity, etched in stone for all to see. The monument differed from Stonehenge in its layout. While Stonehenge is circular, the Guidestones were arranged in an “X” pattern, aligned with the moon’s movements around the Earth.
The Enigmatic Origins of the Guidestones
The story of the Georgia Guidestones begins in the summer of 1979. A man using the pseudonym R. C. Christian approached the Elberton Granite Finishing Company with a design for a monument and a request for its construction. Christian, who claimed to represent an organization that funded the project, chose Elbert County for its abundant granite, rural setting, mild climate, and ancestral ties. His true identity and the organization he represented remain unknown to this day.
Christian envisioned a monument inscribed with guidance for humanity, intended to lead society into an “age of reason.” He hoped that other conservation-minded groups would eventually add stones to create an outer ring around the structure.
Joe H. Fendley Sr., president of the Elberton Granite Finishing Company, initially expressed surprise at Christian’s ambitious plan. Wyatt C. Martin, president of Granite City Bank, was also informed of the project and its intention to be placed in a secluded, rural area.
Construction and Design
The monument consisted of four massive blue granite slabs, a center stone (the Gnomen stone), and a capstone. The completed structure weighed 119 tons and featured over 4,000 sandblasted characters and letters, each approximately four inches tall. Christian and Martin selected a five-acre plot of land about seven miles north of Elberton and eight miles south of Hartwell, on land owned by Elbert County, with a clear view to the east and west, near what the Cherokee Indians called “Al-yeh-li A lo-Hee,” or the center of the world.
The Ten Guides: Messages for Humanity
The inscriptions on the Guidestones were intended for current and future generations. The capstone bore the message, “Let these be guidestones to an age of reason,” in Babylonian cuneiform, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Sanskrit, and classical Greek. The four granite slabs contained ten “guides” for mankind in eight languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Hebrew, Hindi, Russian, Spanish, and Swahili. These messages focused on governance, population control, environmentalism, and spirituality.
The ten principles inscribed on the Georgia Guidestones were:
- Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
- Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.
- Unite humanity with a living new language.
- Rule Passion — Faith — Tradition — and all things with tempered reason.
- Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
- Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
- Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
- Balance personal rights with social duties.
- Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.
- Be not a cancer on the earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature.
These guidelines, while seemingly straightforward, sparked controversy and debate due to their varied interpretations. The prescriptions for population control and internationalism made the Guidestones a target for vandalism and the subject of numerous conspiracy theories.
Astronomical Features
The Georgia Guidestones also incorporated astronomical features. The four upright slabs were aligned with the limits of the moon’s migration throughout the year. An oblique hole drilled in the Gnomen stone was aligned with Polaris, the North Star. A slot in the Gnomen stone oriented the monument with the summer and winter solstices. Additionally, a hole drilled through the capstone allowed sunlight to shine on the southern face of the Gnomen stone at noon, acting as a sundial.
Destruction and Legacy
The controversy surrounding the Guidestones intensified in 2022. Kandiss Taylor, a Republican candidate for governor, called the monument “satanic” and pledged to destroy it if elected. Increased attention on social media led to renewed interest among evangelical Christians and conspiracy theorists. In the early hours of July 6, 2022, an explosion damaged the monument. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation demolished the remaining structure later that day, citing safety concerns. The investigation into the bombing is ongoing.
Despite its destruction, the Georgia Guidestones remain a topic of interest. The Elberton Granite Museum features a display model of the Guidestones and a film detailing its construction, preserving its history for those who seek to learn more.
The Georgia Guidestones, while no longer standing, serve as a reminder of the power of ideas and the controversies they can ignite. Its message, though open to interpretation, continues to provoke thought and discussion about the future of humanity.
