Milledgeville is Georgia's Antebellum Capital, serving as the Antebellum Capital from 1803 to 1868. Carefully planned from its inception, the city was envisioned as an appealing combination of broad streets running parallel with the four points of a compass and public squares of twenty acres each. Today, in fact, Milledgeville is considered to be the only surviving example of a complete Federal period city.

The Act of 1803 outlined a new lands system and created Baldwin, Wilkinson and Wayne counties. It also provided for the location and survey of a town which was to be called Milledgeville, named in honor of Georgia's then Governor, John Milledge(1802 - 1806). The Georgia legislature declared Milledgeville as the seat of government in December of 1804.

Milledgeville was certainly paving the way for the slogan it is know for today, Capitals, Columns and Culture. Wilkes Flagg, the African-American blacksmith and leader created a colony on his land to assist his people with instruction in citizenship. Today, Flagg Chapel, named in his honor, is an icon and flourishing church in the community. Another church, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, was the site where General Sherman stabled his horses and then poured molasses in the organ pipes of this historic church.

• The historic Secession Convention was held in the Old Capitol in 1860.
• Milledgeville has the distinction of being the only city in the world to require a train to stop at a red light - which caused Milledgeville to now be in the Guinness Book of World Records.
• Congressman Carl Vinson, better known as the Father of the two ocean Navy, lived, died and is buried in Milledgeville.
• Internationally known Milledgeville author, Flannery O'Conner, lived and wrote at Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville.
• World famous comedian, Oliver Hardy - of the duo Laurel and Hardy - lived in Milledgeville as a boy.