As Americana and roadside landmarks go, Swint’s Pecans & Candies fits the bill as nicely as any place in Georgia. I may be just a bit biased, having grown up in my own grandfather’s pecan orchards, but I digress. In the days before interstate highways, pecan stands were among the biggest draws for tourists traveling Georgia’s newly paved roads. Stuckey’s became the most famous, but there was also B. Lloyd’s, and scores of other smaller businesses. Georgia may be known as the Peach State, but it seems there have always been more pecans than peaches.

For me, the appeal of Swint’s lies in the fact that it’s in its original location, the same family has always owned it (three generations), and they’re still in business. When Ida Mae Woodall Swint started the business in 1925, the family was also selling gasoline and perhaps sundries from this location, but her pecan candies quickly became the star of the show. While the old building is no longer open, the business is still located just behind it, and there are still pecan trees around. This place should be on the National Register of Historic Places.

I haven’t been fortunate enough to try their candies, but I hope to soon.