Excitement at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Election Headquarters in the old Seaboard Railroad Depot is at a high fever. This tiny town is packed with thousands of people who have been up all night celebrating Mr. Carter's win. Fires burn in metal drums along the street, three bands have played during the night and a huge television screen mounted on a building across from the depot has continuously flashed the election returns. It is impossible to drive in Plains; only residents that know back roads can get in or out of town.

Today, Plains is, once again, a quiet, peaceful small town(population 716) with business as usual and smaller numbers of tourist visiting a President's hometown hoping to get a glimpse of Jimmy Carter and to see this little southern town where a young boy grew up to become the 39th President of the United States. The rural southern culture of Plains that revolves around farming, church and school had a large influence in molding Mr. Carter's character and in shaping his political policies.

Plains High School (the official State School of Georgia) is the visitor center and museum for the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site, which consist of 77 acres in Plains administered by the U.S. Department of Interior. The restored school where both Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter attended is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors can see films, exhibits all depicting the history of Plains and the 39th President of the United States.