Author publishes guide to Georgia's historical roadside markers

ST. MARYS - Valerie Goddard used white cotton gloves and a Global Positioning System to research her first book, ``Get Off the Interstate,&#39;&#39; which took her through the backwoods of Georgia&#39;s 100 miles of coastal counties. <br> <br> The book is a guide to historical markers on Georgia&#39;s coast, from Savannah to St. Marys. She&#39;s also working on another book about Florida historical markers from Nassau to Dade counties. <br> <br> Goddard said she wrote the book because she loves to travel, but had trouble finding out the history of wooded areas she visited. So she decided to do the research herself. <br> <br> Goddard said, ``There really was nothing else like this anywhere. There was just a listing of the markers. Nobody had ever done the background information.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> For two years, Goddard went through centuries-old documents in the Georgia Historical Library in Savannah, where she had to wear cotton gloves to protect the aging papers. <br> <br> She also spoke with area historians, searched the Internet and got a list of historical markers from the Georgia Secretary of State&#39;s office. <br> <br> Goddard set off for the woods every other Monday -- her off-day as secretary at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys -- with her editor, Christine Lindblom, in search of markers along the backroads between Chatham and Camden counties.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/2/183805