Walton Way (Summerville Campus of Augusta University)

The Summerville Campus of Augusta University, situated on the historic site of the Augusta Arsenal (est. c.1816), is a beloved green space in the heart of Augusta’s Summerville neighborhood. One side of the campus borders Walton Way, one of the city's most historic and heavily traveled corridors, and the site of significant storm damage from Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. Over 400 trees were lost across the campus, including five heritage trees at the Walton Way entrance—among them the oldest and largest registered Deodar cedar in Georgia.

The loss transformed the visual and ecological character of this gateway into the campus and neighborhood. Sand Hills Garden Club plans a collaborative reforestation effort with Augusta University, beginning with the planting of five trees at this historic entrance. The project will serve as the first phase in restoring the iconic Walton Way canopy and enhancing this vital corridor’s role as a living connection between campus, community, and city.