St. EOM's Land of Pasaquan, Georgia

An unusual compound built by the flamboyant Eddie Owens Martin, who was subjected to commanding visions, such as the one that told him to build this personal retreat and sanctuary, and to call himself Saint EOM. He created a religion called Pasaquoyanism, a blend of Pre-Columbian, Native American, and Oriental beliefs, influences that are evident in the self-built architecture of this site. St. EOM took his own life in 1986, willing the installation to the Marion County Historical Society, who then created a separate, non-profit organization, the Pasaquan Preservation Society, to care for it. In 2014, the Pasaquan Preservation Society in partnership with the Kohler Foundation and Columbia State University, embarked on an ambitious project to preserve and restore the increasingly dilapidated site. In 2016, Pasaquan (now owned and operated by Columbia State University), reopened to the public with much fanfare.