ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – The funeral procession for former President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, begins on Saturday.
The Carter Center has said the public is invited to line the motorcade route that will take the 39th president from his southwest Georgia home to Atlanta and then to the Carter Center, where he will lie in repose until early Tuesday morning.
The route begins along the Highway 280 entrance road into the Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.
The Highway 280 entrance to the Phoebe Sumter campus will be closed from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. The public is invited to pay respects along the motorcade route, which includes the Highway 280 entrance road to Phoebe Sumter. The public may park in and view the motorcade from the pecan grove on the east side of that entrance road.
The motorcade departs with the Carter Protective Division walking alongside the hearse, breaking off before the motorcade turns right onto U.S. Highway 280 and travels to the Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm.
There is also a memorial area along the campus entrance road where people may leave notes or other items in honor of President Carter. Signage will direct people to the parking area from Highway 280. The Georgia State Patrol plans to close Highway 280 in that area at 9 a.m. on Saturday, so members of the public should arrive at the parking area before that time.
A flower drop location has been set up at the monument in the downtown square on U.S. Hwy. 280.
10:15 a.m. – The Carter family arrives at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus.
10:20 a.m. – Carter’s remains are carried to the hearse by current and former special agents in charge from the United States Secret Service–Carter Protective Division.
10:30 a.m. – The motorcade departs Phoebe Sumter Medical Center and travels through Carter’s hometown of Plains.
10:50 a.m. – Carter and his family arrive at his boyhood home for a brief pause in front of the family’s farm. During the pause, the National Park Service will honor the late president with a salute and ringing of the historic farm bell 39 times.
10:55 a.m. – The late president officially begins his final journey to Atlanta. Public viewing opportunities along the motorcade route to Atlanta are in Preston, Ellaville, Butler, Reynolds, and Fort Valley. As the motorcade passes through each city, it will slow down for mourners to pay their respects to the late president as he makes his final trip to the Carter Presidential Center.
3 p.m. – The motorcade arrives in Atlanta and pauses at Georgia’s State Capitol for a moment of silence by Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, members of the Georgia Legislature, and Georgia State Patrol Troopers.
The hearse will stop on Washington Street Southwest, outside the main entrance of the state capitol.
3:05 p.m. – The motorcade departs for the Carter Presidential Center.
3:45 p.m. – Carter’s remains are carried into the Carter Presidential Center during an arrival ceremony.
East John Lewis Freedom Parkway NE is closed near the library in preparation for Carter’s state funeral
MARTA providing free bus rides to the Carter Center while former president lies in repose
A flower drop site is located at The Carter Center at the complex’s large entrance sign, located at 453 John Lewis Freedom Parkway N.E., on the northeast corner of the property near the intersection of North Highland Avenue and John Lewis Freedom Parkway.
4 p.m. – A private service at the Carter Presidential Center.
7 p.m. – Lying in repose begins. Mourners are invited to come and pay their respects.
Here is the rest of Carter’s state funeral schedule:
Sunday, Jan. 5-Monday, Jan. 6: The late president continues to lie in repose until 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. The public is invited to pay their respects throughout this time.
Tuesday, Jan. 7: Carter departs the Carter Presidential Center at 9:30 a.m. The late president and his family then travel to Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, at 10 a.m., where they will board Special Air Mission 39 to travel to Washington at 10:40 a.m.
Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, at 12:45 p.m., where Carter’s remains will be transferred with ceremony to the hearse. Carter and his family will then travel by motorcade at 1:15 p.m. to the U.S. Navy Memorial, where his remains will be transferred from the hearse to a horse-drawn caisson for a funeral procession to the U.S. Capitol at 2 p.m.
Upon arrival at the U.S. Capitol, Carter will be carried by military body bearers into the Rotunda, where members of Congress will pay their respects during a service at 3 p.m.
Carter will then lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Wednesday, Jan. 8: The late president continues to lie in state while the military maintains a guard of honor. The public is invited to pay their respects from 7 a.m. on Jan. 8 until 7 a.m. on Jan. 9.
Thursday, Jan. 9: Carter departs the U.S. Capitol at 9 a.m. The motorcade then travels to Washington National Cathedral for a brief arrival ceremony at 9:30 a.m., followed by the National Funeral Service at 10 a.m.
Upon conclusion of the service, Carter and his family will travel by motorcade at 11:15 a.m. to Joint Base Andrews, where they board Special Air Mission 39 at 11:45 a.m.
Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Lawson Army Airfield on Fort Moore, Georgia, at 2 p.m., where Carter’s remains will be transferred with a ceremony to the hearse. Carter and his family then travel by motorcade to Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, arriving at 3:30 p.m., followed by a private funeral service at 3:45 p.m.
After the funeral service, the late president and his family will travel by motorcade at 4:45 p.m. to the Carter residence for a private interment at 5:20 p.m. The public is invited to line the motorcade route through Plains to Carter’s final resting place. Prior to interment, the U.S. Navy will conduct a missing man formation flyover in honor of Carter’s naval service and time as commander-in-chief shortly after the motorcade’s arrival at the residence.
Jimmy Carter will receive a grand sendoff reserved only for a former commander-in-chief.
After the Carter Center announced the passing of its founder, President Joe Biden ordered a state funeral and also issued an executive order the day after Carter’s passing, closing all federal government executive departments and agencies on Jan. 9 as a “mark of respect” for the former president. Some federal departments and agencies, his order said, may remain open “for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need.”
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