It was designated a National Historic Landmark on January 29, 1964, for its architecture as a well-preserved 19th-century tavern, and for its role in the early settlement of northeastern Georgia by European Americans.

[2][4] Travelers Rest is about 6 miles (10 km) east of Toccoa, Georgia, near the Tugaloo River, on Riverdale Road just north of United States Route 123.

Devereaux Jarrett bought the house on August 21, 1838, and made it the headquarters of his vast, 14,000-acre (57 km2) plantation, which he developed with enslaved labor for the cultivation of cotton as a commodity crop.

The Jarrett account books, which doubled as hotel registers, include the name of George William Featherstonhaugh, an English scientist and author.

[4] Today, visitors can tour the house and see many original artifacts and furnishings,[7] some of which were crafted by Caleb Shaw, a renowned cabinetmaker from Massachusetts.