14 minute read
Atlanta’s Historic House Museums
By Christine Fonville
METRO ATLANTA’S PROMINENT HOUSE MUSEUMS
Rich in history and each with their own unique story, house museums often provide a peek into the past while also giving insight into the vastly different lives of the individuals who built the structure and the people who made it a home. Many house museums, particularly in the South, possess a duality: they are both lovely, grand structures with impressive antiques and artifacts as well as physical reminders of the negative aspects of that era. Through these dwellings frozen in time and maintained with respect to their history, visitors can learn about the multiple perspectives of the people that gave these homes a legacy.
BARRINGTON HALL
Roswell is named after Roswell King, who moved to the area in the 1830s. His family’s influence can be seen today throughout the city and beyond—at Barrington Hall, a sprawling example of Greek Revival Architecture completed in 1842. The house, once the home for Roswell’s son, Barrington King, is fully furnished with several original family artifacts. Multiple gardens on the seven-acre property are not to be missed, representing horticultural trends from the mid-1800s to present. roswellgov.com, 770-640-3855
BULLOCH HALL
A full exhibit and tour of the Bulloch Hall house museum reveals a presidential link; it is more popularly known to locals as the home of Mittie Bulloch, mother to the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt Jr. The house was built in 1839 by Maj. James Stephens Bulloch, one of Roswell's initial settlers. Part of the house museum tour includes an insightful look into the often-underrepresented history of those who built many of the historical homes in the area through a reconstruction of the slave quarters which stands in stark contrast to the family home. roswell.gov.com, 770-992-1731
Smith Plantation
SMITH PLANTATION
“Visitors to the Smith Plantation house museum will find furnishings and collections reflecting three generations of one family with artifacts and displays showing life from the 1840s through the 1950s,” said Dena Bush, historic assets manager for the city of Roswell. Located at the current grounds of Roswell City Hall, Archibald Smith’s home was completed in 1845 as he worked with and invested in Roswell King’s vision for the area. “Ten original outbuildings and gardens on the property represent a cohesive example of a 19th-century, north Georgia yeoman farmstead,” said Bush. roswell.gov.com, 770-641-3978
MARGARET MITCHELL HOUSE
Built in 1899 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Crescent Apartments, the home was where author Margaret Mitchell lived when she wrote “Gone with the Wind”, in the basement unit she referred to as “The Dump.” The Tudor Revival-style house became a museum in the late 1990s and was officially incorporated into the Atlanta History Center in 2007. While it is currently closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic and renovations, the campus contains event spaces and a lawn used for lectures and private events. atlantahistoryccenter.com, 404-249-7015
SWAN HOUSE AND SMITH FAMILY FARM
Also part of the Atlanta History Center’s main campus in Buckhead, the Swan House, built in 1928, and the main farmhouse of the Smith farm, constructed in the 1840s, show two very different parts of the past. According to Claire Haley, the center’s vice president of public relations and programs, The Swan House contains original furnishings of the Inman family, which lived there, and exhibit spaces. The elegant house, which became a museum in 1966, was featured prominently in “The Hunger Games.” The Smith Family Farm opened to the public in 1970. It showcases agriculture and the lives of farm families in mid-1800s along with the others that lived on and worked the land. Heirloom crops and animals are now present on the site. atlantahistorycenter.com, 404-249-7015 u
Margaret Mitchell House
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HAMMONDS HOUSE
Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds’ home, located in the West End area of Atlanta, was his own personal museum, housing more than 250 pieces of important African American art. Hammonds purchased the Victorian, pre-Civil War-era home in 1979 and began the restoration process soon after. “Dr. Hammonds sourced materials from around the world including Victorian lighting fixtures and hand-crafted wooden banisters and railing for the winding staircase,” said Karen Comer Lowe, executive director and chief curator of Hammonds House Museum. “Today, it boasts a permanent collection of more than 450 works dating from the mid-19th century by artists from America, Africa and the Caribbean.” hammondshouse.org, 404-612-0481
KING BIRTH HOME
Built in 1895 and purchased by Martin Luther King Jr.’s descendants in 1909, the two-story Hammonds House
frame Queen Anne-style house on Auburn Avenue is where the Civil Rights Movement leader spent his childhood. The home stayed in the family until after King’s assassination, and it is now owned and maintained by the National Park Service. Tours of the interior of the home are suspended at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but visitors can still explore the areas where King made his initial impact, including the nearby historic Ebenezer Baptist Church. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park also includes a visitors center, rose garden and the King Center, which houses exhibits and King’s tomb. nps.gov, 404-331-5190, ext. 5046
GOVERNOR’S MANSION
Located on 18 acres and featuring 30 rooms on three floors, the Greek Revival-style Governor’s Mansion in Buckhead was built in 1967. All of the furnishings in the home are considered to be museum quality and make up one of the finest Federalist-period collections in the United States, according to officials. It also houses a collection of valuable books, many of which are rare first editions by Georgia authors such as Margaret Mitchell. But tours are temporarily closed due to the pandemic. georgia.gov, 404-261-1776
FINDING THE PERFECT PLACE TO CALL HOME
Relocating to a new city is always challenging. For families with children, that holds especially true. The process involves much more than finding a new home close to your new place of employment. Schools, the makeup of the neighborhood, leisure activities and many other factors need to be taken into account when choosing a place to call home.
“You really have to have a game plan,” says real estate agent Rhonda Duffy, who runs Duffy Realty of Atlanta and has been hailed as one of the top agents in the country by Realtor.com.
That plan begins with identifying specific areas of interest to families with children. If you already know you want to live within the Atlanta city limits, you’ve narrowed your search considerably. Atlanta neighborhoods have much to offer, like Virginia-Highland’s leafy, tree-lined streets, Midtown’s Piedmont Park and the Woodruff Arts Center (which includes the High Museum of Art) and Grant Park’s historic homes, greenspace and Zoo Atlanta.
By Susan Flowers
SUBURBS AND MIXED-USE COMMUNITIES
If you’re not tied to a particular section of town, your options increase dramatically. Many of
Atlanta’s suburbs boast features of interest to families with children. Cities like Alpharetta, Marietta, Decatur, Duluth and Lawrenceville abound with greenspace, walkable downtown centers and other amenities.
Alpharetta, located in north Fulton County, is home to a historic downtown district, several parks, a weekly farmer’s market and Ameris Bank Amphitheatre at Encore Park, which hosts outdoor summer concerts.
In addition to a beautiful city square, Marietta’s attractions include the Gone With the Wind Museum and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, a Civil War site with 17 miles of hiking trails. Decatur likewise radiates a cozy, small-town charm, especially around its historic courthouse and town square. Public transportation is easily accessible, and recreational activities are plentiful in its many parks and playing fields.
Just north of Atlanta in Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville features such attractions as the Aurora Theatre, the Gwinnett Stripers minor league baseball team and numerous parks offering playgrounds, sports facilities and trails. Nearby Duluth boasts the 30-acre Southeastern Railway Museum, the Hudgens Center for Arts and Learning and the Infinite Energy Arena, home of the Atlanta Gladiators hockey team. Both cities are served by Gwinnett County Public Schools, recognized as one of the best school systems in the state.
One of metro Atlanta’s newest municipalities (incorporated in 2006), Johns Creek earns rave reviews from residents and national media alike for its quiet, safe atmosphere; excellent schools and wonderful recreation opportunities, such as the Johns Creek Greenway. Its proximity to both Atlanta and to the North Georgia mountains gives residents the best of both worlds.
Other family-friendly suburbs worth considering include East Point, home to the Georgia Soccer Park and the Dick Lane Velodrome, one of the leading bicycle racing facilities in the country; Roswell, which features the Roswell Cultural Arts Center and the Chattahoochee Nature Center; and Sandy Springs, which boasts Heritage Green, a four-acre park that hosts free concerts and events.
Mixed-use neighborhoods, which allow residents to live, work and play within the same area, are also worth considering, especially for families used to living in larger metropolitan areas. “A lot of mixed-use developments are attractive to younger families,” says Robin Lemon, a sales agent with Keller Williams Realty Consultants. “They want their children to experience more of a neighborhood feeling.”
Atlantic Station, in Atlanta’s Midtown area,
is a 138-acre development offering an array of condos, lofts, townhomes, apartments and single-family homes, as well as a two-acre lake and plenty of greenspace, in addition to a mix of restaurants and shops.
In Suwanee, located in Gwinnett, the Town Center development features singlefamily homes, townhomes and condos, as well as retail and office space and the 10-acre Town Center Park. With abundant greenspace, an interactive fountain and a 1,000- seat amphitheater, Town Center Park is referred to as Suwanee’s “front yard.”
Northwest of the city in Cobb County, Smyrna’s pedestrian-friendly Market Village sports an airy, open feel, with plentiful greenspace, a public square and fountain, charming townhomes, restaurants and retail and office space. There are many, many more suburbs and communities worth a look as well. A good place to start is with a visit to Newcomer’s website (newcomeratlanta.com) and reading about the cities and areas profiled in our “Neighborhood Spotlight” and “Homes and Communities” sections to get a sense of what communities you’d like to explore further.
ASK QUESTIONS AND INVESTIGATE
Once you’ve settled on a neighborhood, ask your potential new neighbors about the area. Duffy recommends seeking out three sets of neighbors and asking them all the same questions. For families with children, those include: How social is the neighborhood? Are there many parties or events? How many kids live in the area, versus how many adults? It’s important to establish whether a particular neighborhood provides sufficient opportunities to make friends with children of similar age.
It’s also a good idea to visit local shopping areas to ensure that there are child-friendly establishments and other retail outlets that fit your family’s lifestyle. A distance of only two or three miles can make a difference. And be sure to investigate any family-friendly amenities in the neighborhood. The fact that a subdivision has a pool, for example, doesn’t mean that the facility has room for all the residents to enjoy it on a regular basis, that there’s adequate seating around the pool or that sufficient safety measures are in place.
Your search should also be guided in part
Top Right: A Civil War reenacter shows how to load a musket at a firing demonstration at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
Bottom Right: Market Village shopping center in Smyrna. Bottom Left: The start of the 5K run in Suwanee.
by the needs and interests of the children in your family. “Are they a computer family? What kind of sports do they play?” asks Lemon. “If the kids are really involved in certain things, I can start gearing a search toward the family’s needs. There are some families that will come in and say, ‘My children are very interested in volleyball or very into karate.’”
Most importantly, when scouting a new neighborhood and a new home, remember to take your time. “The key to buying a house is to ask a lot of questions and slow down the process,” Duffy says.
By having a detailed strategy, asking questions and placing special emphasis on neighborhoods and the amenities they offer, you’re much more likely to settle on the perfect home for yourself and your children.
Stockbridge Lakes Bed & Breakfast
neighborhood SPOTLIGHT
Stockbridge
By Christine Fonville
After celebrating 100 years of being a city in 2020, Stockbridge officials say the longevity and growth of their city drives them to promote progress in a family-oriented community. The 14-square-mile city is home to history-rich landmarks, uniquely independent businesses, a popular golf course, a state park and much more. It’s no wonder that Stockbridge is recognized as “the gateway to Henry County” by residents and visitors alike.
BarnBeautiful
Floyd Chapel Baptist Church
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Stockbridge has made a name for itself when it comes to star power. Take a selfie at Patrick Henry High School, Henry County’s namesake school and a major filming location for the Netflix hit “Stranger Things.”
Housing
A blend of new builds and classic homes can be found in Stockbridge and typically start in the $200,000 range. Now in construction is Broder Farm, where single-family homes feature modern touches like large kitchen islands and granite countertops. Amenities include a pool with a cabana, playground, dog park, athletic field and walking trails. At Bellah Landing, which recently completed its last building phases, large brick homes with side-entry garages and a suite of smart home products sell for $380,000 and up.
Local Treasures
Set foot where history was made at the lovely and quaint Floyd Chapel Baptist Church. Martin Luther King Sr., who was born in Stockbridge, preached his first sermon there. At Panola Mountain State Park, discover what makes this National Heritage Area special with a guided hike up the granite mountain. Shop for one-of-a-kind treasures at BarnBeautiful with hand-crafted furnishings and home décor made from reclaimed wood of local barns, each with its own backstory. Unwind and relax at the charming and scenic Stockbridge Lakes Bed &
Breakfast.
Stockbridge Amphitheater and Park Rendering Culinary Treats
Start the day off right with locally-roasted coffee drinks at Drip-Thru, a 135-square-foot business with a double-sided drive-through. For those sugar cravings, grab an assortment of goodies from Holey Sweet Donuts. The made-fresh-daily baked goods include flavors like Fruity Pebbles, Oreo and Maple Bacon. Family-owned-and-operated Empson’s Deli is the local go-to deli and offers a wide variety of sandwiches on delicious homemade breads. Country Cooking Depot is where locals and visitors alike go to enjoy Southern comfort food like fried green tomatoes and catfish accompanied by collard greens, creamed corn and more.
Arts and Entertainment
The Stockbridge Amphitheater and Park, which opened in September, seats 3,200 people. It’s part of a planned mixed-use development in the city center behind Stockbridge City Hall. Hit the links at Rum Creek Golf Course at Eagle’s Landing or take a stroll down the three-mile-long Reeves Creek Trail which features exercise equipment, a Little Free Library and more. N
