An Historic Homes Tour Atlanta's Guests Take Should Include These Six

By Sarah Brooks


If the history of the American South interests you, you should check out some of its most historic residences. Even though General Sherman pretty much burned the city to the ground toward the end of the Civil War, there are still some pre-war plantations and more recent residences made famous by their occupants. Any historic homes tour Atlanta visitors choose should include the following six.

Swan House, a perfect example of Second Renaissance style, is located on the grounds of the Atlanta History Center in Inman Park. It was commissioned by Edward Inman and Emily, his wife, in 1928. The Inman's fortune came through a cotton brokerage inheritance. When you visit you will probably meet the Inmans, their architect and designer. You might also get a chance to speak with their personal chauffeur.

Margaret Mitchell, author of the renowned novel, Gone With the Wind, lovingly referred to her bottom floor apartment as The Dump. Today the house is open to the public. You will learn about the scandalous Peggy Marsh and why much of Atlanta's high society shunned her. You will hear all about the movie premier, the author's prodigious charity work, and her untimely death.

Martin Luther King Jr. Is one of the most influential men who ever lived, and he was born and raised in this city. The house where he lived as a child is preserved and open to the public. It is located in the Sweet Auburn District. It is a fascinating look at where this great man grew up. Ebenezer Baptist, where Dr. King preached, Freedom Hall, and his grave site are all within walking distance.

The pre-Civil War home, called the Tully Smith House, is located on the Smith Family Farm. This house is the oldest farmhouse in Atlanta. When you visit, you will be taken back to the nineteenth century rural South. You will get a chance to see a blacksmith shop, slave garden, outhouse, and learn why the kitchen was never included in the main residence.

Just north of the city is the town of Roswell. Here you will find a number of pre-war estates in its historic district. Roswell was saved from burning by Sherman because the founder of this town, Roswell King, was a Northerner. Bulloch Hall is an opulent example of Greek Revival architecture. Theodore Roosevelt married Minnie Bulloch in the dining room of this house in 1853.

It would be a shame if you got this close to Warm Springs and didn't take the hour drive south to visit the Little White House. President Franklin Roosevelt had the house built to be close to the springs he believed would counteract the effects of his polio. This is where he died. The portrait he as posing for when his death occurred hangs in this house.

The South is an interesting part of the country. It is full of history, romance, intrigue, and dark times. These six homes all reflect that in one way or another.




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