Sunday, March 18, 2018

Hardman Farm State Historic Site

The 173-acre Hardman Farm State Historic Site, restored and donated to the State of Georgia in 1999, had only three owners and nearly 100% of the furnishings in the main house, a mansion, are the originals from the 1870s!


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The copula saved this Indian Mound. There were many others in the area, but the other burial grounds were destroyed—not even moved—for farms and development ages ago, making this a rare sight in the area. It's believed that this site was used long before the Cherokee Indians inhabited the area. 

We were told that the Nacoochee Indian Burial Mound is "the second most photographed site in Georgia". Now I wish I'd asked what the most-photographed site is! But that aside, you can see why it captures the fascination of so many visitors.

Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

I visited late last year with my friend Wayne who is an expert on National Parks, Georgia State Parks, and National Historic Sites. In fact, of the 418 National Park sites, he has visited 354. In Georgia, there are 63 parks and historic sites and he's been to all but one! I was in good hands for this exceptional experience.

I've not posted this until now because this particular Site is closed January-February.

Watch your noggin' when you're walking toward the mansion along the oak-lined Unicoi Turnpike—a Native American trading route through multiple states that predates written history! It offers a beautiful vista, but there were walnuts—still in their casing—falling all around us. We picked up our pace!


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

In the Visitor Center in a display case, you'll find a number of artifacts that belonged to the original homeowner Captain James Hall Nichols—including his WWI epaulets. He built the house in the Italianate architecture style in what was originally known as "West End" because it was at the west end of the Nacoochee Valley.


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

When you go on your guided tour, take a good look at the glass around the front door before you go in. On the other side of the threshold, you're going to see something magical! What appeared to be black glass is brilliant red from the inside. Red is my favorite color, but even if it's not yours I think you'll be fascinated!


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

This 1870 home had only three owners, and the last two owners used it only as a summer home, so they saw no reason to change the furnishings. This means that today's visitors have a rare and totally awesome pleasure of touring a fully furnished 1870 home with its original furnishings


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Those original furnishings include these beautiful bedspreads, as well as the curtains throughout. 


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

One of the most opulent objects in the home is a daughter's sink in her bedroom. It's worn over the years, but it's also obvious just how grand and how special it was when it was new.


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

The Dining Room was my favorite spot on the tour, because of two fascinating stories emanating from there.

The first is the telephone. In a time when so few had a telephone, and most who did had it in the main hallway, this one was in the Dining Room and used to call the power station to ask that the power not be turned off at the regularly scheduled time, typically because the host's dinner party was running later than the power company kept electricity flowing to the town. Talk about power!

The other story is about the Death Door. It'd been a long, long time since I'd heard about this superstition, but now I've seen it first hand! 

A separately built/installed death door exists for the sole purpose of allowing for the dead to move through the said door without the living needing to use it. This was popular in the time when the wealthy would host wakes and funerals in their homes.

Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

You won't see wallpaper or brightly colored walls in the house, but there's one room in the that showcases various finishes throughout the home and popular to the period. 


Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor
Hardman Farm State Historic Site | Photo: Travis S. Taylor

Hardman Farm has an impressive 19 outbuildings, each being built and serving a different purpose throughout time.

The Site offers a "Historic Estate" Guided Tour on the hour or you can enjoy a self-guided tour, but that does not include mansion entry—the highlight of this destination. I hope you'll enjoy Hardman Farm Historic Site in its entirety. It's a truly special place. 

And it's only a few miles from Bavarian-style Helen, Georgia, so there's lots to do on this day trip, weekend getaway or North Georgia vacation!

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