Emerald Mound

If you follow wanderlust ATLANTA's Facebook Page, you know that this past weekend I was on a short, long-weekend vacation in Natchez, Mississippi, and New Orleans...and yes, we drove from Atlanta.

Our first stop was Emerald Mound, only 10 miles northeast of Natchez. It's the second largest temple mound in the United States and was constructed by the Mississippians, ancestors of the Natchez Indians, and used between 1250 and 1600 A.D.

Emerald Mound, near Natchez, Mississippi

Emerald Mound is a National Historic Landmark, managed by the National Park Service, and is open to the public every day free of charge.

Emerald Mound, near Natchez, Mississippi

This mini vacation was with my best friend Barry who minored in geology in college. You may remember that my first dream career was to become an archaeologist, so Barry and I share a passion and fascination for archaeology and historic sociology, thus Emerald Mound being the perfect stop before heading on to Natchez.

That's Barry at the top of the Mound (photo above) with another friend (background) and vacation host/tour guide, who is from and lives in Mississippi.

Emerald Mound, near Natchez, Mississippi

At only eight (8) acres, Emerald Mound is one of the more modest National Parks I've visited, but it does not lack in fascination. 

Emerald Mound, unlike many other mounds built only as burial sites, was constructed to support temples, ceremonial structures, ceremonial dances, games, religious rituals, and burials "of a complex society's civic and religious leaders."

Emerald Mound, near Natchez, Mississippi

Emerald Mound was constructed by depositing earth along the sides of a natural hill. In a video at the Natchez Visitor Center, they suggest that the Mississippians had a great deal of free time, thus the incentive to build such a structure, but I have to wonder if that's totally accurate. 

I mean, surely they spent a great deal of time hunting and gathering, let alone creating a home life for their families. But then again, as busy as we are today, we still manage to build magnificent skyscrapers and space faring vehicles. But still, I have to wonder what the true motivation was to build such a remarkable landmark.

Emerald Mound, near Natchez, Mississippi

To put the size of Emerald Mound into perspective, it measures 770 by 435 feet at the base and is 35 feet high. Two smaller mounds sit atop the expansive summit platform of the primary mound (the smaller mound pictured above). The larger of the two is 190 by 160 feet and is 30 feet high, making it taller than a six story building!

Having ancestors who were Native American, I have more than a passing interest in Indian cultures. And how can one not be fascinated that this culture carried on their backs thousands of tons of earth to create this Mound?

If you're traveling to Natchez or the area, I highly recommend a stop at Emerald Mound. Perhaps you'll share my awe of this beautiful and sacred site...or at the very least a profound fascination.

Wren’s Nest: Home of a Prankster and a Rabbit

Brer Rabbit and
Brer Fox

Atlanta's history is peppered with citizens who were and are pioneers, trendsetters, trailblazers, innovators, avant-garde, and one prankster-turned-author who would be instrumental in changing minds all over the world.

That person was Joel Chandler Harris, creator of Uncle Remus, and his home is the Wren's Nest.

Joel Chandler Harris

Born on December 9, 1845, previously thought to have been in 1848, Joel Chandler Harris is best known for giving a voice to African-American folklore through Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit.

Working on a plantation in his birth city of Eatonton, Georgia, Harris heard first-hand the stories that had been passed down by enslaved Africans. When he started retelling the stories in print, he told them in the dialect in which he heard them, giving more authenticity to the stories and to the folklore that would become a global sensation.

The Wren's Nest

In early adulthood, Harris worked as a newspaperman and continued to do so for much of his life, despite his success as an author. He worked his way up to Associate Editor of the Atlanta Constitution, where he was an advocate for the New South and regional and racial reconciliation.

The bastard-child, red-haired, humorous, practical jokester would become a husband, father of four, friend to the U.S. President, and legendary writer beloved by countless fans (of all ages) around the world.

Joel Chandler Harris

Harris passed away on July 3, 1908 and the following day the headline, coupled with a portrait of the literary giant, of the Atlanta Constitution read, "Joel Chandler Harris Summoned by Master of All Good Workmen."

The Wren’s Nest

Harris purchased the 1870-built home from his employer at the Atlanta Constitution in 1883, after having lived there as a renter since 1881.

Already a nice home, Harris took it up a few notches giving it a distinctive Queen Anne Victorian style exterior. It's one of the few remaining examples of upper middle class Queen Anne Victorian homes from the era still standing in Atlanta.

Harris' (partial) Book
Collection

The Wren's Nest got its name from an actual wren's nest. In 1900, wrens built their nest in the Harris' mailbox! A second mailbox was erected so as to not disturb the new residents, but the newly built mailbox quickly became home to even more wrens. The name "Wren’s Nest" was soon adopted as the name of the house and it stuck.

When Harris moved in, he had just published his first Uncle Remus book and would write the significant portion of the total 194 stories while sitting on the front porch of the Wren's Nest.

The Wren's Nest (the home itself, not the mailboxes) was named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service in 1962.

Throughout 2008-2009, the Wren's Nest underwent a major renovation. The before-and-after photos show the remarkable job that was done and what an awesome place it is to visit today.

The Tour

Storytelling Room

I had planned to visit The Wren's Nest earlier in the week, but Mother Nature's plans superseded mine, so I visited on the next day it was safe to drive—this past Saturday.

I'd been excited about visiting the Wren's Nest and was momentarily deflated when I arrived and the parking lot was covered in snow. I noticed, across the street, a couple who had parked and were taking photos of the house. I pulled into the same parking lot and asked them if they knew if house was open and they told me that they had just come from a tour—my excitement returned.

Family/Music Room

I carefully navigated the few remaining patches of snow on the sidewalk leading to the house. I made my way to the front door, but found it locked. The tourists I had just chatted with told me they had just had a tour, so intent on pursing my objective I rang the doorbell.

Almost immediately the door opened and I was greeted by Lain Shakespeare, the Executive Director of the Wren's Nest. I recognized him from the website and was hoping to meet him and Amber, the Wren's Nest blog authors…I really like the writing style.

Lain also happens to be the great, great, great grandson of Joel Chandler Harris. He assumed the role of Executive Director of the Wren's Nest in July 2006, fresh out of college…the youngest Executive Director I've ever heard of (I was impressed).

Mrs. Harris' Piano

Lain welcomed me into the home and told me that their docents could not make it in that day because of road conditions (lots of Atlanta locals, not to mention visitors, are not thrilled with the City's lack of preparedness for snow…I fall into that camp after being stranded at home for five days, but I remain hopeful for improvement). Lain invited me to accompany him and other visitors who were midway through a tour.

I joined a married couple who had brought their three year old, a reader of Harris' works. As fate would have it, at the end of the tour the doorbell rang. Two more visitors arrived for a venture through the house (it turned out that they were on a trek to explore historic homes in Atlanta, the Margaret Mitchell House being their next destination).

The Girls Room

I joined them for the first half of the tour and when we got to the point where I first came in, I went off on my own to make a few photographs (flash photography is not permitted, but non-flash is fine).

Lain was the perfect host (and I was quickly learning that he's a model Executive Director). He checked on me again when he finished the tour and asked if I wanted to see the attic. "Absolutely," I enthusiastically said following him to the stairs.

The four of us climbed to the second story (which is actually a half story) of the home. Lain had explained earlier that the second story was built after Harris bought the home, intended probably as a writer's workshop, but it ended up not being used by the family so much. Today, it’s used primarily as storage.

The Dining Room

Practically every room in the house is on the tour and one could write a novel filled with facts and factoids about the years the Harris family lived in the Wren's Nest…but in lieu of said novel, here are a few highlights of the tour…the rest I'll leave to you to explore when you visit to the home.

I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite room in the house, but in the top few would be the storytelling room. Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, and Tar Baby welcome guests to the room. The original mail box where wrens made their nests every year, the namesake of the home, is also in this room.

Brer Fox and Brer
Rabbit carving

In an adjacent parlor (or the living room) is what Lain told us is his favorite artifact in the home. It's an intricate wood carving of Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox. I actually thought it was a bronze, so I was really surprised when Lain flipped back their heads to reveal that the carving is a humidor!

In the next room, presumably the music room given is where Mrs. Harris' amazing piano resides, as are photos of the family, including the Harris' four sons and photos of President Theodore Roosevelt, who visited the Wren’s Nest on numerous occasions. There’s also a taxidermy owl near the ceiling, a gift from Roosevelt, which watched over the Harris family.

Mr. Harris' bedroom is the only room in the home that is roped off. It is nearly exactly as it was in 1908 when Harris passed away. Except for the occasional cleaning and restoration, the room is not entered, but you have a great view from the hallway.

Harris' Bedroom

Also on the tour are the girls room; the dining room (with original dining table and chairs purchased from a Sears catalog); the kitchen; and the main hall (where the boys usually slept on cots and where an amazing collection of international versions of Harris' works are on display).

In the back yard there's a reading garden and the tour isn't complete without exploring and just hanging out for at least a few minutes on the spacious front porch—Harris' favorite spot to write.

The Programs

Under Lain's leadership, the Wren's Nest is now more than the oldest house museum in Atlanta; it also is home of many literary and community programs and events, including:

• Wren’s Nest Home Tours
• Wren’s Nest Fest
• Wren’s Nest Publishing Co.
• Storytelling Saturdays
• KIPPS Scribes Mentor Program
• Decatur Book Festival

The Gravesite

It's not part of the Wren's Nest tour, but I wanted to share this quote. Harris' corporal remains reside in the nearby Westview Cemetery at a site marked by a boulder with an engraved epitaph that reads:

I seem to see before me the smiling faces of thousands of children some young and fresh and some wearing the friendly marks of age. But all children at heart and not an unfriendly face among them. And while I’m trying hard to speak the right word, I seem to hear a voice lifted above the rest saying you have made some of us happy. And so I feel my heart fluttering and my lips trembling, and I have to bow silently and turn away and hurry back into the obscurity that fits me best.

The Return

Does the story of a world-renowned author tempt me to return to the Wren's Nest? I think so. Every Saturday there's storytelling at the Wren's Nest, except for the Saturday I visited—but that was Mother Nature's doing (remnants of a major snow storm prevented storytellers from getting to the Museum safely). So, I can hardly wait to go back for an afternoon of animated, enthusiastic storytelling.

Touring the Wren’s Nest

Date toured: Saturday, January 15, 2011
Hours: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Closed Sundays and Mondays; Storytelling Saturdays at 1:00 p.m.
Location: 1050 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd, SW (directions and map)
Cost: $8 adults; $7 students and seniors; $5 children
MARTA: West End Station; Bus #71
Parking: Free onsite parking
Website: http://www.wrensnestonline.com/

Wren's Nest Pathway

Fox Theatre: Fabulous at 80

Fox Theatre

The Fox Theatre, or The Fabulous Fox as it's sometimes called, opened its doors on December 25, 1929, less than two months after the Stock Market crash that heralded the arrival of The Great Depression. Following a brief closing in 1932 and near demolition in the mid-1970s, the Fox today holds many local and world record distinctions and is listed on the National Historic Landmarks registry. A tour of the Fox is more than a walk down memory lane; it's a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most majestic, highly-attended, historically-rich theatres in the country.

The tour took us to numerous spaces within the Theatre that one usually would not encounter in a single visit. We ventured to the Egyptian Ballroom, the Grand Salon, the Grand Terrace, the Men's and Women's Lounges and Restrooms (not something that's on every tour!), the main theatre, and attended a private performance on the "Mighty Mo" organ by none other than Larry-Douglas Embury, the resident organist.

The kickoff of the tour indeed started on time, as advertised on the Fox’s website. Our tour began at the entrance arcade on Peachtree Street. Our tour guide, Ellen, was very personable and obviously finds great pleasure in sharing information about the Fabulous Fox, which included the 1970s "Save the Fox" campaign and details about its Moorish, Egyptian and other architectural styles.

Grand Terrace

After a briefing of historical tidbits, we were escorted to the Egyptian Ballroom, named for its Egyptian-inspired décor (a worldwide trend following the 1922 discovery of King Tut's tomb), which served as a public dance hall in the 1930s. Today, the Egyptian Ballroom is used for wedding receptions, proms, corporate events and special occasions.

Adjacent to the Egyptian Ballroom—also available for special occasions—is the Grand Terrace, which offers a degree of privacy for event-goers with just enough of skyscrapers peeking over the Terrace walls to remind one that they are not attending a Pharos' birthday bash, but are  indeed still in the heart of Atlanta.

Also adjacent to the Egyptian Ballroom, but with its own private entrance, is the Grand Salon, which features a remarkable and substantial stained glass ceiling. Much of the Fox's ballrooms were restored to their original grandeur during the "Fix the Fox" campaign in the 1980s.

Organ Pipe Housing

A surprising detour that turned out to be a sight worthy of seeing was a visit to the Women's and Men's Lounges and bathrooms. Ellen described the various design elements in the rooms and shared a number of historical facts, including that women did not smoke in public during in the Fox's early years, but instead would venture out to a "smoking terrace" accessible from the Women's Lounge. Much of the furniture and other décor in the lavish and grand lounges are originals from the 1929 opening of the Theatre.

Before I discuss "Mighty Mo" and the main theatre I can tell you that our tour finished with a visit to the Spanish Room—originally the practice room for Fox Theatre musicians—which today houses many concessions windows and includes a modest size gift shop.

Now, let's get back to the main theatre and "Mighty Mo."

"Might Mo" Organ

It just so happened that the day we were touring Larry-Douglas Embury, the Fox’s resident organist, was in attendance to play "Mighty Mo" for a group of 140 school children. We had the distinct and rare pleasure of joining Larry for a private performance.

Larry talked about the vast infrastructure of the organ and pointed out the illuminated organ pipe housings flanking the main stage. He was fantastic with the kids and conducted a question and answer session for the children after describing and playing quite a few numbers on "Mighty Mo." After completing his mini-concert, he lowered Might Mo from its lofty perch to eye-level so that the kids and my tour group could snap a few photos.

Fox Theatre, right of stage

We were then off to the balcony of the main theatre so we could get a better glimpse of the Theatre's remarkable "night-time" ceiling. The lights are embedded in the ceiling and covered with crystals. The close-up view of the main stage, even that close, did not convey the size of the 8-foot lampposts or the 14-foot hanging pendants near the top of the Theatre, but fortunately our tour guide did. She also pointed out that the giant canopy that more than covers the balcony is constructed of plaster and steel beams—a perfect illusion.

Also worthy of mentioning for tourists on a budget who would like to attend a "show" at the Fox is the annual Coca-Cola Film Festival. Each summer, for less than the cost of a mainstream cinema movie, patrons can experience the grandeur of the Fox Theatre and see a classic or box office hit movie on the largest screen in Atlanta. The movie experience includes a sing-along, classic cartoon and the movie.

Will I take the Fox Theatre tour again? I definitely recommend taking this tour at least once. Personally, I know there is much to know about the Fox and I find it all fascinating, mostly because of my love for the building and its remarkable history. Their website is full of interesting factoids and historical recantings of events...and one can always find a book in the gift shop that provides considerably greater detail about the Fox Theatre.

Touring the Fox Theatre

Date toured: Thursday, September 23, 2010
Location: 660 Peachtree Street, Atlanta (at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Street) (directions and map)
Parking: numerous nearby privately-owned, attended parking lots
Cost: Adults - $10, children and seniors - $5
Hours:
Monday – 10 a.m.
Wednesday – 10 a.m.
Thursday – 10 a.m.
Saturday – 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Website: http://www.foxtheatre.org/

Fox Theatre Roof