On this day in Georgia History, Button Gwinnett, one of the three signers of the Declaration of Independence from the State of Georgia, was appointed the second president of the Council of Safety. He succeeded Archibald Bulloch , great grandfather of James Stephen Bulloch (see my recent post on Bulloch Hall).
Bulloch Hall is one of the three historic homes on "The Southern Trilogy: Historic Homes of Roswell" tour. James Stephen Bulloch was one of six heads of household who settled Roswell, Georgia, in the 1830s.
ATLANTApix of the tourATLANTA blog features a "photo-of-the-day" of Atlanta. Come back tomorrow for a new one!
"The Southern Trilogy: The Historic Homes of Roswell" tells the tale of the founding of Roswell, Georgia. Three historic homes tell us a lot about the first families and how they lived. While there are technically six founders of Roswell, there are three homes on the Southern Trilogy tour.
I'll cover the logistics that are common to all three houses first and then move on to the house that is the topic of this particular post.
Roswell, Georgia, was founded by six families headed by Archibald Smith (of Smith Plantation); Barrington King (of Barrington Hall); James S. Bulloch (of Bulloch Hall); John Dunwoody; Nathan A. Pratt; and Elizabeth King Hand.
First, each home has a strict photography policy. You may make photographs of the exterior of the home only if they are for personal use. Photos of the interior are not permitted. Photos for commercial use require a permit (paperwork may be obtained at any of the homes), which costs $100. NOTE: Please do not use photos in this post for publication, anywhere…thank you (for keeping me policy-compliant).
300 Year Old White Oak
Guided tours are offered for each home. Self-guided tours are not available. Tours at each home start on the hour between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with the last tour beginning at 3:00 p.m.
A rather unique feature offered at each of the Trilogy homes, one that I like very much, is self-guided "cell phone audio tours" of the homes' grounds. If you arrive after the guided tour starts, this is a wonderful option for exploring the grounds while waiting for the on-the-hour guided tour.
Signs are posted around the property with the dail-in number and location code. If you explore the grounds following your guided tour of the home, you can pick up a map of the audio tour stops inside the home. NOTE: the audio tour is free, but your applicable personal telephone plan charges will apply (great news for those with unlimited plans).
The audio tour includes information about the tour stop, as well as "letter readings" (letters to and from house residents from years past) at many of the stops.
Want a preview of the audio tour? You can listen to them, or a sampling of them, online.
The Arrival
Smith Plantation
Getting to Smith Plantation was a little tricky…you just have to keep a close eye on the signs. If you get lost, just look for the giant domed municipal building. Smith Plantation is to the right of that building if you’re looking at the front door.
I arrived at Smith Plantation shortly before the 2:00 tour. I had time to visit a few of the out buildings on the grounds before having to be on the porch for the tour start time. I was also keeping an eye out for my new friend and tour companion who I'd met at Bulloch Hall.
Smith Plantation, porch
Peering through the sidelight window of the front door I could see the tour guide at the back of the house, so I knew the next tour would be starting momentarily.
The door opened and a bright and cheerful greeting came bursting forth from Jane. Jane was to become my favorite tour guide of the Trilogy…it wasn't long before we were chatting and discovering common interests, specific to the house.
My previous tour buddy ended up taking longer at lunch in Historic Roswell than she thought she would, but she kindly made the effort to bid a farewell between my tour and her tour. I love it when a total stranger becomes a friend so quickly, even if fleetingly brief.
The Families
Archibald Smith, his wife Anne, and their two children left the Georgia Coast (near Savannah) in 1838. The home, the Smith Plantation, was completed in 1845. Three generations of Smiths would live in the home. Unfortunately the final family there was the end of that family line.
Smith Plantation
Of the four children that Archibald and Anne eventually had, only the two girls were formally educated. Both sons fought with the Confederate Army and one died of illness approximately one month following the Confederate surrender.
Of the third generation of Smiths, only one child married (Arthur), but not until he was 60 years old.
After Arthur's passing in 1960, the Smith's cook, Mamie Cotton, who ended up working for the family for 54 years, moved in to help take care of Mary. Upon Mary's passing, she left the house to the City of Roswell, but with the stipulation that Mamie could live out her life in the home. Mamie remained at the house and on Mary's payroll for the rest of her life.
The Home (the tour)
The house was built, by some of the 30 slaves who moved with the Smiths, approximately one mile from the town center and was an example of an upscale plantation home, for the time.
Smith Plantation
Practically all of the contents of the home are the original belongings of the three generations of Smiths who lived in the house…a rare circumstance and a total treat for tourists (and historians, too!).
The home is packed to the gills! It turns out that all three generations of the Smiths were "packrats," which translates into a significant amount of historical artifacts and documents.
One of the more interesting artifacts in the house is Willie's trunk from his time in the Confederate Army. The trunk was stored in the attic for quite a few years. When it was rediscovered, there was a list of its contents inside and, incredibly, nearly all the items were still in the trunk, save a few items that Willie had sent home to workers at the house.
Smith Plantation, Parson's Room right
The other rooms in the home are exquisitely furnished…the actual amount of furnishings is difficult to convey without photos, but suffice it to say that when the word packrats is attributed to the Smiths, it's in all fondness absolutely true.
In 1940 at the bequest Mary, the home was remodeled. The porch was expanded to two stories high from one and indoor plumbing and electricity were added.
The Smith Plantation house also had a "Parson's Room" for travelers. A parson's room, usually on the back of the house, was available to travelers (oftentimes clergy) and usually unlocked for those who arrived after the family had retired for the evening.
Well
The Grounds
Of the homes on the Trilogy tour, Smith Plantation has the largest collection of out buildings, numbering nearly 15, some from the 1840s and the latest added in 2001.
Typical of the time, a Cook House—the kitchen—was outside the main house. Partly because it was difficult to cool the house, but primarily because of the threat of fire, which did in fact happen. The Cook House burned down in 1863 but fortunately the fire did not spread to the main house because of heavy rain that night.
Smith Plantation, lamp post
Mary also purchased 48 lamp posts from a park in London and had them shipped to the United States on the Queen Mary. She had them electrified and installed on the Smith Plantation grounds.
The Return
Do I think I'll return to Smith Plantation? Actually, I would like that very much. However, I think I will visit one house at a time of the Trilogy tour. Three in one day was a lot for research, but if for pure pleasure it would be fine. When I return, I hope that Jane is the tour guide that day…she was the ultimate!
Touring The Southern Trilogy: Smith Plantation
Date toured: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Location: 935 Alpharetta Street, Roswell, Georgia (directions and map) Parking: Free onsite parking Cost: $8 Adults; $6 Children (or $18 for all three homes) Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The last tour is at 3:00 p.m. Events: The Smith Family and Civil War Exhibit, May 1 – December 31, 2011. Website: http://www.roswellgov.com/index.aspx?NID=220
"The Southern Trilogy: The Historic Homes of Roswell" tells the tale of the founding of Roswell, Georgia. Three historic homes share with us a lot about the first families and how they lived. While there are technically six founders of Roswell, there are three homes on the Southern Trilogy tour.
This post, the second of three, is about Bulloch Hall.
I'll cover the logistics that are common to all three houses first and then move on to the house that is the topic of this particular post.
Roswell, Georgia, was founded by six families headed by James S. Bulloch (of Bulloch Hall); Barrington King (of Barrington Hall); Archibald Smith (of Smith Plantation); John Dunwoody; Nathan A. Pratt; and Elizabeth King Hand.
First, each home has a strict photography policy. You may make photographs of the exterior of the home only if they are for personal use. Photos of the interior are not permitted. Photos for commercial use require a permit (paperwork may be obtained at any of the homes), which costs $100. NOTE: Please do not use photos in this post for publication, anywhere…thank you (for keeping me policy-compliant).
Bulloch Hall
Guided tours are offered for each home. Self-guided tours are not available. Tours at each home start on the hour between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with the last tour beginning at 3:00 p.m.
A rather unique feature offered at each of the Trilogy homes, one that I like very much, is self-guided "cell phone audio tours" of the homes' grounds. If you arrive after a guided tour starts, this is a wonderful option for exploring the grounds while waiting for the on-the-hour guided tour.
Signs are posted around the property with the dail-in number and location code. If you explore the grounds after your guided tour of the home, you can pick up a map of the audio tour stops inside the home. NOTE: the audio tour is free, but your applicable personal telephone plan charges will apply (great news for those with unlimited plans).
The audio tour includes information about the tour stop, as well as "letter readings" (letters to and from house residents from years past) at many of the stops.
Want a preview of the audio tour? You can listen to them, or a sampling of them, online.
The Arrival
Bulloch Hall
I arrived at Bulloch Hall after a brief stop at the Roswell Visitors Center where I met Florence Ann, a most charming and helpful person. She answered the last few questions I had so that I could continue my tours of the Southern Trilogy, sending me on my way with full confidence that I'd see everything I should and wanted to see.
Entering the Bulloch Hall estate is a little different from the others. You first go to an out building where ticketing and the gift shop are located, immediately adjacent to their ample parking lot. If this is your first stop on the Southern Trilogy tour, you can get your ticket for all three homes here.
You can purchase a ticket for a Bulloch Hall-only tour as well, but you save money by buying a Trilogy "Pass," and it does not expire. A docent at each home will sign the Pass to indicate that that portion of the Pass has been redeemed.
Slaves Quarters
With signed pass in hand, I headed up to Bulloch Hall just in time for the 12:00 p.m. tour.
The Families
One of the founding families of Roswell, Georgia, led by James Stephens Bulloch, a decorated Major in the Texas War for Independence, and his wife Martha Stewart (no relation to today's popular lifestyle guru) were the original habitants of Bulloch Hall.
Traveling with them from Savannah to Roswell was their three year old daughter, Martha "Mittie" Bulloch. In adulthood, Mittie met Theodore "Thee" Roosevelt in 1850 and again in 1853.
Well
Mittie and Thee were married in December of 1853 and moved to New York where they raised their four children, Anna, Elliott, Theodore, and Corrine. Their child Theodore Roosevelt would grow up to be the 26th President of the United States.
As it turns out, not one, but two American Presidents have roots traceable to Bulloch Hall. Elliott, another of Mittie's children, was father of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt who married Franklin Delano Roosevelt, her fifth cousin, who went on to become the 32nd President of the United States.
The Home (the tour)
I and a young lady I'd seen going into the 11:00 a.m. tour at Barrington Hall were to be tour mates at Bulloch Hall.
Bulloch Hall, side
Pat, our tour guide, told us a little about the families who resided in Bulloch Hall and outlined what we should expect during the tour.
Designed by Willis Ball, construction on the Greek Revival home was completed in 1839. Huge, thick white columns welcome visitors into the "lofty center entrance hall." There are an equal number of rooms on each side of the house, typical for the era.
The tour started in the entry hallway where Pat explained that the majority of the artifacts in Bulloch Hall are not original to the home, but that the furnishings are authentic to the period.
In the Library and the women's parlor there are, instead of doors, windows, stacked three-high from the floor, that work kind of like doors allowing family and guests out onto the piazza (they didn’t call it a porch).
Bulloch Hall, rear
While in the Library, Pat showed us an historic inventory of the furnishings in the home, with valuations. Interestingly, books were among the most valuable possession in the home, and there were quite a few on display, indicating that the Bulloch's had an impressive collection.
Pat showed us the dining room where Mittie (President Roosevelt's mother) and Theodore ("Thee") were married. Bulloch Hall today reenacts the wedding in a public event every year during the holidays, close to their December 22 anniversary.
We were told by Pat about the house bringing in a designer who specializes in furniture placement of the Bulloch's era. In one of the parlors facing the front of the house, there is a card table that had been placed in a corner near the hallway. The placement was corrected by the expert who put the table next to the front window…for its natural light. The Trilogy management has gone to great lengths to make each of the homes as authentic as possible.
On the tour we were shown a technological marvel…a "mechanical" flyswatter. This is the South and flies can be quite the pests at times. The mechanical flyswatter belonging to the Bulloch's would be used to keep the pests off of food during meals served in the summer months when the doors and windows were often open to allow breezes to cool the house. It was pretty ingenious, really!
Another interesting factoid…children were not allow to dine at the dining room table until they had come of age. Before that, they were fed in another room in the home.
Many of the beds in Bulloch Hall had built-in trundles, so that they could accommodate visitors. Common to the period, visitors would stay for weeks or sometimes months. Having accommodations for said visitors was a sign of welcoming guests and generosity.
On the upper floor is the relatively recently added Museum Room.
Replica of the
original "Teddy" bear
Remember to collect your free souvenir while there, an over-sized copy on parchment color paper of an article written by Peggy Mitchell, Margaret Mitchell’s penname while working at the Atlanta Journal.
The article, "Bridesmaid of 87 Recalls Mittie Roosevelt’s Wedding," is an interview with Mrs. William Baker who was Mittie Roosevelt's (mother of President Teddy Roosevelt) best friend and a bridesmaid at her wedding. The article was published June 10, 1923.
President Roosevelt, in 1905, visited Bulloch Hall, his mother’s childhood home. The towns folk were present to hear Teddy speak at multiple locations throughout the day, some of which you can hear on the audio tour.
The Grounds
When visiting, be sure to walk the entire perimeter of the house to see the various stops on the grounds tour.
Bulloch Hall Gardens
The gardens at Bulloch Hall are formal and diverse. In the formal garden there are different sections, including the Butterfly & Hummingbird Garden; the Rose & Perennial Garden; the Children's Garden; and an Herb Garden.
The reconstructed Slave Quarters, which had been destroyed by fire, are certainly worth a visit. And while you're milling around, a stroll down the Charlie Cothran Memorial Walking Trail will make for a nice distraction, especially during the moderate weather of spring and autumn visits.
The Return
Do I think I'll return to Bulloch Hall anytime soon? I have many friends who are history buffs who have not been and I would welcome another opportunity to explore Bulloch Hall. The tour is one of those that you know there's so much more history than can be told in a single tour, so each tour promises to teach you something new.
Touring The Southern Trilogy: Bulloch Hall
Date toured: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Location: 180 Bulloch Avenue (directions and map) Parking: Free onsite parking Cost: $8 Adults; $6 Children (or $18 for all three homes) Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The last tour is at 3:00 p.m. Events: Magnolia Ball, Saturday, June 11, 2011, and more. Website: http://www.roswellgov.com/index.aspx?NID=219
"A Southern Trilogy: The Historic Homes of Roswell" tells the tale of the founding of Roswell, Georgia. Three historic homes tell us a lot about the first families to settle the town and how they lived. While there are technically six founders of Roswell, there are three homes on the Southern Trilogy tour.
I'll cover the logistics that are common to all three houses first and then move on to the house that is the topic of this particular post.
Roswell, Georgia, was founded by six families headed by Barrington King (of Barrington Hall); James S. Bulloch (of Bulloch Hall); Archibald Smith (of Smith Plantation); John Dunwoody; Nathan A. Pratt; and Elizabeth King Hand.
Barrington Hall
First, each home has a strict photography policy. You may make photographs of the exterior of the home only if they are for personal use. Photos of the interior are not permitted. Photos for commercial use require a permit (paperwork may be obtained at any of the homes), which costs $100. NOTE: Please do not use photos in this post for publication, anywhere…thank you (for keeping me policy-compliant).
Guided tours are offered for each home. Self-guided tours are not available. Tours at each home start on the hour between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., with the last tour beginning at 3:00 p.m.
Work Yard
A rather unique feature offered at each of the Trilogy homes, one that I like very much, is "cell phone audio tours" of the home grounds. If you arrive after the guided tour starts, this is a wonderful option for exploring the grounds while waiting for the on-the-hour guided tour.
Signs are posted around the property with the dail-in number and location code. If you explore the grounds following your guided tour of the home, you can pick up a map of the audio tour stops inside the home. NOTE: the audio tour is free, but your applicable personal telephone plan charges will apply (great news for those with unlimited plans).
The audio tour includes information about the tour stop, as well as "letter readings" (letters to and from house residents from years past) at many of the stops.
Want a preview of the audio tour? Dial (770) 225-2457 (use that number for each home) and press stop number "104#" at the prompt (be sure to wait for the prompt) for information about the Work Yard.
The Arrival
Barrington Hall, front porch
I arrived at Barrington Hall (approximately 20 miles/30 minutes from downtown Atlanta) at exactly 10:00 a.m. and walked briskly to the front door, hoping to have not missed the tour. The sign on the door indicated that the next tour would begin at 10:00 a.m., so I knew I'd not missed it…yeah!
I broke out my camera (the big one this time) and started making photos of the home. Moments later the front door opened and I returned to the porch.
I was greeted by Bill, the gentleman who would be my tour guide. He noticed the "big" camera (I usually use a small point-and-shoot) and asked if I was a professional photographer. I responded, "No, but I do author a travel blog."
He explained the photography policy and I countered with the fact that my blog is not monetized (I'm not selling anything), so the photos I would make fall into the "personal use" category and (really wanting to make photos) that it would be no different from someone making personal photos and posting them on Facebook.
Bill kindly made a call to confirm that it was ok (which I appreciated, as I don't want to send tourists to a destination that's going to cost them money to make keepsake photos). Cleared up, Bill graciously invited me into the home to begin our tour. ("Thank you, Bill!")
The Families
Barrington Hall
Bill first gave me some history of the founding of Roswell and Barrington's role.
Roswell King was the first to contemplate settling the area that is today Roswell, Georgia. He visited on the way to oversee coastal gold investments in Dahlonega, Georgia (the site of the "first" gold rush).
When Roswell King returned home, Darien, Georgia, approximately 60 miles south of Savannah, he shared news of the area and his son, Barrington King, became very enthusiastic about its potential.
Barrington eventually recruited five other families to move to Roswell and create a permanent settlement. In 1839, with six homes, a church, an academy, and a cotton mill, the site was named Roswell, for Barrington's father. (You'll get a LOT more history on the tour)
The house was first home to Barrington and his wife Catharine. The second generation was the Bakers and the final family to occupy the home was the Simpsons, all decedents of Barrington.
The Home (the tour)
Barrington Hall, back
Roswell King purchased 42 slaves in Savannah, Georgia, and brought them to Roswell to build the first homes, as well as a cotton mill and other business establishments. Slaves were also artisans, creating beautifully crafted furniture, intricate toys for the children, and works of art for the homes.
Construction on Barrington Hall was completed in 1842 and remained the home of their decedents until 2003. Today, the home belongs to the City of Roswell and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The house is beautiful and stately, inside and out.
The rooms in Barrington Hall are uniquely "interpreted" (meaning they're displayed to represent a specific theme, in this particular case a different generation) to represent a different generation of the King family lineage.
Barrington Hall
The majority of the artifacts you will see on the tour are original…they belonged to the various generations who lived in Barrington Hall. On the tour, to name a few rooms, are the entrance and hallway; parlor; dining room; kitchen; and King, Baker, and Simpson bedrooms.
While certain parts of the rooms are roped off, you're able to get quite close to many of the artifacts, but please don't touch (so many more generations may enjoy).
I'd really like to go into more detail here, but there's far too much information to covey and I'd rather give you that time back so you have more time to tour Atlanta! Just know that this historic home tour (the Trilogy, in fact) comes highly recommended by tourATLANTA...you can quote me on that.
The Grounds
Ice House
The gardens are amazing, even before spring, but I can hardly wait to go back and see everything in full bloom. You'll enjoy a winter-time visit as well…the home's interior will knock your socks off…the gardens (in another season) are a bonus after that.
Well
Some of the grounds sites, all on the audio tour, include: Work Yard, East Garden, Site of the Original Kitchen, Smoke House, Well, Orchard, Ice House, and the West Garden.
The Ice House has three rooms. One was used for ice storage (covered with straw to slow melting), dairy storage, and bathing (where it was much cooler than inside the house in the summer).
The Return
Do I think I'll return to Barrington Hall anytime soon? I have many friends who are history buffs who have not been before and I would welcome another opportunity to explore Barrington Hall with them. The tour is one of those that you know there's so much more history than can be told in a single tour, so each tour promises to teach you something new.
Touring The Southern Trilogy: Barrington Hall
Date toured: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Location: 535 Barrington Road (directions and map) Parking: Free onsite parking Cost: $8 Adults; $6 Children (or $18 for all three homes) Hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The last tour is at 3:00 p.m. Events: Enjoy year-round events at Barrington Hall Website: http://www.roswellgov.com/index.aspx?NID=217
