SkyView Atlanta, A New View of Atlanta

SkyView Atlanta is our newest high-buzz attraction! At 200-feet tall—20 stories!—SkyView Atlanta offers a unique perspective of the city that's never before been available...it's a whole new way of seeing our beautiful city, for visitors and locals alike!

SkyView Atlanta

A skyline-changing addition to Atlanta, located in the Fairlie-Poplar Historic District in Downtown Atlanta, the SkyView Ferris wheel brings with it the promise of more to do, more visitors, and an increase in patronage of businesses on that side of Centennial Olympic Park (and there's lots to do near SkyView!).

SkyView is right next to The Tabernacle, a one time church turned live entertainment venue, across the Park from CNN Headquarters (CNN Studio Tour), Phillips Arena, and immediately in front of the Fountain of Rings.

SkyView Atlanta

There are 42 gondolas, fully enclosed, with one VIP car. The VIP gondola offers leather seats, a glass floor and other amenities. Of course I want to ride the VIP gondola. I'm very curious to know just how different an experience it is...

SkyView Atlanta

Each gondola can carry up to six passengers. I'm told that if you have a small group, four or five perhaps, that they'll let you ride without additional passengers...pretty nice of them! And each ride is four revolutions that last approximately 15 minutes total. 

SkyView Atlanta

I'm predicting that SkyView Atlanta will quickly become one of the most photographed attractions in the City. Now being part of our skyline, the backdrops for photographs are practically endless, not to mention the perspectives!

On this particular visit, I made photos only from the ground and only from one side. Just wait until I get inside and for when I start taking photos from various rooftops!

SkyView Atlanta

So, SkyView just opened yesterday so I still have a lot to experience with this attraction, however, I did see on the news that at night, it's illuminated with a rather spectacular light show...that's going to be really cool!

And lots of people will have the opportunity to ride, given it's relatively long open hours. They're open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Personally, I can hardly wait to ride during sunset!

SkyView Atlanta

So, get yourself over to SkyView Atlanta, morning, noon, or night...this is going to be a major player in how visitors see Atlanta. I'm very excited for all those who are experiencing it first. 

And while you're down there, remember that Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, Imagine It, and many other tourist destinations are just steps away!

Now, head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page where I've posted a few more photos for you to enjoy. Hope you get to ride Skyview Atlanta soon!

Turning Point: The American Civil War

One of the "Rhett's Recommendations" on the Gone With the Wind Trail list is the Atlanta History Center, specifically their signature exhibition, Turning Point: The American Civil War. Featuring more than 1,500 original artifacts, this is one of the largest American Civil War displays in the United States.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

I've been a member of the Atlanta History Center for years and have  been visiting it even longer. But I've never explored this particular exhibition with Scarlett O'Hara in mind, let alone having delved into the artifacts, placards, and videos to glean a stronger understanding of what Civil War life was like, which Margaret Mitchell grew up hearing about.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

The exhibition is brilliant at presenting both sides in a non-biased, highly informative manner...I was impressed. It does seemingly have more artifacts from the South, but when you look more closely, you see that there are artifacts from practically every State that took part in the War.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

And they're not shy about telling the horrors of war. As we've learned from other various sources, the greater majority of deaths during the American Civil War were due to disease and hunger...as a matter of fact, soldiers spent the majority of their time waiting for combat.

One display shows the number of people who fought in the War (the North outnumbered the South, by far) and how many died (more Northerners died than Southerners). There are lots of surprising facts like this, and revelations of what War life was really like.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

Among the 1,500 original artifacts on display, there are cannons, lots of uniforms, and quite a few flags, including the one that was flying over Atlanta when she fell to Sherman.

There's a Union supply wagon that was used by Sherman's army...this exhibition is quite surreal. To think that ALL of the items you're taking in were used to change the history of our country—and all the people who died for that change—it's totally overwhelming. 

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

Having served in the U.S. Navy, I found myself particularly drawn to artifacts having to do with the naval forces on both sides. This particular linen U.S. Navy jumper (above) was worn by Stephen C. Roach, a Carpenter's Mate, when he served aboard the U.S.S. Kittatinney. 

The Museum also has on display the logbooks from the C.S.S. Shenandoah, which had been in Alaska when the war came to a conclusion, meaning her crew didn't know that the War was over for a number of months. Instead of returning to home port, the Shenandoah was sailed to Liverpool, earning the distinction of the only Confederate ship to circumnavigate the globe.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

Surprisingly, the number of people who served in the Navy during the American Civil War was practically negligible, but the Union used their superior numbers to gain access to areas where they could attack from land and from the water simultaneously, giving them a great advantage.

I've been fascinated with swords since I was a kid and aside from what they're actually used for, there are some incredibly handsome swords in the world...Civil War swords being no exception. Take for example the Naval sword above.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

We all know that war begets new technologies. All involved sides are desperately engrossed in research and development, with an unprecedented eagerness nonetheless. 

One of the fairly major advantages the Union gained during the war years was the widespread use of sewing machines. They existed before the War, but did not come into popular use until it was "discovered" that with a sewing machine, a uniform could be made in one-tenth the time it took to hand-sew one.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

I've never been to a gun show, although I was an expert marksman with an M-16 when I was in the Navy—yes, sailors have to learn how to use guns, too—so I found myself aghast at the number of guns on display...but even more taken aback that they're all more than 150 years old!

The collections in this exhibition are quite phenomenal, and quite extensive.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

One of the more disturbing artifact collections, and this isn't just me being sensitive, is the artillery. The various kinds of artillery are arranged and displayed to demonstrate the kinds of damage they do. The placards are fairly gentle in their verbiage, but the visuals conveyed are the same, regardless of the words used.

I can't help but think that that's actually part of the reason for exhibitions like this. To share and remind us of the horrors of war. Not only the events leading up to war, or the horrors of war itself, but also—and the exhibition does this as well—the lasting effects, in our case even decades and decades later.

Turning Point: The American Civil War, Atlanta History Center

Turning Point: The American Civil War is poignant, thought-provoking, and an exhibition that I believe everyone should learn about. A war where 670,000 people died should not be forgotten, and the Atlanta History Center is helping to make sure that doesn't happen.

Whether you're a history enthusiast, Civil War buff, or just interested in human behavior, this is an exhibition that you'll want to see. I encourage you to allow plenty of time...remember there are 1,500 artifacts with placards, video, interactive learning stations, and you'll want to make a few photos.

Speaking of photos, head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page to see lots more photos from this particular visit...there's some great stuff here!

The City of Glass

When I first moved back to Atlanta almost three years ago, I immediately started calling it "The City of Glass"...practically every building that had been erected during my nine years away was clad in glass. Glass of varying color and shape, but glass nonetheless. Fortunately for me, I really like glass buildings.

Atlanta Skyline (looking North)

Well, after exploring a while longer, I realized that the range of building materials used went considerably beyond glass. And then again, I come across a skyline view like this one, from the rooftop of a friend's downtown building, where every building in sight is glass. 

You should see this view when it's reflecting one of our colorful sunsets...and we have a lot of those!

With developers building again, I'm quite curious to see what the next phase of Atlanta architecture will pepper our skyline. Hopefully, glass or otherwise, they're forging a number of beyond unique signature buildings!

Stately Oaks Plantation

Don't you just love surprises? The good kind, I mean. Like finding a $20 bill in the pocket of the winter coat you've not worn since last year. That's the kind of surprise finding Stately Oaks Plantation was for me...totally didn't expect it and totally enjoyed it!

Stately Oaks Plantation

Last month, when conducting research—going on tours—for my recent Gone With the Wind Trail series, I'd arrived in Jonesboro, Georgia, about a half hour before the Road to Tara Museum opened. I was trying to beat traffic and boy did I! 

Driving around town—and Historic Downtown Jonesboro is quite charming—I saw a sign for "Stately Oaks Plantation" and thought to myself, "What the heck...I have time. Go see if it's somewhere you want to visit when you're done at Road to Tara." I turned the car in the direction of the sign, hopeful that it wasn't too many miles down the road.

A few blocks later, I was at Stately Oaks Plantation, an antebellum plantation home built in 1839. I quickly determined that I would definitely return after my already planned tour just down the road.

When I got back, there were two costumed young women playing a game of "Graces" on the front lawn, a game brought to this land from France, designed to teach young girls feminine grace. It was a scene right out of Hollywood!

Stately Oaks Plantation

I had the great honor of having three tour guides all to myself that morning, and each of them as charming as any proper Southern Belle could be. I really wish I could remember their names...I was so busy taking in all the details of the house that asking them to remind me of their names totally slipped my mind. But vividly remember that they were brilliant, kind, funny, sweet, and very knowledgeable about the home and the era. I was thoroughly impressed.

I listened attentively while on the tour, but photography is not permitted in the house, so the photos I'm sharing while talking about the house are of structures on the property of the "Margaret Mitchell Memorial Park", dedicated to the author of Gone With the Wind and home to quite a few historic structures.

Stately Oaks Plantation, Juddy's Country Store

The house was built in 1839 by Whitmel Allen, 100 years before Gone With the Wind premiered here in Atlanta. It was moved to its current location in 1972, from four miles north on Tara Boulevard.

Reportedly, Stately Oaks is one of the homes on which Tara was based.

Stately Oaks Plantation, Barn

I think I saw Stately Oaks Plantation back in the late 1980s. One of the first friends I made when I moved to Atlanta, Ken who had lived in Jonesboro, took me to see a house that looked a lot like Tara, but it was so many years ago, that I'm only 90% sure this was the house. Being back or seeing it for the first time, it was exciting to be here a few weeks ago.

Stately Oaks Plantation, Tenant Cabin

The tour of the house was fantastic...we saw practically the entire home. The downstairs portion of the tour was led by the "woman of the house," the keeper of the keys. And the leading of the upstairs portion of the tour was shared by the two young ladies I'd seen playing Graces on the front lawn earlier.

Stately Oaks Plantation, Old Bethel School House

Inside the home are quite a few original artifacts, some donated by local families and others by local history enthusiasts. Other furnishings are period and reflective of the day's traditions. The artifact records are quite thorough and insightful, so go prepared to absorb and experience!

The house is also on the National Register of Historic Places...always a telling designation.

Stately Oaks Plantation, Indian Village

The young ladies enjoyed pointing out the etymology of some familiar phrases. 

In one of the upstairs rooms is a cast iron tub...not a very large tub, to be the family bathing vessel. They explained that bathing back then was not daily as we practice today, but only weekly—if you were lucky. And the entire family would use the same bathwater...yuck! The order started with the father, down to the baby of the family. By then, the water was not so clean...thus, "Don't throw out the baby with the bathwater."

Another phrase was explained in one of the bedrooms. Beds back then didn't have the box springs or foam mattresses that we take for granted. Mattresses then were supported with a "net" of ropes. They would begin to sag after a while and would have to be tightened...thus, "Sleep tight!"

Stately Oaks Plantation, Outdoor Kitchen

There is no kitchen inside the house, nor running water. As was custom in the day, kitchens were built separate from the main house to mitigate the danger of burning the house down. And water came from a well, which was in yet another structure on the property.

Stately Oaks Plantation

Remember I told you I found Stately Oaks quite by accident? Well, it turns out that while I was in Jonesboro to see the Road to Tara Museum for my Gone With the Wind Trail series, Stately Oaks Plantation is part of that Trail, under "Rhett also recommends..." Serendipity at its finest!

I recommend tour the Plantation on a Saturday, when the docents are donned in period costume...that's just the fun kind of guy I am. And I hope you get the same tour guides I had. I've only scratched the surface here...there's so much to learn here—my tour lasted for a glorious 50 minutes! That's a rarity.

So, when you're visiting Jonesboro, make time to see both attractions...I think you'll be glad you did. And you'll experience tour guide hospitality in quite a unique fashion. 

Stately Oaks Plantation

Ben-Hur Chariots

What do horse-drawn vehicles with wooden spoke wheels, the Loew's Grand Theatre, multiple Oscar wins, and the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library have in common? No, not Gone With the Wind, but that's very good guess. 

I'm talking about the 1959 film that won 11 Oscars, including Charlton Heston's for Best Actor...the film Ben-Hur. 

Chariot from "Ben Hur" (1959)

So, what about Ben-Hur? 

Two of the original chariots from the film have been restored and are on display at the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library's Central Library. It's a temporary exhibit, so if you're a cinema buff, or history enthusiast, now's your chance to see up close and personal some of Hollywood's most iconic movie artifacts!

Chariot from "Ben Hur" (1959)

The Chariot Race scene—more than nine minutes long—was one of the most exciting and the most violent, for that time, movie scenes of the day. 

Chariot from "Ben Hur" (1959)

These chariots were not discovered until 1988, nearly 30 years after the film debuted. They were sold at auction in California and have been in Atlanta ever since, but only on display at the Library since 2011. The chariots are on loan from Entertainment Design Group in Austell, Georgia, a company with a most impressive resume...everyone in Atlanta knows their work, one way or another!

Chariot from "Ben Hur" (1959)

The film itself is right at 3.5 hours long, so a chase scene of nine-plus minutes might not seem long, but imagine that it was wooden chariots and temperamental horses, not the cars or spaceships that we watch on the big screen today, not to mention there was no CG at the time.

One of the really cool bits of trivia about these chariots is that in 1999, the owners had the distinct privilege to show them off, in their fully restored glory, to none other than Ben-Hur—himself, Charlton Heston. He was here in Atlanta for an industry event...that had to have been a great day! 

Chariot from "Ben Hur" (1959)

When the chariots were found, they were in serious disrepair. They were purchased for $2,500 at auction and another $10,000 was invested to bring them to museum quality artifacts...quite fortunate for us!

Chariots from "Ben Hur" (1959)

So, if you're still wondering about the associations I made when opening this post, I was indeed drawing similarities to Gone With the Wind.

There were horse-drawn vehicles with wooden spoke wheels in both films (wagons and chariots); both premiered at the Loew's Grand Theatre (world premiere for Gone With the Wind and Atlanta premier for Ben-Hur); both won a record number of Oscars their winning years (nine for Gone With the Wind, 1939, and 11 for Ben-Hur, 1959); and both have exhibits at the Central Library in downtown Atlanta (the Margaret Mitchell exhibit on the 5th floor and the Ben-Hur Chariots exhibit on the ground floor). 

A couple more comparisons...when Charlton Heston (who I first saw in Planet of the Apes) won the Oscar for Best Actor for Ben-Hur, Susan Hayward was the actress who announced the win (Bob Hope was the Master of Ceremonies that year). 

Hayward had moved to Hollywood from New York in 1937 to audition for the part of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, which she of course didn't land, but she did go on to build a remarkable acting career. After numerous Oscar nominations and an eventual win, she moved to Georgia where she lived out the remainder of her life.

Hayward's last television appearance was again at the Oscars. She co-presented the Oscar for Best Actress at the 46th Academy Awards in 1974 with none other than...Charlton Heston.

So, you see...these Ben-Hur chariots have some very deep ties to Georgia and Atlanta. I hope you'll make the time to check them out the next time you're in downtown.

Gone With the Wind Trail: Marietta GWTW Museum

The capstone of my Gone With the Wind Trail writings is one I've very excited to bring you. I have the great honor and pleasure of interviewing Connie Sutherland, Director of the Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum: Scarlett on the Square, who also has been a personal friend of some of the cast of the movie. 

Connie Sutherland

By time I left the Museum, I felt like we'd become fast friends...she's just that kind of person.

I'd visited the Museum in 2011—what a great find! Over the last couple of years, in following the blog's analytics, that post has been read more people than any of the other more than 570 posts! 

That's what made me want to write about the Gone With the Wind Trail and I wanted to include an interview. And did I get lucky! 

Connie was wonderful...we talked for an hour and she gave me more material than I can possibly use—so you may see some of that another time. And  it was great to learn so much about the Museum. 

Gone With the Wind

What's your favorite scene/line from Gone With the Wind?

My favorite scene in the film is when Ashley has been wounded during the raid on Shanty Town and Rhett has taken the men to Belle Watling's place as a temporary refuge. He apologizes to Melanie for not having thought of a "more dignified alibi." Her response to him is amazing. As she's tending Ashley, she stands up and turns to Rhett with the most genuine look of gratitude in her eyes and says: "This isn’t the first time you've come between me and disaster, Cap’n Butler. Tisn’t likely I'd question any device of yours." I think it's the most beautifully written line in the film and it speaks volumes about both characters.  

Bengaline Honeymoon Dress
Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum

What’s the most unique/rare artifact in the Museum? What’s your favorite artifact? 

My favorite artifact in the Museum is the photograph of Clark Gable in his twenties. The complete metamorphosis into Rhett Butler had not taken place and it isn't his best photograph where handsome is concerned. But, the history of the photo is wonderful because Gable signed it and gave it to his father. The sentiment says, "Six foot one inch, a copy of the original” and it’s signed “Clark." What a treasured piece of Gable's personal history and how lucky we are to have it on display. I would regard the Bengaline Honeymoon Gown as the rarest and most important item in the collection. There are so few remaining costumes in existence from Gone With the Wind and even fewer on display in the world. To have one in such good condition that was worn by the number one character is quite a coup. I’m so happy we can share it with fans of Gone With the Wind and of history in general.

[Editor's Note: The Bengaline Honeymoon Gown is the only Gone With the Wind dress on permanent display in the United States...a rare and wonderful opportunity for Museum visitors.]

Gone With the Wind Museum

What’s your favorite aspect of being the leader of such an important and greatly loved Museum?  

Well, it isn't working on the budget every year, so can we rule that out. LOL. Seriously, it once again ties back to those who visit the museum on a daily basis and who attend our special events.  During events the work is very hard. There is a great deal of planning and expense involved not to mention the time element. I work so many hours leading up to the actual event date and by that time I always think I'm too tired to enjoy it. But, as the fans and special guests (authors and cast members) arrive, my sense of purpose is clearly defined. There is no greater joy than that which you provide to others. It might sound like a cliché, but it’s true. Even the day-to-day visitor who is overheard reading a chat box out loud to the person with them shows the excitement the museum provides. How can that not give me pleasure as well?  

Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum

If we knew Scarlett 40 years after the book, what kind of woman do you think she would have become? 

Scarlett in her sixties or seventies would still be Scarlett; just older. She would be more seasoned in her thought processes I think, but not in her actions. And, I would not want to imagine her any other way. It was her grit and drive that defined who she was. Why would we want that to change? And, Rhett?  Rhett would likely remain much the same also.  He would be more inclined to learn from his mistakes than Scarlett would, but the charisma and stubbornness would still be a part of him.  

Gone With the Wind Museum

What celebrity today do you think could portray the Scarlett we know and love?  

If you asked this question of a thousand people who love Gone With the Wind, you would probably get the same answer from all of them. Vivien Leigh is the one and only Scarlett.  Always was, always will be.

[Editor's Note: I have to agree with Connie on this one...the more I've learned about the book, movie, and actors, and especially after watching some of the screen tests, there was no other person who was as perfect as Vivien to portray Scarlett.]

Gone With the Wind Museum

Is Gone With the Wind’s legacy (book, movie, Margaret Mitchell) intact for the next 100, 500, 1,000 years?

That question is one that can't be answered by you or me because we won’t be around then. I can only answer that Gone With the Wind (book and movie) has survived more than 75 years already. As proof, you’re interviewing the director of a Gone With the Wind museum that has just celebrated its 10 year anniversary. Gone With the Wind has a life all its own. There is no logical answer as to why its popularity continues to thrive, other than that of Margaret Mitchell herself. She was once asked whether her book was a love story or a Civil War novel. She answered that it was both, but to her it was a story of survival. She said it was about those who had gumption enough to pull themselves up by their bootstraps in the face of adversity. We know that survival is universal because we've all been there in one regard or another. We relate to the underlying message of Gone With the Wind. It makes us believe we can get through anything. So, I guess from that perspective, it could be intact for as long as that message is needed.

The Museum recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary. Where do you see the Museum in the next five years? 

The Museum is an example of the Field of Dreams determination…if you build it, they will come. Every day I meet people who visit the museum from other cities, states and countries. So many times they've told me they came to Marietta just to see the museum or they've waited a year or two years to make the trip. You can't imagine the excitement in their eyes as they pay for their tickets and start their tours. There are those who would laugh at my words, but there is something magical about their affection for Gone With the Wind. Their anticipation is remarkable as they enter and they leave (gift bag in hand) with a look of contentment and release having spent an hour or so inside the heart of their favorite book and movie. I would like to see the Museum continue to open its doors to these lovers of history by sharing Chris Sullivan’s one-of-a-kind artifacts with them. 

Ten more years?  I would like for the museum to one day be the focal point of a larger Hollywood experience to include film festivals and other famous movie collectibles. Marietta has become such a popular location for filming movies that It would be a win-win situation for all involved.

Gone With the Wind Museum

If you had unlimited funds and resources to build the ultimate Gone With the Wind Museum, what would that look like, inside and out?

Museum, what would that look like, inside and out? Keeping the last answer in mind of my "growth" wish, the facade would look like Tara--complete with columns. The interior would be state-of-the-art with phone app guided tours and other technology that would be user-friendly and offer the visitor a trip back in time. The collection would be divided into separate rooms (i.e., the Margaret Mitchell Library, the David O. Selznick Film Studio, etc.).  And, there would be a media room that would show the making of Gone With the Wind and other documentaries about Mitchell and the film. I would include an interactive area whereby visitors could act out scenes from the film or have a photograph taken in front of a green screen that placed them in a scene with Rhett or Scarlett. A souvenir such as this would keep the memories of their visit alive forever. We would also have a larger facility for Gone With the Wind weddings and receptions.  We do rent our current facility for dinners and receptions but we aren't able to accommodate the wedding itself. That would be a dream for us due to the number of requests we receive for wedding ceremonies. Romance doesn't get any better than Gone With the Wind.

Gone With the Wind Museum

How much of the Museum’s collection is on exhibit? How may fans contribute memorabilia to the Museum?

The majority of the museum's artifacts on display are from the collection of Chris Sullivan. Chris is a retired doctor who lives in Ohio and who began collecting Gone With the Wind memorabilia after seeing the movie when he was a teenager. There are a handful of items on display that were donated by fans or individuals whose parents or grandparents had passed away and left a collection. We must always obtain permission from Chris when accepting a donation unless it is something we have permission from the donor to sell in the gift shop. One example is a reproduction of the burgundy dress that Scarlett wore to Ashley’s birthday. A gentleman from Hixson, Tennessee (Mike Goodson) took a tour of the Museum when he was in town a couple of years ago. Mike and his wife Sarah are costumers and the dress was made from the exact specifications that were used by Hollywood Icon and Gone With the Wind designer Walter Plunkett. The dress is beautiful and Chris felt as I did that it would be a wonderful addition to the already extensive collection. A lot of fans have items such as collector plates and figurines that they want to donate to us. We can accept these items to resell in the museum gift shop, but we just don’t have the space to display them. In fact, we have a few plates and dolls on display, but not many. The revenue from gift shop sales for these type items helps the Museum and gives the donor a tax deduction as well as the knowledge that their loved one's items went to someone else who loves Gone With the Wind.

A great big wanderlust ATLANTA "Thank you" to Connie and her helpful staff...I'm very much looking forward to my next visit! 

I've had so much fun working on this Gone With the Wind Trail series...I hope you enjoy visiting each of the places. So, this week I covered the five main Gone With the Wind Trail destinations. There are other recommendations and I'll be covering some of them in the not too distant future, so keep your eyes peeled!

Now, head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page for more photos.

Thank you for reading. Please enjoy the other installments in my Gone With the Wind Trail series (July 1-5, 2013)…

Gone With the Wind Trail: Marietta Gone With the Wind Museum

Gone With the Wind Trail: Margaret Mitchell House

Gone With the Wind Trail: Central Library

Gone With the Wind Trail: Oakland Cemetery

Gone With the Wind Trail: Road to Tara Museum