10 Historic Georgia Homes to Tour
From the Swan House in Atlanta to Pebble Hill in Thomasville, plan a trip to discover remarkable historic homes in Georgia.
Yes, you can time travel in Georgia. It's as simple as visiting one of the many historic homes and learning what life was like for those who lived there years ago.
Here are the 10 best historic homes for touring. Be sure to call ahead for tour times and fees.
Swan House in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo by @goanniewhere
1. Swan House
The lavish 1928 Swan House at the Atlanta History Center in Atlanta was built for the Inman family. Designed by famed architect Philip Shutze, it earned its name for the swan motif found throughout the house. Movie buffs will recognize it from "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire."
Owens-Thomas House in Savannah, Georgia. Photo by @gcalebjones
2. Owens-Thomas House
A National Historic Landmark, the Owens-Thomas House in Savannah is known for its English Regency architecture and elaborate indoor plumbing system — an innovative amenity in 1819. The home also includes an English-inspired ornamental formal garden and an original carriage house with one of the earliest intact slave quarters in the South. Purchase a Triple-Site Pass to see the house, Telfair Academy and Jepson Center for a discounted price.
Hills & Dales Estate in LaGrange, Georgia
3. Hills & Dales Estate
A 13,000-square-foot Italian villa perched atop a hill in LaGrange is an unexpected sight. The Hills & Dales Estate was commissioned by the Callaway family in 1916 and is open for tours, as are the 19th-century gardens.
Andalusia in Milledgeville, Georgia. Photo by @benjamingalland
4. Andalusia
Author Flannery O'Connor lived among the 544 acres of rolling hills, red clay and towering pines of Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville from 1951 until her death in 1964. The main house of this literary landmark, however, has roots that trace back to the mid-1800s.
Pebble Hill in Thomasville, Georgia
5. Pebble Hill
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, many wealthy Northerners wintered in the warm climate of South Georgia. Some purchased land such as Pebble Hill, which the Hanna family turned into an elegant sporting retreat.
Plum Orchard Mansion on Cumberland Island, Georgia. Photo by @gcalebjones
6. Plum Orchard Mansion
Plum Orchard Mansion in Cumberland Island was built in 1898 for the Carnegie family and is part of the Cumberland Island National Seashore. The best times to visit this Georgian Revival mansion are when volunteer caretakers are in residence or for the national park's Lands and Legacies Tour.
Woodrow Wilson's Boyhood Home in Augusta, Georgia
7. Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson
The 28th U.S. president lived in Augusta during the Civil War and Reconstruction. The Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson was built in 1859, and during tours you can see a window where Wilson etched his name as a child.
The Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia
8. Roosevelt's Little White House State Historic Site
Franklin D. Roosevelt built a small vacation home in Warm Springs while serving as governor of New York. He found the area's therapeutic spring waters eased his polio symptoms. Now it is known as Roosevelt's Little White House State Historic Site.
The Wren's Nest in Atlanta, Georgia
9. The Wren's Nest
The Wren's Nest in Atlanta belonged to Joel Chandler Harris, author of "Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings." This Queen Anne Victorian home opened as a museum in 1913. Visit on Saturdays to enjoy onsite storytelling.
Hay House in Macon, Georgia. Photo by @gcalebjones
10. Hay House
At the time of its completion in 1859, the Hay House in Macon, an Italian Renaissance Revival home nicknamed the "Palace of the South," boasted central heat, hot and cold running water, and an in-house kitchen. We suggest booking the Behind-the-Scenes Tour if possible.
