Monday, April 23, 2012

T is for Thirteen Columns, Trail and Top Hat

- The Stovall-O'Brien-Beecher-DeGraffenreid-Calloway-Conn-Gardner House (aka House of 13 columns), Milledgeville, Georgia, c. 1825.  My parents' attorneys (and dear friends) in my home town of Milledgeville have their law office in this lovely house.  They are in their 80s and still practice law.  A recent visit regarding estate matters gave me the opportunity to step inside again.

- It was designed by John Marlor in the Federal and Greek style and the fanlight over the door is a feature of the style of architecture of that era. The columns are thought to represent Georgia as the 13th American colony. As I take my leave, I imagine what it must have been like to stand on that porch in 1825.

- Back in Atlanta, the BeltLine trail at my favorite place to walk after work.  Tanyard Creek Park off Collier Road.  The BeltLine is a former railway corridor in Atlanta currently under development as a multi-use trail.  It goes on for miles using existing rail track easements.  The idea originated in a 1999 Masters degree thesis by a Georgia Tech student, now an employee of the city planning group of Atlanta.

- And on my Sunday morning walk, on the street where I live, this sight.  It must have been a fun party.  :)

It's Day 20 of the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, featuring the letter "T".  Three things that gave me pleasure.

24 comments:

Claudia Moser said...

The last one made me smile!

Granny Annie said...

My dream home! I probably wouldn't insist on thirteen columns so as not to seem greedy:)

Perhaps such a delightful trail would inspire me to walk more.

I can feel the sigh of a night-to-remember left along with the top hat.

Elephant's Child said...

Such a lovely post. I loved the fanlight, the walking trail was enchanting and I remember (with pleasure) parties like that. I caught a ride home with the garbage contractors very early one morning. Hanging off the back in a full length ball gown.

Leonora said...

"Stately" is the term that comes to mind for the 13 Columns house. Gorgeous!
I enjoy all of your tidbits about Atlanta. You make the perfect insiders travel guide to the city.

Joanne said...

Who knew T had so much history attached to it!

Jannie Funster said...

Pretty nifty to be still working into ones 80s!

T is for Terriffic & Talented Lynn.

xoxo

KjM said...

WHat a gorgeous building. Many houses in Georgian Dublin, Ireland (where I was born) had such a fanlight over the door.

Thanks for stopping by at my blog for the A to Z Chalenge. I like what your doing for April.

Julie Daines said...

What a great idea for the A to Z challenge. I've got some friends that live in Atlanta and they LOVE it. They tell me all the time that everyone there is so exceptionally nice. Great blog!

Snaggle Tooth said...

What a nifty lookig house. Columns only on 2 sides? Huge door too- I bet those 1825 folks would laugh to know we now walk n run those rail trailsd for fun now, instead of necessity!
The hydrant looks kinda like a little man from that sngle. Good pics!

Unknown said...

Fire hydrants do know how to kick up their heels.

It's nice to meet another A to Z blogger from Georgia. I live down the road in a little town to the east. I'm an exit on I-20.

Lucy

Lynn said...

Claudia -

Me too! As I was walking up to it, I couldn't quite focus on what it was. On the front it says Happy New Year, but someone had put masking tape over "new" and written something else that the rain washed off.

Granny Annie -

It's needing some attention on the interior, but that gives it a little charm, too. I would love to see it restored to all its former glory.

Best trail ever!

Absolutely - a night to remember. :)

The Elephant's Child -

Thank you! And I am beyond delighted with the thought of you hanging off the back of a garbage truck in a ball gown! I can just see it - like in a movie. You should write your memoirs.

Leonora -

Thank you - I'm a bit of history buff, so maybe I missed my calling.

Joanne -

T was easy, now I have to think of something for X!

sage said...

Such a beautiful home and a nice walk. We have lots of such trails around here. I miss the trains, but do enjoy walking or biking on them.

sage said...

Such a beautiful home and a nice walk. We have lots of such trails around here. I miss the trains, but do enjoy walking or biking on them.

Lynn said...

Jannie -

Mr. Gardner is nearly 90 or 90, not sure. Their son is an attorney there, too.

Thank you - I think you Terrific and Talented, too. :)

xo

KjM -

I love fanlights. :) Thanks for coming by!

Julie -

I'm glad you like my blog. Yes - people are mostly nice here.

Snaggle -

Yes - columns just on two sides. I guess since they scored that good corner to build on, they decided to make it truly unique.

I thought so too about the hydrant. :)

Lucy -

I'll say! I love your Southern blog. :)

Lynn said...

Sage -

Trains still come by there on trestles that are high up - they put a covered bridge right through the trestle.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Lynn .. what an amazing house - so pleased you were able to visit again .. and such a lovely door - and you do think sometimes I wonder what it would be like nearly 200 years ago ..

Good for thirteen columns - like that .. while the trail too - looks fun ..

Cheers Hilary

Nate Wilson said...

After what I can only imagine was a fabulous night of partying, that hydrant's looking a little yellow. I'd stand back; it might spew at any moment.

happygirl said...

Such a gorgeous place to go to work each day. I'd think about working until I was 80 if I could go to a place so beautiful. LOVE the fan light window. Funny pic at the last. You are so Talented. :)

G. B. Miller said...

The second I'd started reading the name of the house, that Monty Python sketch immediately came to mind, where they were interviewing some German composer that had a last name that took over a minute to say.

Wonder what kind of party drink a fire hydrant would have? :D

Ileana said...

Love the fan light over the door of that stylish house and the path you photographed looks inviting...almost as much as that party hydrant. lol

Chatty Crone said...

I love that party hat on the fire hydrant! So you are a walker too?
sandie

Riot Kitty said...

That is a whopper of a name for a house! And what did you picture?

Lynn said...

Hilary -

I'd love to see the original floor plan for the house - apparently the bottom floor has been reconfigured. The house isn't as big on the inside as the outside makes it look. There's no grand staircase, for instance. I spotted some stairs going to the upstairs, but they weren't grand.

Nate -

And then that top hat would spew with it! :)

happygirl -

On the day I was there a couple of weeks ago, the elder Mr. G was manning the phones until his wife got there. She and I settled into wing chairs in the parlor to chat and he said he was going to walk up to the barber shop to see what was going on. A peaceful life, for sure.

And thank you for the compliment. :)

G -

I don't know that sketch - I'll have to find it on you tube.

And I'm thinking something like tequila. :)

Lynn said...

Scarlet -

Thank you - I liked my T post, too. :) And the Top Hat was pure serendipity.

Sandie -

Yes - I try to walk six days a week, but have been averaging four, which is better than the 0 I was doing before April 9. :)

Riot Kitty -

They always list all the owners names on those old homes. I pictured people going by in carriages or horseback. Women in long skirts. A raw town.