Built from 1816–1819, the Owens-Thomas House in downtown Savannah is a treat for both history fans and students of building design. Widely considered one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture in the U.S., it was designed by William Jay, one of the nation's first professionally-trained architects. Built for a wealthy cotton merchant and banker, the elegant residence was constructed and furnished entirely with materials delivered by ship from England. In addition to the house itself, the attraction also includes a garden, museum store, and a carriage house.
Parking and public transportation to the Owens-Thomas House
Located on Oglethorpe Square in the heart of Savannah's National Landmark Historic District, the Owens-Thomas House is an easy walk from most downtown lodging facilities. Alternatively, you can park your car at nearby public parking garages, or in street-level metered parking spaces. Or, you could also ride here on "the dot," Savannah's free downtown transportation system.
Best and worst time to go to the Owens-Thomas House
Weekends can be crowded at this popular attraction; at the same time, you don't need to feed the on-street parking meters (if you can find a space).
Admission to the Owens-Thomas House
The Owens-Thomas House opens at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and at noon Sunday and Monday. This is a guided-tour only attraction: tours are given daily at fifteen-minute intervals, with the last tour beginning at 4:30 pm. Admission prices currently range from $5 to $15 depending upon age. The museum store, carriage house, garden and public restrooms are wheelchair accessible, but the house itself is not.
Must see/do at the Owens-Thomas House
The Owens-Thomas House was Savannah's first residence with an indoor running water system, which includes four rooftop cisterns. The carriage house, which also serves as the site's orientation center, is home to the earliest intact urban slave quarters in the southern U.S.
Other places to visit near the Owens-Thomas House
Nearby attractions include Broughton Street, downtown's main retail/restaurant strip, whose occupants include Leopold's Ice Cream, a Savannah tradition. Also, 17 Hundred 90, a historic inn with a restaurant and bar, is only a few steps away. Meanwhile, River Street, where century-old cotton warehouses have been converted into a wide variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants, pubs and hotels facing the Savannah River, is also within a short walk.
Insider tip for visitors to the Owens-Thomas House
The Owens-Thomas House is owned by Telfair Museums, which also owns the Telfair Academy, home to nineteenth- and twentieth-century American and European art; and Jepson Center, featuring exhibitions of contemporary art. Purchase a triple-site pass and enjoy a substantial discount on visits to all three locations.
Author's bio: Martin Sinderman is a Savannah-based freelance writer.
The former home of author Joel Chandler, the Wren's Nest House Museum, is an Atlanta destination that appeals to kids and delights adults too. The preserved house and its museum earned a place in Atlanta and national history, prompting the National Park Service to put the restored Victorian-style house on the National Register of Historic Places in 1962.
Best and worst time go to the Wren's Nest House Museum
Saturday is the best time to visit the Wren's House. Normally scheduled at 1 p.m., unless you visit with a group, this is the only time that you can enjoy the storytellers' recitals of the Uncle Remus stories made famous by Joel Chandler Harris.
Must see/do at the Wren's Nest House Museum
Immerse yourself in the details of life during the early 20th century by viewing the meticulously preserved furnishings and memorabilia in Joel Chandler's bedroom. Visit the Wren's House gift shop to buy CDs of Uncle Remus stories. Enjoy the landscaped gardens and the houses that Harris built on the grounds for his children during your visit.
Admission to the Wren's Nest House Museum
The Wren's House admission fees vary by age, with children's admission closer to $5, and adult admission closer to $10. Seniors receive discounted admission prices. Group admission prices are negotiated, depending on the group size.
Parking and public transportation Wren's Nest House Museum
The Wren's Nest has free public parking on the property. The closest MARTA public transportation train stop is the West End Station on the North-South line. Take the 71 Cascade Road bus from the station to the Wren's House.
Food at the Wren's Nest House Museum
The Wren's House does not have a restaurant. Visitors have a choice of traditional Southern cooking or vegetarian cuisine restaurants and fast food chains in the neighborhood.
Insider tip for visitors to Wren's Nest House Museum
The Wren's House has free admission at least once a year when it participates in Atlanta's Phoenix Flies tour program. Visitors who enjoy art can buy discounted admission packages for the Wren's Nest and the nearby Hammond's House art museum.
Author's bio: Carol has lived in Atlanta for 35 years. She has published travel articles in "Diamond" magazine, Arizona Central, USA Today and other websites.
Frances E. Willard (1839-1898), one of the most prominent social reformers in 19th century America, was president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union from 1879 to 1898. Built in 1865 and established as a museum in 1900, this home contains a collection of intact original furnishings and objects. For more information, visit the website or e-mail [email protected].
The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was home to the American poet/writer and his wife for 22 years, and it is where the three-time Pulitzer Prize winner died in 1967. The 264-acre site features pastures, ponds and hiking trails, the Sandburg residence and goat barn, and numerous other structures. The museum preservation center contains 325,298 Sandburg items: letters, telegrams, maps, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and 12,000 volumes of the Sandburg's books. Tours of the house — named Connemara by a previous owner — are offered daily for a small fee.
Parking and public transportation at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The park is located at 1,800 Little River Rd., Flat Rock, N.C., three miles south of Hendersonville and a short drive off Interstate 26. The walk to the house from the parking lot is about 2,000 feet, with a 100-foot elevation climb. Assistance is available for those with limited mobility.
Best and worst time go to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The site is open year-round, but offers special events each year. A Folk Music Festival is held each Memorial Day, and Christmas at Connemara events occur on certain days in November and December. Special events for children occur during the summer months. Access to the site may be impacted by snow during winter months. The site is open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's day. The grounds are open sunup to sundown.
Admission to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
There is no cost to visit the farm or hiking grounds. A small fee ($5 or less) is charged for a guided tour of the house, though children 15 and under can tour for free. Fees are waived on certain U.S. holidays. Groups of 10 and school groups are asked to make reservations.
Must see/do at Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
The Sandburgs moved to Connemara to accommodate Mrs. Sandburg's goat herd, and you can tour the barn and learn more about her renowned, award-winning goats. Visitors touring the home can see the simple and comfortable home where the Sandburgs lived and the writer worked. Everywhere through the house are book from floor to ceiling. The bookstore in the basement offers simple and affordable copies of some Sandburg poems in his own handwriting.
Other places to visit near Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theater of North Carolina, is located across the street from the entry to the Carl Sandburg House. The 10,400 acre DuPont State Recreational Forest is located nearby. The forest was a primary filming site for "The Hunger Games" movie. Tours of filming locations are available. Chimney Rock State Park is 25 miles to the east, featuring outstanding views, hiking, bird-watching and rock climbing.
Insider tip for visitors to Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
When touring Connemara you may feel that the Sandburgs have just stepped away for a moment. Mail addressed to Carl is strewn around on coffee tables or on the television. In his office look for Sandburg's typewriter perched atop a peach crate, and the binoculars the family used for birdwatching.
Author's bio: JD Austin is an Asheville, North Carolina, native who has worked more than 30 years in journalism around the Southeast United States.
