|
ALEXANDER STEPHENS HOUSE
story & photographs by rinne allen
one hour south of athens on scenic highway 22, amidst pine plantations
& hunting plots, is the town of crawfordville. somewhat of a ghost
town, it has enjoyed some recent fame as a backdrop for a hollywood
film or two. |
in the middle of it all is the home and former plantation
of alexander stephens, circa 1875. the clapboard main house with
an adjacent kitchen and various outbuildings is pale yellow, a color
that persists throughout the recreated interior. a curious choice,
as stephens was a petite and sickly fellow. an orphan at 14, he came
to the area to attend the university of georgia and then continued
with law school. after various civic & governmental posts, he was chosen
to be the vice-presidency of the confederacy, forever
etching himself into georgia's indeliable history, for better or worse. |
the house contains his portrait, various
victorian novelties such as a hair painting, unusual amounts and combinations
of color and family photographs throughout. never to marry, he took
in the widows of his siblings as they passed away either from illness
or the war, giving them and their children a home. geometrically painted
floors, a 'crumb cloth' on the floor of the dining room, painted planked
ceilings and dried money plant in a churn were some observations. look
for more portraits of Destinations along this corridor south of our
fair city.... |
there
are places everywhere that we love- new york city, italy, anywhere
by an ocean- the list goes on and on. but around here are some wonderful
places whose magnetism is not so loud.
we will try to bring them to you.
