Stately Oaks Plantation: A Gone With The Wind Inspiration

Clayton County, Georgia is said to be the legendary home of Gone With the Wind, Margaret Mitchell’s famous Civil War novel. Stately Oaks Plantation may well have been the inspiration for Mitchell’s fictional Tara, home of Scarlett O’Hara. Mitchell was very familiar with the area and spent many childhood visits at nearby plantation homes belonging to her grandparents and great grandparents. She imagined what life was like for people living in homes such as these.

Stately Oaks, with its white columns and double front porches, is a fine example of the plain Greek Revival style. The antebellum home was built in 1839 and was spared from destruction during the Civil War. It is said to have housed both Northern and Southern troops in 1864. Stately Oaks has been beautifully restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home was not originally located on this site, but was moved here for preservation along with the other historic structures. The grounds have been designated as the Margaret Mitchell Memorial Park.

The plantation depicts life in the rural South during the mid 1800s. Docents in period costumes give tours of the house relating its history, interesting anecdotes about the area, and background information on Margaret Mitchell. Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County, Inc. also has audio tours available. The home is beautifully furnished with period pieces. Outside on the grounds is the plantation’s original log kitchen. A well house, tenant house, and other authentic outbuildings are also located on the grounds. Visitors may look inside the Bethel School House, the last one room school used in Clayton County. Juddy’s Country Store, circa 1896, sells a variety of souvenirs and snacks. The store is open from 10am-4pm. The grounds contain many large oak trees, and visitors may want to enjoy a picnic in the adjacent park.

A number of special activities and events are held at Stately Oaks throughout the year, including the popular lunch and dinner tours. During the month of August docents will lead Victorian Mourning Tours. The house will be draped in black, as it would have been following a death in the family during that period. Docents will explain the customs and rituals of mourning common in the 1800s.

Historic Stately Oaks Plantation is located at 100 Carriage Lane, off Jodeco Road, in Jonesboro, Georgia. The home is open Monday-Saturday from 10am-3pm and tours are given hourly. The grounds close at 4pm. Tour prices are $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, and children under age 11 are admitted for $6. Stately Oaks Plantation will be enjoyed by Gone With the Wind fans as well as Civil War history buffs.

By: W. Lugube

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W. Lugube is the General Manager of the Hampton Inn hotel in Atlanta-South. If you're looking for a great hotel in Morrow, you're sure to love the Hampton Inn® hotel in Atlanta-Southlake. Located in the heart of Morrow, the hotel is just across from Southlake Mall, just six miles from the Georgia State Farmers Market and 18 miles from downtown Atlanta. For more information visit: www.HAMPTONINNSOUTHLAKE.COM