Georgia has many hidden treasures in its historic sites, world-class attractions and diverse population of the metropolitan and rural areas. Although Atlanta’s new homes are fun, inviting and appealing, travel back in time and visit the gorgeous, historic homes in Georgia
With a rich history and beautiful southern charm, some historic homes featured in films and television are remnants of pivotal moments from times gone by, dating as far back as the Civil War.
Here are some of the best historic homes to tour in Georgia:
Swan House
Stop by the Atlanta History Center in the heart of Buckhead to visit this gem. As one of the most recognized landmarks in Georgia, the Swan House mansion was built for the Inman family in 1928 and designed by famed Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze. Shutze blended Italian and English classical styles to accommodate the 20th-century design for the Swan House, which many consider his best residential work. In 1966, the Atlanta Historical Society purchased the home and most of the original furnishings. It opened to the public in 1967 as a museum and headquarters of the Atlanta Historical Society.
Television and film lovers will recognize this elegant home as President Snow’s mansion from “The Hunger Games” franchise. It is also featured on the CW soap opera series “Dynasty”.
Tickets are available for purchase here or onsite at the admissions desk. There are also options for memberships starting at $65.
Hills & Dales Estate
This historic 13,000 square foot Italian home and lush 19th-century garden sit on a hilltop in LaGrange. Built and completed in 1916 for Fuller E. Callaway and his wife, Ida Caso, the home’s design flows gracefully into the gardens, which have adorned the terraces for more than 180 years. The classic lines of the home featured the thoughtful work of renowned architects Neel Reid and Hal Hentz.
Tours of the house and gardens are available for purchase in the visitor center gift shop. House and Garden admission is $20 for adults, seniors and military. Ticket prices lower to $8 for children starting at 7 to college students with student IDs. Children 6 and under are free. To visit the garden only, tickets are $10 for adults, seniors and military and $5 for students. Check here for tour times throughout the year.
Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site
Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) vacation home in Warm Springs is a great educational destination for field trips, family vacations and solo explorations. Built in 1932, while Roosevelt was governor of New York, this home was an escape for the soon-to-be president. The therapeutic spring waters eased polio symptoms, and later, this home was also the site of the late president’s death. Many of the New Deal Programs blossomed from the experiences he gained in the small town. While posing for a portrait, FDR suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died a short while later. Visitors can view the “Unfinished Portrait” in an updated museum exhibit. Soon after Roosevelt’s passing, the Little White House opened as a museum in 1948.
You can purchase tickets onsite or call them at 706-655-5870. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for children.
Hay House
Located in Macon and known as the Palace of the South, Hay House is an 18,000 square foot, four-level mansion completed in 1859. Adorned by a two-story cupola, the house reflects the Italian Renaissance Revival style, a big contrast to the Greek Revival architecture of the Antebellum period.
Regularly scheduled tours and special events such as weddings, banquets and receptions often take place at this lovely home. An online virtual tour is available, but nothing will compare to an in-person visit! Adult tickets are $13 and students are $9. The house is closed for tours on Mondays, Tuesdays and major holidays. Tickets are available for purchase here
Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson
Another southern presidential retreat, the childhood home of Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States, is available to tour in Augusta. The structure acquired by Historic Augusta Inc. in 1991 underwent restoration to reflect the original design, a sentiment of the experiences surrounding the Civil War. Wilson’s father, a pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Augusta, turned the home into a hospital for ill and wounded soldiers during wartime. A favorite exhibit featured in the home is the etchings of Woodrow Wilson’s name in the glass pane of a window, done using his mother’s diamond ring.
Guided tours of the home occur on the hour every Thursday through Saturday, from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and active military, $3 for students in K through 12 and free for children under five.