| ATLANTA, Georgia – Forty historic homes and sites will be open for tours during the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Fall Ramble in Newnan, Coweta County and Chattahoochee Hills, Oct. 14-16. The event will offer visitors and residents alike a rare opportunity to explore private homes not usually open to the public and significant historic sites. On Friday, “ramblers” will tour Newnan’s historic homes and commercial buildings in the Downtown Historic District, laid out in 1828, and the Greenville-LaGrange Historic District, a residential neighborhood that was once home to many of Newnan’s prominent citizens. Ramblers will also have an opportunity to explore homes in the College-Temple Historic District, a planned neighborhood of tree-lined streets, formal gardens and parks. Saturday’s Ramble will take guests to historic residences in Newnan’s six National Register historic districts, including the Platinum Point Historic District, a neighborhood that boasts a collection of fine houses built by wealthy Newnan citizens. In the Greenville-LaGrange Historic District, Ramblers will tour the Storey-Hollis-Moss House, a stunning 1850s Greek Revival house that was originally located at Oak Lawn Plantation before it was moved to its current location in the 1870s. Also open for tours on Saturday is the Dent-Walls-Strain House in the College-Temple Historic District. The house has been beautifully restored and designed by James Farmer, a renowned interior designer, author and gardening expert. Friday and Saturday’s Rambles also include historic homes in Coweta County’s countryside, many of which have never been open to the public, including The Grove, a Federal style house just outside of Newnan that was constructed in the 1840s, and Fortunata Farms, a 17-acre property containing one of the oldest houses in Coweta, dating to 1815. On Sunday, registrants will tour historic properties in Chattahoochee Hill Country, one of the last undeveloped and rural areas in Metro Atlanta, including Muscadine Manor, a recently restored 1850s farmhouse featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine. Guests on Sunday will enjoy a Q&A with Serenbe founder Steve Nygren at Serenbe’s Farmhouse restaurant from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ramblers are invited to take a self-guided tour of the restaurant and Serenbe community. Ramble attendees will also have the opportunity to explore the John H. Beavers House, located in the former community of Campbellton. This 16-acre property was purchased for protection purposes through the Georgia Community Greenspace Program Fund. The Ramble also includes special dining experiences held at historic sites throughout the weekend. After Friday’s Ramble, registrants are invited to dinner and cocktails at the Newnan Historic Train Depot, a beautifully rehabilitated building that originally served as the freight and passenger depot for the Atlanta and West Point Railroad in the 1850s. Saturday morning, guests will be served breakfast at the historic 1898 Central Baptist Church. Saturday night, “ramblers” will enjoy dinner and drinks on the picturesque grounds of the University of West Georgia Newnan Campus. Finally, a Sunday brunch will be held in the nearby community of Chattahoochee Hills at Cherry Hollow Farm, a unique complex comprised of remnants from turn-of-the-century mills, power plants, and farmsteads from across the South, many of which no longer exist. A wide variety of registration options is available. To view the complete itinerary or purchase tickets, visit www.GeorgiaTrust.org. About Rambles
Rambles feature tours and social events in historic properties not usually open to the public. Tours of historic homes and buildings are self-guided. Guests provide their own transportation. These trips attract hundreds of participants per Ramble and are offered two weekends each year in the fall and spring. Recent Rambles have included Savannah, Augusta, and Macon. About the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use. As one of the country’s leading statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations, the Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust recognizes preservation projects and individuals with its annual Preservation Awards and honors students and professionals with the Neel Reid Prize and Liz Lyon Fellowship. The Trust offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, provides technical assistance to property owners and historic communities, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts, and manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House). To learn more, visit www.georgiatrust.org. |
