The Owens–Thomas House & Slave Quarters is a historic home in Savannah, Georgia, that is operated as a historic house museum by Telfair Museums.It is located at 124 Abercorn Street, on the northeast corner of Oglethorpe Square. History. The park also features a children’s play area, walking paths and fragrant gardens.

The house is decorated with pieces from Mr. Williams’ private collection, many of which have been in the house since he resided there in the 1970s. On top of that, the house maintains its original moldings, windows, doorways, hand-railings, interior shutters, flooring and interior dome with stained glass fitted in 1868 when construction on the home was finished. And when you look past the scandal and rumors that have surrounded the home for decades, you will see the amazing architecture and stunning details, as well as the fascinating history.
Our guide was extremely knowledgable about the art and antiques so it did make for a good tour. With forty windows, eight iron balconies, and a classical portico, the Mercer Williams House is an example of classical architectural detail. See more ideas about Mercer house, Savannah chat, Mercer. I want emails from Lonely Planet with travel and product information, promotions, advertisements, third-party offers, and surveys. Jim Williams left the house and all of its contents to his mother. One of the fleur-de-lis that impaled poor Tommy has the tip broken off. Hansford was shot and died upon the study floor. Thus, no Mercer ever actually lived in the house that bears their name. Events central to the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” took place in the house. Berendt's captivating nonfiction novel was a finalist for the 1995 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction. Construction began in 1860 and was subsequently interrupted by the Civil War. In his design for the original Mercer House, John S. Norris added Renaissance Revival elements to his standard mix of Greek and Italianate. Owens Thomas House & Slave Quarters and Telfair Museums Admission, Spirits with Spirits Happy Hour Tour in Savannah. Jim Williams' decadent life in Savannah inspired John Berendt to write his 1994 retelling, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, a nonfiction novel adapted for the screen and directed by Clint Eastwood. John is trying to stay objective in his role as “reporter.” Williams spent two years restoring the Mercer House and today guests can take tours to experience its sophisticated charm. After a century of prominent residents, the house was purchased by famed Savannah preservationist Jim Williams. Construction began in 1860 and was subsequently interrupted by the Civil War. The 30-acre Forsyth Park was created in the 1840s. Many guests have snapped pictures of the home to only review them later to see a boy of about eleven in the shots that was not on the tour. Union soldiers used materials from the construction site to build shelters in Monterey Square during their occupation of Savannah. Unlike some of the other house museums--this one has more luxurious furnishings and art--making it more of a tour home than a historical record.

Six months later, after years of investigations, court dates, and finally, a not guilty verdict, Jim Williams died in his palatial home of heart failure. For those who enjoy history and exquisite architecture, the Mercer-Williams House is a must see. Photos of the house of seven gables in winter (Photos of the house of seven gables in winter). The mansion features an intricate ironwork balcony and tall, arched windows. Javascript must be enabled for the correct page display, We use cookies to give you the best experience. Many visitors to the Mercer-Williams House claim that they two have never left and are continuously living out their love/ hate relationship with the home’s majestic walls. This home was made famous by the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Book. Both are wonderful, and I can’t not recommend them more, but I would like to tell you about a lesser known Mercer-Williams House tragedy. In addition to the death recounted in the 1994 best-seller by John Berendt, the home was the scene of two other earlier tragedies. more. Williams died of a heart attack within the Mercer-Williams House on January 14, 1990. On August 19, 1968, Tommy entered the abandoned Mercer-Williams House looking for pigeons.

The house of worship was completed 23 years later. The Carriage House Shop is located next door. An article published at the time of the accident shows him as a handsome, pleasant looking blond boy. Around 1959, they abandoned the home. 429 Bull Street Savannah, GA (entrance located behind the main house at 430 Whitaker Street) For reservations & more info, call (912)-236-6352 or (912) 238-0208 © 2020 Lonely Planet. The Mercer-Williams is now owned by Jim Williams' sister Dorothy Kingery, who runs it as a museum. And the salacious history begins to write itself. And if you think he had help, you will probably find yourself like me; wondering just what is lurking inside the Mercer-Williams House and how did it get there? This home was made famous by the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Book. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. For those aboard the Old Town Trolley, hop off at Stop #3 for Madison Square. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Some readers of The Devoted Classicist may not think they have heard of Mercer House in Savannah, Georgia, or its most famous owner James Arthur Williams. Tommy was found on the fence facing West Gordon Street. But what many find to alone be worth the price of admission is a piece that Williams could be heard boasting about; the 19th-century Yusupov Dagger used to castrate and assassinate Rasputin. Tastefully decorated with ornate 18th- and 19th-century antique furnishings, the museum collection also includes Chinese porcelain as well as English and American paintings dating from the 1700s. It stood vacant and decaying for 10 years until a revitalization of Savannah began. It was great to see the interior of the house and learn its history.

The guide was great I just felt as though he was not able to discuss certain things. The event plays out in its entirety. Mercer Williams House Museum is at 429 Bull St. Antiques dealer, preservation expert and social gadfly Jim Williams restored this 1860 mansion built for Gen. Hugh W. Mercer, great-grandfather of singer and songwriter Johnny Mercer. Between this visit and the Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil tour from Savannah Walks, I came away with an enormous appreciation for the efforts of this man to maintain a city he loved so well. The book was discussed a bit as well as the shooting. Originally constructed for General Hugh Mercer, great-grandfather of the famed lyricist Johnny Mercer, the home was purchased in 1969 by Jim Williams who painstakingly restored the elegant mansion. Boasting intricately carved woodwork and plaster cornices, the edifice was once the residence of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. The interior furnishings and architecture should be experienced in person. Many of Williams' antiques and furnishings were sold by Williams' sister at a Sotheby's auction on October 20, 2000. Not much is known about this young man, and an Ancestry.com search sadly provides nothing about him except his     Find-a-Grave information. The building features bronze-colored iron columns, double-barrel vault arches and stained glass windows imported from Tyrol, Austria. The Mercer-Williams House Museum is an opulent Italianate Villa-style mansion located in Monterey Square. Great example of a historic/restored Savannah home and also the location of much of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

This includes 18th and 19th century Regency and Empire furniture, 18th and 19th century portraiture by Gilbert Stuart and Thomas Hudson, a wide collection of Chinese export porcelain, and other curiosities from around the globe. But if you have read or seen Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil from 1994 and 1997 respectively, then you know all about this story. He was impaled on the wrought iron fence below. We highly recommend taking a tour of the grand estate. Also designed by John Norris, the Andrew Low House was built in 1849. Mercer Williams House, Savannah 12 Insider Tips, Photos and... source .

Mahogany definitely has a place in the home, the 1770 mahogany sofa is its own work of art. The dagger is mounted in silver gilt and turquoise. Photos of the house of seven gables in winter (Photos of the house of seven gables in winter). Two years later, trial number four, found Williams was acquitted. Seeing the gorgeous Mercer House and learning more about the indefatigable efforts of Jim Williams to preserve and restore the history of Savannah was one of the highlights of my visit. Using a symmetrical interior shape, Norris combined 15 foot ceilings with floor length windows to elongate the structure. Visit Savannah's Monterey Square, and you can't help but notice the stunning home resting just across the way at 429 Bull Street, the Mercer Williams House. On-street parking is available near the museum. You only get to see the first floor and back garden but if you loved Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, it is a must see. The Mercer-Williams House was designed by New York architect John S. Norris for General Hugh W. Mercer, great-grandfather of celebrated songwriter Johnny Mercer.

Historic Tours of America. After the Shriners' tenure, the house rested in a vacant state for nearly ten years before it finally found a new owner in 1969. Williams was accused of shooting his assistant Danny Hansford inside the home in 1981.

While he was alone at the time of his demise, it seems that there was a friend near-by, so it is unclear if the pigeon hunt was solely his idea or not. Gallivanter offers the widest variety of highly-rated tours in Savannah. Over the course of the next eight years, Williams was tried again and again for the death. Or, if you are looking straight at the front, the left side. While he seems he enjoys being caught on camera and seeing the guests, it seems the energy of his tragedy was imprinted on the environment surrounding the home. The three-story Italianate home, inspired by the farmhouses in northern Italy, is red-brick with a lovely courtyard and a carriage house.

But in 1981, the jovial and often nights clandestine, atmosphere came to a screeching halt. Originally just the Mercer House, it was designed by John S. Norris, a New York architect, for General Hugh W. Mercer, great-grandfather of songwriter, Johnny Mercer.
It features a bronze bas-relief of a mounted Pulaski at the moment of his death as he rallied his cavalry forces during the Siege of Savannah. By using our site, you agree to our, Old Town Trolley & The Prohibition Museum Package, Old Town Trolley & Partners in Preservation Package. Mr. Williams restored more than 50 buildings during his 30-year career in historic preservation in Savannah and the Low-country. Construction of the French Gothic-style Cathedral of St. John the Baptist began in 1873.

What a remarkable man to have begun restoring homes at such an early age. Williams then decided to make the house his permanent residence and converted the carriage house for his antique restoration business. It contains a variety of monuments and memorials as well as a large fountain similar to the one adorning the Place de la Concorde in Paris. Hansford fired, but the gun jammed. ® 201 Front Street, Key West, Florida 33040 Make sure to book one for your trip to Savannah! He was finally acquitted eight years later after four trials. At the time, Williams was working in his study. The guide was knowledgeable about the house and the pieces inside.