On the corner of Oglethorpe Square, framed by old oak trees, stands the Owens-Thomas House, a rare surviving example of Federal architecture in Savannah. While little of the original furnishings remain (one piece to be precise), the house is filled with wonderful period pieces. It is the house's sophisticated architectural details, however, that really fascinate ~ from an innovative early cistern and plumbing system to an imposing cast-iron side veranda (from which the Marquis de Lafayette addressed the citizens of Savannah in 1825). Unusual interior details such as a brass-inlaid wooden staircase, an amber glass window in the dining room, and a bridge spanning the stairwell are remarkable. The original carriage house also survives, which includes a stable and one of the earliest intact urban slave quarters in the region.
The garden is purely colonial revival, and thoroughly charming (though a far cry from the dusty, bustling space it must have been in the early 19th century). I loved this house! It is probably one of the most interesting structures I have seen in a long time.I'm off today off on another adventure. Be well friends.
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12 comments:
One of my favorite houses! Hope you got to see a certain professor now in Savannah. So glad you're posting again!
Be safe & happy on your trip! Will be thinking of you.
Sign me up for sophisticated architectural details. Have a great trip over there and look forward to hearing about it on your return!
Let me count the ways that I love this house---the fan spandrels in the corner of the drawing room, the staircase bridge, the strangely modern indirect lighting in the dining room...in other words, all of it.
Hurry back.
Love Savannah! Why can't all of our cities have such beautiful garden squares?
Beautiful home is one of my dream. You allot best image of historic house tour. Its look so nice and fantastic.
Great book: _If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home_. It's by Lucy Worsley, chief curator at Historic Royal Palaces.
This is one of my favorite houses in Savannah. It has unusual elegant detail for the period it was built. It is truly a great house. Nice photo’s.
I just discovered your blog and I'm, dare I say, smitten! Incredible. I'm drinking in every photograph.
MT
JBR ~ Savannah was fantastic, and this house just blew me away. Loved it. Stay tuned for lots of posts to come. I will bore you to tears, promise.
Barbara ~ thank you! Keep an eye on your mail box. Snail mail to come.
Stefan ~ can't wait to tell you all about the trip!
DED ~ the house is so very different from anything I'd seen. Been thinking about you.
Donna ~ I completely agree! Those square makes the city so very human.
Andrew ~ thanks so much for your nice comment.
MT ~ thank you! So glad you stopped by.
I love it too. Savannah is adored. pgt
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