Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion

The etched window scenes were lovely, as were the ornate chairs.

While in town to tour Andalusia Farm, we went up the road to tour Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville, Georgia.

The Greek Revival house was built in 1839, and served as the executive mansion from that time through the Civil War until 1868.

Eight governors and their families lived in the home during this stretch. One of those was the Union general who was appointed governor of the state after the Civil War.

The red couch is a “courting couch.” Note the divider to keep a couple from physically touching!

During the Civil War, General Sherman claimed the mansion as a prize during his infamous “March to the Sea.” After the war, when the capital relocated to Atlanta, the mansion was used as a boarding house for a decade before become property of the local college.

The building underwent a $9.5 million renovation in the early 2000s to restore it to its circa 1851 appearance. There are some prettily decorated rooms, elegant architectural details, and historical artifacts on display, but the tour didn’t generate much more than mild interest for us.