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Stately Oaks Plantation House, built in 1839, is a true example of plain Greek Revival architecture. It is believed to be one of the inspirations for Margaret Mitchell’s beloved Tara.

Did you ever wonder where author Margaret Mitchell got her ideas for Gone With The Wind? Well, Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County, Inc. cordially invites you to visit Stately Oaks and find out! Our plantation house, located just 15 miles south of downtown Atlanta, will take you back to the days of Scarlet, Rhett, and the time of the War Between the States. We have costumed interpreters or MP3 tours that will guide you on a personal tour of our white-columned residence and share with you the history of the house, the ties with the famous book and it’s author, and Jonesboro’s role in the Atlanta campaign during the Civil War. After the tour of our 1839 home and period outbuildings, we invite you to take a moment to enjoy some quiet relaxation under our beautiful oak trees. Who knows, while you rest on one of our benches or rocking chairs, you just might imagine seeing that dashing and genteel Ashley Wilkes passing by on his way to Juddy’s Country Store. This authentic 1896 country store offers ice cold cokes, souvenirs, locally crafted items, and a dose of nostalgia by visiting a store of days by gone. Historical Jonesboro was founded in 1968 with the express purpose of saving the rapidly disappearing buildings, furnishings, and written documents that reflected the heritage of Clayton County, Georgia. Buildings had to be moved to a secure location and the site selected was designated as the Margaret Mitchell Memorial Park. This was done to honor the famous author of Gone With The Wind because Clayton County was not only the setting for Tara but also her great-grandfather’s plantation.

The structures now located within the fenced area of the property off Jodeco Road in Jonesboro reflect several periods of history. The crown jewel of the property is the Stately Oaks Plantation House, which was built in 1839 and is a true example of plain Greek Revival architecture. It is believed to be one of the inspirations for Margaret Mitchell’s beloved Tara.

All who share the love of history and preservation are encouraged to visit and tour the grounds and buildings of Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County, Inc., Jonesboro, Georgia. Memberships in Historical Jonesboro/Clayton County, Inc. are available to help support the continued preservation of historic buildings in Clayton County. Become a member today!

Links:

• Read more about Stately Oaks.
• Read about one woman’s search for the “real” Tara.

A master promoter as well as a prolific artist, who turned out over 46,000 paintings in his lifetime, Howard Finster was America’s favorite folk artist. His paintings and sculptures are owned by collectors and museums all over the world.

Finster Fest 2009 has been scheduled from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd at Paradise Gardens, 84 Knox Street in Summerville. The event will feature more than 100 artists from across the world.

Entertainment has been planned, including Husky Burnette performing his new song, “Paradise.” Also performing will be Distribution, Red Mouth and Whoo Doo Swagger and many more bands. Also on tap is art, food and fun.

Paradise Gardens is the art environment of local famed country preacher turned folk/visionary artist Howard Finster. The Gardens, which are located near Summerville, were begun in 1961 and continued as the focus of Howard Finster’s labor for more than 30 years.

Howard’s painting career, which began in 1976 and resulted in more than 46,000 paintings, was born out of his visionary labors in Paradise Gardens. Today, Howard Finster’s art is in the permanent displays of major museums and is prized by art collectors everywhere. Paradise Gardens is “one of the world’s greatest beauty spots” as Howard declared it, and was the site of numerous documentaries and videos from bands such as REM and The News Boys. Then host Johnny Carson had Rev. Finster appear on the Tonight Show, and Howard became the darling of universities and art galleries around the country.

Howard Finster was recycling from the 1940’s and turned a former swamp in his back yard into one of the world’s most celebrated art environments. His artwork in Paradise Gardens is colorful, inspiring and an amazing combination of materials and themes celebrating his love of people, mechanical objects, his Christian faith, and God’s creation.

Restoration Needed
Howard Finster’s Paradise Gardens is in need of restoration. The ownership of the Gardens passed from the Finster family to a non-profit organization in 2005 following Howard’s death in 2001, and the non-profit is undertaking its restoration. The project is called “Paradise Redemption” and is an all-out effort to return the Gardens to their former glory and maintain them as a memorial museum, retreat, and public space for the arts, festivals, weddings and workshops as well as a much needed boost to the regional tourist offerings. Though significant progress has been made thus far, help is greatly needed to restore and maintain this wonderful piece of Georgia art history including the Garden’s Chapel, Howard’s masterpiece as “World’s Folk Art Church”, and keep it alive for future generations. Howard Finster is one of, if not the most, prolific and celebrated artist of the last century. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Tours and art are available through the Paradise Gardens Art Gallery by Whitney Nave Jones. Whitney’s contact is 423-619-8154 and the website www.paradisegardensgallery.com. Hours are Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. To volunteer or make a tax deductible donation, contact Tommy Littleton at 205-587-3090.

Links

• See Howard Finster Art, including the complete text transcribed from the paintings, in the Brown’ Guide Gallery.