Pebble Hill Plantation
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Pebble Hill Plantation | |
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| Nearest city | Thomasville, Georgia |
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| Coordinates | 30°46′9″N 84°5′37″W / 30.76917°N 84.09361°WCoordinates: 30°46′9″N 84°5′37″W / 30.76917°N 84.09361°W |
| Area | 3,000 acres (1,200 ha) |
| Built | 1934 |
| Architect | Abram Garfield; V. Ethylwyn Harrison |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Classical Revival |
| Governing body | Private |
| NRHP Reference # | 90000146[1] |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1990 |
Pebble Hill Plantation is a plantation and museum located near Thomasville, Georgia. The plantation is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
History
Thomas Jefferson Johnson was the first owner of Pebble Hill Plantation and Pioneer of Thomas County. He wrote the bill to establish Thomas County. In 1827, he built the first house on the property that became Pebble Hill Plantation. He established a successful farm production with his wife. He and his wife had three children, only one, Julia Ann, survived to adulthood. In 1847, he died and Julia Ann and her husband John William Henry Mitchell kept the plantation in operation as her father did. In 1850, the original house was replaced with a European-designed mansion. In 1865 Julia Ann's Husband died and the plantation went downhill rapidly. Sixteen years after her husband’s death, Julia Ann died.
During the time that Pebble Hill was really struggling due to lack of ownership, the surrounding area of Thomasville in Thomas County was thriving with businesspeople from the northern states making Thomasville, Georgia their winter vacations spot. In 1896, Pebble Hill was sold to Howard Melville Hanna (1840-1921) form Cleveland, Ohio. In 1901, the property was given to his daughter Kate Benedict Hanna Harvey (1871-1936). She married twice, to Robert Livingston Ireland, Jr. (1895-1981) and later to Perry Williams Harvey (1869-1932). Before Kate's death in 1936, she expanded the acreage of the plantation and worked with President James A. Garfield's architect son, Abram Garfield, on all the buildings that still stand. In 1934, a fire destroyed a portion of the Main House, but the Loggia wing, added in 1914 was saved and included in the plans for the new house. In 1936 Kate died, and her daughter, Pansy, became the plantation owner.
Pansy lived at the Pebble Hill Plantation till her death in 1978. During her time as the plantation owner, she married Parker Poe, became a world-renowned horsewoman and polo player, and maintained a steady supply of guests at the plantation as her mother did. In 1950, she established the Pebble Hill Foundation, which she endowed. When she died, she left the Plantation in her will to become a museum open to the public. In October 1983, the Pebble Hill plantation was open to the public, so visitors could take a look in the past and observe all the vintage beauties the plantations has to offer.
Hours are Tuesday thru Saturday 10 am-5 pm and Sunday 12-5 pm. Closed on Mondays. Also plantation is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
References
- ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
- ↑ "Thomasville Times March 7, 1896"
- ↑ " Pebble Hill the story of the Plantation: William Waren Roggers"
- ↑ "Thomas Jefferson Johnson's Last will and deed"
- ↑ "Elisabeth "Pansy" Ireland deed"
- ↑ "Kate Benedict Hanna Ireland deed"
- ↑ "Howard Melville Hanna of Cleveland deed"
External links
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