The Taylor-Grady House, also known as the Henry W. Grady House, is a

historic house museum A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...

and

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

at 634 Prince Avenue in

Athens, Georgia Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...

, United States. Built in the 1840s, this Greek Revival house is notable as the only known surviving home of

Henry W. Grady Henry Woodfin Grady (May 24, 1850 – December 23, 1889) was an American journalist and orator who helped reintegrate the states of the Confederacy into the Union after the American Civil War. Grady encouraged the industrialization of the Sout ...

(1850–89), managing editor of the '' Atlanta Constitution'' and a leading force in the reintegration of the

American South The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

in the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

that followed the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. and The house is operated by the Junior League of Athens, which offers tours and rentals for private events.

Description and history

The Taylor-Grady House is located in central Athens, at the northwest corner of Prince and Grady Avenues, set on a generously sized landscaped lot. It is a rectangular two-story wood-frame structure, with a hip roof that is obscured by a parapet-like entablature that wraps around three sides. The roof extends beyond the main bulk of the house on those three sides to form a gallery, which is supported by thirteen massive fluted Doric columns. The building interior follows a center-hall plan, and retains a significant amount of interior finishes, including woodwork, plaster, and fireplace mantels. The house was built in the mid-1840s for General Robert Taylor, an Irish immigrant, plantation owner, and leader of the state militia. In 1863 the house was purchased by William S. Grady, who lived here with his family until 1872. Grady's son Henry was at that time a child, but harbored fond memories of the house. Grady achieved national prominence as the managing editor of the '' Atlanta Constitution'', which became a major regional newspaper during his tenure. In 1886, he gave a widely reprinted speech urging harmonious relations between northern and southern states, and encouraging northern investment to industrialize the South. Grady is sometimes credited with promoting the phrase " New South" as a way to express these notions about the South. The house was purchased by the City of Athens in 1966, and was declared a

in 1976. The Junior League of Athens maintains the house, which is open for rental for special occasions and for tours.

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External links

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The Taylor-Grady House
historical marker {{Athens, Georgia National Historic Landmarks in Georgia (U.S. state) Historic American Buildings Survey in Georgia (U.S. state) Historic house museums in Georgia (U.S. state) Houses in Athens, Georgia Museums in Clarke County, Georgia Tourist attractions in Athens, Georgia National Register of Historic Places in Clarke County, Georgia

Description and history

See also

References

External links