Johnston-Felton-Hay House
Encyclopedia
Hay House’s rich history adds to its great splendor and appeal. Occupied by only three families throughout its history, Hay House is an 18,000 square foot mansion located in the heart of the south. This four level mansion was highly advanced for its time and included hot and cold running water, central heat, a speaker system, and in- house kitchen and a ventilation system.
Johnston-Felton-Hay House, often abbreviated Hay House, is a historic residence in Macon, Georgia
. Built between 1855 and 1859 by William Butler Johnston and his wife Anne Tracy Johnston in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, the house has been called the "Palace of the South." The mansion sits atop Coleman Hill on Georgia Avenue in downtown Macon, near the Walter F. George
School of Law, part of Mercer University
.
The 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²), 24-room home designed by the New York architect T. Thomas and Son has four levels and is crowned by a three-story cupola. Commissioned by imaginative owners and constructed by the most skillful workers of the time, its technological amenities were unsurpassed in the mid-nineteenth century: hot and cold running water, central heat, a speaker-tube system connecting 15 rooms, a French lift equivalent to today's elevator, in-house kitchen, and an elaborate ventilation system.
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The home was a place of comfort for the Johnston family and their daughters until the late 1800s. In 1896 after the death of Mrs. Johnston, their daughter Mary Ellen and her husband lived in the home. The Felton’s were only the second family to occupy the home. Mary Ellen and her husband updated the plumbing and electricity and stayed in the home until the time of their deaths in 1926.
Revival mansion in Macon upon their return to America.http://www.georgiatrust.org/historic_sites/hayhousehistory.html Only two of the Johnstons' six children survived to adulthood. Caroline and Mary Ellen Johnston were born in 1862 and 1864, respectively, and grew up in the house on Georgia Avenue.
in 1974. In 1977, the ownership and operation of the house was formally transferred to The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to ensure its long-term preservation.
In 2000, the White House Millennium Council designated Hay House an Official Project of Save America's Treasures in 2000.The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2007-11-11). The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Successful $7 Million Fundraising Campaign. Press Release. Today, Hay House is one of Macon's most popular tourist attractions with 20,000 visitors each year. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2007-11-11). The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Successful $7 Million Fundraising Campaign. Press Release. The House is also a prominent rental venue for special events.
which oversees the management and maintenance of Hay House embarked on a successful $7.6 million capital campaign for the restoration and maintenance of the building. Of the money raised in the capital campaign, $3.5 million was earmarked to establish an endowment for ongoing maintenance. A need of $17.5 million has been identified to fund a complete restoration of the Hay House and permanently endow all future maintenance and management.
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
received a number of donations and grants including a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
, a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, and an Architectural Conservation grant from The Ghetty Foundation.The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2009). "Annual Report 2008".
Johnston-Felton-Hay House, often abbreviated Hay House, is a historic residence in Macon, Georgia
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
. Built between 1855 and 1859 by William Butler Johnston and his wife Anne Tracy Johnston in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, the house has been called the "Palace of the South." The mansion sits atop Coleman Hill on Georgia Avenue in downtown Macon, near the Walter F. George
Walter F. George
Walter Franklin George was an American politician from the state of Georgia. He was a long-time United States Senator and was President pro tempore. He was a Democrat.-Early years:...
School of Law, part of Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
.
The 18000 square feet (1,672.3 m²), 24-room home designed by the New York architect T. Thomas and Son has four levels and is crowned by a three-story cupola. Commissioned by imaginative owners and constructed by the most skillful workers of the time, its technological amenities were unsurpassed in the mid-nineteenth century: hot and cold running water, central heat, a speaker-tube system connecting 15 rooms, a French lift equivalent to today's elevator, in-house kitchen, and an elaborate ventilation system.
House history
Two families lived in Hay House over three generations. Most of the home's present-day furnishings date from the Hay family's occupancy (1926-1962). A few pieces are from the Johnston family (1860-1896), most notably the Eastlake-style dining room suite. The most notable piece in the collection may be the 1857 marble statue, "Ruth Gleaning," by American expatriate sculptor Randolph RogersRandolph Rogers
Randolph Rogers was an American sculptor. He was a prolific sculptor of subjects related to the American Civil War and other historical themes.-Biography:...
.
The home was a place of comfort for the Johnston family and their daughters until the late 1800s. In 1896 after the death of Mrs. Johnston, their daughter Mary Ellen and her husband lived in the home. The Felton’s were only the second family to occupy the home. Mary Ellen and her husband updated the plumbing and electricity and stayed in the home until the time of their deaths in 1926.
The Johnstons
William Butler Johnston obtained his substantial wealth through investments in banking, railroads and public utilities rather than from the agrarian cotton economy. In 1851, he married Anne Clark Tracy, 20 years his junior, and the couple embarked on an extended honeymoon in Europe from 1852 to 1855. During their trip, the Johnstons visited hundreds of museums, historic sites and art studios. They collected fine porcelains, sculptures and paintings as mementos during their grand tour. Inspired by the Italian architecture they observed, the Johnstons constructed the monumental Italian RenaissanceItalian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
Revival mansion in Macon upon their return to America.http://www.georgiatrust.org/historic_sites/hayhousehistory.html Only two of the Johnstons' six children survived to adulthood. Caroline and Mary Ellen Johnston were born in 1862 and 1864, respectively, and grew up in the house on Georgia Avenue.
The Feltons
After the death of Mrs. Johnston in 1896, daughter Mary Ellen and her husband, Judge William H. Felton, lived in the house. They remodeled and redecorated parts of the house, updated the plumbing and added electricity.http://www.georgiatrust.org/historic_sites/hayhousehistory.html Their only child, William Hamilton Felton, Jr., was born in 1889. He married Luisa Macgill Gibson in 1915, and the newlywed couple soon moved in with the Feltons. They and their two sons, William Hamilton Felton III and George Gibson Felton, lived in the house until 1926.The Hays
After the deaths of the Felton’s, the house was sold to Parks Lee Hays. After purchasing, the Hays redecorated the entire home updating it to fit the new twentieth century décor. The home was seen as a local landmark to all in middle Georgia. When Mrs. Hay died in 1962, the home was turned into a house museum. In 1977, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation took over ownership of the home and it is now considered a National Historic Landmark. Hays substantially redecorated the house to reflect the changing character of 20th-century living, and the house continued to be recognized as a local landmark for gracious living.http://www.georgiatrust.org/historic_sites/hayhousehistory.htmlPresent day
Following Mrs. Hay's death in 1962, her heirs established the P.L. Hay Foundation and operated the house as a private house museum. By virtue of its national significance, Hay House was declared a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1974. In 1977, the ownership and operation of the house was formally transferred to The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to ensure its long-term preservation.
In 2000, the White House Millennium Council designated Hay House an Official Project of Save America's Treasures in 2000.The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2007-11-11). The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Successful $7 Million Fundraising Campaign. Press Release. Today, Hay House is one of Macon's most popular tourist attractions with 20,000 visitors each year. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2007-11-11). The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Successful $7 Million Fundraising Campaign. Press Release. The House is also a prominent rental venue for special events.
Hay House Campaign
Recently, the Georgia Trust for Historic PreservationGeorgia Trust for Historic Preservation
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is the country's largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organization with more than 8,000 members...
which oversees the management and maintenance of Hay House embarked on a successful $7.6 million capital campaign for the restoration and maintenance of the building. Of the money raised in the capital campaign, $3.5 million was earmarked to establish an endowment for ongoing maintenance. A need of $17.5 million has been identified to fund a complete restoration of the Hay House and permanently endow all future maintenance and management.
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is the country's largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organization with more than 8,000 members...
received a number of donations and grants including a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is an independent agency of the United States federal government established in 1996. It is the main source of federal support for libraries and museums within the United States, having the mission to "create strong libraries and museums that connect...
, a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts, and an Architectural Conservation grant from The Ghetty Foundation.The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (2009). "Annual Report 2008".
Restoration
Today, Hay House is open to visitors. Tours are held daily and everyone is invited to come and experience the beauty and history of this historic mansion. Some of the plants in the landscaping of the home date back to the 19th century and add to the charm of the home. Renovations continue to occur to keep Hay House up to date which allows it to be the great attraction it has always been. Upcoming projects include a redesign of the gift shop, including new insulation, and writing specifications for mortar repairs outside of the building. Half of the money raised in the capital campaign was allocated for restoration of the exterior, cupola, and most public rooms of the house. Other restoration efforts include repairing the porch and stairs,masonry, and window and door shutter; conserving the stained glass; installing UV protection on windows; restoring the ground floor, attic, and cupola; lighting the 8,000-gallon water tank interior to illustrate the technological innovations of the house; conserving the collections of paintings and porcelain; and repairing the exterior grounds. Original furnishings and decorations in the downstairs rooms are also being researched in order to accurately restore the wall coverings, paint finishes, and furniture upholstery to their appearance during the Hay family's residency in the house.“The Palace of the South” will forever be a southern icon.External links
- Hay House (official website), at Georgia Trust. Includes visiting hours.