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| Dad greeted us with a smile & history book |
My family got together this past Thanksgiving at my brother's home in Atlanta, GA for the first time in about three years. However, my father has become quite elderly, and at 89 years young, I paid special attention to spend time with him. Dad wanted to go to my hometown of Roswell, GA and for spectacular results. This has got to be the best kickoff to my holiday seasons blog, and was even more than I had first envisioned. With over 70 photos to choose from, I definitely had some hard choices to make.
Roswell, GA
Just 20 miles NW of Atlanta sits the pretty little town of Roswell, GA. It's my hometown, and taking this adventure with my dad will be a treasure memory for the rest of my life.
After visiting the Roswell Presbyterian Church, and having a little lunch, dad & I set out to see Bulloch Hall. There are sort of three grand dames of Roswell. They are Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall, and Smith Plantation. I selected Bulloch Hall for its meaning to me. As a second and third grader, my mom dressed me up in colonial costume to give cookies to the visitors in the kitchen of Bulloch Hall. To remember my mom, we went to Bulloch Hall.
Bulloch Hall
180 Bulloch Drive
Roswell, GA 30075
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| Bulloch Hall |
We were pleased to find the grounds maintained, and decked out for the holidays. They sell tickets in the Gift Shop, and the lady was very pleasant. I bought some beautiful hand knit, fingerless gloves that I'll treasure forever.
Every year for Christmas, the executive board selects a theme for their Christmas decorations. This year, the theme is "Celebrating 100 Years with the United States National Park Service." Smokey the Bear is no stranger here. In part, I'm sure this theme was selected due to the fact that Teddy Roosevelt's mother lived here as a child. Then Mittie Bulloch, she became the mother to the 26th President of the United States of America.
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| Group Picture in Bulloch Hall |
Built in 1939 for a Major James Stephens Bulloch, who was one of the first and most prominent settlers of Roswell and also he was the grandson of Governor Archibald Bulloch. Due to the trends in architecture at the time, it was built in the Greek Revival style, and due to availability, it was built of heart pine.
Major Bulloch kept exceptional care of the grounds, planting many fruit trees, and making sure each room had a fireplace in it for heat. Bulloch definitely had an eye for detail. Bulloch even planted orange trees near the house to discourage flies, and rodents from the house.
On December 22, 1953, Major Bulloch gave his eldest daughter away in marriage to Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. Well, we know the result of that union. Teddy Roosevelt. However, their union and lineage to the presidency didn't stop there. Mittie's other son, Elliot, was the father of Eleanor Roosevelt, and she was probably the most quoted first lady of all time. Eleanor became the wife of FDR or Franklin D. Roosevelt. Notably, Teddy came to visit his mother's childhood home in 1905, and spoke to a crowd on the square.
To learn more about Bulloch Hall, or to obtain visitor information, you can go their website:
www.bullochhall.org
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| Just love the little birds |
Black Santa Tee, & Black Speckled Sweater
~ New York & Co.
Black Jeggings
~ Lane Bryant
Pesaro Flats (Italy)
~ Rack Room Shoes
Nike Cross Trainer Shoes
~ Kohl's
Brown Handbag,
Chaps by Ralph Lauren
~ Kohl's
Knitworks Owl Tee w/scarf,
Arizona Jeans & Boots
~ JC Penney
Chloe had the most fun exploring this old house with grandpa.
I grew up in Historic Roswell. My father was an active elder at the Roswell Presbyterian Church, and it was my privilege to let him see first hand his hard work in planning the "new church" realized.
As an added bonus, I got to tour the house that my mom was on the committee to restore this beautiful and historically rich home. Pictured here my dad is standing where I stood to try to get local business owners to contribute to keeping Bulloch Hall, a wonderful part of our presidential heritage intact.
All and all, I beamed with pride that this couple, my parents have left a legacy that will still be around long after they're gone. I hope to somehow leave such a powerful legacy for my children and grandchildren. Now that I'm older, I can finally say that I'm proud to be a Bower.
Thank you for walking down memory lane with me. Until next time....
Thanks for stopping by--
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