Our Trip to Macon, GA. the 1842 Inn, and the Cherry Blossom Festival

My husbands stepdaughter was attending Mercer Collage in Macon, GA., and when we would visit her we found this wonderful bed and breakfast just a few blocks from downtown Macon. Each spring Macon has the Cherry Blossom Festival which was their celebration of spring. Macon is full of Cherry Trees and at that time of year also, those trees are in full bloom and a beautiful sight to see. Along with this celebration the downtown area is set up with an arts and crafts festival, live music, and tons of food. It is absolutely fabulous!

This is Our Favorite Bed and Breakfast - 1842 Inn in Macon

This at one time was a grand antebellum plantation home built in 1842. The home was built by a man named John Gresham. Mr. Gresham was also the founder of the Macon Manufacturing Company, and forerunner of the present day Bibb Company. He was also active in southern politics, serving as mayor of Macon, a state Senator, and Justice of the State's Supreme Court. During the civil war he led a division of troops to fight the Yankees. His oldest son joined in the cause and fought with his father. He also had a younger son and daughter. During the war when Atlanta was burned and the Yankees were marching on to Macon, Mr. Gresham sent his wife and daughter away to stay with relatives, and the younger son stay at the home with servants as he had become very ill due to a fall from a tree that hurt his leg. The injury caused a great infection that they fought to control for five years to no avail. When he was seventeen, he died because of the infection. 

On our first visit there, we met two of the older ladies who ran the 1842, Emma and Joann, very southern also. Both ladies were like a walking history book knowing everything about the Gresham family, the home, and about the second family that bought the home years later and all the neighboring families that used to live there in the area. All these homes there are just to die for, all very old and historical. I have a huge love of the civil war era and was spell bound by both of these women and their knowledge. We would sit out on the veranda late in the evenings and talk for hours. I found that there were two journals in their possession that were hand writings from the Gresham family and one was entirely written by the younger son. I spent our whole first weekend reading both journals. I was totally fascinated! One journal had a list of every member of the Gresham family on both sides, all the servants names and who belong to who, and right down to the names of their horses, cats, and dogs! The second journal was the one that was hand written by the younger son giving daily accounts of the progress of the war and also his health and family. I also found that one of the little black boy slaves, who was the younger Gresham's boys man servant, was actually his half brother! Mr. Gresham had a liking to the boy's mother I guess. Never found out if Mrs.Gresham knew that though. Another interesting fact that I read, was when the Yankees where heading to Macon, the family took all their valuables and silver and carved out a hole in one of the big white columns in the front of the house, the front veranda, and stashed all their things in there. I tried to see if I could figure out where, but the repair to it later was so good there wasn't a trace. I thought that was exciting to learn but it really all was fascinating.

After the war ended and Mr. Gresham and his oldest son returned home, later on the oldest son became a well known Presbyterian Minster and traveled all over the world. He also wrote a book that is there at the 1842 Inn, which I started to read but wasn't able to finish it. Next trip I'll get it done. I could go on and on with all I learned but I'm sure it would bore some of you so I won't. Here are some pictures we took of the 1842, with some being courtesy of the 1842. This home was almost torn down several years back. It had been vacant for quite some time and became a place for teenagers to hang out doing all kind of things they weren't supposed too. The neighbors had had it and wanted it torn down, but 10 business men went together and invested in it, put it back to its original beauty and turned it into the bed and breakfast it is now. There is also another home that they rescued from another part of town and had it moved to the back of the 1842. It also serves as additional rooms for the bed and breakfast. The place is gorgeous! All antique everything inside, and you will never be treated any better anywhere else in the world. They treat you like royalty! It's one of the greatest places I have ever been and it's with real southern hospitality! Enjoy the pictures of the 1842 and a few from the Cherry Festival too. 

Right front side of the veranda.

Left front side of the veranda.

Side view of the front entrance and veranda.

Part of the foyer entrance.

View of foyer from front door.

Fuller view of foyer from front door.

Shot of Foyer looking towards the front entrance.

The library off the front parlor.

Shot from standing in the front parlor looking into the library.

Library. That round table every afternoon at 5:00PM has a delicious food spread with appetizers & h'orderves. Soooooo good!

Parlor

Standing in library looking into Parlor.

Parlor

The first room we had. This is the John Gresham Suite

Gorgeous. Has a bath also.

The second stay. This is the Magnolia Suite.

My sweetie and his stepdaughter Nikki in the sitting parlor across the entry from the front parlor. Off the sitting parlor is a large dining room too.

The courtyard in back. You can have breakfast each morning here if you choose to or in your room.

This also shows the other home that was rescued and moved to the property that has other suites to stay in.

The green tables is the area for breakfast. They have great food.

This was a wall of a building a few blocks from the 1842 I saw on our walk down to the arts and crafts festival that I thought pretty cool looking.

Isn't this gorgeous?!

A local black artist. I watched him paint for a long while that day. His art is fabulous! His pieces tell a story of times a long time ago. Probably of a life he remembers and stories he has been told.

This is one of several living statues we saw that day. I really thought it was a real statue until it freaked me out when it changed positions! You can see some of the blossoms on the cherry trees around her too. It was truely a magnificant site with all the hundreds of trees in bloom! (Have no idea who the guy is, he was in my way it seems)!

And last, for crying up a river!,we have a real pink poodle with her pink toenails too! I died laughing! Love the visor! Thats a bit much for the dog I would think lol! Hope you enjoyed the stroll! Now I want to go back there right now. I love it there! I also found a huge antique mall there too! It was and is totally fab!

Ta Ta for Now! Have a great day and go visit this place one day! You will love it!