"GOOD CONTENT"#architecture#castle 🗝️🕯️🕰️ The 'Palace of the South!' The Hay House is one of Georgia’s most historic houses and distinguished structures! Explore this beautiful gem on an entertaining guided tour during your next visit to Macon, Georgia!
Constructed from 1855-59, the Johnston-Felton-Hay House was built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style (a contrast to the Greek Revival architecture common to the era), and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. The house itself contains more than 18,000 sq. ft. in 24 principal rooms filled with magnificent works of art -- paintings, porcelains, beautiful stained glass, décor, and more!
Tours are offered each hour Wednesdays through Sundays. In addition to regular tours and special events, the Hay House is also available for event rentals, as well! Come experience the beauty of the Hay House! ✅
Hi, I'm Kelly.
Here in Macon, we are surrounded
by beautiful, impressive architecture,
but there is nowhere more impressive than the Hay House.
Can you give us a little history
about this wonderful house?
The Hay House was constructed between 1855 and 1859.
It was built by William Butler Johnston
and his wife, Anne Tracy Johnston.
Mr. Johnston engaged the services
of a New York architect, Thomas Thomas.
It was done at the end of 1859,
and the Johnstons moved in first week of January, 1860.
Interesting timing, that was 13 months
before the outbreak of the Civil War.
The house at the time of its building
was the finest house in America in terms of technology.
Equipped with a very sophisticated ventilation system,
a speaker tube system, the first house in Georgia
to be equipped with hot and cold running water,
the first house in Georgia to be lit by gas.
What truly sets this house apart
among the other historical gems
that we have architecturally in Macon and in the South?
It's Italian Renaissance architecture,
very unusual for the mid-1800s anywhere in the South.
The house is known as the Palace of the South.
It tells the history of all the three families
who lived here over 102 years,
and we interpret the house, various rooms,
showing how each of the three families
might have lived here.
Thank you, Ennis, for letting us come in
and view this beautiful, beautiful house,
and I'm going to take my own time now
and explore this house myself.
And you do that, and the rest of you come see us in person,
or go take a look at heyhousemacon.org.
♪♪
I had such an amazing time here at the Hay House,
and I learned so many wonderful things
about this magnificent home,
and the fact that it's in my backyard here in Macon, Georgia
is just the icing on top.
When you visit Macon, make sure you put the Hay House
on your Macon playlist.
Take it away, Jeffrey.
♪♪
♪ Georgia, Georgia, the whole day through. ♪
♪ Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind. ♪
♪ A song of you. ♪
