THE GOVERNORS MANSION

Completed in 1839, Georgia's Old Governor's Mansion is one of the finest examples of High Greek
Revival architecture in the nation. Serving as the residence for Georgia's chief executives for over thirty
years, the Mansion's history encompasses the antebellum, Civil War, and early Reconstruction phases
of the state's history. During the Civil War, the Mansion was claimed as a "prize" in the "March to the
Sea," when General William T. Sherman headquartered in the building on November 23, 1864.
Following the war, Georgia's seat of government was relocated to Atlanta, and the Mansion was
abandoned. Given over to Georgia Normal & Industrial College (currently known as Georgia College) in
1889, the Mansion served as the founding building of the institution and is the campus's most
treasured structure.

The two pictures on the left are from the Work Room of the Governor’s
Mansion and the two on the right are from the Banquet Kitchen. These two
rooms are located on the basement level and were mostly worked in by
slaves who would cook, serve, and clean for the Governor’s who lived there.
 The Storage Room The State Dining Room
The storage room was also located on the basement
level. These are just a few of the many objects that were
stored in the storage room.
Also located on
the basement
level.
 The Ladies Parlor The Foyer
The ladies parlor is located on the main level of the Governor’s Mansion. This space was usually
used for the first lady of the mansion to meet and greet a lot of local community women. Reason
being is if you wanted to know what was going on with the politics or social or community of the day
of course the governor was the best person to talk. But it was considered indecent for the governor The foyer is also located on the main level and it is the
to be alone in a room with a woman who was not his wife so in order for the local community
women to get that information he would go to his wife and she would transfer that back and forth.
main entry way into the Governors Mansion.
The meetings that were held there we’re very short and very formal and she had a clock on the mantle
because they lasted about fifteen minutes. The ladies would have also worn very formal attire, the
large hoop skirts.
 The Grand Salon
This is also located on the main level. This is where the Governor would host his very large parties and it
would also be the beginning portion of the night for guests if it was a dinner party. They would then go down
the stairs and into the state dining room. The purpose of this room is that it also doubled as a men’s parlor.
So if the guests would come in as a couple, they would both walk in the rotunda, they would then be greeted
by the Governor and the First Lady and escorted in here together. Or the ladies would go into the ladies
parlor and the gentleman would come in here. They would sit at the tables and smoke, drink, and gamble.
The Governor’s Office
This is located on the top level of the Governor’s Mansion. The Governor did have two offices, one here and
one at the state capital building which today is known as Georgia Military College. This was his more private
office but he did have a lot of important political conversations here. Often times those conversations
revolved around states’ rights.

The desk is the original desk of Governor

Brown. He was the governor between the
years 1857 and 1865, the Civil War Governor.
It stayed within state government for quite a
period of time so descendants gave it over,
and it was in the Capital of Atlanta for a bit.
Video