The Tullie Smith House

If you've ever visited the Atlanta History Center chances are you've walked around to the Tullie Smith House or the Smith Family Farm.   It's promoted as a prime example of an early plantation home....not the stereotypical Tara portrayed in Gone With the Wind, is it?

The house dates to 1835-1840 and was built by Tullie Smith's great-grandfather, Robert H. Smith who arrived in Georgia from Rutherford County, North Carolina.  Before it was moved to the Atlanta History Center the house sat at 2890 N. Druid Hills Road on what was once Smith's 800 acre farm.   He had eleven slaves and was typical of the yeoman type farmer who lived in Georgia during the mid-1800s.

Tulllie Smith was the last family member to live in the house and though I don't remember her my sister does.  Our family used to live in the Druid Hills area, and our mom knew Tullie Smith.   She and my sister would often stop to visit with her.   

When I was in the classroom I loved taking students to the Atlanta History Center and tell them that my sister had actually played on that very front porch as a little girl while my mom and Miss Tullie visited.   While students were fascinated by my connection to the house they were all amazed when the docent would tell them about the Traveler's Room off the front porch.   This was a room where travelers who were coming through late at night could stop and stay.   Since the room remained unlocked the visitor could enter the room without disturbing the family.

I don't think I would have enjoyed waking up to "company" without prior knowledge........

This is a picture of Tullie Smith standing at her mailbox along Druid Hills Road in the early 1960s.

Tommy H. Jones has some wonderful details about the structure of the home here, and he also has a page devoted to Miss Tullie here.