Home Sweet Home?

Archibald Smith Home Plantation

While other folks were spending their day scouting out Black Friday deals our family took a break from unpacking for a city tour visiting different neighborhoods starting with a local place of interest, the Smith Plantation Home tour in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell. I was a bit apprehensive to visit a place where obviously the landowner Archibald Smith, a city founder and his family depended on slavery to run their home for 3 generations. 

Their home built in 1845 by slaves had some 30 slaves that farmed the 300 acres with 8 field hands, 4 house servants, 3 family servants, 1 garden and stock servant, 1 poultry servant, 1 driver and 8 children who most likely worked also in the fields with one decrepit who lived on the main property according to records.

Our tour guide

Our tour guide was one of those folks who really, I mean, really loves her job and enthusiastically shared the Smith family history. She not only dressed in period clothing but handled the subject of slavery as tastefully as could be expected both historically and culturally. 

The Smiths had 5 children and their youngest Mary married late at 50 years of age to Arthur William in 1950. She refurbished the house to its present state.  But the interesting family history is not just that she left the estate to her niece upon her death in 1981 but the conditions requested of who would always be a permanent resident. 

Apparently during many years one house servant Mamie worked for the Missus of the House. Mamie moved into the main house when Master William passed to continue caring for the Missus. 

Mamie  would be the permanent resident in the Main House

after Mary's niece decided to move and donate the property in 1986. The will read that the land and home would be donated to the city as a historical landmark with the stipulation Mamie could  continue as a resident on the premises in the Main house. Public tours began in 1992.

In fact, Mamie Cotton lived there until the end of her life amidst tours which had to be completed in time for her to watch her favorite afternoon tv show.  If only the walls could talk I am sure we would learn the real story if this really was 'Home Sweet Home" for all its residents.