This immersive and well-maintained museum house offers a tantalizing glimpse into the private life of Judge Asa Holt, his family, and his slaves and servants and the world which they inhabited. Situated within a strong historical context, while not losing sight of the personal details which give history flavor, the Cannonball House offers a unique and fascinating look at Macon life before, during, and after the War Between the States.

The museum is divided into several parts: the gardens, the main house, the kitchen house, and a well-stocked and impressive museum shop located in the main house. The tour covers the main house and the kitchen house and details both the history of Macon and the stories of the Holt family, as well as the provenance of some of the more interesting artifacts and pieces of furniture in the house. The history of Wesleyan College also features prominently in the history of the Cannonball House.

The kitchen house provides ingress to the stories of the enslaved persons who labored at Cannonball House, whose lives are covered with remarkable detail considering how few narrative details remain about them.

As mentioned, the museum shop is small but packed and is stocked with decorative items, books, art, and other charming pieces. It would be an excellent place for gift shopping or to find a memorable keepsake for one’s trip to Macon.

The best part of the Cannonball House, however, is the docents. Our guide, Jesse, was extremely knowledgeable and could answer every question we had, from the function of certain pieces of furniture to Holt’s political persuasion.

I would consider the Cannonball House to be a “must-visit” for anyone interested in history who is visiting Macon. Be sure to check out their website for upcoming events, as the Cannonball Host also hosts unique parties and social events to really help make history come alive.