Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home Museum — Attraction in Savannah

I'm admittedly biased, as Flannery O'Connor is my absolute favorite writer, but I do think that any literature or history fan would enjoy this tour. The house is small, given that it's an actual middle-class home from the early 20th century. There are about a dozen or so, maybe fewer, original pieces owned by the O'Connor family on display; the rest of the furniture is made up of period-accurate pieces that the foundation has done an excellent job of acquiring to emulate what the house must have been like in Flannery's childhood. The entire tour will take less than an hour. What made this really special to me was connecting with Mary and Janie, our tour guide and the director of the FOCH, respectively. It's rare that I get to talk about O'Connor and her work with other folks who are genuine fans. Given my love for O'Connor's writing, my wife planned this as the first stop on our visit to the Savannah. It's always interesting to learn about the lives of other people, and it's of course especially fulfilling to flesh out one's understanding of a prominent person, particularly when it's of one's interest. Being able to talk to Mary and Janie, and see Flannery's childhood home and learn about her as a young girl that grew up to be an all-20th century writer of English prose, will add nuance and dimension to my future readings and rereadings of her work. It's also great that this wasn't a museum that served as a hagiography or tried to oversell Flannery O'Connor as a Savannah resident or American artist. It's purely educational and a simple, hearty experience that...

It’s a charming little house in Savannah’s Historic District!! Admission was free at the time that I went because there was a young woman substituting for the real tour guide! She wanted me to enjoy a self-guided tour of the childhood home of Flannery O’Connor, the author of “Wise Blood”! It took less than 30 minutes to see the entire house, because it’s so small. At the entrance, there is a wall of books and souvenirs in the room by the upstairs entrance. Throughout the 1st floor, there are a few squares which show quotes by Flannery O’Connor, which are truthful with an otherwise comedic twist, meaning she’s being truthful and comical at the same time! Upstairs, is a really small bathroom with a book on top of the toilet, which O’Connor read as a little girl. The toilet is decorated with flowers!! 😂😂 On that same floor, there is a scary-looking baby doll on a rocking chair and a crib that looks identical to a chicken coup!😂😂😂. I’ve learned from the substitute guide (who was truly friendly and accommodating) that when Flannery O’Connor turned 6 years old, she decided that she was no longer a (little) child and donated all of her toys to another family, keeping just one toy, which happened to be the demonic doll. She died at the age of just 39 years of Lupus, on...

Visiting this small row house, right across Lafayette Square from the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, was a highlight of our weekend in Savannah. The tour will fascinate not only literature lovers, but anyone interested in the history of Savannah. Colorful and often funny stories about Flannery's childhood brought her vibrant personality to life and gave a lot of insight into the writer she went on to become. The house is full of period furniture the family actually used in the 1920s and 30s, and we loved learning more about the history of Savannah during the Great Depression in relation to Flannery's life. Janie, our guide, was an amazing storyteller and gave the tour so much love and enthusiasm that an hour went by without us even noticing. We hope to return the next time we...