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Orange Hall – A Beautiful Antebellum Home

July 29th, 2014 by Seth

 orange hall

As you drive into St. Marys you will pass a beautiful white house with big Greek columns and a wide staircase leading up to the porch. This home, Orange Hall, is a favorite among both locals and visitors alike. Prized in the antebellum era, Orange Hall’s size and Greek architecture was unprecedented here in Historic St Marys. Architecture aside, the most dominate feature was the number of large sour orange trees which encircled the property during the early years of its life – providing the name Orange Hall.

Reverend Horace Southworth Pratt, a Presbyterian minister, and his father-in-law, John Wood, purchased the property in 1826. Pratt arrived in St. Marys around 1820 to help start a church. Before construction of the home began, Pratt’s wife died.  Pratt remained in St. Marys and remarried a few years later. In 1839, Pratt, a Yale and Princeton graduate, took a position as a professor at the University of Alabama and left Orange Hall behind. General Duncan Lamont Clinch is thought to have been lived there when Pratt left for Alabama. Pratt may have had intentions of returning to Orange Hall, but he would not have the opportunity because he passed away in 1940.

This would lead to the first change in ownership, and more would follow over the years. The property was then sold in public auction in 1846 to James Monigin Smith. Here is the list of known owners over the years:

1846 – James Mongin Smith

1862 – Francis Adams

1869 – Silas Fordham

1911 – Joel Lee Sweat

1919 – James Howard Becker

1933 – S.C. Townsend – converted upper floors to apartments

1951 – St Marys Kraft Corporation – bought to house paper mill employees for 10 years

1965 – City of St. Marys

Rising two stories above ground, Orange Hall sits atop a lower level basement – housing an old dining hall, servants’ quarters, wine cellar, and kitchen. The main floor boasts a music room parlor, study, tiffany dining room, and front parlor, as well as two original chandeliers from the Becker family, residents in the 1920’s. These chandeliers are the only items that have been left behind by owners of the home over the years. However, the chandeliers are not the only pieces of Orange Hall’s history to see here on this floor.

The original Italian marble fireplaces adorn the parlors. These fireplaces are just 2 of 12 located in the house. The second floor is made up of four bedrooms – the Horsehair room, the Children’s room, the Jacquard/Duvall Room, and the Peg-bed room.

Orange Hall was recorded in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. To preserve the historical significance of the property, the exterior was recently renovated. The house has been restored to look just the way that it did when it was built. As you walk up the front steps on to the expansive porch, you can look to your right and see the First Presbyterian Church. This is the same view that Pratt saw as he climbed those steps back in the 1830’s.

Orange Hall Fireplace and Room

Le Petit Futé visits Spencer House

June 23rd, 2011 by Seth

Joanna & Loic enjoyed the porches here at Spencer House Inn

Joanna Dunis & Loic Hoff, writers for the French Travel Publication Le Petit Futé, paid a visit to the Spencer House Inn as they visit different places in the south for an upcoming guidebook.

After visiting Cumberland Island for a day of hiking, photographing, and relaxing, the duo settled in at Spencer House

A Wedding Celebration at Spencer House Inn

June 19th, 2011 by Seth

Daphne and Guy Happily Married in the Park

Daphne & Guy were married in the beautiful Howard Gilman Memorial Park. Their simple wedding, with the St. Marys River serving as a beautiful backdrop, turned out to be just right.

We wish Daphne & Guy well!

Take a Tour of the Plum Orchard Mansion

June 2nd, 2011 by Seth

The Plum Orchard Mansion

This Classical Revival style mansion on Cumberland Island was completed in 1898 for George Carnegie as a wedding gift from his mother. When she spoke with the architects who were designing Plum Orchard, she told them that she envisioned a “simple house.” However, Plum Orchard is nothing short of magnificent.

Tours of this wonderful home are offered on the 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month. You will be able to see how the Carnegie’s spent their time on Cumberland Island, how they entertained, how they relaxed, and how they have influenced the area’s rich history. You may even see one of Cumberland Island’s many wild horses on the lawn.

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Riding Motorcycles from Savannah to St. Marys

May 15th, 2011 by Seth

Joe & Liz get their bikes ready for the scenic drive to Savannah

Joe & Liz stopped by the Spencer House to for some much needed R&R.

They took Highway 17 from Savannah to St. Marys. This stretch of road, also known as Ocean Highway, makes for beatiful riding. With its great views of the salt marsh, ocean, and many different rivers, it is no wonder that Joe & Liz chose this route on their way to Spencer House.

Amelia Island Shrimp Festival

April 30th, 2011 by Seth

A group of guests heading to the Amelia Island Shrimp Festival

April 29, 30 and May 1, 2011
with the Pirate Parade on April 28, 2011
 
The best way to experience the Shrimp Festival is to take the Cumberland Sound Ferry. Amelia River Cruises is offering a ferry that runs between downtown St. Marys and Fernandina Beach every hour on the hour Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-4pm for this festival weekend. You will not have to worry about fighting the traffic or finding a parking space and they provide a great narrative about the history and the wildlife of the area. For more information about the ferry, call 904-261-9972 or visit AmeliaRiverCruises.com. For information about the festival, visit ShrimpFestival.com.

Periscope Returns to Submarine Museum

April 12th, 2011 by Seth

Workers prep the new periscope for installation

 

After being out of commission for some time, the periscope has returned to the St. Marys Submarine Museum. Thanks to the Trident Refit Facility for donating the new periscope.
The periscope is very popular with visitors. Everyone likes to look around St. Marys. You can even see Fernandina Beach across the St. Marys River.
The Submarine Museum houses nearly 20,000 artifacts from submarines throughout history. Lining the walls of the museum are historic documents and photographs to give you a behind-the-scenes peek into

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Up Close with Cumberland Island’s Wild Horses

March 30th, 2011 by Seth

Catherine taking a photo of a wild horse on Cumberland Island

Catherine and her family spent the day on Cumberland with her mother and father. They explored the island and had a great time. As you can see, they were able to get some great pictures of Cumberland Island’s wildlife, specifically the wild horses.

Woodbine Crawfish Festival

March 23rd, 2011 by Seth

The Woodbine Crawfish Festival attracts nearly 20,000 people every year, and each one comes  looking to get a plate of delicious crawfish. It takes 4,000 pounds of crawfish to feed the crowd.

Crawfish is definitely the highlight of the event, but there are many

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St. Marys Mardi Gras

March 6th, 2011 by Seth

We sure had a great time at the St. Marys Mardi Gras Festival on Saturday. The event kicked off with a parade and some great floats at 10am.

As you would expect, there was plenty of “festival food” for lunch. However, one of the most popular options was the Chili Cook-Off.

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