Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation brings ‘ramble’ to Rose City

THOMASVILLE — The rich history and architecture of Georgia’s Rose City will be showcased during the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Spring Ramble, April 12-14. Co-hosted by Thomasville Landmarks, the event will offer visitors and residents a rare opportunity to explore private historic homes and buildings that are not usually open to the public.

On April 12, “ramblers” will tour beautifully restored private homes while strolling the tree-lined streets of the Dawson Street Residential District and the Tockwotton-Love Place Historic District. Ticket-holders will also enjoy tours of the Lapham-Patterson House, a unique 1884 Queen Anne style winter cottage that features 19 rooms and more than 50 exits, and the Thomasville History Center, which comprises seven historic buildings, including the 1896 Ewart Bowling Alley, believed to be the second-oldest surviving bowling alley in the country. After Friday’s Ramble, the Georgia Trust will host the 42nd annual Preservation Awards during which the state’s top preservationists and projects will be recognized.

The Ramble Saturday will take guests to historic private homes in Thomasville’s National Register historic districts. Guests will also have the rare opportunity to tour Greenwood Plantation, a Classical Revival home that served as a refuge for Jacqueline Kennedy following the death of President John F. Kennedy.

On Sunday, registrants will experience the charm and Southern hospitality of Pebble Hill Plantation’s 76-acre beautifully manicured grounds, including the 1936 main house designed by Abram Garfield with its extensive art collection and priceless antiques. Guests will also explore the plantation’s Neoclassical Revival outbuildings, including the log cabin school, fire engine house and stable complex, as well as beautifully restored gardens, featuring a reflection pool, sundial and a hedge maze dating to 1935.

The Ramble also includes special dining experiences held at historic sites throughout the weekend. On Friday night, ramblers will enjoy cocktails and dinner on the picturesque grounds of the privately-owned Tudor Revival-style Osceola Plantation, an 840-acre plantation currently owned by the Williams family. Saturday morning, breakfast will take place at the Thomasville Center for the Arts, followed by the Georgia Trust’s Annual Meeting and a brief historical orientation to Thomasville. Lunch will be in downtown Thomasville, where ramblers can choose from a variety of local eateries. On Saturday evening, guests will feast upon a dinner at the exclusive Glen Arven Country Club, whose golf course was a favorite for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. On Sunday, guests will enjoy brunch at Pebble Hill Plantation.

A wide variety of registration options are available. To view the complete itinerary or purchase tickets, visit www.GeorgiaTrust.org.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s rambles feature tours and social events in historic properties not usually open to the public. Tours of historic homes and buildings are self-guided, and guests provide their own transportation. These trips attract hundreds of participants per ramble and are offered two weekends each year in the fall and spring. Recent rambles have included Savannah, Columbus and the Golden Isles

Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use. As one of the country’s leading statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations, the Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust offers a variety of educational programs for adults and children, provides technical assistance to property owners and historic communities, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts, and manages two house museums in Atlanta (Rhodes Hall) and Macon (Hay House). Learn more at www.georgiatrust.org.

Thomasville Landmarks’ mission is to preserve, protect, and advance the architecture, landscape and history unique to Thomasville and Thomas County. Landmarks protects the historic character of the community for the enjoyment and economic benefit of present and future generations. Thomasville Landmarks does this by preserving significant buildings and landscapes, educating the public on the importance of our architectural and cultural history, and restoring buildings and revitalizing neighborhoods. Their three program areas are neighborhood revitalization, Operation C.A.R.E. and education and outreach. To learn more, visit www.thomasvillelandmarks.org.