Barrington Hall (Roswell, Georgia) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barrington Hall |
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Barrington Hall in Roswell, Georgia
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival architecture |
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Barrington Hall
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 60 Marietta St., Roswell, Georgia |
| Area | 6 acres (2.4 ha) |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architect | Willis Ball |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Roswell Historic District (ID74000682) |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000275 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | December 9, 1971 |
| Designated CP | May 2, 1974 |
| Location | 535 Barrington Dr. Roswell, GA 30075 United States |
| Construction started | 1830s |
Barrington Hall is a beautiful historic home in Roswell, Georgia. It was built in 1842 in the Greek Revival style. This grand house was the home of Barrington King. He and his father, Roswell King, helped start the town of Roswell.
The house was designed by an architect named Willis Ball. It stayed in the King family until 1995. Today, Barrington Hall is a museum. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
Atlanta magazine even called it one of the "50 Most Beautiful Homes in Metro Atlanta." The house has been carefully restored. It is filled with many original items from the family. You can visit Barrington Hall for tours. They also hold special events for families throughout the year.
Contents
Discovering Barrington Hall's Past
How Roswell Began
Roswell King was born in Connecticut. Later, he moved to Darien, Georgia. He worked for a bank there. He was asked to look after the bank's interests in the gold fields of north Georgia.
In the late 1820s, he found this area. He loved its beauty. He also saw that Vickery Creek had strong water power. This power could run textile mills.
In 1836, Roswell King came back with his son, Barrington. They started planning a mill and a new town.
Building a New Town and Home
Barrington King moved his family to the area in 1838. In 1839, the Roswell Manufacturing Company was created. The Kings invited friends to join them. They called their new settlement the "Colony." These friends invested in the company.
Some of these families were the Smiths, Bullochs, and Dunwodys. In 1854, the "Colony" was named Roswell. It was named after Barrington King's father, Roswell King.
Barrington King chose the highest spot in Roswell for his home. This home became Barrington Hall. Willis Ball built the house in the Greek revival style.
The house was finished in 1842. Barrington lived there with his wife, Catherine. He lived there until he passed away in 1866. The Kings had nine children who grew up. They had eight sons and one daughter.
The Baker Family and Barrington Hall
In 1883, the Kings' only daughter, Eva, and her husband, Rev. William Baker, moved back. They came to care for the elderly Catherine King.
The Baker family lived at Barrington Hall for many years. Eva passed away in 1923. William Baker had died earlier, in 1906. After Eva's death, the house was left to Evelyn Simpson. She was Eva Baker's favorite granddaughter. It was also left to Eva's seven children.
The other heirs wanted to sell the house. But Evelyn wanted to keep it in the family. With help from her mother, Kate Baker Simpson, and other family members, Evelyn raised money. She bought the house from the other Baker siblings. Evelyn Simpson, with her sister Katharine, worked hard to preserve Barrington Hall. She did this until her death in 1960.
Later Owners and Restoration
After Evelyn passed away, her sister Katharine Simpson became the owner. Katharine left her teaching job in Atlanta. She moved to Barrington Hall to manage it full-time. In 1970, Katharine met Lois Carson. They became good friends. Katharine adopted Lois. This meant Lois would inherit Barrington Hall after Katharine's death.
Katharine passed away in 1995, just before her 100th birthday. Lois Carson continued to live at Barrington Hall. She lived there until her death in 2003. Before Carson died, she trusted Barrington Hall to her friend, Sarah Winner.
Sarah Winner, the new owner, spent two years restoring the property. She had all the original furniture and paintings repaired. Skilled workers also carefully restored the walls, ceilings, and floors. Her hard work won an award. It was the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's Outstanding Restoration Award.
In 2005, Sarah Winner sold the property to the City of Roswell. There were legal agreements to make sure the home would always be protected. It would also be open to the public for history, education, and culture.
Barrington Hall Today
This historic home is now owned by the City of Roswell. It operates as a house museum. You can find it in the Historic Roswell Square on Barrington Drive. It is open for tours.
From Monday to Saturday, the first tour starts at 10 am. The last tour is at 3 pm. On Sunday, the first tour is at 1 pm. The last tour is also at 3 pm. The house has been fully restored. It has many original family items inside.
The seven acres of land around the house are also special. They feature the only public garden from the time before the Civil War in the greater Atlanta area.
Barrington Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of the Roswell Historic District. Atlanta magazine included it on its list of the "50 Most Beautiful Homes in Metro Atlanta."
