Rhodes Hall facts for kids
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Rhodes Memorial Hall
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Rhodes Hall (2020)
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 Location in Atlanta
Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1516 Peachtree St., NW Atlanta |
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| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Willis F. Denny |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000678 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 1, 1974 |
Rhodes Memorial Hall, often called Rhodes Hall, is a historic house in Atlanta, Georgia. It was built for Amos Giles Rhodes, who owned a large furniture company. This amazing house, built in a style called Romanesque Revival, stands on Peachtree Street, a very important street in Atlanta. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special building worth protecting. Today, you can visit Rhodes Hall, and it's also the home of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Contents
What Inspired Rhodes Hall?
Rhodes Hall is a huge house, about 9,000 square feet! Its design was inspired by the old castles Amos Rhodes saw in the Rhineland region of Europe. He visited there in the late 1890s and loved the look.
Designing a Dream Home
The architect, Willis F. Denny, designed this unique house. He used Stone Mountain granite for the outside. The house mixes different styles like medieval Romanesque, Victorian, and Arts and Crafts. It also had modern features for the early 1900s. It took two years to build, and was finished in 1904.
Amazing Features of Rhodes Hall
Rhodes Hall is also known as Le Rêve, which means "The Dream" in French. It's one of the best examples of medieval and Victorian design left in Atlanta.
The Famous Stained Glass Windows
The most impressive part inside is a series of beautiful stained glass windows. They are above a grand staircase made of carved mahogany wood. These three large windows show scenes from the American Civil War. They also include portraits of important figures from that time.
Technology in an Old House
Building Rhodes Hall cost Amos Rhodes $50,000 in 1904. This was a lot of money back then! The house was built with electricity from the start. It shows how excited people in Atlanta were about new technology. Over 300 light bulbs lit up the whole house. It even had electric call buttons in most rooms and a security system.
Building Materials
The beautiful mahogany wood used inside came all the way from the West Indies. The large granite blocks for the outside walls were brought from Stone Mountain. These blocks weighed about 500 pounds each! Stone Mountain is about 25 miles east of Atlanta.
Saving Rhodes Hall
Even though Rhodes Hall is now surrounded by busy streets and buildings, it has been saved. This is thanks to careful efforts to protect and restore historic places.
From Home to Archives
After Amos Rhodes and his wife passed away, their children gave the house to the state of Georgia. They wanted it to be used for "historic purposes." From 1930 to 1965, Rhodes Hall was home to the Georgia State Archives. This is where important historical documents were kept.
A New Purpose
In 1983, Rhodes Hall was given to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. This group started a long project to restore the house. The main staircase and windows, which had been moved, were brought back and put in place in 1990.
For a few years, from 1984 to 1992, the house was even a fun haunted house attraction for Halloween! This was before it was fully restored and became a museum.
Visiting Rhodes Hall Today
Today, Rhodes Hall is used for different things. It's an event space where people can hold weddings, parties, and other gatherings. It's also the main office for the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Tours and Events
You can take tours of the house on Saturdays. If you have a group, you can arrange a tour on other days too. It's a great place to learn about history and see amazing architecture.
Images for kids
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Rhodes Hall (2020)
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The famous Rhodes Hall windows show scenes from the American Civil War.
