Sidney Lanier Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sidney Lanier Cottage
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 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
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| Location | 935 High St., Macon, Georgia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1840, 1880 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000365 |
| Added to NRHP | January 31, 1972 |
The Sidney Lanier Cottage is a special old house in Macon, Georgia. It's famous because a poet, musician, and soldier named Sidney Lanier was born there. The Middle Georgia Historical Society bought the cottage in 1973. They opened it as a museum for everyone to visit in 1975. For many years, until 2021, the cottage was a museum. It was also used for events and as a place for writers to learn. Today, the Historic Macon Foundation sold the cottage, and it is now a private home again.
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Who Was Sidney Lanier?
Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) was born in this house in 1842. It was the home of his grandfather, Sterling Lanier. Sidney's parents lived in Griffin, Georgia, but his mother came to Macon to have her first child. Sidney Lanier became well-known for his poems about nature and places. Some of his famous poems include The Marshes of Glynn, The Song of the Chattahoochee, and Sunrise.
About the Cottage Building
The Sidney Lanier Cottage was first built in 1840. It started as a small four-room house. Over the years, the house changed quite a bit. In 1879, the building was moved about 50 feet. Then, two more rooms were added to the second floor, and a porch was built. The house was updated in 1880 to look like the Gothic Revival architecture style you see today.
A Special Landmark
The Sidney Lanier Cottage is a very important place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it's a historic site that needs to be protected. In 1976, it became a Landmark of American Music. Later, in 2004, it was also named a Landmark of American Poetry. These titles show how important Sidney Lanier was as both a musician and a poet.
The Cottage as a Museum
For many years, the Sidney Lanier Cottage was a private home. Then, the Middle Georgia Historical Society bought it in 1973. They opened it to the public as a museum in 1975. The cottage is part of the Macon Historic District.
Inside the museum, visitors could see many items from Sidney Lanier's life. These included the silver alto flute he played when he was part of the Peabody Orchestra in Baltimore. There were also first editions of his books. The museum also displayed a wedding dress from 1867 that belonged to Mary Day, who was Lanier's wife. Pictures of the couple were also on display. The Historic Macon Foundation managed the museum.
Before it became a private home again in 2021, the museum was open most days. Guided tours were available on certain days. The cottage was also a popular place for events like weddings. The Historic Macon Foundation also created the Lanier Center for Literary Arts there. The cottage hosted book signings and writing workshops called "Sidney's Salon."
