Sidney Lanier Cottage facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sidney Lanier Cottage
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Georgia (U.S. state)
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 935 High St., Macon, Georgia |
|---|---|
| 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 is famous because it was the birthplace of Sidney Lanier. He was a well-known poet, musician, and soldier.
The Middle Georgia Historical Society bought the cottage in 1973. It opened to visitors as a museum in 1975. For many years, the cottage was a museum and a place for events. It also hosted the Lanier Center for Literary Arts. In 2021, the Historic Macon Foundation sold the cottage. It is now a private home again.
Who Was Sidney Lanier?
Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) was born in this house. It belonged to his grandfather, Sterling Lanier. Sidney is famous for his poems about nature and places. Some of his best-known poems are The Marshes of Glynn and The Song of the Chattahoochee.
Sidney's parents, Sterling Robert Sampson Lanier and Mary Jane Anderson Lanier, lived in Griffin, Georgia. But Mary Jane came to her in-laws' home in Macon to have her first child, Sidney.
The Cottage's History
The Sidney Lanier Cottage was built in 1840. It started as a small, four-room house. Over the years, it was changed a lot. In 1879, the house was moved about 50 feet. The family also added two more rooms upstairs and a front porch.
The house was updated in 1880. It was given a new look called Gothic Revival style. This style often includes pointed arches and decorative details.
The Sidney Lanier Cottage is important to history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This list includes places that are important to American history. The cottage also became a Landmark of American Music in 1976. In 2004, it was named a Landmark of American Poetry.
The Cottage as a Museum
Before it became a museum, the house was a private home for many years. The Middle Georgia Historical Society bought it in 1973. The cottage opened to the public in 1975. It is now part of the Macon Historic District.
When it was a museum, the Sidney Lanier Cottage showed many items from Sidney Lanier's life. These included the silver alto flute he played. He used this flute when he was part of the Peabody Orchestra in Baltimore. The museum also had early copies of his books. Visitors could also see a wedding dress from 1867. It belonged to Mary Day, who was Sidney Lanier's wife. There were also photographs of the couple. The Historic Macon Foundation managed the museum.
The museum was open Monday through Saturday. Guided tours were available on Fridays and Saturdays. The cottage was also rented out for events like weddings.
The Historic Macon Foundation also created the Lanier Center for Literary Arts. The Sidney Lanier Cottage hosted book signings and writing workshops. These workshops were called Sidney's Salon.
Images for kids
