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Friday, July 01, 2016

A Visit to 979 Crescent Ave NE, Atlanta!

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Atlanta traffic is never fun.

I approached the busy city right about noon, and figuring I was going to need lunch, gas, a restroom break and a leg stretch….I set the GPS to take me to 979 Crescent Ave NE, the home of Margaret Mitchell.

I have been a huge fan of Gone with the Wind since I was 14 and in the 8th grade.

To have the opportunity to stand in these very small rooms in a rented apartment where Gone with the Wind came to life was just amazing to me.

Even more wonderful was the opportunity to learn more about the woman behind the novel.

As I was driving these crazy big city freeways and dealing with tall modern buildings, I was really struck by the “Old meets New” within the area.


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Crossing Peachtree Street.

If only these buildings could talk!

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Just up the street from Margaret’s abode..

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The house was known as the Crescent Apartments when Mitchell and her husband lived in Apt. 1 on the ground floor from 1925 to 1932.

Can you imagine what she would think of the skyscraper behind it?

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Our guide!

We are sitting here in Margaret’s living room, small and cozy, while our guide told us of her life and how Gone with the Wind finally came to be published.  It almost wasn’t! 

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Small writing desk with typewriter.

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Was it furnished like this?

Though the furnishings are not original, they used photographs to locate pieces that closely resembled what the apartment looked like during the time that Margaret lived here.

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Tiny kitchenette!

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There was a treadle in the kitchen!

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The longings of a young girl from her journal.

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Visitor’s handwritten notes on the wall.

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I added my own!

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Margaret’s reporting desk from the newspaper where she worked.

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Her story touched so many of us so greatly!

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Margaret Mitchell was struck by a speeding automobile as she crossed Peachtree Street at 13th Street in Atlanta with her husband, John Marsh, while on her way to see the movie A Canterbury Tale on the evening of August 11, 1949. She died at Grady Hospital five days later without fully regaining consciousness.

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What made yesterday really meaningful for me was the fact that June 30th was the anniversary of the printing of Gone with the Wind.  I happened to just be there on the 75th anniversary of it’s publication!

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From Atlanta to Smyrna TN was another several hours drive, and my heart soared as soon as I saw the north Georgia mountains.

A few of us girls went next door to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner, and you’ll never guess what we saw pull into the parking lot and stay in our hotel!


What a fun way to end an evening!

We just met the two drivers down in the breakfast area at the hotel and asked how this whole thing works.  They accept applications from college graduates with degrees in communication, etc.  I’m not sure how long the job lasts, but there are SIX wiener mobiles driving around the USA, with the headquarters in Madison Wisconsin.  I showed them the little video I did and they were tickled.  So fun to meet the drivers from inside!

Today is a 1/2 day boxy stars workshop that starts at 1pm, followed by a lecture tonight.  If you are anywhere near Smyrna, TN – come on by!

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Tied nine patch quilt/comforter found in North Carolina.

Little steps add up to a whole lot of progress as long as we don't stop moving forward!


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19 comments:

  1. I love it when you unexpectantly visit a historical place on an anniversary! It means you get to enjoy the anniversary , without it being overly crowded. And the Weinermobile! Welcome to TN!

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  2. Dear Bonnie, thanks for this post. Gone with the wind is my all time favorite book. I readd it when I was 14 too on a cross country railroad trip. And I periodically read it again.i loved seeing pictures of her apartment. I read your blog everyday as well -highlight of my day. Thanx. Maureen mullen

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  3. How cool to see the Weinermobile and Margaret Mitchell home in one day! Looks like so much fun. Enjoy your day and thanks for sharing.

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  4. How ironic to be there on the Anniversary day. You couldn't have planned it better. I'm glad the book was published too. It's a favorite of mine too. LOL on the Wiener Mobile.
    Boxy Stars is a good one.

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  5. One of the "joys" of your travels (in addition to meeting new people/quilters and sharing your gift of quilting) would be seeing all the historical things related to a certain area. Gone With The Wind has always been a HUGE favorite of mine ... I'm a "reader" but also enjoyed the interpretation of this book to the screen ... so well done. I watch it at least once a year. Travel safe ... enjoy your class and have a great 4th of July. Happy Birthday, America!! Linda H

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  6. Only you, Bonnie! If that wasn't the perfect kind of leaders and enders kind of day! Nothing about it needed to match except the desire to live it in the moment and enjoy every moment! Enjoy Smyrna. We stop there frequently in a half way trip from Chicago before returning to ATL. We do it in 1/2 steps at Thanksgiving when we're trying to snag out those last few hours with visitors. Also, if you don't get down the mountain by 1 on that Sunday, you'll be stuck on it getting back into GA for hours. We often zig around Chattanooga to avoid their main highway system. It's an absolutely gorgeous ride. So, if you get stuck, don't hesitate to veer off!

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  7. From Bonnie, To Bonnie, I was sooooo happy to meet you "in person" Wednesday in Tifton with the Wiregrass Quilters. I felt like I already knew you from reading your blog daily, sewing with you on Quiltcam, and following your patterns (I did make the Grand Illusion:). It was great to have you in our corner of the world here in the Deep South! So glad you came:)

    My Wednesday morning chaos has become more organized now and I'm sewing right along on my Smith Mountain Morning blocks-yeah! Also, I rubbed machine oil on my little Featherweight and it looks MUCH better...also, bought a new cord for it and the hubster fixed it up last night! It is now running smoothly, the light stays on while sewing:), and I'm doing the happy dance! Thanks to you and the other ladies who help me gett it straight after I messed things up royally just wanting to remove dust bunnies and shine it up:/

    Safe travels home, hugs to sweet Sadie and your family! Since you have a daily quote for us, here is a quote for YOU today from me:
    "Dance as though no one is watching,
    Love as though you have never loved before,
    Sing as though no one can hear you
    Live as though heaven is on earth."

    Bonnie R.
    gonecoastal2@att.net
    "

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  8. Bonnie, I love your blog but I especially love the traveloges you do. I first read GWTW when I was 12. I stayed up all night and read it straight through. It was summer vacation. There are several books I try to reread every 2 years or so. It is one of then. I guess I have read it 30 or more times and each time I find something new. Thanks for the peek into MM life. Enjoy the cabin this week-end. I will be checking out a new quilt shop tomorrow on my 65th birthday. It is 9 months today since my Steve died. Bittersweet day.

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  9. The post on MM's apartment is so interesting! I never gave her home while working on her novel a thought. Thank you for bringing it to life for us.

    Glad to hear Sadie is doing well; loved her sunshirt! The picture looked like a bow had been made on her ... hip? Hindquarter? Hope she continues to recover well and completely. Our lives don't allow us to have a dog, but we do have cats and both grandcats and one granddog. Yes, they are part of our family and are much loved! They bring such comfort and happiness to us.

    I read the comments on the group e-mail the other day with disappointment, amazement and a bit of anger. I refrained from responding as it seems those who say such thoughtless, selfish things never see themselves as even possibly wrong, so fueling the fire was pointless. It was my hope that you wouldn't see those remarks. With all you do, I thought maybe you didn't find time to read all of them. All I can say is that I am sorry those things happen and I KNOW there are sooo many more people like me than there are active complainers. I'm doubly sorry that it happened when you were already in a fragile state because of your dear furbaby.

    Safe travels for the rest of this trip, and always. So many folks hold you in high regard and care very much for your well-being in every way.

    Robin

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  10. How fun. GWTW is my favorite book of all time. My aunt took me to see the movie at Grauman's Chinese theater in Hollywood when I was 19.

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  11. I am glad to hear you put the negativity behind you. That's the only place it belongs!! I try to add a gratitude list in my (mostly) journal entry. Here are some of the entries you might appreciate:

    1. I am grateful for quilt cam! If I ever catch up to current I'll just watch them all again. :)
    2. I am grateful for your quotes on quilts I look at them on my Pinterest feed every day and they are always a treat.
    3. I am grateful that you like to use up old fabric. I love doing that too!
    4. I am grateful for your free patterns and mysteries. I made Grand Illusion and it turned out terrific.
    5. I am grateful for the gorgeous pictures of quilts you post all the time. Quilting is such a gloriously rich avocation! :)
    6. I am grateful for your energy. It's quite wonderful how you always have something new for us.
    7. I am grateful you decided not to quit!
    8. I am grateful for the ads. They make stuff be free and you do a terrific job of having ads for things I might be interested in.
    9. I am grateful for your good cheer and happiness. The world needs lots more positivity and you are a major source of it.

    Take care,
    Susan in Texas

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  12. Loved your tidbit of history about GWTW. I am currently reading a book about Carole Lombard, who was Clark Gables wife during the time the movie was filmed. But what I didn't know was the date of Margaret Mitchell's death. She died on the same day (and year) that my dear husband was born! Thanks for the GWTW trivia.

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  13. I had to come on to say thank you for the baby steps quote today. Baby steps, wow, am going to have to make more of them with all of your patterns I have on the go (uh, as leader/enders by the way... I am so not doing this right!!!) But, with the baby steps, they will all get to the 'finished!' line!! So, here is to BABY STEPS!! Thanks for the quote and the gentle push to keep walking..... Have a great weekend and enjoy the day.

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  14. oh yeah, almost forgot:

    10. I am super grateful for your scrap users system. I use it and LOVE it.
    11. I am grateful for your vintage sewing machine obsession. I love learning about your beautiful old machines and seeing them in action. Because of you, I have, ahem... a few myself. ;)

    Here's to quilting!
    Susan in Texas

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  15. Wow, I have the exact Singer treadle machine that is in Margaret Mitchell's apartment! Also, I love the "baby steps" quote and hope I remember it during times of frustration. Have a safe trip home and a great 4th of July. Linda from Illinois

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  16. Beautiful photos! I am a history buff, but I have not read Gone With The Wind. Sounds like I should! Thanks, Bonnie, for sharing your adventures with us, both on the road and close to home. I very much enjoy them. And now, I have a "reading assignment" to enjoy, too!

    Cheers!
    Lynn in Missouri

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  17. We love you and are glad that you are here!

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  18. I'm so excited, ( and jealous) you got to see Margaret Mitchels home! Wowza! You are commended for making the extra effort to get there and back for your classes. Lots of driving, but well worth it! How is Sadie girl?
    Happy and safe 4th of July to all! Remember all our service men and women who fight for our precious freedom!

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  19. What a nice way to break up a travel day with a bit of history! Love the OM Weiner mobile. When I worked at Dover AFB DE, we shipped an OM Weiner mobile over to Germany for a USO event. It was a challenge to load on a C-5 aircraft and "tie down" with cargo straps for the flight. There were very few "points" on the vehicle that would not get damaged by a cargo strap or chain. Glad it brightened your day!

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