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Profile

Owens - Thomas House & Slave Quarters


Based on 2328 Reviews
124 Abercorn St., Savannah, GA 31401

Located in Historic Landmark District

Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters exteriorOwens-Thomas House exterior (side view)Owens-Thomas House Gardens & Slave QuartersDining room at the Owens-Thomas House - Dining room at the Owens-ThomasOwens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters Indoor Bridge - The bridge inside the Owens-Thomas House.Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters BasementOwens-Thomas House Slave Quarters - Second floor of the urban slave quarters
Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters exteriorOwens-Thomas House exterior (side view)Owens-Thomas House Gardens & Slave QuartersDining room at the Owens-Thomas House - Dining room at the Owens-ThomasOwens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters Indoor Bridge - The bridge inside the Owens-Thomas House.Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters BasementOwens-Thomas House Slave Quarters - Second floor of the urban slave quarters
Historic Attractions / Museums / Black History
Call (912) 790-8889Visit our website
Info & Amenities

Visitors to the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters are guided through one of the finest examples of Regency architecture in America as well as the original slave quarters designed to house the enslaved men, women and children who maintained it. The tour includes an exploration of the lives and complicated relationships of the most and least powerful people in 19th century Savannah—such as the wealthy Owens family who owned the property for 121 years and the many enslaved people who labored to support and maintain the household.

The house was designed by architect William Jay and completed in 1819. Now a National Historic Landmark, the property boasts a carefully curated mansion with a formal parterre garden and an original carriage house, which includes the only intact urban slave quarters open to the public in Savannah. The Owens-Thomas House slave quarters is complete with the nation’s largest expanse of slave-applied haint blue paint, made from indigo and thought to ward off evil spirits.

The tour also provides an exploration of the home’s remarkable features, including Savannah’s earliest system of indoor plumbing, an indoor bridge and the balcony from which the Marquis de Lafayette is said to have addressed a crowd of locals in 1825, as well as insight about how each room was used in that time and by whom.

Tours of the Owens-Thomas House & Slave Quarters are given daily at fifteen-minute intervals. The last tour begins at 4:15 pm.

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Also a National Historic Landmark building designed by William Jay, the Owens-Thomas House is considered one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture in the United States. It is an elegant mansion and house museum featuring a carriage house and an inviting parterre garden that is ideally suited for late afternoon and evening events alfresco. Located on Oglethorpe Square in the historic district, the east facade of the Owens-Thomas House has a handsome porch overlooking the garden from which musicians can entertain guests. The garden fountain is a perfect spot for photographs and there is ample room for bar and food service tables. While the historic house is not available for rental, the lovely parterre garden is a wonderful location for outdoor cocktail parties and receptions for up to 100 guests, or even a small wedding ceremony.

Reviews
TripAdvisor® Reviews
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Based on 2328 Reviews
tammyf680 | Jan 30, 2023
“Nice tour”

tour guide was informative would recommend tour nice historic documentation of timeline of house as available or known

Gafilpoo | Jan 22, 2023
“Great lessons in history, language and architecture ”

Great historical perspective about the culture in slave owning households in the South. Innovative architecture and excellent examples of respectful language. Our guide could have enunciated more...

JosephEber | Jan 20, 2023
“Good way to see one of the great houses and to learn about the dark side of wealth in the old south.”

The architecture is beautiful, the engineering is fascinating, some of the stories behind the lifestyle of the rich in the early 1800's is enlightening but sad. This museum shows the distinct...

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