An Elegant Urban Savannah Villa - Owens-Thomas House

The mansion and slave quarters were completed in 1819 for shipping merchant and enslaver Richard Richardson. Due to prosperity decrease after the Panic of 1819, yellow fever, a fire that destroyed half the city, and the death of his wife and two children, Richardson sold the property. The Bank of the United States took possession of the property in 1824, and leased it to Mary Maxwell, and she ran it as a boarding house. The Marquis de Lafayette was a guest here on his visit to the city in 1825. In 1830, lawyer, landholder and slave owner George Welshman Owens purchased the property at auction for $10,000.00. The property remained in the Owens family until the last descendant, Margaret Gray Thomas (George Owen’s grandaughter) willed it to the Telfair Academy of Arts & Sciences in 1951, to be run as a house museum in honor of her grandfather and father, Dr. James Thomas. Opened to the public in 1954, the property allows visitors to explore the complicated relationships between the most and least powerful people in the city of Savannah in the early 19th century.

Here is what caught my eye; I hope you enjoy!

The front facade of the Owens-Thomas House

The Parterre Garden, created in 1956, occupies the space between the main house and the carriage house. This area originally functioned as a work yard with a small kitchen garden, laundry area, two-sided privy and pens or coops for smaller livestock and chickens.

The family dining room

In the butler’s pantry

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The family dining room

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The formal dining room

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The stairs in the entrance foyer with columns and you can see the second floor bridge above.

The entrance hall

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The parlor / music room with decorative fireplace mantle and a portrait of Mrs. Robert Bolton and Children hanging above.

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Faux painted ceiling in parlor / music room

This is part of the suite of rooms, on the first floor, that the Marquis de Lafayette stayed in during his visit. This room had an adjacent dressing room, bathroom and water closet with flushing toilet. The house was the first in Savannah to have indoor plumbing.

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The second floor stained glass surround the door

The second floor bridge

Second floor study

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Second floor bedroom

Another view of the second floor bridge

Another family bedroom

The next few images are of the working basement in the house

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What you should know:

• Check website for days and hours of operation.

• You can buy a combination ticket that will include this house and the Jespon Center and the Telfair Academy museum at the museum.

• Restrooms are available.

• On the street parking is available, some metered; check posted parking regulations signs. There are also paid parking garages nearby.

• The tours of the house and ground are guided.

• You could spend 1 - 1.5 hours here.

• The staff are friendly and knowledgeable.

Location: 124 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA. 31401

For more information: Owens-Thomas House