“A Red Letter Day” is the remark W.O. Jones from New York inscribed in the guest book at Hills and Dales when he visited the Callaways on May 6, 1917. Over the years, hundreds, if not thousands, of people visited Hills and Dales and many of their names are registered in three surviving guest books that span from 1916 to 1952. The names read like a ‘Who’s Who’ of LaGrange, the state of Georgia and even further afield.
They came from near and far to visit Fuller E. Callaway Sr. and his wife Ida who had moved into their new home in LaGrange in 1916. This textile city was booming and all types of people came: relatives, friends, friends of friends, employees, business associates, acquaintances and even political allies. They came for lots of reasons: to see the Callaway’s new home, extend warm wishes and tour the gardens, tour his textile enterprises, inspect and buy his products or just to visit the up and coming city.
Some notable Troup county surnames that appear in the original 1916 guest book include Render, Spinks, Dunson, Slack, Hudson, Lanier and Dallis. As you might imagine many of their guests were associated with the mills. From Unity Spinning Mill, Chief Engineer W.S. Jenkins, and Superintendents William H. Turner and Samuel Austin visited. From Elm City Cotton Mill, Ira B. Grimes, Superintendent, and Howard C. Ash, Bookkeeper, were also welcomed house guests. These local guests left notes like: “Most Delightful,” “Glad to be here,” “Best time in years.”
You will also find the names of numerous prominent citizens of Atlanta. The Candlers of Coca-Cola fame; W. H. White, President of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce; H.G. Hastings, perhaps the South’s most noted horticulturist; Mr. & Mrs. Ivan E. Allen, Atlanta’s greatest boosters; John S. Cohen, Editor of the Atlanta Journal and Annie Inman Grant, wife of the Atlanta capitalist, John W Grant, for whose son Georgia Tech’s Grant Field is named. Other Atlantans in the guest book closely linked with the Callaway home included its architects Neel Reid and Hal Hentz, who came to see the final results of their design, Oscar Weinmeister and Forest Adair, who helped Mr. Callaway find craftsmen to build his home, and Mr. T.M. Willingham, who provided much of the lumber to build the house.
National and international visitors came from over twenty states and at least ten different countries including Canada, Switzerland, England, Columbia, Belgium, China, Italy, France, Norway and Germany. Particularly notable is the inscription of three time presidential candidate and well known orator, William Jennings Bryan, who visited several times and paraphrased the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle in the guest book, “Thought is stronger than artillery parks and back of thought is love,” referring to his strong desire that issues surrounding World War I be solved peacefully. Equally telling is a note from Vladimir V. Alexandrop, President of the Society of Russian National Defense, who proclaimed, “Please help Russia now,” referring to the need to help the Russian people who were struggling during the 1917 Russian Revolution.
Reviewing the old names in our guest books gives us a glimpse into the past and allows us to better understand Fuller and Ida’s circle of friends and business acquaintances. The thoughtful notes inscribed on the faded pages help us imagine what life was like in the Callaway home and the kind of hospitality they extended to their guests.
For most, the tradition of asking visitors to sign a guest book ended long ago but here at the estate the tradition continues. According to Carrie Mills, Visitor Center Manager, “One of the first things we did before we opened in 2004 was to purchase a guest book for our visitors to sign. Many of our signatures come from local residents but we also have visitors from other states and some foreign countries just like Fuller and Ida did.” The Stroinles from Holland commented, “Beautiful. We’ll be back!” and the Wagners from Germany exclaimed “Wunderbar!” The Dowdens of Ohio wrote, “Balm to the soul – inspiring” while the Doleles of Tennessee wrote, “A truly inspirational home and gardens.” Another interesting note came from Jim of Stockbridge, Georgia, who wrote, “I could live in the greenhouse.”
We are thankful that Fuller and Ida kept a guest book to document their visitors and memories. In the same spirit, we encourage you to come visit the estate, take a walk in the garden, even bring a picnic basket if the weather’s nice and make your own “Red Letter Day.” Oh, and while you are here don’t forget to sign the guest book. It’s a tradition worth continuing.
“It was an unusual home, more like a governor’s mansion, or the residence of some state official, than the dwelling of a private citizen. There always was a houseful of guests, folks coming and going: until, at times, the living room seemed almost like a hotel lobby…this crowding in the home came about because Fuller always was inviting people to come to see him. They might be business acquaintances, or people he met on board ship, or somebody he had encountered walking along the streets of Jerusalem. Whoever they were, or wherever he met them, they soon were Fuller’s friends and he asked them to come see him in LaGrange, Georgia.”
– From a 1953 Interview with Fuller E. Callaway, Jr.
