It is said that a fictional story about life in and around Atlanta during the Civil War (Gone With the Wind), has been more widely read than any book other than the Bible. That may not be correct: who's to say whether Cervantes' classic novel about an errant knight (Don Quixote de La Mancha) is no longer number two? Whatever, Gone With the Wind is unarguably one of the world's more popular stories, and a small town, just a bit south of Atlanta's busy airport, is the official home to that epic tale.
First came Margaret Mitchell
Margarett Mitchell began work on her famous novel while living in a small Atlanta apartment, in the early 1930s. In putting the story together, she is believed to have drawn heavily on personal experiences and from stories related to her by elders that had lived through our Civil War. Her grandparents had, what she referred to as a "rural home," near Jonesboro, which was then just a short carriage ride from the big city of Atlanta. Her ancestors were Irish immigrants: a fact clearly made part of her enduring novel. The model for Scarlett Ohara's Tara was likely taken from plantation homes in and around Jonesboro.
Gone With the Wind becomes a classic movie
The book was first published in 1936; it was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1937; movie rights were bought in 1936; the film premiered on Dec 15th, 1939, in Atlanta's Lowes Grand Theater; it may today be the most popular movie ever made. Although Clark Gable was quickly picked as the male lead, finding just the right heroine (Scarlett O'Hara) took a couple of years, during which film greats, such as Paulette Goddard and Lana Turner were tested, but rejected. A British actress (Vivien Leigh) eventually became Scarlett, and was a major reason why the film was so successful.
A visit to Jonesboro and Scarlett
Jonesboro's old train depot has been turned into the town's Visitor Center, and the Road to Tara Museum. The exhibits lean heavily toward the film, featuring posters, magazine covers, replica costumes, and even actual seats from the theater where the film was fisrt shown. It does also cover the minor skirmishes that took place in the area, at the time of fall of Atlanta. A well-stocked gift shop offers fans of the story just about anything a devotee could want.
Guided tous are available
An appropriately decorated bus takes visitors on a "Gone With the Wind" Tour, which features connecting the movie to Jonesboro. Another tour ("Belles and Whistles") focuses on the significance of the Civil War in Jonesboro; it includes visits to the town's cemetery for the Confederate dead, and a visit to the old town jail, where you can don prison stripes and get in the old cell.
There's much more to Jonesboro
Jonesboro offers its visitors a look at stately old planatation homes. One group of visitors was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by "Scarlett O'Hara" (actress, Melly Meadows) when they arrived at the 1839, Stately Oaks Plantation, where they were later entertained by costumed, period dancers, and a tour of the home. There's also a fine art gallery, where everything on display is for sale. Music lovers will thrill to concerts held in Clayton State University's marvelous, Spivey Hall, with it's thrilling, Albert Schweitzer Memorial organ. History buffs will be delighted to find two rich storehouses of information, conveniently located next to each other: the SE Reional National Archives, and the Georgia State Archives. There are a wide variety of delightful places to dine, such as the Pinehurst Tea Room, and the Feed Store. If nature is your thing, don't miss a restful stroll through the Reynolds Nature Preserve, which offers 146 acres of nearly pristine lands, just a few minutes from one of the world's busiest airports and larger cities. Finally, you'll discover that Jonesboro offers a wide selection of most comfortable accommodations, and at significant savings over similar offering in Atlanta.
For further information
Contact the Clayton County Visitor Center by telephone at 800/662-7829, or on the Web at www.visitscarlett.com
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