The 1850 Home

Front of the Home

In 1843, James Oliver Morton and his new bride came from Savannah to unsettled Southwest Georgia. With this once in history opportunity, he had his choice of the finest land and timber in Georgia. The entrepreneur chose 4,000 acres located on what was then the Oglethorpe Trail, just a few miles southeast of present day Quitman. His choice made him wildly successful. With more natural beauty and diversity than almost anywhere else in southwest Georgia, he picked an area of fertile soils and rolling pine covered hills where Withlacoochee River, Okapilo and Pisgola creeks converge. He prospered with this plantation and became on of the founding fathers of Quitman becoming both a Judge and founder of the Bank of Quitman, which is in existence today.

North Side of Home

Comissary

In 1850, he commissioned John Wind English to design what is today one of the most outstanding examples of an original classic revival plantation home in existence. Wind was one of the best architects of the era and also designed such showplaces as Susina, Greenwood, Fair Oaks, Forest Hills and Eudora. The house is two storied with fluted, Doric columns supporting the front part of the roof which extends over a wide veranda on the first floor, and a balcony on the second floor to provide access to the rooms on the second floor. The house is L shaped with parlor, dining and sitting rooms, Master bedroom, small child's room, and a back porch with breezeway connecting the kitchen. The entrance is into a hallway which extends from the front veranda to the back porch. In this hallway is a floating spiral stairway, with banister post of spooled mahogany, leading to the second floor. This home is one of his last surviving plantation houses with original acreage and proudly listed on the National Historic Register.