Monday at The Dump

Although I had read that the Margaret Mitchell House was still closed, I hoped against hope that somehow things would work out that I could get inside once more. My last visit inside was in 2007 with my crappy little digital camera. It was time for some better photos! Unfortunately, it is still “under renovation.” Or something like that. Located at the corner of Peachtree and Tenth Streets, it was in a then-fashionable section of town. From the historic marker in front:

Completed in 1899 by Cornelius J. Sheehan, the Margaret Mitchell House was originally a single-family, Tudor Revival residence. In 1913, the house was relocated to the rear of the property and converted into a ten-unit apartment building, know as the Crescent Apartments, in 1919. In 1935, Margaret Mitchell and her husband, John Marsh, moved into Apartment No. 1 where Mitchell wrote the Pulitzer-Prize winning novel Gone with the Wind. Today, the Margaret Mitchell House is a designated city landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a popular tourist destination, and home to the award-winning Literary Center at the Margaret Mitchell House.



The exterior now looks neat and tidy, but when she lived there, Mitchell referred to the place as “The Dump.” From the City of Atlanta website:

The Marsh's marriage started with them deeply in debt from John Marsh's prior illness but they were determined, in Margaret's words, "to live poor as hell and get out of this jam." Thus, they decided to take the small basement apartment that consisted of two rooms plus a kitchen, a bath and a porch. She called it "The Dump," probably more in response to the privilege of her own upbringing than to the actual condition of the building itself.



I was able to get up close and personal with the back of the house:






Peering in, I was able to get this shot:



What it looked like in 2007 when I was able to go inside:



It didn’t look like much was going on inside; it looked like the cleaning crew had gone in a hurry, leaving their equipment behind. Mitchell’s book has come under fire over the last few decades because of its portrayal of the Civil War and slavery. From the Atlanta History Center website:

Both the book and the movie depict a rosy myth of the Old South, casting the institution of slavery in a benevolent light. African Americans characters are also characterized as simple-minded and beholden to the white characters, most of whom are slaveholders.

What I remember from reading the book was that Mammy was one of the few people with integrity and smarts. I should probably read it again with fresh eyes and see how it fares in today’s world. Regardless, it would probably be a safe bet to say that the house has stayed closed longer than what was promised because of the controversy surrounding the author, her book, and the movie that followed.

See more Margaret Mitchell house in Atlanta photos at my main website.

Attraction Posters: The Disneyland Railroad

The original attraction posters from Disneyland are a prized possession for vintage Disneyland geeks! The bold colors and simple stylized graphics are timeless. Today’s post will center on the ones for the Disneyland Railroad. The first image shown here is probably unfamiliar to most; while not truly a Disneyland attraction poster, it could be found at the Main Street Train Station, as seen in this image below from August 1958:



Most likely it was supplied by Santa Fe (an original sponsor) and was from their vintage collection. There is another poster that once hung at the station in the early days (shown below) that I have yet to find the original inspiration for or a larger more visible version. One day!



Here is the iconic original poster that promoted the three stations/depots at Disneyland:



This image from the summer of 1955 shows that attraction posters were not part of the entrance experience:



The other interesting thing that it DOES show is that originally, two trains could run side-by-side from Main Street to Frontierland:



By September 1956, attraction posters graced the front entrance along the wall on either side of the Mickey Floral:



From October 1956:



In this shot you can see the Main Street Station poster towards the left of the photo. Though stamped January 1959, this image is most likely from December 1958, since the Christmas bunting is still up.



When the Grand Canyon Diorama was introduced to the Park in March 1958, it got its own attraction poster:



You can see it at the entrance in this June 1959 image, behind the woman in the gray sweater:



1966 saw the addition of the Primeval World diorama:



This October 1966 image shows the poster next to one of the Disneyland Mail Boxes:



Frontierland/New Orleans Square eventually received its own railroad poster, but it was many years later and the style had radically changed, so I cannot include it with this group of classics!

See more Disneyland Railroad photos at my main website.

Dinner at Livingston

For my one night at the Georgian Terracel in Atlanta, I enjoyed dinner at the hotel’s in-house restaurant, Livingston. I would assume that the exterior porch shown above was the original hotel entry and lobby; the restaurant re-purposed the revolving door into a unique and cozy table for two. I love adaptive reuses like this.



The restaurant is also able to accommodate parties of a larger size.



The view above from my table:



My first course was the Grilled Peach Salad. It seemed the natural choice when in Georgia, dining on Peachtree street! I was very happy with my selection, which had the perfect combo of sweet (the peach) and salty (prosciutto).



My entree was the Joyce Farms Smoked Chicken, with tomato confit, porcini mushrooms, and crispy prosciutto. Another delectable winner!



Although a side really wasn’t necessary, I did want to try the Heirloom Carrots, which were generously portioned. While they may not have made the best of photographic subjects, I can assure you that I thoroughly enjoyed them.



Recommended by the waiter for dessert was the Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart. I typically am not a fan of meringue, but this one was definitely an exception!



The service was definitely on track, and the overall experience was positive. I would definitely return, not only for the food, but to explore some of the other historic details that abound.






If you ever find yourself in Atlanta, do yourself a favor and book at the Georgian Terrace Hotel!

See more Georgian Terrace Hotel photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: Evolution of a Pin

Every year, the Shirley’s Army Facebook Group (headed by Melissa, aka “The Colonel”) produces a pin and sells them with proceeds going towards a charity that would be representative of its inspiration, Shirley Temple Black. This year seemed like an easy choice; with all the unrest in the world, a donation to the National Museum of American Diplomacy immediately came to mind. Even as a little girl, Shirley was taught through her studies about many cultures since she was often introduced to foreign dignitaries and international celebrities. This skill came in very handy during her adulthood career as a diplomat (Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia to name a few of the positions she held). Once that was decided, the artwork needed to be produced. The fans usually prefer an image of little Shirley; “Wee Willie Winkie” (1937) was the first Shirley film that popped into my head as the happy ending is brought about by Shirley’s character bringing together two warring factions. This publicity still with costar Cesar Romero conveyed discussion, but the expression and the leg of meat were not very charming!



I also realized that for a small pin, having two characters on it would not be ideal. It’s important to consider the scale of the final work, as details often get lost in the final product when it’s this small.



I settled on this screenshot from the movie; the holding hands signifies a joining of cultures and ideas and would also allow me to have Shirley as large as possible in the artwork.



A photograph has only been used once for the pins; I decided to go back to line art this year, using the Frank Follmer sketches from the Disney cartoon “The Autograph Hound” (1939) as inspiration.



My first draft was ok; I was somewhat pleased with how it looked. But…as Melissa pointed out, I had forgotten “Shirley’s Army” and the name of the never-came-to-fruition Temple film was actually “The Little Diplomat.” I also didn’t like the way Cesar Romero’s hand just hangs limp. The art was faithful to the photo, but didn’t really convey any kind of warmth between the two characters.



I used a photo of Shirley warmly clutching Bill Robinson’s hand as inspiration and was much happier with that result!



One final touch - instead of the typical bullet point, I decided to use the ornament from Shirley’s cap in “Winkie,” aka the Cap badge of the Black Watch Royal Highlanders.



The final art: MUCH better! I also softened Shirley’s features a bit to make the cartoon look a bit more realistic.



Interested in purchasing a pin (only $13.50, which includes shipping!) and donating to this worthwhile cause? Reach out directly to Melissa at meltonn21@yahoo.com. SPECIAL OFFER WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! If you buy 3 pins (perfect for stocking stuffers), you can also receive AT NO ADDITIONAL COST the 4 pins from the previous years (the 2019 pin was designed by Shirley’s Army member Kroffty, not me!).
 


See more Shirley Temple photos at my main website.

The Fox Theatre in Atlanta

The Fox Theatre was at the top of my “must visit” list on my recent trip to Atlanta. I had been there back in 2007, but was unable to get inside. I attempted to book a tour, but none were offered during my short stay. Believe me…I did my best to get inside, including attempting wangle my way in after a show had let out. No go, amigo! So, I had to be content with circling the outside of this beautiful building.



Rachel Maddow and Stacey Abrams were on the marquee; back in 1946, Walt Disney’s “Song of the South” premiered here on November 12th, with Walt and his wife Lillian in attendance.



Note the B’rer Rabbit sticker on the windshield:



The exterior hasn’t changed much since that night:



An almost exact duplicate angle I shot from 2007:



Edited from the Fox Theatre website:

In 1928, the Fox was originally conceived as a home for Atlanta’s Shriners organization. To create a headquarters befitting the group’s prominent social status, the Shriners looked to the ancient temples of the Far East to inspire a mosque-style structure befitting their stature. Storied architectural gems like the Alhambra in Spain and Egypt’s Temple of Kharnak heavily influenced the building’s design. Ultimately, the design was so fantastical, it became more of a financial burden than the Shriners could bear. Shortly before its completion, the Shriners leased their beautiful auditorium to movie mogul William Fox. With Fox’s financial backing (the project cost more than $3 million, the equivalent of nearly $40 million today), the 250,000 square foot Fox Theatre was completed, with the crowning addition of “Mighty Mo”, the 3,622-pipe Möller organ that remains the largest Möller theatre organ in the world even today. The Fox opened on Christmas Day in 1929 to a sold-out crowd, premiering Steamboat Willie, Disney’s first cartoon starring Mickey Mouse.



I loved this little detail at the bottom of the ticket booth, although I have no idea what it’s purpose is.



The exterior entryway:



These side entrances show the original intention of the building:









Contrary to what many think, “Gone with the Wind” did not premiere here in 1939; it was shown at the Loew’s  Grand Theater. Sadly, that theatre burned in 1978 and was replaced by a 1,567,011 square foot skyscraper. Rumors of arson swirled since the Grand couldn’t be torn down due to its historic status; the fire took care of that.

I guess I’ll have to go back to Atlanta again if I want to see the interior. I can only imagine how impressive it must be. See more Fox Theatre in Atlanta photos at my main website.