Upcoming Event!


Lies the Tour Guide Told Me with Tom McGehee
February 12 @ 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Fact or Fiction?
Anyone who has toured historic homes in the United States has no doubt had a tour guide who did not let truth get in the way of a good story. Dentil molding in a hall is a smile greeting visitors. Fireplace mantels were painted black in the early 19th century as a symbol of mourning the death of George Washington. Houses did not have closets in the 18th and 19th centuries due to a tax on rooms. Itinerant portrait painters maintained an inventory of headless canvasses and simply painted the subject’s head on top of them. All of these tales have been told and all are total bunk.
In nearly seven decades of its having been open to the public, visitors have been told some very interesting tales. Jackie Kennedy tried to get some of Mrs. Bellingrath’s china for the White House. A game table is disguised to avoid a luxury tax. There was a special room in the home where Mr. Bellingrath’s nieces had their dates. These are just a few of the tall tales which visitors have heard over the years.
Join Tom McGehee as we explore these “fawbits” (Fictional Accounts without Basis in Truth). We will look at some of the most common as well as those related to tours of the Bellingrath Home in years past.
Plan Your Visit
Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the Gardens and learn something you did know.
- Date: February 12th
- Time: 10:30 AM
- Location: Magnolia Room, Bellingrath Gardens & Home