Atlanta held many surprises for my cousins and I, not the least of which was the Atlanta Historic Center.  What an amazing job the local community has done with preserving the pre-civil war era.  Above is a log cabin that was used to house the slaves of the farm. There was a working fireplace for warmth and a loft accessed by the ladder for sleeping.  The farmhouse was a few yards away, with a kitchen separate from the house for safety.  They actually had a small vegetable garden where the docents shared the work and the produce. We met a couple of gentlemen on the front porch of the farmhouse, who did an excellent job of recreating the music, costumes and feelings of the locals during the 1860’s.  We learned that there was genuine fear among those of Atlanta at the time, as they were rumored to be targeted for mass destruction by the North.  It did come to pass that Atlanta was burned to the ground for the most part.  These buildings were moved to the site from outlying areas.  Below are pictures of the “Swan House”, which was more of a plantation.  The hand carved fireplace mantel and bookcases reminded us of our Mamou’s house, filled with antiques and beautiful paintings.  It brought back memories of gathering there for holidays. We cousins felt blessed to have known our grandmother, and to witness first hand a lifestyle that has vanished as we move toward automating everything.