To a lover of literature, no museum visit can compare to stepping into the living spaces once occupied by a revered author. Here, we see the writing desk at which Frederick Douglass composed many of his most influential works; there, we wander the garden that inspired Eudora Welty’s florid prose. The South is rich with historic homes where the ghosts of literary lions continue to prowl. Here are seven highlights.
Key West, Florida
Although Elizabeth Bishop led an itinerant life from Nova Scotia to Brazil, she did not sit down to compose (and recompose!) her fastidious poems until she moved into 624 White Street in Key West’s historic district. The Bishop home, which will reopen after extensive renovations in fall 2024, will showcase a variety of exhibits dedicated to the poet’s work and cultural influences.
Washington, D.C.
Frederick Douglass lived his last seventeen years at Cedar Hill, his mansion in Washington, D.C., now a National Historic Site that offers daily guided tours and several special events throughout the year. In addition to touring the Douglass home, every aspiring author will want to survey the reconstructed “Growlery,” the single stone-walled room, replete with a fireplace, that Douglass had built in the spirit of Charles Dickens as his study and writing shed.
Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum
Montgomery, Alabama
Though the incendiary couple wandered the world, igniting cultural fireworks and laying ashes in their wake, the Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald Museum is the only museum solely dedicated to their legacy, set inside the house where the couple lived in the early 1930s. Located in Montgomery’s Old Cloverdale neighborhood, it sponsors literary contests, presents renowned writers, and holds Jazz Age–themed events throughout the year.
The Alex Haley House Museum and Interpretive Center
Henning, Tennessee
This Tennessee Historic Site celebrates the life of the groundbreaking genealogist and author, displaying his archives, artifacts from his work, and special exhibits. Visitors can even explore their personal genealogy with the assistance of volunteer experts.
Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Museum and Andalusia Farm
Savannah and Milledgeville, Georgia
The Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Museum has been faithfully restored with Depression-era furnishings that reflect the celebrated author’s formative environment on 207 E. Charlton Street in Savannah. The Peacock Guild here is home to local writers who present readings in addition to monthly storytimes and other events. As an adult, O’Connor composed most of her stories at Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville, where she lived from 1951 to 1964. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Andalusia offers docent-led tours Tuesday through Saturday.
Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center
Kyle, Texas
The Katherine Anne Porter Literary Center, a National Literary Landmark, offers tours of the author’s early residence and insights into her intellectual perseverance in the face of her hardscrabble upbringing. An impressive roster of visiting poets, novelists, and writers reads throughout the year in conjunction with Texas State University’s Department of English, among other sponsors. Members of the Katherine Anne Porter Society are available on-site to answer questions.
Jackson, Mississippi
Eudora Welty lived in her 1925 Tudor Revival home for seventy-six years. House and museum tours (reservations required) take visitors along a fascinating journey into the Pulitzer Prize–winning author’s musings, skillset, and lifestyle. A devoted gardener, Welty referenced more than 150 plant varieties in her prose, many of which appear in the perpetually blooming garden originally designed by the author’s mother.
Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities
Southern Pines, North Carolina
Novelist James Boyd and his wife, Katherine Lamont Boyd, founded the Weymouth Center as a community offering for literary and cultural experiences. Set on their equestrian estate, the Boyd House hosts ongoing writer’s residencies and is home to the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame. In addition to frequent literary events, musical performances are scheduled monthly.
Beaufort, South Carolina
Although the building that houses the Pat Conroy Literary Center wasn’t the Lowcountry writer’s actual home, the center honors all things Conroy with regular readings, including open mic nights. The center also sponsors a Writer’s Residency and the Pat Conroy Future Educator Scholarship for high school seniors interested in education. Each fall, the Pat Conroy Literary Festival features author panels, writer’s workshops, and celebrations of the Lowcountry, the coastal region that inspired so many of Conroy’s works.
