April 7 - Day 22: Thomasville Georgia

Late last night in Panama City, it began to rain. We awoke this morning to solid, pouring rain. The breakfast buffet is worse than sub-optimal, so we just head out. We are leaving the Gulf Shore today for a brief foray into Georgia. Bidding farewell to Panama City, to the Ocean Breeze by the Sea, and most especially, to the Spring Break crowd.

The rain continues for the entire two and a half hour drive to our next site, Pebble Hill Plantation:

Pebble Hill Plantation

Thomasville, Georgia (not the Furniture city - that is in North Carolina) was the southern terminus of the railway line until Florida was opened up in the early 20th century. For the time between the Civil War and the availability of a ride further south, this was the place  that the Barons of Northern Industry flocked to escape the cold winters. It is famed for hunting and other outdoor activities of the 1% of the day. Pebble Hill Plantation had modest roots as mostly a self-sustaining farm, but also a cotton and tobacco plantation (southwestern Georgia was pretty much off the beaten path). In 1896 it was purchased by Thomas Melville Hanna, a Cleveland-based industrialist. He transformed it into a hunting estate. After the main house burned down in 1934, it was rebuilt into a 31,000 square foot mansion, used to entertain visitors. The last owner, having no heirs, endowed the Pebble Hill Foundation to preserve the estate for the enjoyment of all.

We arrived with perfect timing to see a short video, then tour the house. It was raining most of the time we were there, so there were very few other visitors on this day. We had a private tour. We did have to "share" the house with a bridal party that was taking pictures in the mansion prior to the wedding in an unattached structure (lucky Bride to be getting married on such a day). The Mansion is fabulous and well worth seeing. It was also informative: the owners hired a teacher and opened a school for all of the children present on the estate (staff included). All such children were expected to graduate high school and the most promising students were sent to college at the owner's expense.

We finished the tour with a short walk around the grounds, but it was still raining so we got back to the car and headed into town in search of lunch. We found Jonah's where we shared the Broiled Fish Platter. Very tasty! We then checked into our lodgings for the night.

Paxton House 1884

Since 1884, Paxton House has been welcoming guests, and we felt very welcome, indeed. There is a cocktail hour every afternoon, with a fine selection of Bourbon. We stayed in the Peach Suite, which is absolutely lovely. After a short rest in our rooms, we took advantage of the "hour" and had a nicde chat with some sisters visiting from Tampa and Tallahasee.

After cocktails, we walked to the downtown (6 or 8 blocks) for dinner at Liam's. We shared the Hangar Steak (which was a little salty), and the 3 cheese & 3 meat platter. The place is very lively with lots of loud conversation nearby. The food was generally good. We headed back to our Suite to the usual refrain: stuffed again.