Welcome
to Scarlett O'Hardy's
Gone With the Wind Museum, the pride of Bobbie Hardy whose late husband,
Randy Hardy, was most supportive of her love for the epic and, together,
they amassed an impressive GWTW collection over the past quarter
century. After living in Houston for more than 30 years, the Hardys moved to the
historic riverport town of Jefferson. They were inspired by the spirit of the citizens of
Jefferson, their love of history and their determination to preserve the past.
A Gone With the Wind collection seemed to fit perfectly in this locale, some 30
miles south of Randy's hometown, "the other Atlanta".
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The
museum, which opened in November, 1998, has
welcomed thousands of fans from 49 states (only Hawaii has not been
represented), the Virgin Islands, and Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, England,
Finland, France, Germany,
Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, The
Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland,
Ukraine, and Taiwan.
Visitors enjoy a self-guided tour of the museum filled with more than a dozen antique cabinets displaying
memorabilia. On the walls hang numerous domestic and foreign movie posters, as well as other memorabilia
relating
to the novel and motion picture.
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A one-of-a-kind
Gone With the Wind-themed holiday tree is decorated with dozens
of GWTW ornaments and more than 40 8-inch Madame Alexander dolls. One of the museum's most popular
attractions is a reproduction of Scarlett's green drapery dress, designed by Walter Plunkett and
proclaimed by many to be the most famous costume in movie history.
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A pair of original
seats from Loew's Grand Theatre in Atlanta, site of Gone With the Wind's
1939 world premiere, invites visitors to rest a moment beneath a large medallion
poster featuring Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh as Rhett and Scarlett in their famous "flaming
embrace." Two cases display more than 100 editions of Mitchell's novel, both from the United States and
abroad. A wide variety of GWTW character dolls produced by Madame Alexander and The Franklin Mint delight both
young and old.
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Three large cases are devoted to
author Margaret Mitchell and her 1936 Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller. Among the items on display are a
signed first edition of Gone With the Wind; a letter from Mitchell on her personal stationery;
a Christmas card, with its original envelope, signed "Love, Margaret and John [Marsh],"
and numerous photographs and biographies of the creator of Rhett and Scarlett.
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The museum is home to
dozens of items from the motion picture's original release, including
magazines with GWTW covers, such as Time, Look and Progressive
Farmer ; a Nunnally's "Scarlett Chocolates" candy box; original Atlanta
newspapers featuring coverage of the premiere;
a program from the Atlanta Junior League's Gone With the Wind Ball; wooden nickels, a matchbook,
paint book; a rare movie program featuring Hattie McDaniel as Mammy on the back cover;
an original Hattie McDaniel letter dated January 9, 1940; original
handkerchiefs, scarves, jewelry, perfume bottles and "Scarlett O'Hara"
games.
Six cases devoted to the continuing
phenomenon
of the book and film demonstrate just how much a part of American popular culture the beloved story and its characters have
become. A large glass-front bookcase displays books about the novel, the film and its creators and
stars.
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In addition to the movie's
four main stars, visitors can view the autographs
of Hattie McDaniel, Butterfly McQueen, Ann Rutherford, Evelyn Keyes,
Cammie King,
Rand Brooks, Ward Bond, Fred Crane,
Ona Munson, Mickey Kuhn, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O'Neil, Victor Jory, and
Laura Hope Crews.
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The museum is home to an excellent selection
of foreign editions of the novel. On view are copies from Bulgaria,
Chile, Czechoslovakia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia,
Lebanon, Poland, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia,
as well as more than a dozen editions from Great Britain.
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A reproduction of
Scarlett's burgundy velvet gown worn to Ashley's birthday party is
surrounded by numerous foreign movie posters. One from Australia is stamped "not suitable for
children." The most stunning poster is a rare 1947 Spanish
lithograph by J. M. Arnau, Barcelona, Spain. Other countries represented include
Belgium, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, and Turkey.
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A one-of-a-kind Gone
With the Wind dollhouse, the exterior fashioned after Twelve
Oaks, the Wilkes' plantation, was designed and built by Danny and
Linda Hass.
www.countryartsgallery.com
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Mammy, one of 10
character dolls displayed in the mansion, stands in Scarlett's
bedroom at Tara, and Bonnie is playing in her elaborately decorated
bedroom in the
Atlanta mansion.
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The eight rooms represent
three GWTW houses: the big hall, dining room and
library at Twelve Oaks; the parlor and young Scarlett's bedroom at
Tara; and Rhett's, Scarlett's and Bonnie Blue's bedrooms in the
Atlanta mansion.
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Aunt Pittypat visits in
Tara's parlor, and the beautifully appointed dining room at Twelve
Oaks awaits the "war talk" scene during the barbecue. |
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Admission:
Adults....$3 12 and under....$1
NORMAL BUSINESS
HOURS*
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
10 a.m. - 5 p.m. or by appointment
*Occasionally, due to other
commitments,
this schedule may be modified. If you are
coming to Jefferson specifically to visit
the museum, please call 903-665-1939 in advance.
408 Taylor Street Jefferson, TX 75657
(903) 665-1939
scarlettohardy@sbcglobal.net
©
2000-07 Scarlett O'Hardy. All rights reserved. Page design/hosting
by CreativeWebTools.com
Gone With the Wind, its characters and elements are trademarks of the
Stephens Mitchell Trusts and Turner Entertainment Co.
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