Heritage Hall

07/20/2026

A little behind-the-scenes surprise from Heritage Hall…

Visitors to the nursery don’t get to peek inside the books, but this copy of Harper’s Fourth Reader holds a fun surprise. A student wrote a note to a friend in 1910 complaining that “the words are too hard.”

Were they talking about the reading? The lesson? We’ll never know—but with Morgan County students heading back to school in just a few weeks, we have a feeling they’ll understand the sentiment.

Some things never change… and sometimes the best stories are hidden between the pages.

07/15/2026

A visit to our local historic cemetery adds another chapter to the stories you’ll hear at Heritage Hall.

Beneath this obelisk rests Dr. Elijah Evans Jones (1795–1876), an influential citizen in 19th-century Morgan County, and the owner of Heritage Hall from 1830 until his passing. We’ve also included the portrait of Dr. Jones that currently hangs inside the house built nearly two centuries ago.

After arriving in Morgan County in 1815, Elijah married Elizabeth Johnston in 1816, was practicing medicine by 1819 and in 1830 purchased the four-acre property that would become Heritage Hall from his brother-in-law, Dr. William Johnston. He went on to serve in the Georgia General Assembly, the Georgia State Senate, the Morgan County Inferior Court, and served on the board of directors for the Georgia Railroad from 1838 until his death in 1876!

Ever have a train named after you? Dr. Jones did! In 1859 the Georgia Railroad named a new Baldwin 4-4-0 locomotive in his honor: the E. E. Jones. While no known photograph of that locomotive survives, we’ve included an image of a similar 1850s Baldwin 4-4-0 from the Digital Library of Georgia to give you an idea of what it may have looked like.

From the portrait that welcomes visitors at Heritage Hall to the monument that marks his final resting place, Dr. Jones’s legacy is still woven throughout Madison. Come discover his story with us!

07/14/2026

“I cannot accord to woman, the angel’s heart, without the angel’s intellect.”

In 1854, Rev. Joseph Cross shared these words with graduates during the annual commencement of the Georgia Female College in Madison.

Organized in 1849 and incorporated by the Georgia legislature in 1850 as the Madison Collegiate Institute, the school reflected Georgia’s growing commitment to women’s higher education, following institutions such as Wesleyan College in Macon and Southern Female College in LaGrange.

Located in two buildings on South Main Street, the college offered instruction in philosophy, history, botany, music, languages, and other subjects. During its early years, Dr. Elijah E. Jones, a member of Madison First Baptist Church, served as President of the Board of Trustees.

Soon afterward, the Methodist Church established Madison Female College. Both institutions flourished into the 1860s until the Civil War disrupted their operations, and their buildings were used in support of the Confederate war effort, including as hospitals.

Today, Heritage Hall preserves two Georgia Female College diplomas: one awarded in 1851 to Mary Della Peek, later the wife of Dr. Elijah Cornelius Jones, and another awarded in 1860 to Anna E. Powell.

Visit Heritage Hall to see these remarkable pieces of Madison’s educational history in person.

07/13/2026

We share this post with a heavy heart and send our condolences to all who knew and loved Woody. We are so grateful for all of his contributions to our community, and believe that his story will be one of the ones we remember fondly and often.

Celebrate the life of Marshall Williams and join others in sharing memories, stories, and condolences.

07/08/2026

Did you know these colorful globes once marked the location of an apothecary or pharmacy? 🟢🔴🟢🔴

Show globes, also called apothecary globes, were used from the 17th to the 20th century as eye-catching drugstore symbols that became easily recognizable for the illiterate. First appearing in England in the 1550s, they were adopted by chemists and apothecaries and hung outside their shops. They arrived in the United States in the late 1700s, became especially popular in the 19th century, and gradually disappeared as literacy rates improved and electricity became widespread.

Heritage Hall has its very own pair! Likely dating to the early 1900s, these teardrop-shaped show globes contain red and green liquid and reflect the Art Deco style that became popular in later designs.

Visit Heritage Hall to see these fascinating artifacts in person and explore more fascinating pieces of medical history!

07/06/2026

Sometimes the sweetest surprises are waiting when you pull into work!

When I arrived at Rogers House and Rose Cottage this morning, I was greeted by a peach tree absolutely bursting with beautiful, ripe fruit. The only thing better than the view was the smell—it’s a shame this post isn’t scratch and sniff!

Thankfully, we have a wonderful local cookbook for sale at Heritage Hall, so I know exactly what this harvest is destined for.

We’re closed on Mondays, but we’d love to welcome you Tuesday through Sunday! Come visit our historic homes this summer. It won’t just be our amazing docents offering you a warm Southern welcome—our peach tree is putting on quite a show, too. 🍑

07/04/2026

Two hundred and fifty years ago, a nation was born. Today, we’re reminded that preserving America’s story begins right here at home.

In Morgan County, we’re blessed to care for places that connect us to our past and inspire future generations to appreciate the people and stories that shaped our community and our country.

As we celebrate Independence Day, may we honor our history, cherish our heritage, and continue sharing it for years to come.

Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

06/30/2026

Our Doctor's Garden is looking beautiful, and we have so many people to thank for making it possible!

A heartfelt thank you to Sarah Sutton and Donald Smith for the time, care, and dedication they pour into our courtyard garden. Their hard work has created a space we are truly proud to share with our visitors.

We're also incredibly grateful to the Sarah Baldwin Harris and J.D. Harris Foundation, Inc. for their generous grant, which makes it possible for us to maintain this special garden. Thanks to their support, guests can explore the plants and learn about their medicinal uses through our garden brochure.

The next time you visit Heritage Hall, be sure to spend a few moments in the courtyard—you might just discover a new appreciation for the healing plants of the 19th century!

06/20/2026

It’s a beautiful Saturday and our historic homes are waiting for you!

Tours at Rogers House and Rose Cottage begin at 10:00 a.m., and Heritage Hall opens at 11:00 a.m. Tours start at the top of each hour, with the last tour beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Join us and learn from our amazing docents about these historic homes, the people who lived in them, and the stories that helped shape our community. We promise you’ll walk away with a greater appreciation for our shared history.

We’d love to have you here!

06/19/2026

Today was a wonderful reminder of why we do what we do.

When two ladies called hoping to tour Heritage Hall, I had to let them know we were closed in observance of Juneteenth. Since I happened to be here, though, I was happy to open the doors and share our beautiful home with them.

When they arrived, they surprised me with this gorgeous pastry from our local Patisserie On Main as a thank you. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and they were delighted to experience Heritage Hall.

Moments like these remind us that preserving history is really about people—the connections, conversations, and shared appreciation for the stories of the past.

(And no, we don’t do it for the pastries… but we certainly won’t turn them down! 😉)