Andalusia Farm: Georgia Home Of Author Flannery O’Connor

Flannery O'Connor at her home Andalusia Farm

Andalusia is the lyrical name of American author Flannery O’Connor‘s former Georgia estate. The rural farm is located in Baldwin County, Georgia, outside of the town of Milledgeville.

The white plantation house is where O’Connor wrote some of her last and best-known fiction

Andalusia Farm home of Flannery O'Connor

Mary Flannery O’Connor (March 25, 1925 – August 3, 1964) was an American novelist and short story writer.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

She was a famed Southern writer who often wrote in a sardonic Southern Gothic style and relied heavily on the regional settings with which she was familiar.

Andalusia-Farm-Georgia-home-of-Flannery-O'Connor

O’Connor had desired to move away from the South, but when she was diagnosed with lupus, she moved to her mother’s dairy farm in 1951 and lived there until her death in 1964 at the early age of 39.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Established in 1814, Andalusia was originally a cotton plantation until it was purchased by Flannery’s uncle Dr. Bernard Cline in 1931.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

During O’Connor’s time there, the site contained 14 buildings with over 520 acres of land that was used both for dairy and beef farming.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Following O’Connor’s death in 1964, the farm remained in her family until 2003 when it was given to a private foundation to be used as a museum. In August 2017, the site was gifted to O’Connor’s alma mater, Georgia College.

flannery-oconnors-andalusia-farm

Today, Andalusia serves as a museum exhibiting items that illustrate the history of the site during the time which Flannery O’Connor lived on the property. Andalusia is now open for public tours and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

flannery-oconnors-andalusia-farm

Flannery had an unusual hobby of raising and collecting exotic birds. There are many photos of her around the Andalusia property with her beloved birds in tow.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Peacocks were her favorite and she often incorporated images of peacocks into her books.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

There she is on that gorgeous screen-in front porch – the epitome of Southern life.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Let’s have a look inside the main house…

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

The house has been undergoing preservation/restoration work and a number of first floor rooms have already been completed.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

All of the furnishings are original to Flannery’s era at the farm.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

The writer’s daily routine was to attend Mass, write in the morning, then spend the rest of the day recuperating and reading. 

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

O’Connor completed more than two dozen short stories and two novels while suffering from lupus.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Above, she was photographed looking uncomfortable beneath a portrait of her and one of her beloved peacocks.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

The museum has carefully arranged the furniture in the same way it was displayed when Flannery lived in the house.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Many of Flannery’s personal mementos are on display…

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

The kitchen has recently been restored to its vintage state.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Look at that stove!

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

The office room with Flannery’s writings on display:

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Since it was difficult for her to climb stairs, the author slept in a downstairs living room, where she wrote the majority of her published work. Her manual typewriter and her ever-present crutches are on display

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Most of the rooms in the house are still undergoing restoration.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Many of Flannery’s short stories were set in scenery inspired by the farm.

Below are some photos of Andalusia after a powdering of some rare Georgia snow:

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

You can see how such an enchanted place captured the imagination of the attuned author.

Flannery O'Connor's Andalusia Farm in Georgia

Although Flannery died an untimely death due to disease, her beloved Andalusia farm lives on.

 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalusia_(Milledgeville,_Georgia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flannery_O’Connor

https://www.visitmilledgeville.org/listings/andalusia-farm%3A-home-of-flannery-o%E2%80%99connor/299/

http://andalusiafarm.org/

https://www.facebook.com/Andalusiafarmpage/?ref=page_internal

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