The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Successful $7 Million Fundraising Campaign

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation announced today the successful completion of its $7 million campaign, the largest fundraising effort in the organization's history. The capital and endowment campaign is funding the restoration and ongoing maintenance of Johnston-Felton-Hay House, the historic house museum in Macon owned and operated by the Trust. To date, the Trust has exceeded its fundraising goal by more than $600,000.

Called "The Palace of the South," Hay House is one of the finest antebellum houses in America. Built between 1855 and 1859 in the then-30-year-old city of Macon, the Italian Renaissance Revival mansion rises seven stories to a height of 80 feet, encompassing 18,000 square feet in two dozen rooms, with technological innovations that did not appear in other American mansions until a decade or more later. For example, Hay House originally featured three bathrooms with tubs and hot and cold running water, a complex ventilation and central heating system, a speaker tube system connecting 15 rooms, and a French lift equivalent to today's elevator.

Original owners Mr. and Mrs. William B. Johnston played a key role in the architectural design and furnishing of their house with decorative arts, paintings, sculpture and furniture, many of which have remained with the house. With a letter of introduction from Secretary of State Daniel Webster, the Johnstons were afforded access to many great houses of Europe on an extended honeymoon from 1852-1855. The two famous New York architects who designed Hay House, Welsh-born Thomas Thomas and his son Griffith, working as T. Thomas and Son, later joined with ten other architects to form the National Institute of Architecture in 1837, which 20 years later became the American Institute of Architects. In 1926, the house was purchased by Parks Lee Hay, Sr., a prominent Macon citizen who turned Bankers Health & Life Insurance Company into one of the largest insurance companies in the South. Mr. Hay moved into the house with his wife Maude and three of his children: Vivian (Bib), Elizabeth (Betty), and P.L., Jr. In 1974, by virtue of its national significance, Hay House was named a National Historic Landmark. In addition, the White House Millennium Council designated Hay House an Official Project of Save America's Treasures in 2000.

The capital campaign is funding the exterior restoration of Hay House, providing a complete restoration of the House's most public rooms on the ground and main floors, and restoring the cupola area. Funds will also be set aside as an endowment to permanently maintain all improvements to the restored interior and exterior of the house and grounds.

"Hay House may be the most advanced American dwelling built in the antebellum period for its style, craftsmanship and technology," said Greg Paxton, president and CEO of The Georgia Trust. "Because of its architectural and historical significance, Hay House is the Trust's crown jewel," Paxton added.

Confirmation of the house's national and international significance is provided by two national grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services for actual restoration of museum-quality features of the house. In addition, The Getty Foundation awarded Hay House an Architectural Conservation grant in 2006. The Getty awards only 15-17 Architectural Conservation grants each year, primarily internationally, including sites last year in Florence and Rome, Italy; Lima, Peru; France; Lithuania; Morocco; Macedonia and Pakistan. Antoine Wilmering, the program officer for the Getty Foundation, said the grants were awarded to places of "highest listing of historical significance. The importance of this house was very clear to the reviewers."

In Georgia, the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, The Peyton Anderson Foundation, The Dorothy V. and N. Logan Lewis Foundation and Williams Family Foundation of Georgia led foundation contributors. The Georgia Trust/Hay House Boards donated $1.65 million and Tom B. Wight, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Anderson II, Hazel and Ben Porter and the Elizabeth Hay McCook Curtis family led individual donors. The chairs of the campaign were Bradley Hale and Bill Matthews, who were actively involved in its success.

Recently completed exterior restoration includes installation of a new copper roof, downspouts and an underground French drainage system, in addition to restoration of the cupola, porches and the house's curved, marble-stepped entranceway, and garden infrastructure of walls, walkways and fountain. Recent interior restoration includes the Hay Reception Room, reconstruction of heart pine flooring on the ground floor, repair of original Minton tile, and restoration of original decorative painting and faux finishes, including wood graining in the cupola. Future plans include restoration of the Dining Room, Living Room and Library, and decorative finishes throughout the house.

Hay House has been owned and operated by the Trust since the P.L. Hay Foundation conveyed the mansion and its contents to the Trust in 1977 to ensure its long-term preservation. Hay House welcomes 20,000 visitors each year and is open to the public Tuesdays-Saturdays 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sundays 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Hay House is open free of charge twice a year for Hay Days, educational family-oriented events with live music, carriage rides, and hands-on activities.

With more than 8,000 members, The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is among the country's largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. Founded in 1973, the Trust is committed to preserving and enhancing Georgia's communities and their diverse historic resources for the education and enjoyment of all.

For more information about Hay House and the Trust, go to http://www.georgiatrust.org or call Katey Brown at 478-741-8155 ext. 19 or Traci Clark at 404-885-7802.