Friday, April 27, 2001
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Friday, April 27, 2001 |
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Progressive Dinner approaches
Lovers of historical architecture will be able to step back in time May 11-12 as the Senoia Historical Society hosts its annual Progressive Dinner. Anyone who has enjoyed this evening in the past won't want to miss it. The Society sells 70 tickets for each night. New this year is the staggering of the starting times. Approximately 35 guests begin at 7 p.m. and the same for 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person and as always, the seats are limited. The evening will begin at the home of Tom McKeehan located at 371 Pylant Street with appetizers. This home, built in 1907 by the R.D. Cole Woodworking Company in Newnan holds the title of the Hand-Johnson-McKeehan home. Many will remember McKeehan's home as he's been so gracious many times in the past to host the evening's entree. This home is a neoclassical example of exterior architecture and its interior design is decorated with McKeehan's chosen treasures that consist of American, French, English, African and Japanese. A fascinating collection of many kinds of beautiful art work will be on display. Nancy and Bill Tyre will open their home located at 10 Standing Rock Road for the soup portion of the dinner. It was built in 1896 as a wedding gift for Annie McLane Davis from Henry McLane, her father and builder. This home is an example of Queen Anne style with a turret, wrap-around porch and corner gazebo. The unique feature of this house is the staircase, which is called "free-hanging." Most staircases are built first story up to the second with the support being at the bottom. Free-hanging staircases are built from the top down with structural support at the second story. This gives much more space under the staircase to be utilized. The house is reputed to have a secret passage and a few ghosts. The secret passage has not been located but the Tyres are known to tell a story or two about the unexplained episodes inside the home. On to salad at the home of Perry Benson and Charles Hunnicutt located at 312 Johnson Street. This home was originally built by the McKnight family and is known in town as the McKnight home. Currently under restoration, it is one of the oldest in Senoia. The home features seven fireplaces, heart pine floors and many rooms, including a "sleeping room" with pocket windows. The property is home to gardens, pools and mature hard woods including an area of century-old pines for which the namesake "Whispering Pines" was founded. The home is furnished with an eclectic collection of European and period American furniture, most of which will be on display and described during the salad portion of this dinner. Many photographs in this collection walk you through time with the Benson family. Entrees will be at the home of Bill and Claudia Wood. This home is located at 468 Pylant Street and takes on the title of the Booker-Ballard-Wood house. This charming Victorian cottage with a wide central hall and large country kitchen was restored and remodeled in the early 1990s by Matt and Lisa Ballard. Built near the turn of the century, its original features include 11-foot bead board ceilings with deep crown molding, six fireplaces and heart pine floors. The Woods filled their home with 19th- and 20th-century furniture and collectibles. Both antique and new quilts along with needlework decorate the house. Many family paintings and a collection of handmade pottery certainly will interest their guests for the evening. Dessert will offer a special end to the evening as we get to peak at a work-in-process home. This home is owned by Dominique and Glenda Penot and is located at 207 Bridge Street. It was built in 1904 for Mr Ben Nolan, who owned a printing company along with a general store here in Senoia. The store was located in the downtown area in the building occupied by the Senoia Coffee Company. The Penots purchased it in 1998 after it sat empty for 11 years. He did all of the renovations himself on this 2,200-square-foot home with the exception of the heating and air-conditioning systems. The home has five working fireplaces and nearly all of the wood trim, baseboards, doors and window trim were salvaged and will be reinstalled during the renovation process. All profits go toward the renovation of the Historical Society Home located at the corner of Pylant and Couch Streets. Some of the special features of this 130- year-old house include pocket windows, a large central hallway, original mantels and moldings, and heart pine floors throughout. The society has worked hard with help from volunteers and fundraisers to take on this renovation process. In the years to come the society plans for the home to house a museum home of local artifacts.
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