The Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast – Covington, Georgia

The home that served as the inspiration for Twelve Oaks in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind has an amazing history behind it.

A judge from the area, Honorable John Harris, built this home in 1936. His large plantation just outside of Covington was taken over by troops at the beginning of Sherman’s March in 1864. At the Atlanta History Center you can view journal entries of both Harris and Sherman that detail what went on during the thirty days that Sherman and his troops stayed at Harris’ plantation.

The Civil War had ended and the property had exchanged ownership a few times when, for a mere $1000, Robert Franklin Wright purchased the property. He and his wife renamed the home The Cedars. They remodeled the home’s interior while adding a garden behind. Nathaniel S. Turner purchased the home from the Wrights in 1903, adding a second floor, a third floor, and expanding the colonnade.

In 1939, when producers were consulting with set designers for the upcoming movie Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell saw a photo of the home in an Atlanta paper. She sent a clipping to Wilbur Kurtz stating she would like that to be the model for Twelve Oaks.

Twelve Oaks is now a 12,000 square foot bed and breakfast offering guests the opportunity to relax in southern hospitality and charm. There is not only the bed and breakfast; you can also simply tour the mansion and grounds, as well as host special events. Recently registered in the National Register of Historic Places, Twelve Oaks is considered to be an exquisite example of southern antebellum architecture.

A complete renovation was finished in 2012, including all the modern conveniences of today, including Wi-Fi. You’ll enjoy amazing sleeping on Egyptian cotton sheets, lounging comfortably in the plush Turkish robes offered, and enjoying down-home southern cooking for breakfast made with foods that are locally grown and sourced, with dishes that are so beautiful you’ll want to take a photo before you eat. Take a step back in time when you visit Twelve Oaks Bed and Breakfast, located in Covington, Georgia.