Completed in 1859, the 18,000 square foot, 24 room Hay House was the most opulent of the mansions built in Macon before the Civil War. William B. Johnston included indoor bathrooms, hot and cold running water, central heat and many other features that were only then becoming popular. The four story mansion, which has a three story cupola on top, is built in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, quite different from the Greek Revival style that was common on mansions in the South before the Civil War.

The Johnson family occupied the home until 1926, when William Johnson's daughter, Mary Ellen, and her husband William Felton sold the home to Parks Lee Hays, a local banker. The Hay family owned the home until 1962, when it was converted into a museum. In 1977 the home was donated to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, which runs the home as a museum, education and cultural event center, and tourist attraction.

Inside, the home is a beauty to behold. There are wonderful pieces of art, period pieces of furniture, and stained-glass windows. If you are traveling to visit Hay House, be sure to call first, as the home is occasionally rented for weddings and other events.

Location: Near the intersection of Spring St. and Georgia Ave, Macon, Georgia
Directions: Take I-75 to I-16, then east on I-16 to Exit 1a (US 129/Spring St). Go south across the Ocmulgee River. When US 129 turns left, continue on Spring Street to Georgia Avenue. Hay House is on the right.
Additional information:
Adddress-
934 Georgia Av.
Macon, GA 31201
Phone:478.742.8155
Date added: November 16, 2003
Last update: September 6, 2006