Southern Literary Trail - Paths to Andalusia: Altamont School's Literary Journey through Georgia

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"In yourself right now is all the place you've got," Hazel Motes in Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor.

Students of the Altamont School in Birmingham, Alabama, ventured to the Georgia homes of Flannery O'Connor during their fall break in October 2008 with English teacher Juliet Hemingway. They toured Andalusia Farm in Milledgeville with Director Craig Amason and concluded their journey in Savannah at the Childhome Home of O'Connor with Director Jane Thimmee as their host. Along the way, the students stopped at The Wren's Nest, the home of Joel Chandler Harris in Atlanta, for an introduction to the house where the Uncle Remus stories were written by Harris descendant Lain Shakespeare. The Southern Literary Trail proudly presents this scrapbook page of photos from the tour and the students' comments about the unique places in Georgia they visited:

"At Andalusia Farm, we were all deeply affected by the power of the place and the things that belonged to Miss O'Connor. I was especially touched by the presence of her crutches in the front room, so close to the desk and the typewriter where she worked. They emphasize the physical frailty behind a voice powerful enough to channel 'The Misfit.'"

Altamont Students on the front steps of Andalusia Farm

"Andalusia is important because it preserves the history of a great southern writer for generations to come."

"Andalusia was very much related to the short stories by O'Connor that we read before our trip. Andalusia is a well preserved monument to one of the best writers ever to come out of the South."

"It is interesting to see the land that not only inspired Flannery O'Connor's work but also nurtured her development of it. It is easy to imagine O'Connor here, working and crafting her stories. To enter the surroundings that O'Connor herself was immersed in feels very near to walking right into the middle of one of her stories."


	Overlooking the fields of Andalusia	Andalusia Pond in the background

"In contrast to the urban beauty of Savannah, and her childhood home there, Andalusia is quite rural. I can easily imagine Hazel Motes returning to a far more modest version of the house in the same setting. While I was visiting the house, and seeing where O'Connor wrote many of her stories, I could almost hear her voice or, at least, what I imagine her voice sounded like."

"The beauty of Andalusia, as well as Savannah, is clearly instilled in all of O'Connor's work. Seeing Andalusia allows for the beauty of her writing to be more clearly framed with the beauty of the physical landscape."

"Andalusia was beautiful and well preserved. Being able to walk by the pond or sit on the front porch was an incredible experience. I loved being able to pet Flossy and sit by the pond on the benches to watch the water."


	Enjoying Flannery's front porch at Andalusia	The O'Connor Childhood Home, Savannah	The Wren's Nest, Atlanta

"I was amazed at the fact that Flannery O'Connor's room at Andalusia was largely untouched and the only things missing were her desk and typewriter. It was almost as if I could see her sitting at the window, typing up her next masterpiece."

"The farm at Andalusia was really awesome. The house has been kept in great shape and the whole grounds are very pretty. After reading some of Flannery O'Connor's short stories, it was really cool to see where she wrote them. It was a great way to learn about Flannery's life in a very fun and interesting way."

"O'Connor's home at Andalusia was beautiful. I loved seeing the old barn and just walking around the outside of the house. I especially loved the inside of the house, the light coming in through the windows against the gray walls and the antique furniture."

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