Gone with the Wind in Marietta

Fifteen miles to the Northwest of Atlanta and South of the North Georgia mountains, you’ll find the town of Marietta.  Founded in 1834, one hundred and seventy-six years ago, the town enables travelers to take a look at the Civil War and the Confederacy through a number of sites, such as the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, the Marietta Museum of History, and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.  However, a quick check of the area will show any prospective visitor that Marietta is also the home of a number of amusement theme parks, such as Six Flags White Water and American Adventures Park and Mountasia Family Funcenter.  For classic movie lovers, though, one of the most interesting places to see in Marietta must be the Gone with the Wind Museum.

Most people have seen the film, Gone with the Wind, and some have even read the Margaret Mitchell novel.  James Cameron’s Avatar may now be the record holder for the most money ever made by a film (somewhere in the range of two billion and climbing, at the time of this writing); however, Gone with the Wind still holds the record for the most tickets sold; in a time of inflation and recession, isn’t that a more reliable method of determining the success or popularity of any given film?  In 2003, the Gone with the Wind Museum was established to give people a place to celebrate this beloved work of fiction.  It features primarily the collection of one man, Dr. Chris Sullivan.

Sullivan saw the film when he was in sixth grade and from that moment on he began collecting artifacts, such as a 1936 printing of the book signed by the author.  He’s collection hundreds of items related to the film and book, including the bengaline gown that Vivien Leigh wore as Scarlett O’Hara.  Sullivan decided to display his collection in order to share the items with the rest of the world.  The museum draws in international patronage, with visitors from all fifty states and forty-one countries finding their way to the museum.  In the last seven years, the passion of this endocrinologist from Akron, Ohio, has given the fans of one of the great movies of the twentieth century a place to call home.  To experience it yourself, come to Marietta, stay a few days and see all that the town offers.  For the best places to stay, click here.

Related posts:

  1. The Natural History Museum of Mauritius Island
  2. Culture in Jakarta

Tags: , ,

Monday, February 8th, 2010 Entertainment, Travel

No comments yet.

Leave a comment