Saturday, February 27, 2016

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

Mercy, how I love that story!
How I love Savannah!
I've always wished that I could live in several places at the same time.
I was born too poor but as Dorothy Parker puts it, "I've never been a millionaire but I just know I'd be darling at it."
 
Savannah is a city that loves its eccentric people.  Not weird, but eccentric in a charming sort of way.  People in Savannah are very friendly,  love life, gossip, and being unique. It is a good city  for being eccentric in a romantic kind of way, that is.
Add to all this the fact that Savannah is probably the most beautiful anywhere and it is a  captivating combination.

Mercer House



Mercer- Williams House, as it has now come to be known,stands at 429 Bull Street on the southwest end of Monterey Square, in Savannah, Georgia.
Built by General Hugh Mercer, CSA (Confederate States of America),great grandfather of the songwriter Johnny Mercer, he never lived in it.
It has a history of sad deaths.
The first when a previous owner fell from a balcony and died, another in 1913 when a boy fell from the rood whilst chasing pigeons and was impaled on the fence posts and then the shooting death of Danny Hansford by Jim Williams in the 1980's. That shooting was part of the story behind Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
I have the story on tapes with  actor Anthony Heald doing all the parts.
Jim Williams
He portrays each character with different voices and accents.  If you get the chance to hear his performance of the book, do so by all means.
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was written by John Berendt and it is a story that catches the imagination and brings Savannah society to life in a very unique way.

Jim Williams, a renowned antique dealer who restored furniture and homes,  shot Danny Hansford , a young associate, in self defense and was tried for that killing 4 times! In the fourth trial he was  found not guilty.

Kevin Spacey as Jim Williams



I do believe the strain of four trials caused the early death of Jim Williams. who died shortly after the ordeal of those trials.

Berendt's book increased tourism by leaps and bounds for Savannah and especially the sites and real people mentioned in the book.







Here is a lovely view of Mercer House from Monterey Square.


Below you see a very bad example of Feng Shui in this walkway. This straight arrow created by this direct front walkway,  pierces the heart of the home and brings bad chi (energy) into the house.
 Is that the cause of the misfortune in the home?
 Feng Shui seems to have a psychological impact on you through your surroundings.
A gently curving path or an interrupted path slows down energy entering the house.



Monterey Square with it's tribute to Brigadier General Casimir Pulaski the father of the American cavalry.
 A Polish nobleman and soldier in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth military and the American Continental Army, he emigrated to the United States to fight in the Revolution. He is one of only 8 people in history awarded honorary citizenship of the country he loved.
He is buried here in Monterey Square.
You might find this information about him extremely interesting!
Monterey Square was featured in Forest Gump in the box of chocolates scene.




The front entrance hall welcomes you in.
Oh that floor!




I have a piano like this, but not in a room like this!   Elegant.




Dinner is served but let someone else clean that gorgeous chandelier!






6 comments:

  1. What an enthralling, intriguing story, and what a lovely garden and interiors you're showing us with this post of yours, my sweetest one !
    Thank you from the deep of my heart, dearest Annie !
    Sending blessings and love to you,
    with sincere gratitude
    Dany

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  2. So beautiful! I've not been to Savannah but I've heard how charming it is. What a sad house that one was. Thank you for the tour. I too love that floor!

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  3. How sad such beautiful places have such tortured pasts.
    The area is lovely...a nice place to visit .
    You have a"good eye" for interesting things to share .
    Have a pleasant day...warm,well,and comfortable,my friend !

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  4. Hi Annie. Loved my visit to Savannah this morning. That city is on my bucket list. A trip to Paula Deen's is too! The book is one of my fave's too! I should re-read it just for old times sake. Happy leaping today! Hugz!

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  5. Annie, I love this post! Will have to revisit it often to "keep me going" until I can actually visit Savannah. It and Charleston have been on my must-see list for decades. Someday ...

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  6. In the Garden of good and Evil is one of my all time favorite books. The movie didn't do it justice, because of the silly love story, but Kevin Spacey was spot on, as I read it in my head. The music still haunts me too.

    xo

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