Georgia College opens new Andalusia Interpretive Center

Apr. 2—The legacy of 20th century southern gothic author Flannery O'Connor will live on thanks to the efforts of personnel at Georgia College & State University and the rest of the state. Led by GCSU president Cathy Cox and descendants of the O'Connor family, the ceremonial ribbon was cut on March 24 (the eve of what would have been Flannery's 98th birthday) at the Andalusia Interpretive Center off U.S. Highway 441 in northern Milledgeville.

The grounds of Andalusia are in the midst of new development as a National Historic Landmark. This interpretive center contains exhibitions and collections from O'Connor and her era in history.

The March 24 gathering was a long time coming, for ground was broken on the site in 2021. Cox said she kind of "showed up" as college president after all the hard work was done.

Andalusia is the historic farm and home of Flannery O'Connor, a graduate of the Georgia State College for Women (now GCSU). Cox said it was one year ago that the U.S. Park Service and Department of the Interior deemed the property with landmark status. That protects the site and helps in its promotion worldwide.

"That is surely consistent with the worldwide interest that continues in the writings of Flannery O'Connor," said Cox.

"They all played a pivotal role in helping the university to acquire these beautiful surrounding properties and to begin the additional restoration of the farmhouse and to envision this interpretive center," she said about the guests from local municipalities plus college faculty and foundation board members. She added her predecessor as college president, Dr. Steve Dorman, was closely involved in the work and was sure to be proud to see this day arrive.

"They have agonized over all the details to make this such an incredible addition to the Georgia College campus and an important tool for introducing guests who will visit this property for years to come and learn more about Andalusia and the writings of Flannery O'Connor.

"The Georgia General Assembly generously funded this project. I want to say a special word of thanks to former [state] Sen. Johnny Grant, who was working in governmental affairs for Georgia College as we started this project. He was instrumental in helping secure that funding, as was [state] Sen. Rick Williams, who was serving as a House member at the time and shepherded this project through the legislature."

She said the Board of Regents put its weight behind the project as well.

"The possibilities this Interpretive Center bring to us are truly limitless."

Cox recognized Louise Florencourt, Flannery's cousin, as a major supporter of the project who could not be at the ceremony (a friend, Susan Fenwick, was wearing Lousie's hat in the audience). Frances Florencourt, another cousin, was among the speakers who visited from Massachusetts.

"This is a day of joy," she said, stating that aspiring writers can join in that joy as they work their way towards success. She mentioned her "Uncle Bernie," without whom there would be no Andalusia. She said he provided for his whole family from brothers and sisters to nieces and nephews.

"He provided us with wonderful summers of fun on the farm that will remain full of life in our memories," said Frances. "I hope someday there will be an exhibit of the home movies made. You will see the happiest children in the world."

She said another sister, Margaret, and her husband Bob inherited Andalusia from Flannery's mother Regina looked to the future and set up the Andalusia Foundation.

"(Mary Flannery O'Connor) saw the darkness in the world and wrote about it," said Frances. "With a hope that we would grow, see the light and change for the better.

"She said, 'All human nature resists grace because grace changes us. And change is painful.'"

Frances closed by bringing up the upcoming movie "Wildcat" directed and produced by Ethan Hawke, whose daughter will play Flannery alongside Laura Linney playing Regina.

Frances' nephew Robert Mann said the land was purchased in 1933 at an estate sale and named "Sorrel Farm" for the horses that would grow there. There would be a dairy on the property and an underground irrigation system.

"In the '30s, Flannery and her mother along with her cousins visited the farm as children from the family home in Savannah to spend their summers here," said Mann. "There were many birthday parties."

He said when Regina inherited the farm along with Lewis Kline in 1947, they expanded the dairy pastures 200 acres. Lewis lived in Atlanta while Regina lived in Milledgeville running the farm.

"In the '50s, Regina was a successful and respected Baldwin County businesswoman," said Mann. "There being no glass ceilings even that soon in Georgia.

"On a late 1940s bus ride, Flannery met a descendant of the earlier farm owners, who mentioned the original estate name was Andalusia after the historic province in southern Spain. Flannery liked the name and adopted it for the farm."

An aviary Flannery kept is still on the property, Mann said, and the birds figure prominently in her work.

"Through family efforts, the Andalusia Farm was nominated in 1980 for the National Register of Historic Places," he said. "In addition to being Flannery's home during most of her productive years, Andalusia was the inspiration and setting for many of her short stories."

GCSU received the gift of Andalusia in 2017.

"The Interpretive Center will be the starting point for public tours and unburden the main house of exhibition and research rooms, a gift shop and museum staff offices," said Mann. "The Center will allow the college to further restore the house to historical correctness. Her unorthodox combination of religious themes and life experiences continues to influence American writers and artists well outside the southern writer sphere of influence."

That includes, Mann said, Bruce Springsteen.

Matt Davis, GCSU director of historic museums, said they have been able to learn about the Andalusia land dating back to prehistoric times, including discovery of Muskogee settlement and when the property was settled through the Wilkinson land grant after 1814.

"Since 2017, GCSU has been honored to be the steward of this very important property," said Davis. "With a great deal of partnerships ... we have accomplished a great deal up to this point. We have done a full cataloging of the collections of artifacts associated with this site, which never appears before to have been done. We have done and developed a full conservation and restoration plan that we will continue to implement in the coming years to full restore the site back to the period Flannery and her mother knew it."

There is more to come.

"Ultimately it is my goal to get accreditation through the American Alliance of Museums and become, like the Governor's Mansion is, affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution," said Davis.