Sunday in Marietta with Bluto

1848 House in Marietta

On a Sunday we went to the 1848 House and met my family there, including my sons, sisters, wife, and mother-in-law for a Sunday Brunch. The reason for the family gathering was it was my sister’s birthday party. The 1848 House was, as you may have guessed, built in 1848. It was originally a colonial mansion with a 1300 acre plantation around it. At that time, on that Sunday, it probably still had 30 or 40 or the original acres. It was built by a member of the Glover family. The Glover name is the elite of the elitist of Marietta. This Glover-guy was the first Mayor of Marietta after it incorporated. Another wealthy mayor, Bill Dunaway owned it when we ate there but he sold it recently. Bill was one year ahead of me in school. His father, William Dunaway owned a chain of drugstores over Georgia that he finally took over. He sold them to a larger chain and invested the money in things like the 1848 House. He hired the best chefs, the best interior decorators, and the best landscapers. The place was plush. It was used more for wedding parties and other private events than opened for public business I think. Anna and I had been there several times at different events before that day. The house had been the subject of the Food Channel on several occasions…. And it deserved what ever recognition it got, the food was different and delicious.

The house comes with folklore and possibly ghosts. There is a gunshot on the steps, that happened during the Civil War. Also Bill Dunaway says there is a ghost that roams around and flirts with the female help and if he gets upset he shakes the chandelier.

My father was born in 1913. When he was a teenager The 1848 House was vacant for brief time. It was believed to be haunted then also. One night a group of boys dared Daddy to spend the night. He made an attempt to, but during the night he felt something pulling at his hair. He ran out. The next day he and the boys went back to investigate. Where he reclined were cobwebs behind him. He believed the cobwebs pulled his hair.

Of course, along with the best of food, in the best of settings, it is very pricey. $$$$ - dine today, for tomorrow we may die.

Also the yards, or gardens, were very enjoyable to walk through, with swings, water fountains, statues, and so on.

I rode by there just this past week and noticed there is now a subdivision of upscale houses surrounding the house. Nothing lasts.

The day I type this (7/23/06) I read in the local paper that yesterday the owner of the 1848 House had an auction to get rid of all the fantastic pieces of furniture, and other things. He had closed his 1848 House Restaurant and sold it. I suppose this is appropriate, a Marietta mayor had it built and a Marietta mayor is dismantling it.

That same day Bluto and I went up to the center of Marietta, what we call the Square, the historic part and attended an ice cream party at the Marietta History Museum. They all knew me there – I had bothered them enough trying to get information concerning my family and I also donated some pictures to their collection so the curator gave me a hearty embrace-hug-handshake.

The idea, was to bring out how Marietta was affected by WWII… in the simpler days when they had ice cream fountains and all. It was a way to draw out the free-loaders and maybe get some good feedback, not to mention some new members.

While we were uptown there was some kind of motorcycle meet. People on Harley Hawgs were going around and around. I noticed several riders with an acronym on the back of their helmets. It was something like YTIGAFWYT. I wondered aloud what that meant and Bluto said, “You think I give a fuck what you think?.” He looked over and smiled, he was proud he knew that. He was a man in the know.

I think a person would that would made such a bold statement, even though he carefully avoided using any profanity on his helmet did indeed gave a fuck what you thought, or he would not have gone to so much trouble showing you he didn’t.