Church Mansions of Druid Hills

If you are driving 30 down this curvy stretch of mansion-lined Ponce de Leon, they look are peas in a pod. Individually these century old mansions are extraordinary. They predate all but the earliest Buckhead estates.


Four Ponce de Leon Mansions have churches. Or do the churches have mansions?

This 1916 Candler Mansion is now St. John Chrysostom Melkite Church. Who was the architect? How many Candler mansions are there anyway? This is probably my favorite. See the big picture for a definition of high-style gorgious.


This is Pinebloom Mansion by Walter T. Downing, built in 1914 for Preston S. Arkwright, president of Georgia Railway & Power Company. The church is now home to Jackson Hill Baptist Church and Veritas Church. The Baptist Hour radio program was broadcast from the attic studio beginning in 1941. Click here for close up of Pinebloom.


Did you know we have a mansion named Stonehenge? It was designed in 1914 by Edward Bennett Dougherty for Sam H. Venable one of the largest quarry operators in Stone Mountain.


St0nehenge is now part of St. John's Lutheran Church, the oldest Lutheran church in Atlanta.


(Mental note: I can't find a summery for Edward Bennett Dougherty, so here is a tentative list of his designs: First Church of Christ Scientist [with Arthur Neal Robinson}, Home Park, Lee Street, Fair Street, Crew Street, Forrest Avenue, and Highland Park Schools)

I don't know for sure about this last connection. Druid Hills Methodist Church itself is by Ivey and Crook. That's good enough in by itself.




Next door is Green Gables, at least that's what I'm calling it. It's for rent.


I hope the learn more and perhaps visit these some day. Digging up the details is more than I can handle right now. This post is a place holder for another project.

Thanks,
Terry