Savannah Terrors

13. Owens-Thomas House

Savannah, GA

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The Owens-Thomas House is a historic home serving as a museum operated by the Telfair Museum of Art. The house, designed by famous early 19-th century English architect William Jay, and was built between 1816-1819 and stood as an architectural marvel in the south. It was built for Richard Richardson, a cotton merchant and banker. Today, architectural historians consider the house to be one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture. Richardson lost his fortune and his house in 1820, and the house became a boarding house, once hosting the French Revolutionary hero Marquis de Lafayette. If you walk inside to the slave quarters, you will see an untouched painted ceiling in the color of what they called "Haint Blue." The slaves believed that this color kept evil spirits from crossing over and repelled the dead. Some say that this room remains ghost free. Did the slaves know something the others didn't? Many believe that the property is haunted by the ghost of Margaret Thomas, who was very fond of her garden in life, and is often seen walking through and tending her garden in the afterlife. She is also seen looking out the parlor's window. A man dressed in early 19th century clothing is ocassionally seen in the front parlors watching visitors, when he walks through the wall that was once open and led to a guest room. Furniture and objects move on their own. The Owens-Thomas house is a historic and architectural marvel, and you may get lucky enough to witness one of its former residents.