Atlanta’s Margaret Mitchell House reopens to the public

ATLANTA - After an extended closure during which it was renovated and reimagined by historians, Atlanta’s Margaret Mitchell House is back open to visitors.

Atlanta History Center Midtown, which includes the former home of "Gone With the Wind" author Margaret Mitchell, reopens today with a new exhibit inside called "Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and American Memory." According to History Center leaders, the exhibit aims to place Mitchell’s iconic work into context, examining the author’s Atlanta upbringing — which undoubtedly shaped her views and beliefs — and what led her to write the Civil War-themed novel. 

The exhibit also spotlights the complex cultural impact of the book and its blockbuster 1939 film adaptation, which continue to generate controversy for their portrayal of enslaved people and sympathetic view of the Confederate defeat.

Mitchell lived in the building’s Apartment No. 1 (which she called "the Dump") until 1932, just four years before the publication of "Gone With the Wind." To say the book was a success is a vast understatement; it was an immediate sensation and became even more popular thanks to the Oscar-winning film adaptation starring Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. "Telling Stories: Gone With the Wind and American Memory" features several historical artifacts related to the book, including the suitcase used by a MacMillan editor to transport the original manuscript to New York. 

Atlanta History Center Midtown is located at the corner of 10th Street and Peachtree Street in Midtown — for more information on visiting, click here. The Atlanta History Center will also host a panel on July 30, featuring local experts who were involved in the exhibit's creation.