21. RHODES MEMORIAL HALL 

or THE GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY (open Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m.-12 m.), 1516 Peachtree St., NW., is the repository for Georgia's official documents and historical collections. A commanding edifice of Stone Mountain granite with massive pillars and pointed turrets, the house was erected in 1900 at a cost of about $1,000,000. Most of the 23 rooms are finished in the ornately handsome manner of the period, each being floored in hardwood with a different design in mahogany. The Rose Room is particularly striking because of its hand-painted ceiling, walls covered with old rose damask, and original draperies and portieres trimmed in handmade lace. Two imported gold-leaf cabinets and three circular glass-topped tables are all part of the original furnishings.

Over the carved mahogany stairway a series of Tiffany stained-glass windows depicts The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy. These windows, costing $40,000, were installed when the house was built by its original owner, A.G. Rhodes, who made a great fortune from his furniture store and from early transactions in Atlanta real estate. The story is told that Rhodes, who had served in the Confederate army, sent the submitted design of the windows back several times to be altered. The panel showing General Robert E. Lee's farewell to his troops was rejected because Lee had his hat on "and he was too much of a gentleman to tell anybody good-bye without taking off his hat." The Battle of Manassas panel irritated Rhodes still more because the Federal troops were not retreating fast enough "and we had those Yankees running till their coattails were standing out."

The historical collection, subdivided into State and county records, is composed of approximately 1,000,000 unbound original documents and 50,000 books and pamphlets. Private papers pertaining to the State and its citizens are also kept on file. Pictorial items in Rhodes Memorial Hall include miniatures, daguerreotypes, paintings, and photographs. The museum displays relics that portray Georgia life from its early days, including furniture, china, battle flags, and weapons. Of particular interest are the long "Joe Brown pikes," named forGeorgia's pugnacious wartime governor and used by Confederate troops in battle.

Among the recent additions is an exact reproduction of the shrine of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The shrine, one of a limited number made in honor of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, was presented to the State by the Davison-Paxon Company, in whose large department store it was unveiled and dedicated January 6, 1938.

The Department of Archives and History was created by legislative act, August 20, 1918, to keep the States official records. Lucian Lamar Knight, author of the popular Georgia and Georgians and other historical works, was the first director of the department and first State historian. The department was housed in the State capítol until 1930; at that time it was moved to Rhodes Memorial Hall, which had been presented to the State by the heirs of A.G. Rhodes. Records are now sent from every State department, and rooms in the house are reserved by various historical organizations for display of their collections.

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