Goodwood Museum Blended Lives

Main House Main House: Built circa 1840. It is recognized as one of the finest antebellum plantation houses ever built in this region. Its significant architecture was recognized as early as the 1850s. The interior still boats the original frescoe ceilings, original three-story mahogany staircase, and eight marble fireplaces. The exterior was remodeled in 1912 and Goodwood took its place among the grand homes of the County Estate Era. The Main House and grounds have been restored to this period.

The Sunken Garden The Sunken Garden: This garden started life as Fanny Tiers’ clay tennis court. After purchasing the property in the mid-1920s, Senator and Mrs. William Hodges converted the court into a rose and cutting garden, leaving the original tennis net stanchions and the enclosing fence in place. They created the formal layout of raised planting beds and installed the fountain at the heart of the garden. Over time, the ever-expanding canopy of live oaks surround the garden have created too much shade for roses. Long-time Goodwood supporter Nelli Bunn provided the momentum and means to transform the space into a beautiful sunken garden that creates a new chapter in Goodwood’s history while maintaining a connection to the past.

The Carriage House

Woodshed Woodshed: A key part of the agricultural operations at Goodwood. This late 19th century building is a reminder that farming was the mainstay of the local economy from the 1820s through the 1940s. At Goodwood, the fields, barns, and barnyards, sheds and other agricultural buildings were behind this structure and the nearby Carriage House What was once the most vital part of this estate is now all gone except for this building.

Cline’s Cabin Cline’s Cabin: Built in the 19th century, this caretaker’s cottage is named for Frank Clines, a servant who we believe lived at Goodwood for almost 40 years. He died in the 1920s and the building has been used primarily as storage since then.

Water Tower   Water Tower: An engineering landmark from 1912 on the site of the 1840s well. Bryan Croom, the founder of Goodwood, had four kinds of water available to him: rain water from roofs captured in cisterns, spring water that flowed from the hillsides around Goodwood, surface water, and ground water from this well. In 1912, when Fanny Tiers added the swimming pool and indoor plumbing, more water pressure was needed, so this water tower was built. Since Goodwood is the highest point in the City of Tallahassee and this is the tallest feature on the property—the top of this building may have been the highest point in Tallahassee when it was new.

Aviary   Aviary: Building in 1925 to house the macaws Senator Hodges brought to Goodwood when he purchased the property from Mrs. Tiers. It also housed monkeys and the occasional peacock over the years.

The Old Kitchen   The Old Kitchen: The building is one of the oldest on the grounds. It served as the original kitchen to the plantation. Cooking in an outbuilding was common practice prior to the Civil War as a way of keeping smells, bugs, other vermin, and the heat generated by cooking away from the Main House. Also, because there was a fire continuously burning in the kitchen, cooking in a separate building minimized the risk of the Main House burning down should the kitchen catch fire. This building became a guest house in 1912 and now serves as the Visitors’ Center. housed monkeys and the occasional peacock over the years.

Rough House    Rough House: Built in 1915, this cottage originally served as the cabana for the pool and was called Camellia Cottage. As the story goes, guests of Goodwood who had enjoyed themselves a little too much at parties were sent to this house to spend the night. Instead of relaxing they often continued to have fun and rough house. It wasn’t long before the servants began calling the cottage the Rough House, a name it has been known by for over 80 years.

The Pool  Pool: Built as a swimming pool in 1912, this is the oldest surviving pool in the region. When it was in operation, it had heated water, a heated deck, a shower stall, diving board and slide. It now serves Goodwood as a reflecting pool.

The Skating Rink