MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. (41NBC/WMGT) — The Andalusian Farmhouse in Baldwin County is the newest National Historic Landmark in the United States.

This makes Georgia College’s second designation, after Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion which received the same recognition in 1973.

“There are campuses across the country that have National Historic Landmarks, but it’s a rarity in Georgia to have two in a city of our size and capacity,” said Matt Davis, director of museums. history of Georgia College. “It is an achievement of which we can all be very proud.

Andalousy Farm in Milledgeville is the home of American author Mary “Flannery” O’Connor. Her family moved from Savannah to Milledgeville when she was 15. O’Connor graduated from Peabody High School in Milledgeville in 1942, then enrolled at Georgia State College for Women (GSCW), now known as Georgia College. According to Georgia College, O’Connor was the art director and designer of Georgia College’s school newspaper, the Colonnade.

A year after graduating from GSCW, O’Connor attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and later studied journalism at the University of Iowa. In 1950, O’Connor was stricken with lupus and returned to Milledgeville to be with her mother in Andalusia. From 1951 until his death in 1964, O’Connor would complete most of his work, which totaled two novels, 32 short stories and more than 100 literary reviews.

According to Georgia College, Andalusia and its surroundings would serve as inspiration for the places or characters in his works. The farm remained in the O’Connor family from 1964 until 2003, when it was turned over to a private foundation for use as a museum. In August 2017, the site was offered to Georgia College.

Andalucia was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. In 2019, it was named a “Distinctive Destination” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. After more than 12 years of preparatory work, the first step towards Andalucia becoming a National Historic Landmark took place on September 2, 2020, when Georgia College approached the National Historic Landmark Advisory Committee.

Following approval by the National Historic Landmarks Committee, consideration of Andalucia Farm as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) was submitted to the National Parks System Advisory Board on September 17, 2020, for review and approval. . The board of directors recommended the designation of Andalucía Farm as an NHL. He was then sent to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who designated him NHL on January 27, 2022.

“We are very pleased that Flannery O’Connor’s home has garnered national attention with this honor,” said Georgia College President Cathy Cox. “A remarkable figure in the literary world, his creative works continue to impact many of our students and budding authors around the world. We are honored to be able to preserve this essential part of Flannery’s legacy here at Georgia College.

Andalusia is open to public visits. For more information, Click here.