In 1838, Archibald and Anne Smith left their home in coastal Georgia and, along with five other families, became founding citizens of the tiny community of Roswell, located on what was then the Georgia frontier. In 1845 they constructed their plantation-plain style home and outbuildings on land approximately 1 mile from the town square.
In 1985, the Smith Plantation was sold to the City of Roswell by Josephine and James Skinner, the Smith family heirs. The sale provided Mr. & Mrs. Skinner with life rights to the house and surrounding area. The remainder of the real property was used to build the City of Roswell municipal complex. Furnishing and artifacts remained the property of Mr. and Mrs. Skinner and their heirs until 2004, when they were then purchased by the City of Roswell. The site is operated by the City of Roswell, Department of Recreation & Parks, Historic & Cultural Affairs Division.
Today, the Smith Plantation site includes approximately eight acres and 10 original out buildings, including the Cook House, Corn Crib, Covered Well, Servants House, Carriage House, Spring House, and Barn. Other buildings existed on the site, including a Smoke House.
The artifacts on the site belonged to three generations of the Smith family who lived on the site. The wide range of objects and time periods represented by the collection make it a valuable resource for educational programs and study, and contribute to the site's significance as one of the best examples of architectural, cultural, and historical interpretation found in the region.
The mission of the Smith Plantation is to conserve and communicated the multi-generational history of the site and its residents through the preservation, interpretation and promotion of the property and collections.
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