Discover Middle Georgia: The Cannonball House

MACON, Georgia. (41NBC/WMGT) – During the heart of the Civil War, Macon residents were impacted as the Union army unsuccessfully tried to take over Macon. One of the lasting imprints of the unsuccessful battle resides on Mulberry Street. In July of 1864, the Cannonball House was struck by a cannonball that was shot across the Ocmulgee River from East Macon. As the projectile hit the house, it actually tore through the house and went into the parlor.

Today, the parlors are decorated and furnished with items from the Adelphean and Philomathean Societies. Both societies, founded at Wesleyan College in 1851 and 1852, respectively, strove to maintain the elegance of the home through use of tall mirrors, lots of marble, and several antiques scattered throughout the first floor.

Towards the back of the house on the second story was another bedroom and former outdoor space. This old roof was converted into another room, and that is where the present day Civil War Museum is housed. In this room, there are plenty of artifacts specific to Middle Georgia. From the stars and bars to military uniforms, this space has it all.

The Cannonball House is open to the public Monday through Saturday. Forty-five minute long guided tours are offered daily beginning at 10 am with the last tour starting at 3:30. Tickets can be purchased online or at the historic site where the cost of admission is eight dollars for adults and four dollars for students.