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Leslie Thomas, left, describes items displayed in the Tabor House Museum’s Native American room.
It’s the oldest standing house in Ellijay and the only museum in Gilmer County.
Those are among the attributes of the Tabor House Museum, which is located in an 1870s Victorian-era house manned by members of the Gilmer Historical Society.
Now in its 17th year, the museum continues to amass and display a trove of historical artifacts, photos, mementoes and other items that reflect different facets of local history.
“We’ve had a lot of local people say they didn’t even know that we had a museum here,” said Leslie Thomas, historical society president. “This year, we’ve actually had a lot more locals coming in, and they’re bringing visitors who are from out of town. They looked up what there is to do online and wanted to see the museum.”
Now owned by the county, the house was once home to members of the Tabor family. Thomas said it was actually built by early Ellijay physician Dr. Edward Watkins, who sold it to Thomas Harley “T.H.” Tabor.
“Supposedly, Dr. Watkins built the house, but didn’t like the way it came out, so he sold it,” said Thomas.
T.H. Tabor, who held a number of local government posts including judge and county ordinary, was also an editor for local newspaper the Ellijay Courier. Some of his writing for the newspaper was compiled in a handbook, “Interesting Historical Facts About Gilmer County,” which the Times-Courier published in 1975, as a way of recognizing its centennial year of publication.
“The handbook is still floating around in places,” said Thomas.
As the city of Ellijay built up over the years, some of its historic homes like the Perry House, which once stood in walking distance of the Tabor House, fell to the wrecking ball. Luckily, the Tabor House, has been able to avoid that fate.
Today, visiting the museum that now occupies the two-story house offers somewhat of a trip back in time. A historical piece in itself, the house, with its creaky floorboards and vintage trimmings, still retains some of the aura of the early 1900s.
Its exhibits include an old-timey southern kitchen with a wood stove and a children’s bedroom decorated as it might have have been when the home was once used as a boarding house. Other attractions include a Native American history room, a Civil War room and a veterans room with uniforms and other military memorabilia from the past century.
The museum closes for the winter months, and new items and displays are usually added each December through March.
“We’re working on putting some stuff away and setting up some new displays right now. We’ve got a lot of people telling us they’re going to be bringing us new items,” said Thomas.
Legend has it that the Tabor House also has a few ghostly inhabitants. One of them, known only as Jeffrey, is thought to have been a Civil War soldier whose body is buried in the historic city cemetery on a hilltop behind the house.
“He shows up every once in awhile, usually if somebody says they don’t believe in ghosts,” said Thomas. “One of our volunteers also saw a little girl at the top of the stairs (once), but we still haven’t found out what her name is.”
The house has even been a place of interest for a few paranormal research groups, Thomas said.
“There’s a new group, and we (hope) to have them come next year,” she added.
A successful new program at the museum is an open house at which volunteer staff members give tours and greet visitors in period dress.
“Everybody dresses in regalia or costumes of the different time periods, and we have people (giving tours) in each of the rooms. It’s pretty interesting,” Thomas said. “It’s for anybody who wants to come. There’s a $5 donation asked, which is a fundraiser for the museum.”
The museum started out hosting only one open house around Christmastime. A summer open house was added to the itinerary this year, and that event, along with the Christmas open house, will also be held in 2024, Thomas said.
“We had it in June this year, and we’re going to have it in May (next year),” she added.
The museum, located behind the Gilmer County Courthouse at 138 Spring Street, is open only on Thursdays and Fridays, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., and on limited Saturdays. Group tours can be arranged in advance by calling 706-276-1861. It’s free to visit (except for the open houses), but donations are accepted to help the historical society continue operating the museum.
“We try to be open on Saturdays, but it depends on whether or not we have enough volunteers. We try to put a sign on the door if we’re closed,” Thomas said. “We’d love to have new volunteers. They don’t really have to know any history of the area. It’s a learn as you go type situation.”