Bones House Inn, Inc.
A Georgia Bed and Breakfast
Emails to The Bones House
In 1965, The Dobbins owned the house. My father, Hugh Dobbins, made
the architectural changes to the front, with the wrought iron over
the 2nd floor front windows and the brick, which came from the old
servants quarters in the back that was dilapidated. There was a
pond on the right side of the driveway just past the veranda. This
was a veranda, open like a breezeway. The Flowers family renovated
the interior of the house and I see that the magnificent chandeliers
are missing! I haven't been inside the house since we moved from
Rome and sold the house in 1968-1969. The chandeliers were probably
worth more than the cost of the home, crystal chandeliers from Italy
and a Tiffany in the foyer. I don't know if these were taken out
before the auction when sold to you or if you have had them removed
for resale value. It's quite a shame that the home coming back into
life and restored is missing those important pieces.
You mention previous owners, and I believe you'd be remiss if you
omitted the Dobbins. We were a family of six, Hugh and Hilda Dobbins
and their 4 daughters, Janet Leigh, Deborah Lynn, June Leslie,
Patricia Lorraine. Janet was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall
of Fame, joining legends such as Bobby Jones. She won her first Ga
Women's Golf Tournament at the age of 11. Phenomenal. The veranda
on the front right side of the house, was cool and breezy and our
memories are of competitive, happy ping pong games that went long
into the night.
My father died 3 weeks ago and we have just found out about the
house being restored. He would be so happy to see what is happening
with the old house. We loved it and have always missed its
wonderful spirit.
The Flowers brought the kitchen into state of the art with the
finest of modern day appliances such as the Chamberlain gas/grill
stove and many other features.
My sisters and I have longed to go back inside the house and are
excited that it will be a bed and breakfast that we can visit and
stay sometime next year.
Wish you much success and good luck!
Leslie Dobbins Petersen
Deerfield Beach, Florida
lesliedpetersen@aol.com
Thanks Leslie for sharing your memories of the house.
The chandeliers were missing when we purchased the house. If
you have any pictures of the house, please share them with us and we
will post them to this website. You and your family are always
welcome to come back to visit The Bones House.
I was just at a trade show in Atlanta
for the Home Furnishings Market, which my husband is part of and met
a couple from Rome, who said his father had wanted to purchase the
home before you purchased it. It really hurt my feelings to hear the
comments about the bricks. My father hired an Italian ancestor of
the builders of the home back in 1881 to add the bricks and put them
to good use. It was the sign of the times back in the 60's and
looked Italian Renaissance. My sister and I were fascinated to watch
this expert apply the bricks to the house. My father loved and
cherished this house. We put hours into working on the grounds and
tearing down the servants quarters, to which a little boy who lived
in the neighborhood had come in and destroyed before we moved in. It
could not be saved. My father also had a gas light installed at the
front drive. Lots of love went into this house by my father. When he
chose to leave Rome and go into business for himself in Atlanta, it
was hard to leave the house we loved so dearly. He could not find a
buyer. He ended up selling it to the McPherson's who paid him for 30
years, $35 a month or less to buy the house. In the late 60's,
nobody wanted such a huge home with electric bills that were
enormous. It is a shame that no buyer like yourself, or that my
father, thought of a better way to do as you, and turn it into a bed
and breakfast at the time. We cried when we returned to the house a
few years ago and saw how the owners had let the house deteriorate
and come to find, had stripped the house of all its grandeur. The
veranda was not enclosed when we sold the house. It was open and
beautiful and breezy, so this is something that the last owner did
to the house and not in the original plans. The house was of 18th
century grandeur furnishings, not Victorian.
Sincerely,
Leslie Petersen
When my sisters and I drove to see the
house a few years ago, the grass was a foot tall and the house
falling apart. We knocked at the door and told the owner who we were
and asked permission to go inside and see the house. She would not
let us in. Now we know, the chandeliers were probably gone. My
sister, Janet, gave her her phone number and told her she would like
to purchase the house, we wanted to get it back into our family. My
sister never got a collect call as she had told the owner to please
call. My sister was prepared to give a blank check. So, we're left
with sad memories. My dad should have been as smart as the owners
and just stripped the house and let it be. But, we're not that kind
of people and left that magnificent home in excellent condition.
Leslie Petersen
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