Gordon-Lee Mansion
The Gordon-Lee Mansion is located in Chickamauga, Georgia and was originally referred to as the Gordon residence. The house’s construction began in 1840 and wasn’t completed until 1847 due to labor and financial issues.[1]
Just before the Battle of Chickamauga the home was used by the Union army as the headquarters of General Rosecrans. During the battle it was used as a federal hospital for soldiers. The mansion is the only remaining structure from the Battle of Chickamauga.[1] As it stands now the home is owned by the city of Chickamauga and is a national historic site. The Gordon-Lee Mansion has now been turned into a Wedding venue and is open for tours during spring and summer.
History
The mansion property was bought by James Gordon after the removal of the Cherokee in 1836. Mr. James Gordon previously built the Gordon Mill, which served as the first general store in Walker County. With the success of the mill Mr. James Gordon wanted to build a permanent estate and construction began in 1840, but due to labor and financial problems it wasn’t completed until 1847.
During the Civil War the home was used as Union headquarters for General William S. Rosecrans just before the Battle of Chickamauga. [2] During and after the battle the mansion was turned into a hospital. Wagons were backed up under the windows of the house so the decapitated limbs of soldiers could be tossed out and disposed of more easily. The floors were so covered in blood that mats had to be put down to hide the stains. Many soldiers wrote their last words upon the walls and the women of the Gordon family would copy the messages down and try to send them to family members of the fallen soldiers.[3]
James Lee bought the house from the Gordon heirs and was married into the family after wedding Elizabeth Gordon. After the death of him and his wife, their son Gordon Lee bought the house. Mr. Gordon Lee completely remodeled the house in the early 1900s and made the double front porch into one with tall pillars, this is the current state of the house.[3]
The mansion stayed in the Gordon family for a hundred and seven years until it was sold to Dr. Green in 1974. It was then that the house and its grounds went under some reconstruction, it now looks very similar to the way it did over a century ago.
References
- 1 2 Gordon-Lee Mansion
- ↑ Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places 9th Edition Pg 108-109
- 1 2 City of Chickamauga