HOME OF FLANNERY O’CONNOR FROM 1951-1964
First settled in 1814, Andalusia was a cotton plantation and farm until it was purchased by Flannery’s uncle, Dr. Bernard Cline in 1931. During the O’Connor’s residency, the site contained 14 buildings with over 520 acres of land that was used for dairy and beef farming. Following a diagnosis of Lupus in 1951 at just 25 years old, Flannery moved to Andalusia to live under the care of her mother, Regina Cline O’Connor. During the 13 years she lived at Andalusia, she completed her 2 novels and 32 short stories centered around the American southern gothic genre. The farm’s environment influenced the setting of many of her writings and the people of Milledgeville often inspired her characters.
Following her death in 1964, the farm remained in the care of the family until 2003 when it was given to a private foundation for use as a museum. In August 2017, the site was gifted to O’Connor’s alma mater, Georgia College & State University. Today, Andalusia serves as a museum whose mission is to care for, collect, interpret, and exhibit items that illustrate the history of the site during the time which Flannery O’Connor lived on the property (1951-1964).
Andalusia is open for public tours and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. In 2019, Andalusia was listed as a "Distinctive Destination" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and in 2022 was designated as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.
