ATLANTA TRAVEL GUIDE

Gone With the Wind Returns to The Georgian Terrace: Iconic Dresses on Display for Our 115th Anniversary

This October, a piece of Atlanta film history returns to The Georgian Terrace.

As part of our 115th anniversary celebration, we are thrilled to partner with the Gone With the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall and Gardens in Marietta to showcase two of the most recognizable costume designs associated with Gone With the Wind: Scarlett O’Hara’s dramatic burgundy “Red Party Dress” and the legendary green drapery dress.

For a hotel so closely connected to one of the most famous moments in Atlanta film history, we can think of few more fitting ways to celebrate 115 years of stories on Peachtree Street.

The Georgian Terrace and the 1939 Atlanta Premiere

Long before Atlanta became one of the world’s major film and television production destinations, Hollywood descended upon Peachtree Street for the Atlanta premiere of Gone With the Wind.

The film premiered at Loew’s Grand Theatre on December 15, 1939, and The Georgian Terrace played its own starring role in the festivities. The premiere brought the film’s director and nearly all of its stars to The Georgian Terrace for a gala premiere party, placing the hotel at the center of one of Atlanta’s most memorable cultural moments.

More than eight decades later, visitors can still walk through the same historic hotel on Peachtree Street.

And this October, two unforgettable Scarlett O’Hara looks are helping us tell that story again.

A Special Partnership with the Gone With the Wind Museum

We are especially excited to present this anniversary display in partnership with the Gone With the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall and Gardens, an institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the history surrounding Margaret Mitchell’s novel, the 1939 film and its enduring cultural legacy.

Located in historic Brumby Hall in Marietta, Georgia, the museum houses an extensive collection of Gone With the Wind memorabilia, including costumes, rare artifacts, original Walter Plunkett costume sketches and pieces connected to the film’s historic Atlanta premiere.

The partnership brings together two Atlanta-area destinations with unique connections to the story: a museum dedicated to preserving its history and the hotel that helped welcome Hollywood to Atlanta for the film’s legendary 1939 premiere.

The Red Party Dress

Few costumes capture Scarlett O’Hara’s personality quite like the striking burgundy gown associated with one of the film’s most memorable scenes.

Costume designer Walter Plunkett created Scarlett’s wardrobe to do far more than dress the character. Her clothing helped communicate changes in circumstance, confidence and status throughout the story.

The dramatic burgundy ball gown—often called Scarlett’s “red party dress”—was designed in deeply saturated velvet and embellished with ornate details, including beadwork and feather trim.

The result was intentionally impossible to ignore.

In the film, Rhett Butler insists Scarlett wear the conspicuous gown to Ashley Wilkes’ birthday party. Against the more restrained clothing surrounding her, the rich color and extravagant silhouette make Scarlett stand apart from everyone else in the room.

The original burgundy ball gown worn by Vivien Leigh is today preserved as part of the David O. Selznick collection at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin.

The Legendary Green Drapery Dress

Then there is the dress that became a piece of movie history.

Faced with desperate circumstances, Scarlett looks at the green velvet curtains hanging at Tara and sees something entirely different: a new dress.

The resulting green curtain dress, also known as the drapery or portieres dress, became one of the most recognizable costumes in American cinema.

Designed by Walter Plunkett, the ensemble uses rich green velvet to create the appearance of an extravagant dress fashioned from household draperies. Curtain-inspired details—including the memorable tassels—complete the transformation.

The costume is memorable not simply because of how it looks, but because of what it represents within the story: Scarlett’s determination and resourcefulness as she transforms what remains around her into exactly what she needs.

Decades later, the green drapery dress remains one of the costumes most closely associated with Gone With the Wind and Hollywood’s Golden Age.

See the Dresses at The Georgian Terrace This October

Throughout our 115th anniversary celebration this October, guests and visitors will have the opportunity to see these two legendary Scarlett O’Hara dress designs on display at The Georgian Terrace, presented through our special partnership with the Gone With the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall and Gardens.

Their arrival brings together two chapters of Atlanta history.

The Georgian Terrace first opened its doors in 1911, quickly establishing itself as one of Atlanta’s grand hotels. Twenty-eight years later, the excitement surrounding the Atlanta premiere of Gone With the Wind brought Hollywood stars, filmmakers and guests through those doors.

Now, 115 years after the hotel opened, we're celebrating the people, stories and unforgettable moments that have unfolded here.

The dresses are part of that celebration—and another reason to step inside, explore the hotel and experience a piece of Atlanta history for yourself.

Continue the Story at the Gone With the Wind Museum

For guests who would like to explore even more Gone With the Wind history during their visit to Atlanta, the story doesn't have to end at The Georgian Terrace.

The Gone With the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall and Gardens is located in Marietta, approximately 20 miles from The Georgian Terrace. Housed within historic Brumby Hall, the museum features an extensive collection celebrating Margaret Mitchell’s novel and the film, including original and rare memorabilia, costumes, artwork and Walter Plunkett costume sketches.

Visitors can also explore the surrounding gardens and see pieces of the original Tara film façade displayed at the Carriage House.

For fans of the film, classic Hollywood, costume design or Atlanta history, a stay at The Georgian Terrace paired with a visit to the museum offers a unique opportunity to experience two destinations connected to the Gone With the Wind story.

115 Years of Stories on Peachtree Street

The Gone With the Wind premiere is only one chapter in The Georgian Terrace's remarkable history.

Since 1911, the hotel has welcomed generations of Atlantans, travelers, performers and notable guests. Arthur Murray taught dance lessons here before building his famous dance-school empire. Hollywood arrived for the Gone With the Wind festivities in 1939. Walt Disney later stayed at the hotel during another Atlanta film premiere. And decades later, the building became home to the legendary Electric Ballroom, which welcomed some of the biggest names in music.

Through it all, The Georgian Terrace has remained one of Peachtree Street's most recognizable landmarks.

This October, we invite you to help us celebrate 115 years of history, hospitality and stories—and experience a little Hollywood history along the way.

Visit The Georgian Terrace this October to see the Gone With the Wind dress display and discover the stories behind 115 years of an Atlanta icon.

115 Years on Peachtree: Celebrating The Georgian Terrace

On October 2, 1911, the doors of The Georgian Terrace opened for the first time at the corner of Peachtree Street and Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Thousands came to see it.

A Spanish orchestra entertained guests in the Grand Ballroom. Crystal chandeliers, marble columns, sweeping terraces and elegant architectural details introduced Atlanta to a new kind of grand hotel—one designed to evoke the sophistication of a Parisian hotel while capturing a distinctly Southern sense of hospitality.

One hundred and fifteen years later, those doors are still open.

And while Atlanta has transformed around it, The Georgian Terrace remains one of the city's most recognizable landmarks: a place where generations of Atlantans and visitors have gathered to celebrate, perform, dine, dance, fall in love, make memories—and, on more than a few occasions, make history.

1911: A Grand Hotel for a Growing Atlanta

Designed by prominent New York architect William Lee Stoddart in the Beaux-Arts style, The Georgian Terrace was conceived as a Southern interpretation of a Parisian grand hotel.

Its arrival reflected something larger happening in Atlanta. The city was growing into an increasingly important center of commerce and culture, and its newest hotel brought an unmistakable sense of occasion to Peachtree Street.

With Palladian-style windows, decorative terra cotta, grand public spaces and wraparound terraces, the building was designed to make an impression.

It did.

For years following its opening, The Georgian Terrace was regarded as one of Atlanta's most fashionable hotels, welcoming celebrated artists, writers, entertainers, political figures and travelers from around the world.

Its guest list over the decades reads remarkably like a page from American cultural history.

F. Scott Fitzgerald. Helen Keller. Enrico Caruso. Tallulah Bankhead. Walt Disney. Elvis Presley. Charles Lindbergh. Presidents Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Jimmy Carter.

But some of the hotel's most fascinating stories happened not simply in its guest rooms, but in its ballrooms and gathering spaces.

Before Arthur Murray Became a Household Name

In 1918, a young Georgia Tech student named Arthur Murray began teaching dance lessons in The Georgian Terrace's ballroom.

It was the first time Murray taught under his own name.

Those lessons were an early chapter in what would eventually become the internationally recognized Arthur Murray Dance Studios.

Long before dance students around the world learned his name, Atlantans were learning his steps inside The Georgian Terrace.

Atlanta's Connection to the Metropolitan Opera

Beginning in the early 20th century, Atlanta became an important annual destination for New York's Metropolitan Opera.

The Georgian Terrace became its Atlanta headquarters.

Legendary Italian tenor Enrico Caruso stayed at the hotel beginning in 1913, along with members of the Metropolitan Opera during their Atlanta appearances.

It began a relationship with the performing arts that would continue to evolve for generations—one made even more fitting today by the hotel's location directly across Peachtree Street from the Fox Theatre.

The Night Hollywood Came to Atlanta

Perhaps no chapter in The Georgian Terrace's history is more famous than December 1939.

Atlanta was preparing for the world premiere of Gone with the Wind, one of the most anticipated motion-picture events of its era.

Hollywood descended on the city.

The Georgian Terrace became part of the celebration, welcoming members of the film's cast and hosting festivities surrounding the premiere.
Clark Gable and other members of the cast stayed at the hotel, while the premiere celebration helped cement The Georgian Terrace's place in Atlanta—and Hollywood—history.

For a few extraordinary days, Peachtree Street became a red carpet.

More than eight decades later, the story remains part of the hotel's identity.

Walt Disney Comes to Peachtree Street

Hollywood returned in 1946.

When Walt Disney's Song of the South premiered across the street at the Fox Theatre, Disney stayed at The Georgian Terrace.

It was another moment that connected two neighboring Atlanta landmarks—the Fox Theatre and The Georgian Terrace—and reinforced the hotel's growing role at the intersection of hospitality, entertainment and culture.

That relationship continues today.

Guests still cross Peachtree Street for performances at the Fox. Theatergoers still gather for cocktails and dinner before a show. Visitors still walk through the doors dressed for an evening out in Midtown.

The performers and productions change.

The ritual remains remarkably familiar.

From Grand Ballroom to Rock 'n' Roll

The Georgian Terrace has never belonged to just one generation.

By the 1970s, a very different sound filled its historic ballroom.

Legendary Atlanta concert promoter Alex Cooley transformed the space into the Electric Ballroom, helping establish a new chapter in Atlanta's music history.

Artists associated with the venue included Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Patti Smith, Fleetwood Mac, the Ramones and the Pretenders.

Imagine the contrast: a ballroom created for the elegance of early-20th-century Atlanta becoming a stage for some of the most influential musicians of a new era.

That ability to evolve while retaining its sense of place may be one of The Georgian Terrace's most enduring qualities.

More Than a Historic Building

Buildings can be preserved.

What makes a landmark special is something more difficult to preserve: relevance.

The Georgian Terrace has occupied its place on Peachtree Street through world wars, the Great Depression, the Civil Rights era, Atlanta's dramatic population and economic growth, the rise of the city's film and entertainment industries, and Midtown's transformation into one of Atlanta's most vibrant cultural districts.

Today, the hotel is a contributing structure within the Fox Theatre Historic District and a member of Historic Hotels of America.

But its significance cannot be measured by architectural designations alone.

For 115 years, people have come here.

They have attended weddings and anniversary dinners. They have dressed for performances across the street. They have gathered for business meetings, reunions, celebrations and cocktails.

Visitors have discovered Atlanta from here, while generations of Atlantans have made the hotel part of their own stories.

That is what it means to be a true historic hotel.
History here isn't something behind glass.

It is still happening.

115 Years Later, Midtown Is Still at Our Doorstep

Stand outside The Georgian Terrace today and the energy of modern Atlanta surrounds you.

The Fox Theatre remains directly across Peachtree Street. Midtown has grown into one of the city's great centers for arts, business, dining and culture. New buildings have joined the skyline and new generations have made the neighborhood their own.

Through all of that change, The Georgian Terrace remains at the same iconic intersection where it welcomed its first guests in 1911.

This October, we're celebrating that remarkable continuity—and inviting Atlanta to celebrate with us.

Celebrate Shared History

115 Years of Atlanta History. One Unforgettable Stay.

To commemorate our 115th anniversary, The Georgian Terrace is introducing a special stay inspired by the people, stories and moments that have shaped more than a century on Peachtree Street.

The 115th Anniversary Experience includes:

• An exclusive 115th Anniversary Celebration Rate
• Food & Beverage Credit to enjoy during your stay
• Champagne & Charcuterie welcome amenity
• A commemorative historic newspaper celebrating The Georgian Terrace's storied past
• An Atlanta Then & Now keepsake history book

It's an invitation to experience Atlanta history rather than simply read about it.

Raise a glass in the same hotel that has welcomed generations of travelers, entertainers, artists and Atlantans—and become part of its next chapter.

A Month-Long Celebration

The anniversary celebration won't be limited to overnight guests.

Throughout October, Edgar's Proof & Provision will feature special anniversary offerings inspired by the occasion, giving locals and visitors another way to toast 115 years on Peachtree Street.

And because a milestone this significant deserves a proper welcome, every hotel guest arriving during the month of October will be greeted with a celebratory glass of champagne upon arrival.

Whether you're checking in for an anniversary getaway, meeting friends for drinks, heading across the street for a performance at the Fox or simply stopping by to revisit one of Atlanta's most storied landmarks, you're invited to celebrate with us.

The Next Chapter Begins

The Georgian Terrace has seen Atlanta change in ways its first guests in 1911 could scarcely have imagined.

But some things haven't changed.

Peachtree Street is still outside our doors.

The Fox still lights up the night across the street.
People still gather here before performances, celebrate milestones in our rooms and ballrooms, share cocktails and conversations, and arrive in Atlanta ready to discover something new.

A hotel becomes historic because it survives.

An icon becomes something more because people continue to make it part of their lives.

After 115 years, The Georgian Terrace is still doing exactly that.

Here's to the stories already written—and all those still to come.

Celebrate Shared History. Celebrate 115 years of The Georgian Terrace.