This Neoclassical home was built in 1937 by Atlanta architect Kennon Perry (1890-1954) for Ellis Hardeman Peniston (1897-1963) and his wife, Mildred Willcoxon Arnall Peniston (1898-1958). Mildred was the daughter of Arnall Mill president Alton Wynn Arnall, and Ellis was the son of local physician Dr. Paul E. Peniston. After her father’s death in 1936, Midlred’s husband, Ellis, became the president of Arnall Mill in Sargent until his death. The Penistons had no children, but were very close to their nieces and nephews.
After Ellis died, he left the home to Mildred’s niece, Susie Mann Thomasson, who lived in the home with her husband, physician Dr. James J. Thomasson, Sr., and their four children until the late 1980s. The home was then purchased by the adjacent Newnan Hospital, built in 1925 by Kennon Perry. Newnan Hospital renovated and converted the three-story, four-bedroom home into administrative offices. After Newnan Hospital merged with Piedmont, a new hospital facility was constructed in another location and the once-private home was purchased by the City of Newnan in the late 2000s.After the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society received an endowment and furnishing from the estate of Edgar B. Hollis, Jr. of Newnan, the NCHS and the City of Newnan arranged for the Peniston-Arnall-Thomasson Home to set up a new facility, the McRitchie-Hollis Museum in May of 2013.
The NCHS renovated the home to reflect colors and styles of the 1930s and 1940s that highlight some of the home’s original features, including five gas fireplaces, decorative crown molding and trim, and original hardwood floors. The museum is home to rotating exhibits that tell stories of Newan and Coweta’s past and culture. Docent-led tours include the history of the home, the story of the Penistons, and a tour of the current exhibit(s).The McRitchie-Hollis Museum is also available for event rentals including Christmas parties, fundraising events, and weddings.The McRitchie-Hollis House sits at 74 Jackson St., next to the University of West Georgia’s Newnan Center campus, just north of downtown.
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Miles Steele 356 Island Cove Dr. Newnan, GA, 30263
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