The Property
Let Us Show You Around
The Taylor-Grady House sits prominently on Prince Avenue between the historic neighborhoods of Cobbham and Boulevard, a few blocks from downtown Athens and a world away from it. The property has been here since 1844. The columns, the boxwood hedge garden, the fallen wellhouse — all of it carries the weight and the warmth of a place that has been lived in, celebrated in, and cared for across generations.
Whether your organization needs a place to gather and work, or you are planning a private event, the best way to understand this property is to walk through it.
The House
The house is Greek Revival at its finest — thirteen fluted Doric columns across the front facade, original hardwood floors, period furnishings, and the kind of natural light that only comes through hand-poured glass. The interior rooms are intimate and stately at once: formal parlors, a dining room, and spaces that have hosted everything from political strategy to family suppers for nearly two centuries.
This is not a blank-canvas event space. It is a house with a story in every room. That is what makes it irreplaceable.
The Ballroom
The ballroom is the largest interior gathering space on the property — open, bright, and built for the kind of occasion that calls for room to breathe. It serves equally well for a seated dinner, a lecture, a reception, or a workshop. The scale is generous without being cavernous. It feels like a room, not a hall.
The Porch
The front porch is the first thing you see and the last thing you remember. Wrought iron surrounds the colonnade, looking out over Prince Avenue through a canopy of old oaks. It is where every visit to the Taylor-Grady House begins — and where most of the best conversations happen. For events, the porch extends the interior seamlessly, offering covered outdoor space with the kind of atmosphere no tent can replicate.
The Boxwood Garden
Behind the house, a formal boxwood hedge garden offers one of the most distinctive outdoor rooms on the property. The hedges date back generations and frame a quiet, enclosed space that feels separate from the rest of the grounds — a garden within a garden. It is one of the features that makes this property unlike any other in Athens.
The Grounds
An expanse of natural lawn, mature hardwoods, a brick patio, and open green space wrap the house on all sides. The grounds accommodate large outdoor gatherings — ceremonies, festivals, community events — with a scale and a setting that feels both grand and grounded. The property is sprawling, yet private enough for an intimate evening and open enough for a crowd.
The Dove Cote and Kitchen
The historic dove cote and kitchen outbuilding sits on the grounds adjacent to the main house. It is a working space with character — a place where the practical and the beautiful share a roof. For events, it serves as an open fire cooking space and a place where storytelling occurs naturally. For community programming, it is a hands-on workspace where food, craft, and heritage practice happen at the table.
The Root Cellar
The old root cellar is one of the original outbuildings on the property — a small, stone structure built into the earth that connects the house directly to the agricultural life it was part of for its first century. It is a reminder that this property was not only a home but a working landscape, sustained by labor and skill that the house itself was built to showcase, only surviving as a result of those who served, though not free.
The Wellhouse
The fallen wellhouse stands on the grounds as one of the property’s nearly lost features. It marks the original water source for the house and its surrounding operations. Like the root cellar, it is a piece of the property’s working history — and a quiet, striking presence that visitors most likely don’t even notice. Water is life and soon, life will return to where it once was in abundance.
Community Access
Taylor-Grady House is more than a venue. It is a community resource — a National Historic Landmark held in trust for the people of Athens-Clarke County and operated by Taylor-Grady House National Historic Landmark, Inc.
Beyond our own heritage programming and private event rentals, TGH makes its spaces available — at no cost or reduced cost depending on the use — to nonprofits, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, and community gatherings that serve our region. We call this community access, and it reflects our belief that this place belongs to everyone.
Who Can Apply
- Nonprofits and civic organizations serving Athens-Clarke County and surrounding areas
- Neighborhood associations and community coalitions
- Educational programs and youth-serving organizations
- Faith communities and mutual aid networks
- Informal community groups without formal organizational status
What’s Available
| Space | Capacity | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Front Porch & Grounds | 28–225 | Neighborhood meetings, informal community gathering |
| WRKR1 | 12–15 | Workshops, committee meetings, training sessions |
| WRKR2 | 12–15 | Workshops, committee meetings, training sessions |
| Ballroom | Up to 80 | Community forums, presentations, public gatherings |
| Front Parlor / Sams Parlor | 4–8 | Small group meetings, listening sessions, interviews |
| Library | 8–10 | Research meetings, small working groups (upstairs, not ADA accessible) |
How to Request Access
Submit a Community Access Request at least 21 days in advance. The Executive Director and Community Advisory Group Chair jointly review all requests and respond within 5 business days. Approved uses include a simple Community Use Agreement and a brief post-use summary for our ACC compliance records.
Private Events
The Taylor-Grady House hosts a limited number of private events each year — dinners, receptions, celebrations, corporate gatherings, and weddings that call for a setting with history and presence. We are selective because the house deserves it and because your event deserves our full attention.
What We Host
- Weddings and rehearsal dinners
- Corporate receptions and retreats
- Milestone celebrations and private dinners
- Memorial gatherings and family events
The Setting
This is not a blank-canvas event space. The house, the porch, the ballroom, the boxwood garden, and the grounds each offer a distinct atmosphere — and most events use more than one. Your guests move through the property the way the house was meant to be experienced: room by room, space by space, with something worth noticing at every turn.
How It Works
Reach out and we will schedule a time to walk the property together. We will talk about what you have in mind, which spaces fit, and what TGH can offer. From there, you will receive a custom proposal. Every event is different, and we treat it that way.
The best way to know this property is to see it in person. If you would like to schedule a visit, reach out through either path above and choose a convenient time to open the front door and have us say “Welcome Home.”
Visit
Address
634 Prince Avenue
Athens, Georgia 30601
Open Hours
Porch Time: Wednesdays, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Events and programming by appointment
Accessibility
The main floor of the house and the porch are accessible. The grounds are mostly level with paved and gravel paths. If you have specific access needs, please contact us in advance and we will do our best to accommodate.