SavingTara

rn in Holly Springs Georgia where it lay, stacked like firewood until a visit by Betty Talmadge of Lovejoy, Georgia changed its course. It had to, for in the first lines we learned that those who called Tara home looked to her as their foundation….. “The red earth from where they got their strength”. And so, Tara could do no less than survive in the old dairy barn on the Lovejoy Plantation as plans and offers were made by many cities, counties and municipalities to build Tara a museum worthy of her status as the most iconic movie house ever to be put to film,….. Tara was created in Hollywood for the film in 1938, she had arrived in Georgia in 1960 and then lay stacked in a barn in Holly Springs, Ga until 1980. Now, she would be scattered amongst the farm tools in an old dairy barn as many attempts to to find her a proper home would fail. In 2014, the late Gene Talmadge (son of Tara owner Betty Talmadge) and his son Herman Talmadge III sought Peters assistance in finding Tara a permanent home. Since Peter’s Gone With the Wind Tour had brought over 3.5 million dollars in tourism to metro Atlanta, Peter was the obvious choice to create the brand and tell the story in a way that would bring lots of interest, lots of visitors and thus, a museum that would take Tara as its own. The Talmadges agreed to give Peter the sole responsibility and in turn Peter would gather the materials and volunteers and reassemble the “hero pieces” of Tara to be the center of a tour (the first ever) of Tara while still in the barn,….using no other funds but his own. Peter did gather a small group of faithful volunteers and together they cleaned, reassembled and set up the windows doors and side porches of Tara as Peter shared the story world wide thru media outlets, Facebook, books and tours. And on June 27, 2019 Tara was sold. The windows, doors and side porches going to one specific museum and Tara’s front doorway that was on display in Atlanta going to another buyer out of state. Peter and his volunteers succeeded, for Tara had found a new and better home just as Peter had agreed to do. But the story does not end. Peter continues to write and share the information and true stories he had documented prior to the Saving Tara Project but now he can add the truth of the Tara facade to his tales. There is more to learn and more to come. While no longer giving daily tours Peter still provides special group presentations and will be happy to talk with you to schedule a tour for large groups or to come to your location to share the true stories as only he can. You can contact Peter at [email protected], bus 770-477-8864 or cell 770-827-4211. As a look back, check out the video of the first time Peter ventured into the barn amongst Taras assorted pieces. Many thanks to Porter Versfelt III who provided all the video expertise. Watch Peter Bonner Explain How He is “Saving Tara”:

https://vimeo.com/71863639

Peter Bonner Historical And Hysterical Tours ©TM

Peter Bonner is an historian, public speaker and author renowned for his intimate knowledge of all things “Gone With The Wind” and Margaret Mitchell. Peter is also an acknowledged expert on Southern history and the Civil War. Peter's emphasis is always the human side of the story, which can often be as hysterical as it is historical. Historical And Hysterical Tours ©TM combine Peter Bonner’s two great loves - history and entertainment. His tours have brought more than $5-million in tourist spending to the Jonesboro and Atlanta, Georgia region over the last fifteen years. The tour is licensed to the Road To Tara Museum in Jonesboro,Georgia and Peter also conducts tours himself. Peter’s book “Lost In Yesterday” (http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Yesterday- Peter-Bonner/dp/0971615896) details the real people, places and historic events that influenced Margaret Mitchell’s book “Gone With The Wind” and the subsequent Academy Award-winning movie of the same name. “Lost In Yesterday” is the result of many years of propriety research, personal interviews and detective work. The Official Guide to the Saving Tara Project was written to give information and first photos of the project. It was the clarion call that, “Tara has survived” and can still be assembled and toured. The book is available thru Amazon. The Official Guide to the Saving Tara Project, the Last Chapter was written to show the best and final information and photos (including a photo of the old barn after Tara was removed) of Tara just before it was removed to ship to its new home. These are the last and best photos and information. Available they Amazon as a digital book only.


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FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Tel: 770.477.8864
Web: www.peterbonner.com
E-MAIL: [email protected]

NEWS AND MEDIA ENQURIES:

Porter Versfelt III
Versfelt Communications Group Atlanta, Georgia - USA
Tel: +1 678.469.6224
E-mail: [email protected]