Covington house inspires Ashley Wilkes plantation home - FOX 35 News Orlando

Covington is known for some of the most spectacular antebellum homes in Georgia, and Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken found one home in particular with a unique place in history and an exciting future.

In the 1930s, The Twelve Oaks Plantation home in Covington was pictured in the newspaper. At the same time, writer Margaret Mitchell was helping turn her first book, Gone with the Wind, into a movie, and happened to see the photo of the home.

"She sent the picture to Wilbert Kurtz, who was working on Gone With The Wind, and said, I like this for Ashley's house," said owner Nicole Greer.

That's the legend of how the home inspired Ashley Wilkes' plantation home. But just a year ago, when Greer bought it, the condition of the home was terrible.

"This house was falling apart at the time, there were 19 windows busted out when I bought it, the porch was in really bad condition," said Greer.

With the determination of a hundred Scarlett O'Haras, Greer began restoring the 1836 home. There are now four themed guest rooms, roaring gas fireplaces, and vintage furnishings and chandeliers.

"I got really lucky at antique auctions.  Estate sales, antique auctions, ebay, Craigslist," said Greer.

The bathroom is a rare, turn-of-the-century rib cage shower.  It kind of looks like some sort of torture device, but it's fantastic. The shower was found at an antique auction.
    
Restoration of the home is not complete. In fact, the third floor is still empty. But preserving a piece of local history is all the motivation Greer says she needs to make the place worthy of the iconic name.

Twelve Oaks is just one of many antebellum homes you can see and even stay in during a trip to Covington. Many are located along Floyd Street, just right off of the downtown square.