The Wren's Nest

The historic home of Joel Chandler Harris, author of the Uncle Remus stories. Built in 1870, this Victorian farmhouse is now a museum preserving Harris's literary legacy.

The Wren's Nest, Atlanta's oldest house museum, earned its whimsical name when owner Joel Chandler Harris discovered a family of wrens nesting in his mailbox and couldn't bear to evict them. Harris, creator of the Br'er Rabbit stories told through his character Uncle Remus, purchased this Queen Anne Victorian in the 1880s to escape yellow fever in Savannah. He lived here until his death in 1908, and President Teddy Roosevelt—a devoted admirer—led the effort to preserve it as a museum.

But the museum's guided tours and antiques may not be the only remnants of the past. A portly spirit, dressed in nice if outdated clothing, has been seen moving through the hallways and grounds—a description that matches Joel Chandler Harris himself. His rocking chair reportedly moves on its own.

Perhaps the most frequently seen ghosts are two young boys, appearing around three and five years old, playing on the stairs and in the yard. These are believed to be Harris's grandchildren Pierre and Charles, who died on the property in infancy, now spending their afterlife at play. A tall, thin, well-dressed man has been spotted in Harris's bedroom and dining room—likely his son Evelyn, known for his closeness with his mother.

A woman named Chloe, a former worker whose photograph hangs in the house, has been seen peeking through curtains between the library and parlor. Members of the Georgia Ghost Society reported seeing a man's face leering in a mirror, and objects mysteriously disappear only to reappear in unreachable places. The museum now embraces its paranormal reputation.