The Tate House, a.k.a. The Pink Palace, in Tate, Georgia has so much history and character that I had to give it a second look. I recently made a trek from Dallas (GA) to Dawsonville (GA) and it took me right past the Tate House. You will definitely do a double-take if you happen to be driving down Georgia state route 53 through Tate. There's no way that you can miss it. I'm talking about a huge, old mansion constructed of very rare pink Etowah marble and solid granite blocks!

I was told that the gardens on the left side of the home were created in an Italian theme and the gardens on the right side were created in an English theme. The Italian side, to me, looks more Greek than Italian but I'm no expert on either subject.

If you have the time (and a high speed connection), I invite you to take a look at my photos of the exterior of the Tate House. It is a truly unique home simply because the vein of Etowah marble from the quarry (on the property behind the home) is exhausted and there is no more to be mined anywhere on the planet.

Colonel Sam Tate built the Tate House (a.k.a. Pink Palace or Pink Marble Mansion) in Tate, GA in the early 1920's. The Pink Palace is constructed of a very rare, bright pink marble known as Etowah marble and it was quarried not far from the estate. I've just recently discovered the historic Tate House just south of Jasper on Hwy. 53. Etowah marble may only be truly appreciated in person. The home was completed in 1926 but Colonel Tate died in 1938 and the mansion began to fall into disrepair. The surviving Tate's resided in the mansion until 1955 when they left the home unoccupied. Although this fact has been disputed by a reader who wrote me regarding said fact (see comments below).

Ann Laird and her husband Joe bought the home in 1974 and promptly found a moonshine still in one of the rooms. They brought the mansion up to code and turned it into a truly unique bed & breakfast. There are 4 guest rooms in the mansion and 9 guest cottages. The Laird's recently sold the home to a management group where it is no longer being run as a bed & breakfast today but you may have a wedding ceremony or hold social events.