537 Peachtree Street, Rose Mansion

The building seen below, the former Atlanta Museum, was built in 1901 for Rufus M. Rose, founder of the Four Roses Distillery. According to the city of Atlanta, it is one of only 4 still standing Victorian mansions located along Peachtree and the only one left in the central business district. The house was designed by Atlanta architect Emil Charles Seiz, who also designed the Robert Fulton Hotel located on Cone Street.

The house was converted to the Atlanta Museum in 1938. The ad below comes from 1952 when the museum was displaying Eli Whitney's original model cotton gin, some 300 weapons, and over 2,500 other historical items. Also included: the first "Jap Zero" airplane captured by US forces in WWII, which was parked in the small backyard. The museum was in operation until the late 1980s.

Looks like this building is currently for sale for $1,150,000 if this listing is accurate. Google Map to this spot

Below is an informative article about this house written by Ann Taylor Boutwell a couple of years back for he Atlanta Intown newspaper.

And here's a photo of the Rose House as seen in Artworks Of Atlanta, a folio published in 1903 and sent in by reader Steve Turbeville. Thanks, Steve.

This 1990 photo of the Rose House was taken by Greg de Torony and features some of the antiques that were then visible in the front window. Thanks, Greg.