legacies&lore beauty abounds - The Ford Plantation

legacies&lore ✴ beauty abounds
12 Richmond hill Reflections

The
Oyster House
Story and Photos Michelle L. Morris
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legacies&lore ✴ beauty abounds
There’s something so endearing about an old historical site that still
has most or all of the original materials and structure. When visiting
places like this, I find myself getting lost in thoughts of what has occurred
or what has been seen, felt and experienced right in that exact
spot. It’s an unexplainable, nostalgic connection to things of the past.
For the same reason, many historical sites are wildly busy tourist destinations
all over the world. I’m here to tell you, the nostalgia of the
Oyster House at The Ford Plantation is simply no different, and you
feel it the moment you step foot on the bridge and make your way to
the island where it sits.
When I visited recently, I was able to chat with the gentleman
who has called the Oyster House his office for the last 8½ years. Mike
Womble is a naturalist and works full-time for the members of the
Plantation. He says, “I’m not a historian...” although he possesses great
knowledge of the building and all that surrounds it. We stood inside
the Oyster House and I did my best to listen intently to all Mike had
to say, while forcing myself not to be distracted by the myriad of items
surrounding me. There were cages of venomous snakes, a stuffed wild
boar, fishing poles galore, a bow and arrow bigger than me, a stuffed
duck, live snapping turtles, fish, a dried piranha and most certainly
enough animal bones, teeth and skulls to fill up the backseat of a small
car. Amidst all that adorned the walls, I noticed a small, framed black
and white grainy picture of two well-dressed middle-aged men chatting
it up. I asked about the image on the wall, and Mike began to fill
me in on Henry Ford, and much of Henry’s story that was written
right where I was standing.
Ford, like many successful people, was a bit impulsive (or rather
decisive) and knew just what he wanted and when he wanted it. The
Oyster House was built in the 1930s and was completed, from start to
finish, in just three short days. The urgency was in place only because
Ford wanted to use the building for a party that was to be held during
the upcoming weekend – an oyster roast, to be exact. His friends had
often teased him about buying such extensive property in “backwards
Georgia,” and in an effort to shrug off the good-hearted mockery, he
placed a sign on top of the entry doorway reading, “AIG-ROEG.”
Try reading that one again, and if it’s still not clear, read it backwards.
Clever man!
Evidence of the untampered originality and age of the house was
clear to me from the settling cracks and several uneven lines in the construction
of the planks. In more than one spot, there was just enough
space between the cypress wood planks that sunshine was spilling
through. The original ventilation holes were visible at the bottom of
the entry door, making it clear that there’s no central cooling or heating
inside, indicative of that time period. Inside, seeing the two brick
ovens filled my imagination with all that must have been prepared in
them over the decades.
The Oyster House has become a place of celebrations and connections
for countless weekends since the original construction. The
members of The Ford Plantation (there are about 300 total), along
with Mike Womble, place a high priority on preservation of history
and nature. “We still use it for its original purpose – oyster roasts,”
says Mike. “Homecoming of the members is in October. This year,
instead of the oyster roast being at The Main House, it will be here at
the Oyster House. We also do wild game dinners in the fall and winter.
We’ve dug a pit and roasted a hog in the ground under the ashes. The
chef comes over and cranks up the two ovens inside the Oyster House
and we’ll do pot pies, quail breasts and roasted snapper.”
Mike is very passionate about his job and his service to the members
of the Plantation. As the naturalist on the property, he manages
everything from alligators to kids’ summer camps and maintaining
bluebird boxes around the property. There are so many elements that
set The Ford Plantation apart from other similar historical sites and
developments, but certainly having a full-time naturalist on staff, serving
a group of members who have dedicated half of their property to
preservation, is quite incredible!
I left feeling more connected to the past and more drawn to the
undeniable beauty of such a dedicated community of people. It is a
peaceful and awe-inspiring place to visit, rich with history and great
promise of countless more memories to be made. q
14 Richmond Hill Reflections

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