Discover the Anderson House Museum - The Anderson House is Fort Valley State University’s oldest building and houses the Biggs Collection. The Museum and Welcome Center is located on the corner of University Drive and Wright Street, across from Saint Luke Episcopal Church. The Center provides an official reception area for visitors to the university. Stop by for information about the university, its programs and actitivies.
Vision Statement and Mission Statement and General Info
Vision Statement - The purpose of the Anderson House is to serve as a viable university and public information center that responds to the education and facility usage needs of small groups by providing a welcoming atmosphere of learning.
Mission - To enhance the visibility, usage, learning and research opportunities for Fort Valley State University and its external community.
General Info - The Anderson House is sponsored in part by a grant from the GrassRoots Arts Program administered by the Macon Arts Alliance and by support from the Peach County Tourism Committee.
Amenities: Parking, Public Restrooms and Party Facilities.
Admission is Free.
About the Anderson House
Anderson House was the residence of F.W. Gano, one of Fort Valley State University’s founders. It is the oldest facility on campus. Fort Valley State University historian, Dr. Donnie Bellamey, places the building’s construction in the late 1800’s. This colonial Dutch revival style was a popular architectural design for rural cottages of that era.
The house was renovated in 1918 and served as the family home for principal Henry A. Hunt, President Horace Mann Bond, and President Cornelius V. Troup. It was named in memory of Benjamin S. Anderson, who served as Professor of Agriculture during the institution’s early years.
The main exhibits and displays come from the Biggs Collection of period furnishings, silver, glassware, china, quilts, linens and civil war memorabilia. The majority of the items date from about 1860 to 1900. The English Victorian furniture outfitted the parlor, dining room and bedrooms of an antebellum home in Box Springs, Georgia, which still stands today.
The contents of the home were bequeathed by the plantation owner to Mr. Biggs’ grandmother, who was a slave.
The Smithsonian Institution sought to obtain the quilts and antiques for its permanent anthology of historical collectibles, according to Mr. Biggs. However, he chose to donate the entire collection to Fort Valley State University in 1991.
Phone - Address & Website
Phone: 478-825-6445 – Address: 1005 State University Dr., Fort Valley, GA 31030 - The Anderson House Website
