Mercer Williams House in Savannah Georgia

Have you ever visited a real crime scene? Have you ever stood in the same room where someone was murdered? Are you a fan of the book Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil? Do you have an appreciation for fine architectural detail? Your answers to all of the preceding questions will determine if a visit to the Mercer Williams House in Savannah, Georgia is in order for you.

The Mercer Williams House was built in 1868 for Civil War General Johnny Mercer. As the years passed in Savannah, it was eventually bought and restored by renowned antiques dealer Jim Williams. Jim Williams was a prominent citizen of Savannah in the 1970s and 80's, and was well known for his appreciation of fine homes and antiques, as well as his society parties.

On May 2, 1981, Jim Williams stood high society of Savannah on its ear when he shot and killed Danny Hansford in his home, back then referred to as Mercer House. Hansford was Jim's "assistant", but local gossip ran rampant that Hansford was Jim's lover. Jim was adamant that he had shot Danny in self-defense, but the evidence seemed to say otherwise. This started a chain of events that would lead to four subsequent trials being held in the case. Eventually, Jim was aquitted of the crime and released in 1989. Just a few short months later however, Jim died in his home, in nearly the same spot as Danny Hansford had. Many people felt that it was Danny reaching out from the grave to assure justice was done.

After Jim Williams died, his family lived in the home he had so lovingly restored. What had become a famous local legend grew to a national phenomenon when the book Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt was released in 1994. Commonly referred to in Savannah as "The Book", it produced colorful characters and an excellent look at Savannah high society.

All that being said, on a recent trip to Savannah, I had the opportunity to tour the Mercer Williams House. A huge fan of the book, I couldn't resist going on the tour. Be aware, you are only allowed a guided tour of the first floor of the house, and I have read that they don't like references to the "unfortunate incident". On my tour, they did mention the murder, even to the extent of pointing out in which room it occurred. For the 12 dollar admission, you could see lots of historic houses, and probably get more thorough tours. However, I was interested in more than the architecture and antiques. I was there to see and feel the history I had read about in "The Book".

If you are in the Savannah area, I definitely suggest you take a tour of the Mercer Williams House. You will get a chance to experience history, both architectural and pop cultural. Definitely an experience that shouldn't be missed!