Fodor's Expert Review Mercer Williams House
A staple on the tourist circuit, this house museum has been the stuff of legend since the release of the longtime best-selling novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, which was based on the murder trial of local antiques dealer Jim Williams. Williams, who purportedly killed his lover in the front den while sitting at the desk where he later died, purchased the house in 1969. Scandal aside, Williams was an aficionado of historic preservation, and the Mercer House was one of some 50 Savannah properties that he purchased and restored. Designed by New York architect John S. Norris for General Hugh Mercer, great-grandfather of Johnny Mercer, the home was constructed in 1860 and completed after the end of the Civil War in 1868. Inside are fine examples of 18th- and 19th-century furniture and art from Jim Williams's private collection.
Don't miss a look around the charming gift shop.
