THE MOST ELEGANT, MOST HISTORIC (AND MOST FUN!) RESIDENCE IN ST. MARY'S!!!:
Built in 1801, this house is where Vice-Pres. Aaron Burr stayed while fleeing the authorities after his infamous duel with the Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton!
Hamilton was one of the Founding Fathers. When Thomas Jefferson and Burr both ran for President in 1800, Hamilton supported Jefferson, and was instrumental in defeating Burr – a slight which Burr never forgave.
Hamilton despised Burr and criticized him publicly, which led to Burr's political downfall, the resulting duel, and Hamilton’s death. Burr fled south to the home of his friend Archibald Clark in St. Mary's, Georgia – the very same house that’s now The Federal Quarters!
The house has been known as "the Archibald Clark house" for the past two centuries due to the prominence of Major Clark, its first occupant. He served as the mayor of the town, and President Jefferson appointed him as the Customs Agent to collect taxes from the ships that frequented the port of St. Mary's. During the War of 1812, the British commandeered the house as their headquarters. General Winfield Scott later enjoyed a stay here enroute home from the Indian Wars in Florida.
As initially built, the house had only two rooms on the first floor which served as Clark's law office (now Judge Federal’s law office), plus a living suite upstairs. Clark enlarged the home and the original upstairs suite is where Aaron Burr stayed, until he wore out his welcome and Mrs. Clark invited him to leave.
Now 223 years old, the house is the oldest residence in St. Mary’s.
THE FEDERAL QUARTERS TODAY:
In 2004, Tom Nesbitt, the great-great-great grandson of Archibald Clark, renovated the house, modernized the kitchen, and added other significant upgrades. Nesbitt received the prestigious Excellence in Rehabilitation Award from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation in 2005. The house is registered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Judge Federal and his wife Rebecca purchased the house in early 2019 with the intention of establishing an exclusive inn and opening it to discriminating guests from around the world. The Federals have outfitted The Federal Quarters so that you will enjoy a superlative vacation experience, and, after several months of repairs and renovations, the home is now open to travelers who will appreciate the historical significance of the home.
The Photo Gallery displays each of the following features --
THE FRONT PORCH: Outfitted with rocking chairs, the front porch is a soothing setting where guests can relax and visit with the locals and other visitors passing by, and have a front-row seat for the parades on Mardi Gras, July 4th, the Seafood Festival, the Christmas Holiday parade, and other celebrations!
THE ENTRANCE HALL: Guests at The Federal Quarters step back into history upon entering the inviting Foyer with its hand-painted mural and original heart-pine floors. A quaint half-bath with copper sink is cleverly situated under the main staircase.
THE LIVING ROOM: This large room is elegantly furnished with period furniture and seating for ten, which makes this a warm and unique gathering place. Antique hand-made windows with vintage glass panes remain from the original construction.
THE DINING ROOM: The formal Dining Room seats eight comfortably with an extra-wide table that accommodates serving platters and bowls for "family" style dining. In the corner is a mirrored bar tucked into the original home's 1800's china closet. Table linens, tableware, and serving pieces are provided.
THE SUNROOM: Adjacent to the Dining Room is the Sunroom, which was once an outside porch and is now a well-appointed sitting room. There is a full bathroom, complete with antique claw-foot tub and enclosed toilet immediately off the Sunroom, indicating that it was once a bedroom. (In the event additional sleeping space is needed, or a downstairs bedroom is preferred, this room can be converted into a small bedroom for an extra guest, upon request and with advance notice.)
THE GAME CLOSET: In the event of inclement weather, the Game Closet is outfitted with several classics such as Monopoly, Cribbage, Dominoes, Scrabble, and playing cards for Uno, Poker, Rummy, etc. Guests will also find a guitar, ukelele, harmonica, a roll-up piano keyboard, and kazoo to entertain themselves.
THE HARRY POTTER ROOM: This is a very special “hideaway” for youngsters, located beneath the 1801 rear stairwell (just as Harry Potter would want it!) . Children (especially grandchildren) can play, read, or even sleep in their own secret space.
THE KITCHEN AND BREAKFAST NOOK: The Kitchen is fully equipped with a five-burner gas stovetop, microwave, and conventional oven, a large French-door refrigerator/freezer (a stand-alone freezer chest is located just outside the Kitchen), granite counter-tops, chef's appliances, utensils, and cookware for any culinary fete. Old-growth pine cabinets echo the original finishes. There is a small breakfast nook seating four overlooking the side yard garden.
THE CHICKEN COOP: We should note that there's a chicken coop and “she-shed” in the corner of the backyard complete with five laying hens which provide our guests with fresh eggs daily (well, almost daily, depending on their mood)!
THE MUDROOM: Located between the Kitchen and the Garage, the Mudroom contains storage cabinets with spare parts, hand tools, batteries, light bulbs, cleaning supplies, the on-demand tankless hot water heater, as well as a Fire Extinguisher and First-Aid Kit. It also has a separate cleaning sink.
THE LAUNDRY ROOM: There’s a separate Laundry Room off the Kitchen with high-efficiency large-capacity washer and dryer; laundry detergents and supplies are provided. This room also houses a wine rack, and a wine and beverage cooler.
THE THREE BEDROOMS: The sleeping quarters are all upstairs, accessed via a staircase in the Foyer, another adjoining the Kitchen, and a third from the rear Porch. There are three large Bedrooms, known as the Aaron Burr Suite, the Winfield Scott Suite, and the Alexander Hamilton Suite. The latter is the largest and has its own ensuite bath with shower and enclosed toilet and bidet. Each bedroom has a wide-screen TV with a Roku device enabling access to Netflix, HBO, Showtime, Hulu, etc. The Scott and Burr rooms share a modern bath with an extra-deep jacuzzi tub and enclosed toilet. The Scott and Hamilton rooms share a small bar between them with a Keurig coffee maker, a sink, and small refrigerator. The Burr room has its own coffee bar, mini-fridge, and icemaker.
THE LIBRARY: Also upstairs is a small Library and sitting room, with a writing desk, approximately 300 volumes on a variety of subjects, and a Chess set. Additional volumes are found in the Winfield Scott Room.
The BALCONY AND REAR PORCH: All three Bedrooms have access to the upstairs outside Balcony, furnished with wicker chairs and ceiling fan. Immediately below the balcony is a screened-in porch also furnished with wicker chairs, ceiling fan, and loveseat.
THE OUTSIDE DECK: A new raised Deck was installed in 2019, with bench seats, patio furniture, umbrella, and propane grill, to accommodate outside dining, sunning, reading, etc., ( -- or, as was done recently: a band plus 120 seats for spectators at a catered party!).
THE GARAGE AND PARKING AREA: The spacious Driveway provides private onsite parking for two SUV's or vans. The Garage provides storage space for the Model A Ford, EZ-Go golf cart, two bicycles, golf and fishing equipment, backpacks, beach chairs, beach canopy, outdoor games, etc., all of which are available free of charge for the use of Guests (see Amenities). The Garage is attached to the house and allows access directly into the Kitchen. And if a large group is expected for an event at the property, there are many on-street public parking spaces available directly in front and on the side of the residence.
THE SIDE YARD: A large manicured yard on the north side of the house, inside a white picket fence, features three towering magnolias draped in Spanish moss --
a lovely setting for weddings, receptions, dinner parties, and other events, or for a leisurely game of croquet, lawn darts, or badminton. (Events are allowed onsite subject to prior arrangements with the Proprietors.)
THE APARTMENT: The Property Manager's Apartment is located on-site but completely separate from the Mainhouse, and is not included in the Rental Agreement. The Proprietors occupy the Apartment when the Mainhouse is rented in order to be immediately available in the event of a problem, to answer any questions, or provide assistance.
CAUTION: Guests must be aware that the Bedrooms are on the second floor and there is no elevator available. Accordingly, everyone in the Guest's party must be physically able to safely ascend and descend the stairs to access the Bedrooms. With advance notice, the Sunroom (see above) can be made available as a small downstairs Bedroom.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY: The Mainhouse is not wheelchair accessible; however, the Apartment (see above) was specifically designed as a wheelchair accessible residence. It is a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment with a sitting room/library with WiFi and a "smart" TV, washer/dryer, and kitchenette, and is accessed from inside the enclosed Garage. Anyone wishing to lease a wheelchair-accessible property in St. Mary's, for vacation or longer-term, should contact the Proprietors.
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We hope you enjoy learning about our "new-to-us" 220-year-old home, and that you are excited about coming to visit St. Mary's and staying here at The Federal Quarters. Please let us know of any thoughts, ideas, or suggestions you have that would improve our presentation and persuade you to spend your next vacation with us!
Sincerely,
Keegan & Rebecca Federal
Proprietors
Keegan 912-319-5505
Rebecca 404-307-1776
