Home
by Judy Watterson Petis
When I was ten years old, my family moved to Oxford, Georgia. We lived in Orna Villa, a legendary old house that was rumored to have been haunted. As a young girl, I looked for ghosts in the usual places, the basement, dark hallways and in the closets. However, I never found a ghost in any of those places.
After several weeks of searching, the ghosts quietly began to introduce themselves. They especially loved to move around on cool evenings. We always knew when they were there, because the house would creak and groan. Sometimes doors and kitchen cabinets would open and close, all by themselves. On some occasions, pictures and items on the walls would suddenly fall off and crash to the floor. My brothers and I loved these events, as we knew it was just chatter from the ghosts. We loved that old house and its ghosts, as much as the old house and its ghosts loved us kids.
When I was 18, my father fell in love with a nearly destroyed old house in Covington. Because we loved Oxford so much, he had the ruins of this old home moved to Oxford. My parents spent years restoring the second old home that we lived in, now known as Chestnut Grove. This house has its own special occupants who also like to open and close doors. Very recently, while the house was on tour, one of the visitors asked me if the house was haunted. As I began to explain about old houses, the door to the grandfather clock that I was standing next to, suddenly opened up. It’s always exhilarating to see someone see a ghost for the first time. Maybe you will get that chance someday.
Oxford is a unique and wonderful place to grow up. It is full of history, interesting places and loving people. My life-long friends have come from Oxford.
It is and will always, be home.
After several weeks of searching, the ghosts quietly began to introduce themselves. They especially loved to move around on cool evenings. We always knew when they were there, because the house would creak and groan. Sometimes doors and kitchen cabinets would open and close, all by themselves. On some occasions, pictures and items on the walls would suddenly fall off and crash to the floor. My brothers and I loved these events, as we knew it was just chatter from the ghosts. We loved that old house and its ghosts, as much as the old house and its ghosts loved us kids.
When I was 18, my father fell in love with a nearly destroyed old house in Covington. Because we loved Oxford so much, he had the ruins of this old home moved to Oxford. My parents spent years restoring the second old home that we lived in, now known as Chestnut Grove. This house has its own special occupants who also like to open and close doors. Very recently, while the house was on tour, one of the visitors asked me if the house was haunted. As I began to explain about old houses, the door to the grandfather clock that I was standing next to, suddenly opened up. It’s always exhilarating to see someone see a ghost for the first time. Maybe you will get that chance someday.
Oxford is a unique and wonderful place to grow up. It is full of history, interesting places and loving people. My life-long friends have come from Oxford.
It is and will always, be home.