Playboy Club was short-lived

Q: Can you share any information about the Playboy Club in Atlanta? My father was a key club member back in the 1960s, although I don’t know if he ever went there.

A: Atlanta was home to its own Playboy Club, which opened in March 1965 and became a hotspot for athletes, entertainers and businessmen, who socialized with the famous bunnies. Members showed their key to enter the club, which was in the Dinkler Plaza Hotel on Luckie Street. It’s now called The Quality Hotel. AtlantaTimeMachine.com has a couple of photos, including one from an article in VIP, the Playboy Club magazine issued in summer 1966 that mentions visitors including Atlanta native Bert Parks, who hosted “Miss America” telecasts from 1955-79, and pool player Minnesota Fats. When members of the “brawny” Falcons and Braves visited the club, it states that “chairs fairly groaned under their weight; the sofas sighed and creaked.” Both franchises were new to the city that year. A visit could mean a performance by George Burns, Dean Martin, Milton Berle or Tony Bennett, or other entertainers. Atlanta’s Playboy Club was short-lived. A fire damaged it in 1975, leading to its closing.

Q: I often see signs for the Antebellum Trail in Georgia. What is that? Is it historical?

A: We’ll go from an Atlanta hotspot from the 1960s to Georgia towns that survived the Civil War in the 1860s. The Antebellum Trail is a 100-mile path into history that features historic buildings in six cities — Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville and Macon — and several sites in Jones County that date to the 19th century. The buildings include the Uncle Remus Museum in Eatonton; author Joel Chandler Harris’ hometown; Watkinsville’s Eagle Tavern, which dates to 1801; the Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville, which was home to the state’s chief executive from 1839-1868; and Madison’s Heritage Hall, a home built in 1811. The trail follows U.S. 441 from Athens to Milledgeville. That highway continues south, but other roads, such as Georgia 22 and 49, lead west to Jones County and then to Macon. You can travel the trail at any time of the year, but many folks wait until the annual Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage, a four-day event every April that features tours through homes and museums, performances and celebrations. More information can be found at www.antebellumtrail.org.