Macon Family Preserves Century of Black History at Historic Home

Sasha Hutchings and partner Meka Seymour are working to preserve local history at 557 Monroe Street in Macon, Georgia. “So much of the community in the city of Macon is represented in these stories, and our history is represented in these stories,” Hutchings said. “You just sort of realize, ‘Oh the story is going and if I don’t write it down or record it no one will.'”

Preserving Century-Old Family History in Macon

For over a century, the Hutchings family has called 557 Monroe Street home. The family started the first Black-owned funeral home in Macon and lived in the house since the city’s founding in the early 19th century. Over a year ago, Hutchings and Seymour realized the property’s history needed documentation. They launched “The Hutchings Collection” to create a private archive of everything inside the home, ranging from century-old letters and photos to teacups and a saxophone-wielding clown doll in the backroom closet.

The pair arranged every discovered item as if past generations of the Hutchings family still lived in the rooms. “We’ve had this really rich experience of being in this house where we are just waiting for these walls to talk to us, and I think at some time, at some points they really have,” Hutchings said. “I think our family growth has been alongside the growth of Macon, Georgia.”

Opening the Archive to Community Leaders

Hutchings and Seymour are now looking to share the archive with the public. They invited community leaders to step into the home to witness the family and city history firsthand. The weekend tours are designed to gather ideas for turning the residence into a permanent space where other Macon residents can visit and learn. “It’s really good work and I think that it will be a gift,” Hutchings said. “I know it will be a gift to our family and I definitely think it will be a gift to many people beyond that.”

Seeking National Historic Recognition

Beyond local tours, Hutchings and Seymour are working to place the property on the National Registry of Historic Homes. Hutchings noted that the effort requires substantial work. “I don’t think anybody’s ever preserved history on their own by themselves so we’ve done a lot of hard work and we’re excited to share it,” she said. Anyone seeking additional information about the archives can contact the organizers at hutchingsarchives@gmail.com.