The Bowers House Writers Retreat and Literary Center

but the property failed in the Great Depression when it was taken over by The Bowers Family. It’s been put into service as an artist retreat, an effort by its owners, to keep the house in the family while providing writers and artists a quiet creative space. The property includes a commercial storefront building approx 2400 SG built pre 1900 and the Hotel building approximately 4500 SF, on approximately 2 acres. The Bowers House is on the registry of historic places and has a large living room and large dining room and kitchen and two bedrooms/baths downstairs, and 6 bedrooms and 2 baths and a parlor upstairs

About

About

but the property failed in the Great Depression when it was taken over by The Bowers Family. It’s been put into service as an artist retreat, an effort by its owners, to keep the house in the family while providing writers and artists a quiet creative space. The property includes a commercial storefront building approx 2400 SG built pre 1900 and the Hotel building approximately 4500 SF, on approximately 2 acres. The Bowers House is on the registry of historic places and has a large living room and large dining room and kitchen and two bedrooms/baths downstairs, and 6 bedrooms and 2 baths and a parlor upstairs

GUEST AND RETEAT LODGING

Please note that you must call Charlie Read, Family Custodian of The Bowers House, with immediate rental requests or to book Retreats, Overnight Arts/Business Groups or Full House Rental for weddings and celebrations. A maximum of 35 daytime guests dictate that we can accommodate only the most intimate and private functions but can recommend larger venues for use when renting the entire home for lodging purposes. Please call  954-888-8948.

When available we rent individual guest rooms with private baths, but where member artists and alumni may be in residence as well. Alumni and Ambassadors often take residency when a retreat is not in session, and artist members and former retreat participants may book rooms with shared baths, laundering, cleaning and cooking.

VISITING GUEST ROOMS

Visiting Guests pay approximately $100-$120 per night for a two night minimum stay double occupancy in a king or two double room and usage of kitchens, common areas with assigned private bath. Well behaved non agressive dogs only (no other pets) are allowed for an additional non refundable fee $30 per visit.  Check in is usually 2:00 PM and checkout 1:00 PM. These accommodations are not always available so plan early if you’re a curious historian or Lake Hartwell enthusiast, or a golf/hiking/small town lover.

WHOLE HOUSE RENTAL

Whole house rental (2 night minimum) ranges from $500-$900 (more on game day weekends) per night for ten occupants. The facility may also be customized for corporate meetings, small intimate family/wedding events, health and fitness groups, and overnight business seminars.  12 hour day rental beginning at 8 AM pays 1/2 whole house overnight rate.

Retreat organizers, Group Managers and Grant Housing Specialists and their participants can expect to pay approximately $75-100 per person per day for a two or more night lodging event with a minimum of six participants inclusive of full house usage (6BR/3BA). Weekly rentals are discounted.The 1200 square foot family church outbuilding in the same block can be rented per availability for additional workspace or workshops for approximately $100 a day if more space is needed at least until our commercial building is completed. Each bedrooms has a work desk or table. When painters come they can spread out on the tables, common areas and porches and lawns, with easles and canvas. 

Musicians have songwriter workshop weekends that highlight  occasional  Saturday night recording of their music for “Bowers Hour” and sometimes perform for the public. MEMBERSHIP AGREEMENT REQUIRED FOR RETREAT PARTICIPANTS

Retreat directors/organizers, event planners and residency/ grant managers are responsible for securing the property with a written list of the attendees and brief bio and work sample of each, and a 50 percent deposit. (non refundable or partially applied to a reschedule in some cases). There is a $300 cleaning fee (waived if linens and towels are washed and replaced by residents or a resident representative). Directors are permitted to set their own rates for their retreat participants to recover instruction or organization/grocery costs. Retreat participants agree to contribute programming material for ‘BOWERS HOUR’.

WRITERS GUILD AND READING NIGHTS

There are two monthly writer’s guild meetings funded by The Bower House and we participate in several annual holiday events including Halloween and Christmas with the city and county.

Meal preparation and service, airport and daily transport, and special tours and excursions near the area can be part of your package and we will do everything we can to accommodate special requests. 

Centrally located within 40 minutes from University of Georgia and Clemson, the Bowers House Writers Retreat and Literary Center is a grand historic home in a small northeast Georgia town that has gained new life as a place of peace and solitude for working writers and literary functions. Constructed in the early 1920s as a rail-stop hotel and restored in 1997, There are six private rooms (and owners’ suite)  and the house can accommodate up to ten overnight guests or artist residents. Generally there are one or two writers in residence, however, there are certain opportunities to use the property exclusively, and several workshops or readings occur monthly at the facility, many open to the local community.

The Bowers House does not have very fast internet so certain media specific or business groups may find the property unacceptable for their purpose. The writers and artists usually don’t care, hence the solitude and focus on the present, which is the primary reason for their stay at the house. On the following page you can find an extensive but not all inclusive list of Ambassadors to The Bowers House. Each has an arts specialty that helps us expand our occupancy. Read more about The Bowers House here.