The Bulloch House rises from its ashes in Warm Springs

By Kathy Dean

The Bulloch House has a well-earned its reputation of delicious, downhome cooking that draws people to Warm Springs. The current owners,

Many Mountains

You don’t have to head north to get a taste of the hills

By Collin Kelley

If you want to go visit the mountains, you don’t have to go far from metro Atlanta. You don’t even have to go north. Check out these state parks and heritage areas that lie to the south, east and west. For more, be sure to visit gastateparks.org.

Sweetwater

Creek

Only minutes west of Atlanta in Douglas County, the hills, outcrops and rolling rapids of Sweetwater Creek make for a great afternoon hike. The centerpiece of the park is the ruin of the New Manchester Textile Mill, which was burned during the Civil War. Park rangers lead informative hikes through the park and too the old mill. There’s also plenty of fishing opportunities in the 215-acre George Sparks Reservoir. The park is located at 1750 Mount Vernon Road in Lithia Springs.

Panola Mountain

Just 15 minutes south of Atlanta, Panola Mountain is a 100-acre granite outcrop similar to Stone Mountain, but smaller and much more pristine. Park visitors will see the outcrop and its rare ecosystem just as Native Americans did centuries ago. Reservations are required for since 2009, are Peter and Sandy Lampert, and they’ve not only kept the business going strong, they’ve built upon it — or rather, the ashes of it.

The original Bulloch House was built in 1893 by Benjamin F. Bulloch, co-founder of the town of Bullochville. After the town changed its name to Warm Springs, the building held onto its original name and in 1990, it was renovated and turned into a restaurant.

Unfortunately, in June 2015, lightning stuck the original building, smoldered in the wiring and burnt the structure to the ground during the night.

“When it erupted, thankfully, no one was in the building,” Sandy said. “It was so old, that it was like fat lighter [kindling]. The fire department tried to enter but had to rush out because the fire was taking hold so quickly and completely. It took less than 10 minutes for the old part of the building to burn down completely. The sky was glowing, and the flames were higher than the trees.”

The Lamperts had planned to rebuild on the same spot but found that the cost was prohibitive. They thought about moving the restaurant to another town.

“After the fire, we considered a move to Hampton or Columbus,” Peter said. “But in the end, we felt that Bulloch House belongs to Warm Springs.” ranger-led hikes that teach about the rare plants and animals found at the park. There’s plenty of activities in the park, too, including a playground, archery, birding and tree-climbing programs. A paved trail is open for biking, roller blading, jogging and dog-walking, while forested fitness trails are open for hiking and running. 2620 Highway 155 SW in Stockbridge.

Arabia Mountain

Located near Lithonia in southern DeKalb County, this national heritage area is also a granite outcrop similar to nearby Stone Mountain and Panola Mountain. The best way to see the park is on foot or by bike, and you can even get there using the PATH system of trails. The area is also dotted with historic homes and cultural buildings that have been preserved. For more information, visit arabiaalliance.org.

Providence Canyon

Georgia’s “Little Grand Canyon” was created by combination of erosion and poor farming practices during the 1800s. There are now gullies 150 feet deep and the soil’s pink, orange, red and purples hues make for stunning photographs. Visitors can enjoy views of the canyons from the rim trail and also admire the beauty of the rare Plumleaf Azalea, which only grows in this region, and blooms in July and August. 8930 Canyon Road in Lumpkin.

They located a building on Broad Street that could be renovated, and after some negotiation, the owner agreed to lease it to the Lamperts while the insurance claim was being processed. Renovations got underway and the Bulloch House reopened on December 1, 2015.

The spacious two-story restaurant has an elegant feel with high windows and white chandeliers. The walls are decorated with black and white photos of local history, and the menu, which changes weekly, features favorites like fried chicken, baked ham and catfish. There are also fried green tomatoes, collards, homemade biscuits and cornbread. Dessert includes six-layer chocolate cake, old fashioned pecan pie and banana pudding.

“A lot of people like this location better,” Peter said. “The parking can be a bit of a challenge, but it’s easier to find and it’s surrounded by shops.”

One of those shops is the Lampert’s own Fireflies Gift Boutique, just a few doors down. Shoppers delight in a wide selection of women’s jewelry and adorable baby gifts as well as collegiate gear and must-have housewares.

The name of the shop has special meaning for Sandy and goes back to the fateful night of the fire. “We got the phone call in the middle of the night, and my husband rushed right over. He called me crying, ‘It’s gone…it’s all gone!’”

When she got there, Sandy watched the embers burning and floating up into the trees. “To me, they looked fireflies, what we call lightning bugs,” she said.

The original restaurant had a gift shop attached to it; the shop also suffered from the fire. “When we reopened our gift shop in this new location, it just made sense to name it Fireflies,” Sandy said.

Recently, the Lamperts have added a bakery/cafe behind the gift boutique, offering coffee, fudge and cookies as well as specialty cakes and pies, all baked on premises. And they’ve named it Lightnin’ Bugs.

For more about the Bulloch House, 70 Broad Street in Warm Springs, visit bullochhouse.com.

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