FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT RACHEL CRUMBLEY
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER
(706) 663-5187
pr@callawaygardens.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALLAWAY GARDENS®’ IDA CASON CALLAWAY MEMORIAL CHAPEL
PROVIDES QUIET RETREAT
PINE MOUNTAIN, GA - From the beginning, Cason J. Callaway, founder of the
Callaway Gardens®, visualized a place of peace and beauty set within the heart of the
Gardens. This place of serenity would be especially so visitors could meditate and
worship.
The Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel was built to honor Cason Callaway’s
mother whose life had been that of an exemplary Christian, and who was, he felt, the
greatest influence for good and truth in his own life. Callaway spent many hours
choosing the perfect site for this project but died before having the opportunity to step
inside the chapel he saw in his mind’s eye.
The Chapel, dedicated by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in April 1962, is English
Gothic, patterned much like the rural wayside chapels of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The walls are of native quartzite fieldstone, which was collected nearby, and the red oak
beams are from the surrounding forests. The floor is of North Georgia Cherokee
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flagstone, and the high stone altar at the front of the sanctuary is typical of many
boulders found in the Pine Mountain area. Everything except the sloping Vermont slate
roof and the limestone arches are native Georgia materials.
In the sanctuary are six stained glass windows designed by Joel Reeves of
Atlanta. Through these windows, and in other subtle ways, the Callaways wanted to
show God in nature. The four west windows represent the Gardens’ seasonal
progression - the first shows the dogwood and azalea blossoms of spring; the second
highlights the green leaves and bright color of summer’s plumleaf azaleas; the third
features stark branches in the red, orange and yellow hues of autumn; and the last
portrays the evergreens, hollies and Christmas ferns of winter.
The large window at the south end of the Chapel depicts the pine forest of the
Coastal Plain. The north window beautifully picks up the leaf patterns and the colors of
the hardwood forests indicative of the Piedmont.
The Chapel features a portrait of Ida Cason Callaway and a custom-made,
three-manual Möller pipe organ, which has 1,800 pipes housed in the tower of the
Chapel. This tower is louvered so music can be heard outside the Chapel as well as
inside during weekly and special occasion organ concerts, non-denominational worship
services or the many weddings that take place here.
Lower Falls Creek Lake sits at the foot of the Ida Cason Callaway Memorial
Chapel reflecting the Chapel as well as the man who put his heart and soul into its
design and completion. The stream that flows beside the Chapel replenishes Lower
Falls Creek Lake the same way Callaway wanted the Chapel to replenish the hearts,
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minds and souls of visitors to the area.
Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and
30 minutes north of Columbus. For additional information, contact Callaway at 1-800CALLAWAY (1-800-225-5292) or visit www.callawaygardens.com.
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About Callaway Gardens
For 60 years as of May 21, 2012, Callaway Gardens has provided “a place of relaxation,
inspiration and a better understanding of the living world” for millions of visitors. Owned
and operated by the non-profit Ida Cason Callaway Foundation, Callaway Gardens
includes a garden, resort, preserve and residential community on 13,000 acres in Pine
Mountain, Georgia. Highlights include a butterfly conservatory, horticultural center,
discovery center, chapel, inland beach, nature trails and special events throughout the
year.
In addition, Callaway Gardens offers nearly 80,000 square feet of meeting space, 685
guest rooms, restaurants, shops, golf, tennis, fishing and more.
Five unique, close-knit residential communities — with custom home sites, lakefront
properties and cottages on the golf course — offer an ideal home away from home or
full-time residence.
Callaway Gardens is home to a 4,610-acre forest preserve which is under conservation
easement. This conserved, sustainably-managed land is used for biological studies and
environmental education programs.
Note to Editors: Images, interviews and visits to the event can be arranged. Thank
you.