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On the lot where the Cathedral of St. Philip’s members now park their cars once stood a mansion-turned-toy museum.
The Toy Museum of Atlanta, located in a Victorian mansion, first opened its doors in 1978. The museum was owned by Joe Daole and Patsy Powers – restaurateurs who had decorated many of their restaurants with toys. The museum’s impressive collection featured 19th-century antiques and rare items, including dollhouses standing nine feet tall and piped for gas and running water.
After the home was purchased by the cathedral in 1984, the collection was auctioned off in 1986 for over $6 million.
– Mark C. McDonald, The Georgia Trust