Over time, she supposedly earned enough money to start her own business and she left the plant to open up her own house. It was said that her business sense was remarkable. She ran a tight ship and her girls had frequent medical attention and were 'guaranteed safe'. On one rare occasion when a client did come down with an embarrassing 'condition', Peggy made good on her word by covering all of his medical costs.
Local business, such as dress store owners, grocers, and pharmacists catered to the cash paying Madam by bringing goods to her house for purchase. She kept a side business during prohibition of selling beer and Cuban rum - all without consequences. It was said that hers was a clearing house for girls from Cuba and the west coast so her house was constantly full of fresh faces. She also had a suspicious amount of property in the Virgin Islands as well as in Floyd County.
Most remarkable of all is that Peggy's was well known nationally and internationally and received no opposition from the local Police, local businesses or even the local women. Everyone looked the other way and accepted the house as a part of the community - peacefully. This is a phenomenon that has not occurred before or since. My question is why? What made Peggy different? From her signature pink clothing and hair to her signature pink French poodle, she stood out and hasn't been forgotten these long years.
I have been collecting all sorts of amusing stories about this woman and her house and I am posting here to collect more. Everything you read here is pure heresay, I admit it!I have a great start but there are just as many new questions being raised as there are answers. If you have any sort of anecdote about her or the house, please post them. I even take second and third hand stories...and your name won't be used.
--MWH
Peggy (probably late 40's or early 50's)
Snead Cab Company, Rome, GA
66 comments:
I saw Peggy several times in downtown Rome with her poodle. There was a locally owned, upscale department store on Broad Street called "Fahy's". A friend's grandmother worked there and Peggy came in regularly to buy lingerie for her girls. She also shopped for her own clothes there. When my friend's grandmother first started working there, Peggy came in one day. The other salesclerks knew who she was, but my friend's grandmother did not. The other salesclerks decided to play a joke on the new employee. They told her that Peggy was a valued customer from an important family and that she should take special care of Peggy. My friend's grandmother was a very refined and proper southern lady and she treated Peggy with the utmost respect and showed her special consideration. From that day on, Peggy always asked for my friend's grandmother when she came in to shop. Peggy would ask her to reccomend items she should buy and ask advise on fashion. Of course, my friend's grandmother eventually learned Peggy true identity, but in true southern style, always treated her the same as she had in the beginning.
During the racial trouble in Rome in 1971,Peggy's burned. It was obviously burned by some of the black people who were more or less rioting at the time.I was a police officer at the time and stood on a street nearby that night ,watching it burn and the firefighters trying to put it out, The firefighters would have shots fired at them,at which time I would fire a burst into the air from the Thompson submachinegun I had cradled across my arms. This would stop the shooting momentarily,but it would eventually start back again,hampering the firefighter's efforts. It eventually was totally destroyed.
Peggy had already long since vacated the place. I was aquainted with Drew Vann,the man she eventually married,who retired from the Ga. Power Co.
There was a time when I was in High School in Atlanta,when some of the "guys" started getting curious about this famous establishment,and since I was from Rome,I just loaded up my 1949 Plymouth with them and brought them up here. Dropped them off for their fun,and went to my Dad's for a visit. He still lived in Rome. When they had finished their business,they called me at his house and I picked them up and we went back to Atlanta. Everyone was happy including me. I got enough gas money out of the deal to run my old Plymouth for a month. When I moved back to Rome in 1969,Peggy's business was still in full swing.
After I became a Police Officer,many of the old cops would go up there around Christmas time to get their annual presents, which consisted usually of a fifth of good whiskey for sure and who knows what else?
I met Peggy Snead on a couple of occasions and she was always very polite.
I,in turn ,was courteous and professional,and the subject of her business was never mentioned. This is a very interesting period in the history of Rome,and as you have said, the existence of Peggy's was cosidered just part of everyday life here then. No one seemed to think much about it.I don't recall ever even hearing of any protestations from local churches.
I grew up in Rome and remember hearing about Peggy's and Mabel's from my earliest days. When I was 11 years old I got a paper route, delivering the Rome News Tribune. No, I didn't deliver Peggy's, but did deliver Mabel's.
That house (on 13th Street, I think) was enclosed by a chain link fence, with parking at the back and small enclosed porch where I delivered the paper. The porch must have been a waiting area. I remember a bench and a drink box where you opened the lid and got the Cokes out of ice.
I was always paid promptly at that house, and tipped well. And I always was given a Coke from that box.
After leaving Rome, I was often reminded of Peggy's and Mabel's when someone found out that was my hometown. Those two houses must have done business from all across the country.
The lt. governor of the state where I live once told me that when he was in college a crowd of his fraternity brothers (including him) would pile into a car and make the four-hour trip to Rome "take care of business, and then drive back."
I had left Rome when Peggy's burned, but seem to remember it relocated on the Alabama Highway a few miles past the old West Rome High School. That might not be right, but I seem to remember someone pointing out a large ranch house that sat way back off the road and telling me it was Peggy's.
Interesting stuff. I'll check back from time to time to see what else is posted
MY MOTHER TOLD ME THE STORY OF HOW SHE LEARNED TO FIX HAIR WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG. FROM HER SOPHMORE YEAR IN SCHOOL 1964 UNTIL I WAS BORN IN 1967 SHE WORKED AT LAIRS BEAUTY SHOP ON BROAD STREET, AFTER SCHOOL AND EVERY SATURDAY. ONCE A WEEK A TAXI LOADED WITH WIGS NEATLY IN THERE OWN BOXES, ALL DIFFERENT STYLES AND COLORS (EVEN PINK), WOULD SHOW UP AT THE SHOP. THE TAXI DRIVER WOULD BRING THEM UP STAIRS AND LEAVE THEM. MY MOTHER BEING THE YOUNGEST AND NEEDING THE PRACTICE WOULD BE THE ONE TASKED TO FIX AND STYLE THEM THE NEXT FEW DAYS.THE TAXI DRIVER WOULD THEN COME BACK TO PICK THEM UP IN TIME FOR THE WEEKEND.LATER ON SHE FOUND OUT WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM, BUT THEY WERE REGULAR PAYING CUSTOMERS AND SHE GOT LOTS OF PRACTICE. I ALWAYS THOUGHT THIS WAS A COOL PIECE OF THE PAST. HOPE YOU CAN USE THIS.
I worked at Esserman's, a high end department store, next to Keith Wallgreen, in 1957. We regularly sent items from the "ladies" department to, I think "1501". That was all the information the driver needed.
I recall seeing Peggy in Esserman's, with her pink Poodle. I think pets were already forbidden in stores, but the Poodle was welcome. Everyone treated her as any other well-to-do customer. I can still visualize all the female employees chatting and laughing with her, but the men kept our distance, except "Mr. Hyman" Esserman". Nothing bothered him. I recall she was very pleasant.
My mother told me a story about a prank that she and her friends played when they were in high school. It was 1957 or 1958. They took an S&H green stamps sign from the front of a business on Broad Street and placed it on Peggy's front lawn.
Ironically when I was in high school in the mid to late 70's in Cave Spring, my Home Economics told us all a story that her husband had related to her years before. She said that he was some type of delivery driver and was driving by that area early one morning and saw a sign on Peggy's front lawn that said "We Give S&H Green Stamps" I know it had to be the same one that my mom and her friends had placed there because the time frame was the same. I was shy and never spoke to tell my teacher that my mom and her friends were the culprits. She told the story again when my younger more vocal sister was in her class. Of course she didn't hesitate to say, "My mom did that"
Well, like usual, I am late to the party.
Oh yes, Peggy and Mabels in the 1950's was thriving businesses in Rome. I worked in a retail store n Broad Street. We were a limited item type business and had several of the young ladies from both houses call to see if we had certain items. If we didn't, we would order them. I made the mistake(?) of offfering to deliver one time. From then on, it was my duty to deliver for them. The only name I remember other than Peggy's, was Marlene.
Others have told of pranks that were played on Peggys, and this may give away my idenity, there was a group (6) of us in my car one night when we passed a construction area on North Broad Street. One of my friends said stop and let me get that sign. With a little help from one of the girls who had some type of black paint ot marker in her purse, the change was made to the sign and it was deposited to the front walk of the residence. A large sign that declared for all the see.... "Danger, Open Ditch" with the D changed to a B.
Another time when the bosses brother was in town for a few days from out west, he accompainied some of us for the evening. He asked about the famous businees. We decided to show him where it was at. One of boys with us thatnight was an employee of Elliott Sales on Second Avenue. As such we always had fireworks with us. Needless to say, a mailbox needed to be replaced the next day.
After I married I worked for the Pepai Bottling Company in Rome. Mabels and Peggys were my customers. Very good customers.
Needless to say, I was never a customer of their business, but they were my customers several times.
One more, I will go.....
A new pastor moved to Rome. He went to the Post Office one day to pickup the mail. Someway or the other he encountered Peggy who delivered a sermon to him for the error he had committed. He did not know her, and when he come back to the church and related the story of the lady with the pink cadilac, pink poodle, and pink hair, I almost died laughing. I told him he met our famous Madam.
Do any of you remember the name of the Taxi driver who worked for Andrews that did most of Peggys pickups?? I do.
Several times in my life I have met fellas who knew of the existance of Peggy's in my home town of Rome, Georgia.
The first I recall is when I was a freshman in college (1955). I needed to get to the Columbus Georgia airport and found a dorm mate who agreeded to drive me there for a fee.. This person was a vet of the Korean conflict, and during the course of our conversations he told me that he knew of Peggy's and that a goodly number of men with who he was in the army with also where "aware" of Peggy's.
My second recollection is from my time in Puerto Rico in the early 1960's. I met another ex-army person who was aware of Peggy's.
These guys did not live anywhere close to Rome, but were stationed at Fort Benning (Columbus, Georgia). Peggy's was apparently widely known.
Of course these men did not actually visit Peggy's, they we just aware of the existance of a house of prostitution in a little northwest Georgia town!
Is it true that The Rapture Preparation Center is located on the former site of Peggy's?
When I was about 12 or 14 years old my uncle was in the produce selling business of going door to door selling fruit and produce. He hired me to to be his door knocker and runner and when he stopped in from of Peggy's I hesitated to go to the front door to knock on it because I knew it was some sort of bad place that I should not be as a kid. My uncle yelled get up there and knock on that door they eat just like you and I do. Well we sold them some fruit and produce.
licensed commercial pilot working for a charter outfit in Chattanooga, Jimmy Hoffa was undergoing a trial there for jury tampering. My first paying flight as co-pilot on the Aero Commander was to fly a group of very well dressed gentlemen in black suits down to Rome to "Miss Peggy's".
I had no idea what Miss Peggy's was but was not to remain in the dark for long. When we were arrived, a limo was waiting. Normally I would wait at the plane with the pilot, but the men said I "needed" to come with them so, being curious, I tagged along. When we got there, I picked up rather quickly that this was not a business meeting. The men offered to pick up my tab if I wanted to accept their hospitality but I was frankly scared to death so I sat and talked with some of the "girls" who were all gorgeous, college age and very intelligent. Now that I am retired from "the" airline in Atlanta, I still remember my visit to Peggy's fondly and regret my lack of courage... ah well...
I lived in Rome from 1943 until 1964. Once while I was on a train going from Savannah to Atlanta, I encountered a man who said that he was from New Orleans. I said I was from Rome and he immediately said that he had heard of Rome because it was the home of Peggy's.I thought this rather impressive especially since he was from New Orleans. I must also admit to patronizing her house on several occasions as a teenager. Five dollars was a lot of money in the 1950"s!
I grew up in Rome during the 50's and 60's. During the late 40's and early 50's, my daddy was a Jewel T man, who sold sundries door to door from a truck. On his route was Peggy's house. He always said that she was his best customer - he sold her more coffee and stockings than anything else.
I also remember Peggy's was right across the street from the fair grounds. You would see families walking up the hill to the fair while the men would walk to the left to Peggy's. I guess going to the fair was a "family affair!"
Like many others who have written their memories here, I, too, remember many people saying the same thing when they found out where I was from - "Oh, that's the home of Peggy's and Mable's!" Yes, they were known far and wide in this country of ours!
I don't remember ever hearing of any disturbances, police action, political action, or anything negative being published or said of Peggy's. All I ever heard was it was a fine establishment.
To the writer above - the house on the Alabama highway is where she moved, but from what I hear, she had "retired" at that point and had married. It was a large one level house sitting way back off the road on the north side of the highway.
I know for a fact the local doctor in an established old medical clinic in Rome that cared for her girls. They would all come in together and Peggy would bring the office staff perfume and gifts. She was in deed fastidious about having all the girls checked and free of disease.
Peggy was my great great aunt. My grandmother tells me stories all of the time about Peggy's house.
Please contact me.
I have first hand experience in 1962 I was 14 years old and visited Peggy's as a client. She was a very beautiful woman. The rumors about her girls being clean and healthy are true and they inspected the clients closely to be sure they were clean and disease free. I loved Peggy's and I am 63 years old and wish it were still there.
I grew up in a smallish town in Alabama near the Georgia border. My best friends brother was a student at a boarding school in Rome. Often on Friday nights we would drive to a beer joint in Cave Springs Ga and pick up some beer then continue on to the school to pick up the brother. The next stop was Peggy's. I don't remember her in particular but I do remember vividly her place and our visits. Later I did a career in the navy that spanned over 20 years and sampled brothels all over the world but none ever as memorable as Peggy's.
Two facts;
1. In the mid 60's an enterprisining student at Shorter began to drive a cab (not a big business in Rome). To up his income he made a proposal to Peggy that he'd be on call 24/7 for her, the ladies and customers. A deal was struck and he was the "driver" for Peggy's for a couple of years.
#2. Afetr Peggy's burned the property lay vacant fro quite a while until purchased by a church.
The church's name (last time I was in Rome) was/is "The Rapture Preperation Center"...Lot's of rapture on those grounds.
My father worked for a company that installed windows and screens in Rome. One day my mom and dad were auguring about something or other as I walked into the room where they were. The only part of the argument that I heard was my dad saying, "Ok, I'll take our son (me) with me. It turns out that the problem arose from a job my dad was to do at Peggy's. I went with him to install a window in one of the girls rooms. I remember the room was very nice, and I most especially remember all the sexy clothes hanging in the wardrobe. I was suppose to be too young to know about Peggy's and I let on like I knew nothing about where we were, but everyone knew about Peggy's.
I grew up in Shannon a little mill village close to Rome and it seems that we always knew about Peggy's. She always drove a pink Cadillac. After I grew up I joined the Air Force and was visiting a base in California, someone there asked me where I was from and I told the Rome, Ga. The guy said hey, ain't that where Peggy's is at. He didn't know where the hell Rome, Ga was but he sure knew about Peggy's.
We grew up in and around Rome, and I think the first thing we learned as young boys was about Peggy's. One year after we were able to drive and cruise about the town of Rome, I guess we were 16 or 17 at the time, one of the idiots in the car suggested we go over to Peggy's and check the place out. We did just that. Pulled up in the parking lot right next to her pink Cadillac, parked and went inside. We were greeted with four or five nice looking women, very friendly also. They kidded around with us, even after they found out between the four of us we didn't have enough money for a decent meal much less a frolic with a fair maiden. They all laughed and asked us to come back when we got paid.
Peggy's was one of the perks for going to Darlington School (boarding). I know of two students, class of 1960 and 1961) who actually took a bus to Peggy's.
i grew up in rome and a well known doctor who lived across the street from us was the one who looked after the girls at peggys. ironically he was the same doctor who took care of the health needs of the prisoners in the floyd county jail . on occasions he would come over to our house and ask my dad if he wanted to go with him to peggys to take care of some medical house calls . my mom would object but dad would go after the doctor would say it was harmless since they were nice little girls just tring to make a living like everybody else.this doctor now deceased was a very good doctor and know by most everyone in rome
I was born and raised in Rome, Ga. My mother operated a Beauty Salon in the late 50's. I was working for my mom one summer day, when a lady walked in with platium blond hair. She wanted a touch-up. While her hair was bleaching, she asked my mom if I could walk to Troy's Bar-B-Que and get some sandwiches. I agreed and she gave me $50 and told me to write down what she wanted. Well I made a list of all the orders and proceded on my way. I returned in about 30 minutes with the orders. She gave me a $5 tip for being so fast. Then she asked my mom if I could do her nails. Boy was I excited because I knew she would give me more money. By the time I was finished, I had $12. After she left, my mom said she was one of Peggy's employees. She acted like other people to me and she continued to come to the shop every week until my mom died. I had plenty of spending money the whole summer. RH
I found out about Mabel and Peggy when I was in high school from a friend. My dad was a milkman, and I knew one of his routes went by Peggys, and he delivered milk there, because I helped him on Saturdays. When I asked my dad about this place, he gave me one of his icy glares, I knew to change the subject. Much, much later, I was past 60 years old, I asked my aging dad again, I was finally old enough to hear about much places. I asked him what the ladies wore, he said "not much". I asked him how they paid, he immediately said "CASH". Then he told me that one time, a lady was short of cash, and asked to pay him in a professional manner. Dad said he thanked her for the offer, but then told her that when he got back to the dairy, he would still have to pay for the milk, so it would be the same as paying her directly. Dad was such a gentleman, he couldn't be rude to any lady.
Does anyone have a picture or any info on whether Peggy is still alive or passed on? I know she married a Vann fellow but I can find NOTHING on either of them. If you have any info please post for everyone else. Thanks.
I don't want to give too much away, but since you asked. I do have a photo of Peggy (which wasn't her real name by the way)but I won't post it here. It was given to me by her husband and will remain private until such time I am able to print it in a book. Her husband is still living and I will not print many things here out of respect for him. Peggy is buried in West Rome in the Oak Knoll cemetery. She passed away after having some complications from back surgery.
My grandmother sewed for Peggy's girls. They would come by the house for her to measure them. My grandfather's sister was married to Peggy's brother. One Christmas my grandmother said they were having a hard time and Peggy along with her girls brought over a ham, turkery and other food for them. During the time the fair was open I was told that Peggy's closed down.
If you would be willing to talk to me more for my research, please contact me at my gmail address: mwhdatabases@gmail.com
Thanks! Margaret Hollingsworth
I, too, was born and raised in Rome, and it seems I always knew about Peggy's and Mabel's. Once when I was in Florida someone asked where I was from. When I said "Rome, Georgia," he said, "I heard they have some nice houses there." Both of us knew what he meant. My dad was a police officer in Rome and once responded to a "drunk and disorderly" at Peggy's. Some of the girls were yelling out the windows, laughing at the man who was being arrested. My dad told them to cut it out or he would arrest them. He knew, however, that he would get in big trouble if he did. Peggy always gave the chief of police very nice gifts at Christmas time.
I worked at M&J Supermarket back in the 70's and some of Peggy's girls came in there grocery shopping. They were all very pretty, well dressed, and very well spoken. I have lived in Rome all my life, and I remember where Peggy's place was across from the fairgrounds, but never partook of her services. I had an uncle which I learned in later years was a regular customer of hers. I heard of Mables, but can't remember exactly where her house was, except that it was somewhere off Maple St. I did a four year hitch in the Navy, and people from all over the world knew about Peggys in Rome GA.. I too heard that she moved to the big house on the right as you cross the railroad tracks on the Alabama highway, but have since learned that was not the case. I have read that she purchased a home and farm much further out the Alabama highway on the left before you get to the state line. Someone said it sits behind the Wayside Market. I have never heard anything bad about the woman, and that she was a very astute businesswoman who made a good living in her profession, and kept her "girls" clean.
I know Peggy's husband quite well. He survived Peggy and still lives on their farm. Drew is quite a businessman in his own right, but a lot of his fortune came from Peggy's. Peggy put away a lot of cash over the years and their 250 acre farm (where drew still lives in Rome), is very nice. I think Drew is 85 years old in 2012 with a birthday in June. Drew is a short, stout man, grumbles a lot and is very protective of Peggy's memory. He truly loved her.
I have met Drew and it is out of respect for him that I have not gone further on this project at this time. When he finally granted an interview some time ago, he would not divulge much, but he did give me two photos of Peggy and one of her sister. I felt that was some measure of trust he was conveying, and I have decided to proceed carefully on this project because of him and her family.
mwh
My Dad, used to drive a taxi back in the late 50's and early 60's and would drop off patrons to Peggy's.
I, too, grew up in Rome and have just found this blog about our local history. One year when I was somewhere around 15, my cousin and I were taken to the fair by her brother and told to call him before we left the fairgrounds so he could come and pick us up. We forgot until we were outside the gates and they would not let us back in or make a call for us. We looked around and saw a house across the street with lights on and went over, knocked on the door and asked the woman who answered if we could use the phone. When she found out the reason, she volunteered to make the call for us - told us to wait across the street for our ride and closed the door. Those 2 young girls had no idea who they had just talked to - and don't I wish I could remember how she looked!!!!
I was in Rome in the early fifties playing fast pitch softball against a Rome team with a pitcher named Red Bird or Red Byrd. Our sponsor was a well known civic leader from Marietta, Georgia and he was well respectd by everyone. he told us if we beat the Rome team he would take us all to Peggy's and get our ashes hauled. We won the game by a large margin and he fulfilled his promise. there were fourteen of us and we stayed at the big yellow house on Chambers Street long enough for all of us to get our share. Peggy was quite a card and we had a ball.
Like so many here, I and my family are former residents of Rome. My Dad was born in Alabama and knew "Peggy" from childhood..."Peggy's family and my Dad's family were pioneer families in the Alabama County from which they hailed. Can remember Dad saying that "Peggy" began her "career" at Mabel's and then branched out with her own girls on Chambers Street. Dad was very well known downtown Rome in the late 30's and early 40's and according to Dad one of the reasons no one balked very much about Peggy or her "business" was this: Peggy was very smart and business savvy and neither she nor her girls were out during the day with any regularity among the "respectable" women during the week. Saturday afternoons, sometimes a couple of the girls would call for a cab and go to the movies on Broad Street and get something to eat and return back to Chambers Street. How do I know this?? "Peggy" would call my Dad sometimes and ask if he would come and get them,get them safely to the movie theater on Broad St., get them something to eat, and get them safely back as a favor to her....and he was offered to be paid for the "favor"...Dad said he never took "Peggy's" money although it was tempting because she was very lavish and generous...He did a favor for an old friend...Dad married in 1945 and lost touch with "Peggy"...but always called her "friend"....and when my older brother questioned Dad later in life about whether he was a patron of Peggys, he said no...never...but he did go to Mabels as a younger man several times...Could explain how Dad knew Peggy worked at Mabel's????
i am a 66 year old caucasian male who grew up in rome ga in the 50s and 60s. i too had the pleasure of visiting peggys when i was a teenager. the first time i was there was when i was seventeen. i lost my virginity there. the first visit the house was full of women--then later on it narrowed to two women. it was a clean place---i enjoyed my visit.
Drove a taxi one summer, early 70s. Delivered there and to Mable's house. Quite nice to me. :-)
Peggy is my Great Aunt and Lester was my Grandfather on my Dad's side.
I do have a few memories from my teenage years that I can share. Having been born and raised in Rome I was aware, in my teenage years, of "Mable's and Peggy's". It was information that was shared with each other among the young boys of my age in hushed tones. It was almost as if we were afraid that if it became known we knew about this or, even worse, were talking about it, the long arm of the law would pounce on us. lol Little did we know back then.
During my last two years of high school I was enrolled in a program called Distributive Education. This program provided for a half day of a standard curriculum of high school studies and a half day of employment as preparation for a career in the business world.
I was employed at a major department store on Broad Street by the name of Miller Brothers, a very high end department store at that time.
My job was in the stock room and I can remember seeing Miss Peggy, as the staff called her, come into the store a few times as I was delivering stock to the various departments. She was always immaculately dressed, always in pink and had her pink poodle with her as I can remember. Of course by this time I had become aware of who she was and of what she was famous for.
As I was to learn later, during my short stay in the Army, her's was not a name that was well known just to the good folks of North Georgia. On many, many occasions, as I introduced myself to fellow soldiers and told that Rome, GA was where I was from, the question was often ask, "Isn't that where Mable's and Peggy's is?" and of course they invariably wanted to know all that I knew about those two ladies. I became the center of attention in a lot of foot locker story telling sessions.
Other than the chance sighting's of Miss Peggy in the Miller Brothers store, I did have other experiences that concerned her.
There was a department in Miller's named Lady's Ready To Wear. A couple of times the manager of that department called up to the stock room, while I was working, and ask that a rolling rack be brought down to her department. She would fill that rack up with a selection of very fancy and very beautiful dresses and lingerie. I was instructed to load these items very carefully into the white delivery van and to take them to the first white house on right on Chambers St and to wait until the items were looked at and to return what remained to the store. Being a young 17 year old, I was thrilled beyond words to be assigned this duty. How much more lucky could I get I thought? lol
I arrived at the house, unloaded the van onto the rolling rack I had placed on the front porch and rang the door bell. The most beautiful, breathtaking woman that I had ever seen up to that point in my life, answered the door and with the warmest smile and the prettiest voice imaginable to a 17 year old, invited me in.
The room was very tastefully furnished with what I remember thinking at the time, was a large number of couches and chairs. I was ask to have a seat and wait. The young lady disappeared through a door with the rack of clothes.
I sat there for a good long time, absolutely still, and for the most part petrified, without seeing or hearing anyone or anything. The same young lady finally rolled the rack back into the sitting room, told me thank you and gave me a tip. I can't recall exactly how much the tip was but I do remember in later years wishing that I had kept it, but I didn't. Little did I realize at the time that it would have been a great keepsake of a great memory.
I also remember hearing, in later years, some deer camp campfire stories, about my father, before he was married to my mother, taking trips to Florida with Miss Peggy. I have no way of knowing if those tales were true or not since I never had the courage to ask him about it. Most probably the stories were just that, camp fire stories. We all know how men like to talk, especially when sitting around a camp fire late at night sharing a fruit jar of north GA moonshine.
I was a curb hop at Troys Barbecue in the middle 50es and a lot of Friday and Saturday nights I made good tips from guys that were from out of town and would drink a couple of beers and ask directions to Peggys. I also was in the Navy and when I told guys I was from Rome Ga. a lot of them would ask about Peggys.
I worked at Troy's Barbecue in the mid 50's and made good tips when cars from out of town would come in with one and two men in them and drink a couple of beers and then ask directions to Peggy's. While I was in the Navy later on a lot of guys ask about Peggy's when I told them I was From Rome Ga.
After my senior year in high school and my freshman year in college I worked as a sales clerk in the ladies department of Miller's Department Store. Evidently I had waited on Peggy and had threated her nicely. The other clerks knew who she was and snubbed her. I had no clue. She decided to buy furs for all of her girls and asked that I come and model them for the "girls". Being a nice little young lady I knew that I probably should ask my mother's permission. You can just imagine her reaction. I am 71 years old now and to this day I still regret asking permission--(forgiveness would have been so much more fun).
When I was a student at Shorter College (1960-64), a favorite amusement for a boring day in the girls' dorm was to draw straws to see who would call Peggy's to apply for a job! This was such common practice, that Peggy would usually shut down the conversation immediately by saying "You Shorter girls need to get back to studying and stop wasting my time!" One day, however, one of our class, who surely could have made a career in acting, kept Peggy on the phone with a heart-rending story of how she was an orphan at 16, in high school, with younger brothers and sisters to raise with no family or friends to help and was desperate for a job that would pay enough to keep her family together. She was so believable that Peggy was touched and spent quite a while on the phone with her telling her she needed to finish high school and build a better life for herself and her siblings than she could as a prostitute. When the conversation ended, my friend was in tears and felt so guilty for her deception that the game of harassing Peggy with those silly phone calls had totally lost its charm.
My cousin delivered beauty products. One of his delivers was to Peggy's. He was allowed into the kitchen and given a glass of milk and chocolate cake. That was as far as he got. Years later I was a plane flying from Dallas to Atlanta. A service man came on board in his uniform. A loud mouthy man in the back yelled where you headed to the young man. He answered Rome. The man yelled "I Know a place you can go" I had had enough of the man's loud mouth, leaned back and in a loud voice myself said "yes, I know it's called Peggy's or Mable's" never heard another word from the over indulged man.
I went to Peggy's as a teenager in the sixties, but my friends and I were kicked out for cussing. Peggy said she didn't allow cussing in her establishment.
I have a farm not far from Peggy's former place of business. That area has a lot of interesting history predating the Confederancy. Her widower is a personal friend of mine and he is always generous with my requests. The lore of Peggy's is as colorful as the truth. A slice of Americana that is gone forever because of drugs and our violent nature...
I was a teenager in Floyd County in the early 1960s and can vouch for the idea that Peggy's was widely known. It was what Rome, Ga. was famous for, for decades.
I knew a veterinarian in Rome who got a bottle of whiskey from Peggy every year at Christmas. I also heard that at one point the local powers that be decided to pay for Peggy and her girls to go on vacation during fair week. Too much competition, or maybe just to avoid attracting too much attention. I was amazed that there was a house of prostitution that everyone knew about yet it remained in business.
It seems that Peggy's was the focus of many pranks. Once, my uncle, my father, and another relative went to Ellijay and picked up a load of apples, then drove to Rome to sell them door to door. My uncle, who was 16 at the time, had not heard of Peggy's so quite naturally he was the one chosen to knock on her door. He said he remembers being dumfounded because when the door opened he saw several beautiful women in their lingerie. He couldn't remember whether he sold them any apples or not.
During the 60's I knew several gentlemen from Rockmart who made the trip to Peggy's every saturday.
They told stories ofmeeting peole from far away all the time.
While I never went, I know two gentlemen who were regular customers..
YES THE HOUSE OF RAPTURE IS LOCATED ON WHAT USED TO BE PEGGY'S IT IS NOW THE SECOND HOUSE OF RAPTURE THAT WAS LOCATED THERE. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE NIGHT A TRUCK DRIVER WITH A LOAD OF TURKEYS STOPPED BY PEGGY'S AND AFTER COMPLETING HIS BUSINESS THERE HE MADE A MISTAKE AND TRIED TO GO UNDER THE RAILROAD TRACK BELOW HER PLACE OF BUSINESS WHERE HE HIT THE UNDERPASS AND LOST HIS LOAD OF TURKEYS.IT WAS SAID A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD TURKEY TO EAT THE NEXT DAY.
I remember Peggy's -- not as a customer :-) -- but went there with law enforcement (GBI?) on an "official raid" once. I don't recall anyone being arrested (could have been) & saw the ladies in a group. Very pretty and well dressed. No lewdness at all.
I remember Peggy's -- not as a customer :-) -- but went there with law enforcement (GBI?) on an "official raid" once. I don't recall anyone being arrested (could have been) & saw the ladies in a group. Very pretty and well dressed. No lewdness at all.
When I was about 10-11 years old I remember riding by Peggy's house just after she had closed. A white sign with black letters nailed to the back door read "Closed so beat it". I know that probably disappointed a lot of people, but it was funny.
I grew up in Rome and one of my girl friend's uncle was the man who married Peggy. The story was that his mom didn't approve of her so they married in secret and kept it so until his mom passed. By that time she had a convenience store on the Alabama Hwy past the narrows. My friend would know if she and her husband were still alive.
Peggy Died In 1991 . Her Husband is still Alive !
your timeline for the comment - "side business during prohibition selling rum, etc" doesn't fit. Prohibition was over by the time she had this house of prostitution. why embellish ?
Rome and Floyd County were"dry" for many years and only beer and wine were sold up until the 1960's. You had to drive to Atlanta to buy liquor. That is obiously what was referred to as "prohibiyion". It was a local law.
I remember years ago after Peggy had moved out on the Alabama Hwy, my dad's car broke down on the Hwy right in front of her house. Rather than go call for a ride from her house, he walked way down the highway to call. When his friend came to get him, he wanted to know why Daddy hadn't called from Peggy's. Daddy said if my mama heard about where he was she would never forgive him!
I was born & raised in Rome. I am forwarding this to my dad(89) as he knew everyone in Rome and probably will have some stories.
I was born & raised in Rome. I am forwarding this to my dad(89) as he knew everyone in Rome and probably will have some stories.
If her husband was from Cherokee County AL or from Rome GA her last name was most likely spelled Snead. I have a distance relative who had a cab company in Rome GA years ago and we all spell our name Snead.
Thank you! You are absolutely right and I simply misspelled the name and continued the error throughout. Thanks for pointing it out! I will correct it immediately.
I remember as a teenage and delivery person for a local drugstore, making deliveries to Peggy's on many occasions. Mind you these were no prescriptions but rather cosmetics, perfumes (not cheap perfumes either) grooming implements and lots of soda fountain items of ice cream, sodas and food.
I was always kidded and told not to take my tips out in trade. And the tips were very good.
I never met Peggy to my knowledge but always heard she was a very nice lady.
I also delivered to Mable's on many occasions and did meet Mable as well as Ginger. Also they tipped well and were very cordial to a very large teenager.
I am a journalist based in Atlanta gathering information for a play about Peggy. I knew her during my teenage and college days and had deep respect for her. I have been seeking interviews with women who worked for her, many I guess are still alive. I have talked to several (under a promise of anonymity) and everything was very praiseworthy about Peggy. But, I need more. Did she actually recruit in Cuba? Was she generous with her employees as I've been told? Which high profile men were regulars (I have found some surprises)? This is a serious effort, not satire nor in anyway belittling. Peggy was a survivor. Her good story will be a big hit. Doc Lawrence: editors@docsnews.com
II grew up in Rome and at age 15 delivered the Atlanta Journal in Peggy's neighborhood. The monthly rate was $2.24, and I learned that if one of Peggy's girls paid me, they would give me $3 and let me keep the change. But when Peggy paid me, she would give me $5, so I would hang out until Peggy came out to pick up the evening paper, then go collect from her.
Also, Peggy's was located next to the Coosa Valley fairground. One time when the fair was in full swing, someone placed a big sign in Peggy's yard that said, "Gone to the Fair. Beat it!"
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