The Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation, Inc. is marking the thirtieth anniversary of its formation and purchase of 207 E. Charlton Street, the home where Flannery O’Connor grew up. The house was originally bequeathed to O’Connor by her cousin Katie Semmes in 1959. Over time, the house changed hands and was divided into apartments. In 1989, a group of Armstrong State University professors came together to reclaim O’Connor’s childhood home. The previous owner, Mary McLaughlin Runyon, sold the narrow townhouse to the nonprofit for $135,138.50 on July 31, 1989.
 
The Foundation then began seeking donations, artifacts and information related to Flannery’s time in the home. The restoration was completed in 2007. The home is open for tours and events, and continues to be a literary touchstone in the region.
 
The 30th anniversary will be officially celebrated at the annual Peacock Party, the Foundation’s primary fundraiser, on October 11, 2019, to be held at The Beach Institute.