Necklace designed and created by George Headley.
Nov. 26, 2016
Lexington, KY proved to be an interesting stop along the way to the Annual Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville, NC . With over 400 horse farms, Lexington’s scenery is unbelievably beautiful and serene. A stop at the quirky Headley-Whitney Museum was a fun diversion from all the horses pastures. George Headley had been a popular jewelry and bibelot designer for the rich and famous, including many movie stars . George and Barbara( Whitney) were married in 1960, a union that lasted over 20 years. The museum features a small sample of jewelry and bibelots that George created, a dollhouse collection, a library which displays many artifacts the couple collected while traveling, a rose garden and a seashell grotto. Sadly in 1994, thieves broke into the museum and stole 103 pieces of jewelry and bibelots from the collection, which were never recovered.
A George Headley bibelot created from shells and coral.
The unique architecture of their library.
A miniature replica of the Whitney Estate took 6 years to complete.
Miniature dining room
The shell grotto was my favorite!
Yes! Those are shell geese flying across the ceiling!!
Lastly – a quiet spot on the property serves as the final resting place for the couple’s pets. George and Barbara loved dachshunds and had several through the years. Each grave marker has the name and dates of each pet. I was told that the dogs were so loved that sometimes they were even dressed in diamond jewelry.
Hope you enjoyed this peak into the life of George and Barbara!
Thanks for reading!
Jeannie's Travel Addiction 