Greenwood Plantation
Trademark
UnclaimedGreenwood Plantation is a historic plantation and estate in Georgia's Red Hills region, known for its Greek Revival house, longleaf-pine forests, quail-hunting landscape, and association with the Whitney family.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Greenwood Plantation is a historic estate in the Red Hills region of southern Georgia, just west of Thomasville in Thomas County. It is not a conventional consumer brand or operating company; its significance rests on its architecture, landscape, ownership history, and place in the cultural history of the American South. The property is centered on a Greek Revival main house designed by the British architect John Wind for Thomas and Lavinia Jones. Construction began around 1838, and the house was completed in 1844. In 1899, Oliver Hazard Payne commissioned Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White to enlarge the residence with symmetrical side wings and additional rear living and kitchen areas. The estate changed hands several times during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Jones family retained it until 1889, when it was sold to S. R. Van Duzer of New York. Van Duzer later sold Greenwood to Oliver Hazard Payne, who bequeathed the property in 1916 to his nephew Payne Whitney. The Whitney family used Greenwood as a winter residence and brought thoroughbred racehorses there. After Payne Whitney's death, ownership passed in 1944 to his son John Hay "Jock" Whitney, a prominent financier, publisher, horse-racing enthusiast, and diplomat. Whitney was involved in arranging financing for the film version of Gone with the Wind, and Greenwood was reportedly regarded as a model of Southern elegance associated with the film's visual world. Greenwood also became known for the influential guests received by the Whitneys. Jock Whitney served as United States ambassador to the Court of St James's from 1957 to 1961 during the Eisenhower administration. President Dwight D. Eisenhower visited Greenwood for quail and turkey hunting. Other reported guests included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and actor Fred Astaire. In February 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy stayed at Greenwood after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, using the secluded estate as a refuge from intense public attention. Her later visit in 1967 attracted additional tabloid interest because Lord Harlech, then the British ambassador to the United States, was also staying at the property. The plantation's built environment and natural setting are central to its identity. The estate includes extensive forest used for quail hunting, with approximately 1,000 acres of old-growth longleaf pine, including trees estimated to be as much as five centuries old. The property was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1976. At the time of listing, the documented historic property covered approximately 1,400 acres and included nine contributing buildings and four other contributing structures. The main house underwent renovation and restoration in 1965. It was later redecorated by the prominent American interior designer Sister Parish in 1993. Shortly after that work was completed, a fire gutted the interior, although the exterior walls remained standing. Jock Whitney died in 1982, and Betsey Cushing Whitney died in 1998. Betsey Whitney left Greenwood to the family's Greentree Foundation, which maintained the estate under a conservation plan developed with expert advisers. In 2013, the foundation offered the plantation for sale. Publicly available reference material does not establish a later purchaser, current operating status, or an active commercial brand program.
History
Greenwood Plantation developed in the nineteenth century as a large agricultural and residential estate in Georgia's Red Hills region. Its principal house was commissioned by Thomas and Lavinia Jones and designed by the British architect John Wind in the Greek Revival style. Work began around 1838, and the residence was completed in 1844. The Jones family occupied the plantation until 1889, when the property was sold to S. R. Van Duzer, a New York owner. Van Duzer subsequently sold Greenwood to Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne. Payne left the plantation to his nephew Payne Whitney in 1916. Before that inheritance, Payne had substantially expanded the main house in 1899 by hiring Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White. The additions included two small, balanced side wings and more living and service space at the rear, producing the form of the house associated with the historic estate today. The property became closely connected with the Whitney family during the twentieth century. After Payne Whitney's death, Greenwood passed in 1944 to his son Jock Whitney. The Whitneys used the estate as a winter retreat and brought thoroughbred racehorses to Georgia. Jock Whitney was also involved in financing the film adaptation of Gone with the Wind, which premiered in Atlanta in 1939; Greenwood was reportedly treated as an example of the Southern elegance that informed popular perceptions surrounding the film. Greenwood's social history expanded during Jock Whitney's ownership. Whitney served as U.S. ambassador to the Court of St James's from 1957 through 1961 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower visited Greenwood for quail and turkey hunting, and the estate hosted other prominent figures, including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Fred Astaire. Jacqueline Kennedy stayed there for several weeks in February 1964, shortly after the assassination of her husband, seeking privacy away from the media. She returned in 1967, when the presence of Lord Harlech, the British ambassador to the United States, generated press attention. The house was restored and renovated in 1965. In 1993, Sister Parish redecorated the interior, but a fire soon afterward destroyed the interior finishes and contents while leaving the outer walls intact. The estate's landscape remained an important part of its historic character. Its forest included roughly 5,200 acres used for quail hunting, including about 1,000 acres of old-growth longleaf pine. Some of those trees were described as approximately 500 years old. Greenwood was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The registered property then covered about 1,400 acres and included nine contributing buildings and four other contributing structures. Jock Whitney died in 1982, followed by his widow Betsey Cushing Whitney in 1998. Betsey Whitney left Greenwood to the family's Greentree Foundation. The foundation maintained the property through a conservation plan prepared with expert consultants. In 2013, it offered the plantation for sale. The available reference material does not identify a subsequent buyer, document a current public visitation program, or establish that Greenwood operates as a commercial brand.
- 2013
Property offered for sale
[1]The Greentree Foundation offered Greenwood Plantation for sale.
- 1998
Estate passes to the Greentree Foundation
[1]Betsey Cushing Whitney left Greenwood to the family's Greentree Foundation, which maintained it under a conservation plan.
- 1993
Interior redecoration and subsequent fire
[1]Sister Parish redecorated the house, but a fire shortly after completion gutted the interior while the exterior walls survived.
- 1982
Death of Jock Whitney
[1]John Hay Whitney died, leaving the estate in the hands of his family and successors.
- 1976
National Register designation
[1]Greenwood Plantation was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
- 1965
Main house renovated and restored
[1]The residence underwent a significant renovation and restoration.
- 1944
Jock Whitney inherits the estate
[1]Following Payne Whitney's death, Greenwood passed to his son John Hay Whitney.
- 1916
Payne Whitney inherits Greenwood
[1]Oliver Hazard Payne bequeathed the plantation to his nephew Payne Whitney.
- 1899
Major expansion by Stanford White
[1]Oliver Hazard Payne engaged Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White to add side wings and expand the rear of the residence.
- 1889
Jones family sells the plantation
[1]After occupying Greenwood for decades, the Jones family sold the property to S. R. Van Duzer of New York.
Products and positioning
A privately held historic estate and cultural landmark rather than a commercial product brand. Its identity is associated with Greek Revival architecture, preserved longleaf-pine habitat, sporting traditions, conservation, and Whitney-family heritage.
Brand decisions
2013
Greentree Foundation offers Greenwood for saleStrategyBackground
The foundation had maintained Greenwood under a conservation plan after inheriting the estate from Betsey Cushing Whitney.
Action taken
The foundation placed the plantation on the market.
Aftermath
The available reference material does not identify a completed sale or subsequent owner.
Sources1 sources
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