Whilst running a few errands in downtown Little Rock this afternoon, I decided to jump out of the car and snap a few photos. Most of you probably recognize this as Sugarbaker's Interior Design and the residence of Julia Sugarbaker from the hit TV show "Designing Women." What you may not know is that this iconic edifice is not in Atlanta as portrayed in the show that ran from 1986 until 1993. This Second Empire home with Italianate influences is actually located in the Quapaw Quarter Historic District of Little Rock, Arkansas. Built in 1881, the Villa Marre was the home of a successful Italian-American immigrant.
The other grand southern home featured on the show was the the residence of Suzanne Sugarbaker, Julia's younger sister. This is another Little Rock landmark just a few blocks from the Villa Marre. It's the Arkansas Governor's Mansion. While we were imagining Suzanne living in this gorgeous home with her pig Noel and her maid Consuela, a soon to be international power couple were in actually in residence.
During the years the show was on the air, this was the real life home of future President Bill Clinton and future Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
So how did "Designing Women" get this Arkansas connection. The producer of the show was Arkansas native Harry Thomason. The show was written by his wife, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason.
RIP Dixie Carter
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