About the Birthplace
The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace is perhaps the only “house museum” in the nation created specifically for girls to enjoy—though it is loved by everyone! At this unique house museum, owned and operated by Girl Scouts of the USA, visitors can trace the arc of Juliette Gordon Low’s life and the Girl Scout Movement she founded. The house stands as a National Historic Landmark honoring the daughter, debutante, wife, adventurer, and artist who became the first Girl Scout—our beloved Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low.
Juliette was born here in 1860, and she lived in and visited the house throughout her life. It was from this very home that she made the famous phone call that marked the beginning of Girl Scouts in 1912, proclaiming, “I’ve got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we’re going to start tonight!” That call sparked a wildfire in many hearts, inspiring more than 60 million girls to blaze new trails and see limitless potential for their lives through their participation in Girl Scouts.
A Home of Their Own
In 1953, the house was saved from the threat of demolition when Girl Scouts of the USA purchased the birthplace. In true Girl Scout style, Girl Scouts then led a major fundraising effort to support the incredible restoration project that followed. Girls from around the world raised nickels, dimes, and dollars for Daisy, putting together bake sales, community fairs, dinners, pageants, fashion shows, and more to restore the birthplace to its original splendor.
In 1955, the national executive director of Girl Scouts, Dorothy Stratton, laid out an extraordinary vision for the birthplace, writing:
Although the house itself is interesting … it is not primarily for its historic interest that the Girl Scouts have bought it. Generally speaking, it is not within our purview to own or restore old houses. But this house is different. We are interested in restoring it in order to help the citizens of our country, and particularly present and future Girl Scouts, catch a bit of the fire and spirit and determination of the young girl who began life within its walls and whose character was largely formed during her life there.
… To be true to [Juliette’s] ideals and her plan for the girls of the United States, the birthplace must provide opportunities for girls to talk about their dreams, their ambitions… Here girls from all parts of the USA and from neighboring countries to the north and south, as well as from distant lands, may play and work and think together.
Just as Stratton envisioned, today tens of thousands of visitors come to the house to “play and work and think together” every year, exploring both the history and future of a movement first envisioned by our beloved Daisy. And by connecting the site’s history with topics relevant to today’s girls, we help ensure the birthplace will continue to be meaningful to girls for generations to come.
We hope that you, too, will “catch a bit of the fire and spirit and determination” of the young girl who began life within these walls—a girl whose fire has since been reignited in millions of girls the world over.
