The street renaming controversy has gotten everyone in a lather over what constitutes a boulevard, if things should be named for living people, if Centennial Olympic Park should be renamed Thomas Patrick Wheatley Contemplative Park and redesigned as a traditional Irish garden/a potato field, etc., etc., etc. But the biggest question in the comments of every local internet news source is, “Who is Xernona Clayton?” Since people do not curse Ms. Clayton’s name whenever they get lost in Downtown Atlanta trying to find Trader Vic’s but instead just keep running into one block of loading docks and parking garage entrances after another, and since she has a first name that starts with an X, everyone is curious about this future namesake of some sort of City of Atlanta property (a plaza). However, one correct answer to this popular query about her identity that I haven’t yet seen is, “Co-star of the 1974 horror film The House on Skull Mountain.”
(Senator Leroy Johnson also makes a brief appearance as “Mr. Ledoux”, an attorney.)
Well, this is just leading us to more questions; specifically, what is the house on Skull Mountain? Obviously, guys, this is it:
Wait! Let’s get a closer view of that house:
Holy crap, y’all!! That’s Callanwolde!
The outside of Callanwolde in the ’70s is, unsurprisingly, not too different, but the inside definitely involves more carpeting…
orange accents…
animal prints…
voodoo altars… 
and human sacrifice cult dungeons in the basement.
Frankly, I think the mansion looked better with taupe carpeted stairs in the foyer and the satanic tribal dances, but whatever!
Okay, okay, everyone’s just here to see what’s up with Xernona Clayton, and we’ll show you what’s up:
Her acting may be a little stiff, but her horror moving screaming is really, really good! Quick synopsis of the movie: four relatives of a dying vooodoo periestess receive letters summoning them to her HOUSE ON SKULL MOUNTAIN, only to find her already being buried by her creepy butler and maid. Needless to say, people start dying mysteriously and everyone goes shopping at Underground Atlanta.
IMPORTANT AND SOMEWHAT LENGTHY SIDENOTE: Does anyone remember how many terrifying animatronics there were in Underground Atlanta?!?! This montage is easily the most frightening part of the whole horror movie!
It’s already too hot to do anything outside, so why not curl up with a mediocre movie like The House on Skull Mountain and get to know Xernona Clayton a little better?
Previously: Little Darlings
Tags: callanwolde, the house on skull mountain, xernona clayton
Thanks for sharing this. I had no idea Mrs. Clayton was an actress. Good job!
Wow, great research and photos! I’ve always felt like something was missing from Callanwolde’s decor, and now I know what–voodoo altars!