Here's why this house is such a major piece of music history

In 1970, the newly formed Allman Brothers Band moved to the quiet town of Macon, Georgia, into what would come to be known as “The Big House.” Bassist Berry Oakley, and his wife, Linda (who was utterly enchanted by the massive Tudor home with its gardens, stained-glass windows, and high ceilings), originally rented the home, and Duane Allman (along with his girlfriend, Donna, and their daughter, Galadrielle), Berry’s sister Candy Oakley, and Gregg Allman (who was dating Candy) soon moved into the home as well.

Each couple had their own bedroom, and there was enough space for a communal music room, which Linda decorated. The third floor had been closed off to the residents, until several roadies found their way in and discovered that it was filled with antique treasures left behind by the original owner.

Managers, roadies, friends, and family all rotated in and out of the house, which served as a gathering place for the band and their friends and family. No matter who lived there, it served as an inspiration for some of their greatest hits: there’s the airy kitchen where Dickey Betts wrote “Ramblin’ Man” and the cozy living room where he wrote “Blue Sky.”

It all came to an end after Duane Allman died in a tragic motorcycle accident on October 29, 1971. The band left The Big House to heal over the holidays, and came back to find an eviction notice taped to the door. The publicity surrounding Duane’s death was ultimately what led to the eviction. Things were never quite the same, and as the band broke up and Capricorn Records went under, the special memories made at the house began to fade.

The pull of nostalgia, though, brought the band back together in 1989, and led to The Big House being preserved as a museum dedicated to the early, halcyon days of The Allman Brothers Band. The rooms—many of which haven’t changed since the band occupied them—are filled with original posters, handwritten lyrics, instruments, articles of clothing, and more. You can almost hear the band putting on a jam session in the Fillmore East Room and unwinding with a game of pool in the Old Dining Room.