Have you been to the Smith-McCullers House? It's at 1519 Stark Ave., and it houses the McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians.

It's a really great house museum and residence for visiting artists.

When my friend Karen Zacharias was writing a book, she wondered if there was a place she could stay in Columbus and just write. I told her to call Cathy Fussell, who was the director of the center.

Karen became the first writer to stay there and work. Since then, there have been countless musicians, writers and poets who have stayed there and worked.

The first time I went to the house, it was for a meeting. A Film Soceity of the Columbus Museum (which is now the Columbus Film Society) meeting. Cathy, who was a member of the film society board, gave me a quick tour.

Later, the cast of "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" toured the house and I went with them. They were awestruck and looked at everything, read all the exhibits.

Carson McCullers' would be 95 on Feb. 17.

To celebrate the occasion, the center is holding a two-day event. The celebration has been funded with money from the Historic Chattahoochee Commission and the Georgia Humanities Council. The McCullers Center is also partnered with the Chattahoochee Valley Libraries.

It kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at the Smith-McCullers House where the center is housed, with a toast and birthday cake. Columbus Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, who shares the birthday with McCullers, will attend the party.

Feb. 18 events are in the Columbus Public Library, 3000 Macon Road. It's kind of centered around herill Tippins' book, "February House: The Story of W. H. Auden, Carson McCullers, Jane and Paul Bowles, Benjamin Britten, and Gypsy Rose Lee, Under One Roof in Wartime America."

2 p.m.: Columbus State University professor and poet Nick Norwood reads works by W.H. Auden.

3 p.m.: A screening of the movie, "Lady of Burlesque," the film adaptation of Gypsy Rose Lee's "G-String Murders."

5 p.m.: McCullers scholar and expert Cathy Fussell reads from "Reflections in a Golden Eye."

7:30 p.m. Tippins talks about her book, "February House: The Story of W. H. Auden, Carson McCullers, Jane and Paul Bowles, Benjamin Britten, and Gypsy Rose Lee, Under One Roof in Wartime America." A play based on this book opens in New York City on Feb. 15.

All events are free.

Cathy retired last year, but is still heavily involved in the center. The new director is Courtney George.

Call 706-565-4021.