Traveling with History: The Atlanta History Center

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

Do you like to travel?  Do you like History?  Do you like combining both?  One of the places to visit with an eye towards history is the Atlanta History Center—a sprawling complex located on 33 acres in the historic Buckhead section of Atlanta.  The Atlanta History Center’s main mission is to connect people, history, and culture through the Atlanta History Museum, the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, the Swan House, and the Smith Family Farm.  Visitors to the Center can learn all about the Atlanta region's people, from its earliest settlers to the international city it is today. 

Highlights of the Atlanta History Center:

Swan House
For many, the Swan House is the ultimate image of the Atlanta History Center since it is one of the most recognized and photographed landmarks.  It is a mansion built in 1928 for the Edward H. Inman family, heirs to a cotton brokerage fortune. The Swan House allows visitors to glimpse the lifestyle of a prominent Atlanta family during the 1920s and 1930s.  Additionally, thanks to the Hunger Games movie trilogy, special tours called “Capital Tours” of the mansion are also offered.  On these special tours, visitors can sit at President Snow’s desk and even see rooms that are not normally on the tour. 

Smith Family Farm
The Smith Family Farm includes the Tullie Smith House, a plantation house built in the 1840s by the Robert Smith family. The house survived the destruction in and around Atlanta during the Civil War.  Both the house and the detached kitchen were moved to the Atlanta History Center in the early 1970s and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The Smith Family Farm consists of the Tullie Smith House, the separate open hearth kitchen, a dairy, blacksmith shop, smokehouse, double corncrib, slave cabin, and barn, as well as traditional vegetable, herb, field, flower, and slave gardens.  Visitors can get a sense of a working farm during the Antebellum period.  As my youngest daughter was excited to learn, if you visit at the right time of year, and you can even see the sheep being sheered!

Centennial Olympic Games Museum
Thanks to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Atlanta became the focus of the entire world for seventeen days.  The exhibit showcases the history of the Olympic games, from its inception in ancient Greece through the modern Olympic Games to the Atlanta Centennial Olympic Games and its legacy.  Visitors can stand on the winners platform or sit down and watch key moments from the games.  Also, the museum is America’s only complete collection of Olympic torches and medals.


Down the Fairway with Bobby Jones Exhibit
Bobby Jones is one of the most famous athletes of the 1920s and 1930s, and is the face of modern era Golf.  The exhibit is the largest display focused on the man that many consider to be one of the most important golfers in the history of the game.  The exhibit includes photographs and personal artifacts that follow Jones life, his record tournament wins, his family life, and his help in creating the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.  The exhibit also includes artifacts from the game of golf from its early history to the modern era.

If you are a fan of Atlanta, the Olympics, Golf or are a Civil War history buff, we recommend taking a tour of the Atlanta History Center. 

Staying Home for the Holidays? Enjoy Local Sites and Traditions

By Nina Kendall

How do you celebrate the holidays? What special events are you planning to attend? There are famous celebrations of the holidays across the United States from parades to Christmas tree lightings.  The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and other holiday events are broadcast on television. The White House has been lighting a National Christmas Tree  for 92 years.  Walt Disney World got into the act when they brought the Osborne Lights to Florida in 1995.

While major events draw crowds, you don't have to travel far to enjoy holiday traditions. Locales across the country feature unique celebrations that reflect local history and geography.  Popular traditions include caroling or sing-alongs, parades, festival of trees, and holiday light shows. 

A few Holiday Traditions with a Local Twist:

Festival of Trees
I love Christmas trees. To me a Christmas tree tells a story. Once a year we take out our treasures, memories , and joys and put them on display. Fernbank Museum of Natural History hosts Winter Wonderland annually. This exhibition is a collection trees and displays sponsored by cultural groups throughout the metro area. Each tree is decorated to reflect the sponsor. You can enjoy the trees, admire the handiwork, and learn about traditions from around the world practice by your neighbors.


Sing-A-Longs
I love to sing along. Secretly, I think everyone does not matter what they think of their voice. The Fox Theater hosted the 9^th Annual Sing-A-Long event, Mighty Mo & More this year.  This free concert is a chance to sing carols, donate to Toys for Tots, hear a local chorus, and enjoy a holiday movie. There is little more cheerful than sing Christmas Carols with others.


Light Shows
Atlanta and surrounding environs have a number of light show destinations.  Lake Lanier, Callaway Gardens, Stone Mountain, and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens all host their own light shows. At Callaway Gardens, you drive through displays tied to the carols broadcast throughout the show. In the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, you walk amongst nature inspired light displays.  Each experience  imbued with a little Christmas magic.


New Year’s Eve Celebration
Atlanta’s Peach Drop is the local New Year’s Eve Celebration. This event takes near Underground Atlanta and is entering its 26^th year.  The Peach Drop is a daylong celebration that draws young and old alike. Venture downtown to enjoy a fairway game, sample festival food, and ring in the New Year with thousands of locals.

Visiting the Road to Tara Museum

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

In June, I was able to visit and tour the Road to Tara Museum in Jonesboro, Georgia.  Jonesboro is south of Atlanta and the county seat of Clayton County.  Since the 1936 publication of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind, Jonesboro and Clayton have been billed as the “Home of Gone With The Wind.”  Located in Jonesboro’s 1867 Historic Train Depot, the museum is dedicated to Mitchell’s book and the 1939 classic film.  Why Jonesboro?  Margaret Mitchell spent her childhood summers at her grandparents’ home in the area and look closely at the movie and you will see a check listing the bank of Clayton County. 

Within the museum are personal items that belonged Mitchell like her china.  However, much of the museum is dedicated to the GWTW.  There are a number of detailed and accurate reproductions of the famous costumes worn by Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O’Hara), Hattie McDaniel (Mammy), Ona Munson (Belle Watling), Ann Rutherford (Careen O’Hara), and Cammie King Conlon (Bonnie Blue Butler).  There are also a large number of foreign translations of the GWTW book and movie posters.

Many of the items in the museum belonged to local historian and collector, Herb Bridges, who passed away in 2013.  He had one of the largest private collections of GWTW memorabilia.  During his life, he would be happy to attend and speak at many events relating to GWTW.  He also published a book on his collection.  The museum does pay tribute to Bridges.

Although the museum is primarily dedicated to GWTW, there are also exhibits relating to the Civil War.  The Battle of Jonesboro was one of the last battles that took place as part of the Battle of Atlanta on Sherman’s March to the Sea.  As such, Jonesboro doesn’t just have a strong GWTW tie, but is also part of America’s Civil War past.  Exhibits dedicated to the Civil War include an authentic “Sherman’s necktie.” Simply put, this was a section of rail twisted into a loop so it would be useless.  After Sherman’s March, the South was full of these twisted chunks of rail.  Further, the Depot was built for the cotton industry—weighing and then shipping the cotton to the industrial north.  The Depot still has the original Fairbank Scale which was used to weigh the cotton.

The museum is self guided but there are sound stations throughout the museum.  At the stations you will hear the voice of Fred Crane, the actor who played Brent Tarleton in the movie.  Listening to him you will hear several personal stories including being on the movie set and attending the grand premiere at the Loew’s Theater in Atlanta.

If you are a fan of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone With The Wind or are a Civil War history buff, we recommend taking a tour of the Road to Tara Museum. 

For more information: Road to Tara Museum



 

Traveling with History: Macon

By Jeff  Burns

For many people, Macon is just the close-to-midpoint –of Georgia on I-75 on their way to and from Florida.  However, Macon has lots of historic and interesting sights to see, and lots of dedicated people eager to share it with you.

 

On this particular day, we were drawn by a special antique quilt exhibit at the Cannonball  House downtown.   The Cannonball House, named for damage sustained during the Civil War, was built in 1853 as a planter’s townhouse, to be occupied during the winter months.   It is an example of authentic Greek Revival architecture containing fine period furnishings, and it also houses a small but interesting collection of Confederate artifacts connected to the city and state.

The tour guides and volunteers are knowledgeable and take you through the house and its history, including the 2-story brick building in back which housed the kitchen, dining room, and servants’ quarters.

A few blocks away is the Tubman African-African Museum, at least for the next year.  If you walk, you can enjoy the great revitalization of downtown Macon.  Everywhere you look, buildings are being restored to their original beauty, and there are lots of restaurant choices. 

The Tubman on Walnut Street has been a Macon fixture since the early 1980s, and in 2015, it will be moving into a beautiful new (and 10 times larger) facility, also downtown.  Then, the museum will finally be able to display all of its collection, 90% of which is currently in storage.  Its mission is to educate its visitors about African-American art, history and culture and to serve as an active community resource, and the staff, one of the most enthusiastic and friendly museum staffs we’ve ever encountered, is definitely up to the task.

In addition to the local history, inventors, and folk art galleries now on display, the Tubman will be able to feature much more in the new location, including a large collection of artifacts acquired from the now defunct Georgia Music Hall of Fame, like Macon native Little Richard’s first piano.

 

Make plans to see the new Tubman in 2015, but don’t hesitate to visit before then.

 

So next time you’re passing through Macon, stop in for a while and enjoy the Cannonball and the Tubman and the other sites that we’ll be blogging about in the future.

 

Great Georgia Getaways: Some Savannah Museums for Military Buffs

By Jeff Burns

Savannah Georgia has long been recognized as one of the most romantic and charming cities in America, and it’s full of history.  The first city in Georgia, and the first planned city in the United States, Savannah has figured prominently in all the big events in American history.  It offers plenty to do for everyone of every interest, especially for military history buffs.

There are three forts with rich Civil war history:  Fort McAllister, Fort Jackson, and Fort Pulaski .  Fort McAllister, now a state park, is the best preserved example of a Confederate earthworks fortification.  It withstood fierce bombardment by Union ironclads, only to fall to Sherman’s March to the Sea.  Fort Jackson is located near downtown on the Savannah River, and Fort Pulaski is located at the river’s mouth, 15 minutes away.   Each site is administered by a different agency: the state of Georgia, the Coastal Heritage Society, and the National Park service, respectively.  However, each one features a gift shop, a small exhibit or museum space, and helpful staff, and there are regular historical demonstrations and re-enactments.

The Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum is located in the William Scarbrough house, built in 1819.  The house itself is worth the admission, but the collection is very interesting too.  There are nine galleries of ship models, maritime paintings and artifacts designed to interpret the rich story of Savannah's maritime history.  The collection of models includes, colonial vessels, ironclads, ocean-going steamers, and modern navy ships, many with a direct connection to Savannah.

The Mighty 8^th Air Force Museum is located in Pooler, a Savannah suburb.  Weeks after Pearl Harbor was attacked, the Mighty 8^th Air Force was officially activated in Savannah.  Soon, the Mighty 8^th numbered 350,000 men and was stationed in England, charged with the mission of conducting the relentless bombing of Germany that crippled that country and its resolve to fight the war.  In 1983, veterans of the 8^thstarted planning a museum to commemorate the organization and the 26,000 men who died and 28,000 who were taken prisoner.  They settled on Savannah, and the museum opened in 1996.  It’s a wonderful museum that does a great job of telling the World War II experience.  Many of the docents are either veterans of the air force or the children of members of the original Mighty 8^th.          

The visitor first enters a small gallery that gives an overview of the war, and then a smaller room devoted to the 8^th.  From there, visitors go through a mission simulation experience which does a great job of humanizing the men who served, in the air and on the ground.  After the mission, there are other exhibits including numerous models, planes, and a POW exhibit.  The latest addition is a B-17 bomber that dominates the main exhibit space and is being restored.  Outside, there are more planes and a beautiful memorial garden and chapel.  The whole museum is very well-done, and it is a great tribute to the Mighty 8^th in particular and the greatest generation in general.

Whether you enjoy Naval history, Civil War history, or World War II history, Savannah has something for you.

Great Getaways in Georgia: Nacoochee Valley

Looking for a great getaway? Want something that appeals to your family or friends? The Nacoochee Valley has the answer for your all of your needs. Whether a weekend or a day trip you have plenty of choices.

 

This valley is home to some unique history in the state of Georgia. Here you can find the site of America's first gold rush, the home of the Cabbage Patch Kids, and a hidden alpine village. You can pan for gold in Dahlonega and celebrate Oktoberfest in Helen. This area does a good job at combining history with tourism.

 

Helen is an alpine village in the foothills of Georgia. It adopted this theme in the late 1960's and is now a slice of Bavaria just a car ride away. Here they celebrate Oktoberfest and Fasching and give you the chance to see, hear, and sample German culture. You can have brotchen at Hofer's or wurst at the Bodensee all before walking to the festhalle.

 

Cleveland is home to the Cabbage Patch Kids. This toy is the creation of Xavier Roberts. It was his work that gave this small town a needed economic boost decades ago. Today you can visit the place where every Cabbage Patch Kid is born Babyland General.  Here you can learn about the history of these toys and watch a doll be born. It may even be the doll you take home with you. This is a fun place to ignite the imagination of young kids and learn some economic history.

 

In Dahlonega you can find Georgia's gold rush. The exciting period in state history that lead to an influx of immigrants and increased pressure to relocate the Cherokee people. Today you can tour Consolidated Gold Mines and trying panning for gold yourself.  Activities that engage the mind and the body. Panning for gold is not as easy as it looks. You can also learn about the history of gold in the region with a tour of the Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic site. A museum in the center of town that will give you a sense of the impact gold can have on a region.

Still looking for something else to do? Local vineyards and artisans offer tasty options for your enjoyment. You can also enjoy the outdoors with a visit to Unicoi State Park or spend some time tubing in the summer.

 

No matter what you do get out and enjoy history and let them know the Histocrats sent you.