FALL 2013
MEMBER MAGAZINE
Letter from the President
Board of Trustees
Historic Macon Foundation
Welcome to a special issue of Historic Macon’s members’ newsletter focused on the Sidney Lanier Cottage. I don’t quite know how timing worked out this way, but it seems like the theme of my administration is planning, planning, planning! In February, I was pleased to lead the Trustees in a unanimous vote to adopt a new Strategic Plan for Historic Macon Foundation after a year of hard work. That plan found that Historic Macon has made significant progress since the last plan in 2008. Every single category by which we measure our effectiveness saw double-digit improvements in a survey of our Trustees. Still, we found areas that needed attention and ways we could become even more effective and efficient. You can see the results of that process and read the entire plan at http://www.historicmacon.org/about/strategic-plan/.
Joy Dyer, Chair Gloria McAfee Wynn, Honorary Chair Joe Adams, Secretary Max Crook, Treasurer Heather Moore, Chair-Elect Blake Lisenby, Counsel Sally McKay, Events Tricia Burttram, Education/Cottage Ryan Griffin, Preservation Betsy Schnell Griffith, Young Patrons Jim Burt, Advocacy/PR Aubrey Newby, Membership & Immediate Past Chair Chris Howard, Friends of Rose Hill Chair Amy Abel-Kiker Barbara Boyer Nancy Brown Cornett Priscilla Esser John Fox Leigh Glenn Richard Guerreiro Kristi Harpst Sally Heard Muriel Jackson Amber Lawson Ron Lemon Canaan Marshall Alex Morrison Claude Smith Lesli Underwood
Historic Macon Foundation at the Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street Macon, Georgia 31201
One of the challenges cited in our plan was the operation of the Sidney Lanier Cottage. After deliberation, our Trustees decided that this was too big and too important of an issue to leave to a workgroup. Instead, we committed to fund a separate planning process where we would engage national experts and our membership to address the issues facing the Cottage. Now, thanks to grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Elam Alexander Trust, we’re launching a new planning process for the future of the Sidney Lanier Cottage. We are relying on two national experts for this project. Frank Vagnone visited to inspire us and get our creative ideas flowing with a full day lecture and workshop on September 7, 2013. That visit is being followed up by two visits by nationallyrecognized house museum consultant Laura Roberts, who will assemble a final plan with action items for implementation. This newsletter is dedicated to the Cottage, to provide education about our specific challenges and to offer you plenty of ways to help us solve them. We pride ourselves on being open and transparent about our successes as well as our challenges. This is a challenge we know we can meet with your help. While planning may not be the most glamorous job in preservation, it is the only way to ensure that we are being the very best preservation organization that we can, and that every dollar you donate and every moment you volunteer does the most it possibly can to revitalize “our community by preserving architecture and sharing history.” And, if I’ve learned anything about Macon’s preservationists, it won’t take too long at all for plans to become action!
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 13358 Macon, Georgia 31208 Web: www.historicmacon.org Phone: (478) 742-5084 Fax: (478) 742-2008 Staff: Josh Rogers Executive Director jrogers@historicmacon.org Janis Haley Director of Development jhaley@historicmacon.org Nicole Kubas Marketing & Public Relations Coordinator nkubas@historicmacon.org Carrie Cameron Robinson Preservation Designer crobinson@historicmacon.org Cantey Ayres Bookkeeper & Administration cayres@historicmacon.org
Joy Dyer, Chair
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Events Calendar
Newsletter Content
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Project Updates
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Idea House
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Flea Market
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Upcoming Salons
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Frank Vagnone Article
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Sidney Lanier Cottage Update
Saturday, October 19| 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Northeast Plaza Shopping Center 658-668 Shurling Drive, Macon
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State of the Sidney Lanier Cottage
Rose Hill Ramble
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Properties for Sale
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Generous Members
Appraisal Days (formerly Discovery Days) Friday, October 18 | 12:00–5:00 p.m. Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street, Macon
Saturday, October 19 | 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Northeast Plaza Shopping Center 658 Shurling Drive, Macon
Flea Market Preview Party
Friday, October 18, 2013 | 6:00–9:00 p.m. Northeast Plaza Shopping Center 668 Shurling Drive, Macon
Flea Market Sale
Sunday, October 27, 2013 | 2:00–4:00 p.m. Rose Hill Cemetery, Main Gate 1071 Riverside Drive, Macon
Sidney’s Salon with Gena Knox
Tuesday, November 12, 2013 | 5:30 p.m. Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street, Macon
Named one of Georgia’s top 100 designers; specializing in residential design and kitchen & bath remodeling with over 20 years of experience.
VG Valerie Garrett INTERIOR DESIGN
Macon, GA | (478) 477—5970 www.valeriegarrettinteriordesign.com
Sidney’s Salon with Wini McQueen Wednesday, December 4, 2013 Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street, Macon
Cottage Christmas
Friday, December 6, 2013 Sidney Lanier Cottage 935 High Street, Macon
505 Second Street, Suite 101 Macon, GA 31201
Office: 478.746.8515 Fax: 478.742.1040 www.SaturnaCPA,com 02
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Project Updates
Jordan Apartments
next five years. To explore this option, the Historic Hills and Heights Development Corporation has asked Interface Studios (creator of the College Hill master plan) to guide the neighborhood through a charrette process to determine if, how and where rental housing could be introduced in Beall’s Hill. The process will proceed this fall, and we will post all meeting times on our website if you are interested in the project.
1268 College St.
After some very tenuous months, rehabilitation is underway at the Jordan Apartments building. Our research uncovered some very specific information about the building’s history. Initial searches found the building listed in the City Directories and shown on maps in 1924. A recently-discovered article from the Macon Telegraph on August 15, 1920, stated, “the new apartment house of the Jordan Realty Company on College Street at Tattnall Square will be ready for occupancy on October 1,” confirming a very precise completion date in 1920. The Jordan Realty Company was formed in 1908 in Macon by brothers Robert G. Jordan and James W. Jordan, also according to the Macon Telegraph. Articles about the company’s early enterprises show that their primary occupation was buying residential lots and building custom “cottages” with owner financing. Later, the company’s enterprises expanded to include longterm ownership and operation of small apartment buildings known as “Jordan Apartments” at different locations within the city. The Jordans were also involved in civic affairs in Macon: the Macon Motor Club, the YMCA and the Boy Scouts
among others. In addition, Robert G. Jordan undertook other business pursuits, including organizing the National Bank in Macon with $100,000 in capital in 1912. Last-minute negotiations spared this building from demolition, and construction is now underway to rehabilitate the building, restoring the four two-bedroom apartments to use. We have secured a tentative deal to transfer $250,000 in federal and state tax credits to a local resident in exchange for a $165,000 investment in the project.
Downtown Lofts Project 551 Cherry Street
The downtown lofts project under construction at 551 Cherry St. has been delayed and is now expected for completion this Spring. Our ambitious plans to convert the upstairs of the second story into three two-story units required much more structural engineering than we initially expected. After engineering was complete, our architect used these specifications to create final construction documents. In the meantime, we have received approval from the State of Georgia certifying our plans for the income tax credit program and the property tax freeze, making these for-sale owneroccupied condos even more enticing to 04
Remaining financing is being provided by the Griffith Family Revolving Fund, Heritage Bank of the South and donations from Mr. Carlton and Mrs. Rosemary Dumas, Mr. Virgil E. Cooper and Dr. Maurice Solis and Ms. Lee Johnson. We look forward to unveiling the finished building to our members sometime this Spring.
prospective buyers. Two units are already under reservation agreements. Two more residential units and one commercial storefront are on the market for sale currently. Our plans proceed with construction estimation, and now that demolition is complete, we hope to be under construction on the rehabilitation very soon.
Beall’s Hill Project Update The biggest news in the Beall’s Hill neighborhood revitalization is the completion of an updated market study, the first since 2002. The study affirmed many of our practices, showing that our capacity has caught up with demand with a projection that 14-18 owner-occupied units can be absorbed in each of the next five years. Unit sizes, demographics and prices were also affirmed by the study. Therefore, our primary strategy for Beall’s Hill remains unchanged.
Historic Macon will lead a partnership to push into new blocks, rehabilitating endangered historic homes and building on the most challenging empty lots. After securing parcels in a new block, we will recruit private owners and developers to infill around us as we move into the next block, constraining the total pace within the projected absorption rates. One surprise, however, was surging demand for rental housing in Beall’s Hill, with a projection that 42-54 rental units could be built and rented in each of the
Right now, we are rehabilitating one of the three homes moved from the site of the Mercer Lofts Phase II to 1029 Oglethorpe St. (see photo to the left) The 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home is over 3,000 s.f. and qualifies for the Mercer down payment assistance program. It is available for $249,000. The two houses adjacent are also being rehabilitated on the outside, along with full landscaping. They are in decent shape and are available as-is, for someone to finish as they would like, for $99,900 each. Construction will also soon begin on 881 Orange Terrace and 1282 Calhoun Street, similar homes that will each be 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and available for around $180,000 when they are completed this Spring. Check our website for more information about these and other projects in Beall’s Hill.
Porter House The salvation and restoration of the James Hyde Porter House continues. The house is partially demolished and completely prepared for its big move on its current site on Houston Rd. The site at Wesleyan College’s Tucker Rd. entrance is also cleared and graded, and the footers for the new foundation are even poured and cured. Because the house is so heavy, the rain has significantly delayed the actual move. The land at Wesleyan has simply been too soft to drive the house across to get to its new home. As soon as the move is scheduled, we will let you know by email and on our website.
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2013 IDEA HOUSE at Dannenberg Lofts
Joseph Dannenberg emigrated from Germany in the 1850s, and in 1867 he opened a wholesale dry goods store that later became known as Dannenberg Company. Joseph’s son, Walter, joined the company and added the retail portion of the business. Dannenberg’s store is believed to have first opened on Cotton Avenue in 1875. In 1903, the store expanded and moved to the corner of Third and Poplar Streets. The Dannenberg Company became a leading wholesale enterprise while also becoming one of the first firms in the country to departmentalize its retail store. Dannenberg’s department store was one of the leading stores in Macon. Over the years, the Dannenberg Building has received additions on three different occasions. The building is comprised of two buildings, one three-story building and one four-story building. Once the local mall opened, the Dannenberg Department store could not compete and closed its doors in 1965. Renovations for the building include 64 loft apartments and three retail spaces, as well as a central atrium to provide natural light and ventilation. The exterior façade has undergone complete restoration. Upon completion, the Dannenberg Building, at approximately 90,000 square feet, will be the second largest historic loft redevelopment in Macon, Georgia. (www.dannenberglofts.com)
Thank You, Idea House Sponsors! AT Long & Son Paint Contracting • Dr. Doris Baker • Dr. and Mrs. Ronald C. Bloodworth • Susan Long and Jim Bodell • John and Becky Bowdre • Jean Moore Bragg • Virgil E. Cooper, Jr. • Nancy Brown Cornett and Don Cornett • Mr. and Mrs. Robert Deason • Bonnie C. Dowling and Hampton Dowling • Dr. Richard and Dr. Peggy Elliott • John and Alexis Fox • Dianne Reel Fuller • Dr. and Mrs. Joshua Glenn • Wes and Betsy Griffith • Jeff Guynn and Yadira Greeson • Mrs. George Hall • Kristi Harpst • Sally Murphey Heard • Charlotte and Tom Hope • Art and Paula Howard • J. Cameron Garvin, DMD • Aaron and Patrice Johnson • Betty Sweet Ladson • Lowe Lighting Center • Kelly Lucas • Market City Cafe • Joyce and Baldwin Martin • Mr. and Mrs. Bert Maxwell, III • Kay and Matt McKenna • Lois S. McLain • Beverly and Mort Meadors • Mr. and Mrs. Lawton Miller, Jr. • Andy and Heather Moore • Susan and Doug Morton • Mrs. Lee P. Oliver, Jr. • James and Jodi Palmer • Felicia and Terry Parker • Thom and Billie Phillips • Rusty and Marzel Poss • Stephen A. Reichert • Fabia T. Rogers • Suzanne MacCrone Rogers, Architectural & Interior Design • Debra W. Rollins • Joe and Denise Saturna • Kim and Fred Schnell • Carole R. Seegert • Edyth and Cubbedge Snow • Rosemary and John Spiegel • Gene and Claudia Strouss • Pam and Dick Thomasson • Jim and Linda Tonn • Trina’s Income Tax • Lesli and Bill Underwood • Katherine K. Walden • Johnny and Sharon Walker • Julie Young Wilkerson • Andrea and Lawrence Williford • Michael and Bridget Wright • W. T. Designs • Gloria McAfee Wynn 06
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Historic Macon 36th Annual Flea Market & Appraisal Days
This year marks Historic Macon’s 36th annual Flea Market. The one-day sale opens at 8:00 a.m. on October 19, 2013, and lasts until 3:00 p.m. Like last year, Historic Macon received numerous donations, enough to fill the two stores located in Northeast Plaza Shopping Center (658–668 Shurling Drive, Macon). The 2013 sale will offer an array of merchandise: antiques, collectibles, furniture, housewares, holiday décor, electronics, children’s toys, gardening gadgets, linens, draperies, decorative furnishings, artwork, lamps, and an entire section of fine silver and crystal pieces. We are very thankful for all of the wonderful volunteers that make this event possible! The Flea Market kicks off with a membersonly Preview Party on Friday, October 18, 2013, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Preview Party allows members a first look at this year’s merchandise and the opportunity to purchase items. The party also includes food, wine and beer! Tickets for the event are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. To purchase tickets, visit our website. If you would like to donate or have any additional questions, please contact 08
Nicole Kubas at 478-742-5084. One major change to the 36th annual Flea Market is the addition of Appraisal Days (formerly Discovery Days). Appraisal Days runs October 18th and 19th. The event hosts appraiser Rod Hardy, President of Hardy/Halpern, Inc. Mr. Hardy will be giving expert verbal appraisals for a small fee. All proceeds support Historic Macon’s preservation efforts. Friday, October 18th, appraisals are at the Sidney Lanier Cottage from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. and are private, appointment only appraisals. On Saturday, October 19th, Mr. Hardy will appraise items at the Flea Market Annex. Saturday appraisals are open to the public and any on-lookers! No appointments are required for Saturday and you are invited to bring your antiques and fine items or flea market purchases to be appraised. If you would like to schedule an appointment on Friday, please contact Janis Haley at 478-742-5084 or jhaley@ historicmacon.org.
Appraisal Days hosts appraiser Mr. Rod Hardy. He has over 30 years of experience in the appraisal industry. He has assisted national and international clients ranging from individuals to corporations. Mr. Hardy considers himself a “generalist” appraiser with the ability to recognize all types of personal property requiring appraisal and valuation. 09
Upcoming Salons
Gena Knox
Tuesday, November 12, 2013 The Sidney Lanier Cottage 5:30 p.m. Reception | 6:00 p.m. Reading Gena Knox, author of two award-winning cookbooks, introduces her new cookbook, Southern My Way: Food & Family. Which features 250 pages of seasonal recipes, streamlined for busy lives and accompanied by full-color photographs that portray a lifelong love affair with Southern food and culture. The recipes from her childhood have a healthy twist and are easy to prepare using ingredients that are readily available. This book is already a best seller!
Simple offers fresh, healthy dishes, with some recipes featuring plank grilling. Southern My Way, Gena’s second book, is a fresh approach to Southern cuisine. The traditions of Food and Family helped shape Gena’s childhood in rural Reynolds, Georgia. Now, she passes on those same traditions two her own children - with a handful of new ones in the mix. From three-generation favorites to simple weeknight standbys, Gena’s latest collection of recipes celebrates the joys of life and love around the table.
Ms. Knox is the co-founder of Fire & Flavor and published her first book, Gourmet Made Simple, in 2010. Gourmet Made
Wini McQueen
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 The Sidney Lanier Cottage 5:30 p.m. Reception | 6:00 p.m. Presentation Wini McQueen, an internationally acclaimed folk-art quilter, painter, textile designer, writer and social activist, shares her story and work at the Sidney’s Salon on December 4, 2013. McQueen will speak about her recent trip to Africa where she worked with women in villages teaching them weaving and dyeing techniques. In the late 1980s, McQueen’s first creations were commissioned “story quilts” about family, literary and social issues. Since that time, McQueen’s work
has transitioned into wearable women’s accessories, while still utilizing various artistic methods. Her creations reflect and explore her personal history, as well as history of African and African-American cultures. McQueen is inspired by textile and art she has discover in her travels across Africa. Her techniques combine modern technology with natural and traditional textile art. She developed a photocopytransfer technique to create works of art on fabric. McQueen’s art is part of the permanent collection in Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and Macon’s Museum of Arts and Science. Also, some of her silk scarves are featured in our gift shop!
Letter from Caroline & Charles Todd Hello, everyone! We just wanted to thank you, Janis, for being our “chauffeur” in Macon, and everyone at the Cottage for such a lovely evening with you all. The Cottage is a remarkable place. Those of you who care for it and maintain it have kept the atmosphere that makes it a living memorial rather than a museum, and that is to your credit. We are very glad we were invited to speak at the Salon. Indeed, our stay in Macon was wonderful and memorable. And much of that is because of the very nice people we were fortunate enough to spend an evening with. With best regards, Caroline and Charles
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Anarchist Frank Vagnone Visit
Historic House Museum Anarchist, Franklin Vagnone, spoke at the Sidney Lanier Cottage on Saturday, September 7. Following the presentation, Mr. Vagnone provided an indepth workshop for museum professionals and board members at the Hay House. The presentation and workshop received rave reviews from everyone that attended. Inspired by a very bad experience on a house museum tour, Vagnone set out to roam the country, figuring out exactly what works and what does not work in historic house museums. The results of Vagnone’s research have become “The Anarchists Guide to Historic House Museums,” an easy-to-use evaluation tool to identify what a house museum does well and where there are opportunities to improve. Vagnone’s major points for historic house museums were to address user experience, provide welcoming environments for the community, and share a timeline of history. Creative thinking and avant garde solutions are increasingly necessary as house museum attendance plummets throughout the country. Fewer visitors mean fewer resources to care for our historic house museums, and it also means that fewer people hear the stories of our houses. Vagnone takes an “all of the
above” approach to attracting, engaging and retaining new audiences for historic house museums. Where used, attendance has improved, along with attracting more financial resources. Vagnone evaluates house museums in four categories: Shelter, Habitation, Community and Experience. Shelter is defined as the building of the home. His tactics for Shelter were to embrace multiple theories of preservation in the house; do not create “black-holes” or rooms that visitors cannot enter; and do not treat every object as though it were a Rembrandt. Habitation is considered the furnishing of the home. This category should create environments that are natural and appropriate, a home representative of several viewpoints and form habitats that are flexible, not stage-sets. Community is characterized as the home within the garden, landscape and society. In this category, museums should be welcoming, reflect the surrounding community and interact with the community. Lastly, Experience is the home-life. Experience tactics are to end passive tours, represent real-life in tours, engage all senses, and expand the visitor’s experience through stories, rumors and gossip.
He explained how many house museums are very good at preserving; however, many neglect to engage the visitors and community. Many museums center only around daily tours and one form of visitor experience. This oversight creates an unsustainable model and stagnates the house museums. Vagnone believes the key to attract people to house museums is to integrate with and serve the community, and make more dynamic tours. House museums should present spaces that not only provide interactive and multiple visitor experiences, but also display the evolution of the house throughout time, rather than presenting a perfectly and completely preserved house. Vagnone’s ideas and experiments prove that historic house museums can be fun and educational at the same time, providing a lively evolving future for endangered house museums.
roam the rooms at will, and pay homage to Sidney Lanier’s legacy through literary events. Our docented tour, however, scores very low on the Anarchists’ scale, as it is very structured. Perhaps more important than any specific validation or criticism was the permission and charge to confront challenges openly and think creatively about all of the possible solutions. Attendees were encouraged to learn that there are solutions that work, and that we are capable of finding and implementing such best practices. It was a great privilege to host Vagnone’s first visit to Georgia, and the inspiration provided will certainly guide the master planning process for the Sidney Lanier Cottage to new and innovative ideas for the future.
The Sidney Lanier Cottage already inculcates some of these best practices. Most visitations at the Cottage now take place in the Sidney Salon series, a vibrant and diverse group of literary events open to the public. At those events, attendees are free to use all of the period furniture,
Thank You to our Sponsors! Joe Adams • Jim Burt • Tricia B Burttram • Max Crook • Joy Dyer • Richard Guerreiro • Kristina Harpst • Sally M Heard • Chris Howard • Muriel Jackson • Betty Sweet Ladson • Amber P. Lawson • Ron Lemon • Canaan Marshall • Sally McKay • Aubrey Newby • Josh Rogers • Lesli Underwood 12
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Sidney Lanier Cottage Update: Is a Perfect Storm Followed by Bright Blue Skies?
Some say it has been a perfect storm for museums in America, and it seems like most of the damage has been felt by the thousands of house museums scattered throughout the country. Many house museums are set up to commemorate the life of a distinguished person or as a way to remember and re-enact life as it was long ago. They are also repositories for artifacts from the families or that time period that need to be shared with the public.
2012, Richard Moe, president emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, published an article asking the question, “Are There Too Many House Museums?” In this article, Moe examines the state of house museums throughout the country. He points out that we are losing house museums every day, even those that are exceptional architectural specimens or were once home to important historical figures.
The perfect storm began forming years ago. The elements that were looming in the distance are now sweeping across our industry with little regard for the memories of presidents, pioneers or poets.
So what’s a little old house museum in Macon, Georgia, to do?
In Macon, we currently have four house museums, the Sidney Lanier Cottage, Cannonball House, Hay House and the new Big House Museum. Although the Big House Museum just recently came on line (and has its own unique and devoted constituency), the perfect storm for Macon started with the gas crisis in 2008. That’s when the decision was made to stop running the trolley service to museums. Then, a couple of years later, the Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau made the decision to stop selling any museum tickets, leaving it up to us to put a Historic Homes Tour ticket package together. Also beyond our control has been the tremendous impact of the digital age. Everyone today, especially young people, have gotten so used to digital stimuli while many of our museums – especially house museums - are still deeply rooted in the analog age. These factors combined to decimate visitation to the Cottage. As our museum visitation began to dwindle, so did the interest and willingness of volunteer docents. Many articles have been published in the past few years decrying the decline in visitation at house museums. In the fall of 14
A few years back, we began reaching out to the community as a whole and developed a niche that both honors the legacy of Sidney Lanier and brought lots of folks to the Cottage on a fairly regular basis – Sidney’s Salons. We also opened the Cottage and welcomed writers groups to use our facility to hone their skills. We regularly offer the use of our meeting space to non-profit community organizations. We continue to promote the Cottage as a wedding and event rental venue to help pay the bills. With Historic Macon’s headquarters on the second floor, the Cottage is well used, even if not as a tourist attraction. Three Burning Questions: • How might we continue to honor the legacy of Sidney Lanier despite a dwindling interest? • How do we generate enough money to offset the almost $91,000 per year operating cost of the Cottage, and make needed repairs and upgrades to the property?
shake things up to see things more clearly. On Saturday, September 7, Frank Vagnone, self-anointed Museum Anarchist, came to the Cottage and entertained a room full of museum professionals, Cottage Committee members, and members of the general public who have an interest in museums for the future. (See Vagnone article on the previous page.) The afternoon was spent at the Hay House, taking a careful but critical tour of the Hay House, Macon’s “Palace of the South.” Secondly, we contracted with Roberts Consulting, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts (www.lauraroberts.com). Their specialty is “Strategic Thinking for Cultural Nonprofits.” On October 8, our consultant, Laura Roberts, began the Cottage’s evaluation process by conducting surveys and meeting with stakeholders and formulate alternatives for moving forward. Roberts has an impressive client base that includes the Landmark Society of Western New York, the Emily Dickinson House Museum, and the Henderson Cultural Center at Hunt Hill Farm. Also, she has current or past positions on the New England Museum Association, Oral History Center in Cambridge and the Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities, Roberts brings us a broad knowledge base and unique perspectives. By the end of 2013, it is our hope that we will have a master plan and a sound financial basis to guide us in becoming a viable community resource for the future.
• Where is this bright blue sky of which we speak? In recent months, Historic Macon has recognized the need for action. The first thing we did was to bring in an Anarchist. Yes, an Anarchist! Sometimes you have to 15
State of the Sidney Lanier Cottage
As we start the strategic planning process for the Sidney Lanier Cottage, it is a good time to take stock of the current state of affairs. Almost every historic house museum in the country is facing challenges, and the “Cottage,” as we affectionately call ours, is no different. After nearly forty years of operation as a historic house museum, the ca. 1840 building remains a popular community center. In fact, the Sidney’s Salon series ,developed by the Cottage Committee over the last several years, is consistently rated as one of Historic Macon’s best programs in community surveys. And in the tradition began by Mrs. O.H. McAfee in 1947, the Cottage remains a popular rental venue for small weddings, rehearsal dinners and other events. Thankfully, faithful donors also established a perpetual Guild
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Endowment for the Cottage several years ago. That fund has now grown to over $100,000 thanks to your support. Those assets provide a strong foundation for the future. While we can be proud of these accomplishments, there are many immediate challenges. First of all, our primary tool for sharing the Cottage for the last forty years has been docented tours of the Cottage. Unfortunately, our attendance for these tours has fallen steadily to less than 1,000 per year. Operating the Cottage is also expensive, and more expensive than the income associated with it. For the most recently completed fiscal year, total Cottage costs were over $91,000, while all of the tours, event rentals and other Cottage income totaled less than $40,000. This makes
Ways to Support the Strategic Plan for the Cottage
the Cottage Historic Macon’s second most expensive program to operate after Preservation. At the same time, many of the finishes and textiles within the Cottage are reaching the end of their serviceable lives, representing the need for an enormous capital investment to sustain the current model. Existing reproduction rugs and upholstery were carefully selected and installed to suit the era of Sidney Lanier’s birth (1842) when the Cottage was opened in 1975. These items are wearing threadbare. The curtains need to be replaced; the wallpapers are all in fair condition or worse; and many volunteers’ shuffling feet have worn holes in the kitchen’s vinyl floor. We can be very proud that these well-chosen furnishings served well and faithfully to educate thousands about the legacy of Sidney Lanier and provide a glimpse into life in
1840s Macon, but they are simply wearing out.
1. Attend the Cottage and Education Committee meetings on the second Tuesday of every month, except December and May, at the Sidney Lanier Cottage at noon.
The need to replace, repair and upgrade the Cottage is a challenge, but it is also an opportunity. Our generation now must determine how to sustain the Sidney Lanier Cottage for the next forty years. We do not have answers to these questions yet. We are depending on you as members to help our Cottage Committee and Board of Trustees to determine the community’s needs. We hope to build on our best assets to bequeath the Cottage to the next generation in great condition with a successful and sustainable operating model, just as we were so lucky to inherit.
2. Consider making an outright or planned gift to the Sidney Lanier Cottage Guild Endowment. Checks can be sent to Historic Macon marked for this purpose. Just about any other kind of asset or planned gift can be arranged by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia for this purpose.
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Historic Macon’s For Sale Properties
1282 Calhoun Street, Macon Coming Soon!
1065 Oglethorpe Street, Macon $99,000. Currently set up as a duplex, this home can easily be converted back into a single family structure. Heart pine floors and generous room sizes give a buyer plenty of opportunities to build a showplace!
881 Orange Terrace, Macon Coming Soon! 1035 Oglethorpe Street, Macon $99,000. This historic property features corner fireplaces and beautiful trim work throughout. The home is being sold as-is inside, so you can create the showplace you dream about!
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1029 Oglethorpe Street, Macon $249,000. Currently under construction, this 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home features a dramatic foyer and staircase and well-proportioned rooms. Beautiful custom kitchen and baths and a large master closet are just some of the many highlights for this historic home.
551 Cherry Street, Macon Commerical Space. Price TBD. Commercial space has great live/work option with downstairs residential unit also for sale. Customizing is available with early sale! Unit One – Residential Loft. Price TBD. This downstairs residential loft has one bedroom and one bath with beautiful finishes and 13-foot ceilings. Walk-in shower. Large kitchen. Lofted bedroom and closet. A great live/work option with downstairs commercial space also for sale. Customizing is available with early sale! 19
Special Thanks to our Most Generous Members!
Historic Macon Club Mr. and Mrs. Joe Adams Ms. Beverly Blake Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm S Burgess, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Steve Durkee Mr. and Mrs. Mike Dyer Ms. Phyllis Farmer Ms. Sally M Heard Ms. Sara Beth Hertwig Ms. Vickie Hertwig Col. and Mrs. Arthur Howard Mr. Chris Howard and Mr. Carey Pickard Mr. Blake Lisenby and Mr. Shane Rogers Mr. Edmund Olson and Councilwoman Beverly Olson Ms. Martha Upchurch Mr. Chris Westbrook Mr. Tom B Wight Dr. Michael and Dr. Bridget Wright
Supporting Ms. Cantey Ayres Mr. and Mrs. Mark Ballard Mr. Don Cornett and Mrs. Nancy Brown Cornett Ms. Jeane Easom The Hon. Jim Marshall and Ms. Camille Hope Mr. and Mrs. Tim Regan-Porter Mr. and Mrs. Ed S Sell, III President and Mrs. William D. Underwood Mr. and Mrs. John Willingham Mr. and Mrs. George Youmans
Benefactor Mrs. Stella Auchmutey Mr. Keith and Mrs. Maria Bartlett Mr. and Mrs. Robert Beeland Dr. and Mrs. Ron Bloodworth Mr. Jim Bodell and Mrs. Susan Long Mr. and Mrs. Wes Boyer Dr. and Mrs. Peter Brown Ms. Helen Meadors and Mr. Craig Burkhalter Mr. and Mrs. Jim Burt Ms. Tricia B Burttram and Mr. Buck Donnelly Dr. and Mrs. Robert J Buttermark Dr. and Mrs. James Chapman Mr. Ken Gozur and Ms. Ginger Collins Mr. and Mrs. Mike Cook Mr. and Mrs. Max Crook Mr. Massimo Danese Mr. and Mrs. David Davis Mr. and Mrs. Robert Deason Ms. Shannon Fickling Mr. and Mrs. John Fox 20
Mr. and Mrs. Wes Griffith Mr. and Mrs. Richard Guerreiro Ms. Lucy Harrison Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hatcher Ms. Dana Heard Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hearn Dr. and Mrs. Chris Hendry Mr. C. Terry Holland and Mr. Jeff Logan Dr. and Mrs. Lindsay Holliday Dr. Maurice Solis and Ms. Lee Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Johnson Mrs. Gloria Joyce Ms. Betty Sweet Ladson Mr. and Mrs. Russell Lewis Mr. William Luke Mr. and Mrs. Bertram Maxwell, III Mr. and Mrs. Albert W McKay, Jr. Mrs. Lois McLain Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Mitchell Mr. and Mrs. Andy Moore Mr. and Mrs. Alex Morrison Dr. and Mrs. Doug Morton Mr. and Mrs. Aubrey Newby Mr. and Mrs. William Newby, Jr. Mr. Bryan Nichols Mr. and Mrs. Terry Parker Mr. and Mrs. Thom Phillips Mr. and Mrs. Rusty Poss Mr. Stephen A Reichert Dr. and Mrs. Joe Sam Robinson, Jr. Ms. Carole Seegert Mr. and Mrs. Chris Sheridan Mr. and Mrs. Bill Stephens Mr. and Mrs. Gene Strouss Mr. Mark Thompson Ms. Katherine Walden Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Walker Ms. Jean E Weaver Mr. and Mrs. Rick Whitten Ms. Molly M Wilkins Dr. Howard J Williams, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Williams Mr. and Mrs. Joe Yearty
Preservation Partners The Telegraph Eye Center of Central Georgia Macon Magazine Capital City Bank Medical Center of Central Georgia Open MRI of Macon Pi-Tech Southern Company Conditioned Air Lowe Lighting Center Marshall Lumber
Starr Electric Co., Inc. Graphic Resource J. Cameron Garvin, DMD Judy Hodgens Interiors Morris Appliance Company, Inc. ProBuild Saturna and Company, PC Valerie Garrett Interior Design Women for Women’s Health
Salon Sponsorship Capital City Bank
Honorarium In honor of Elizabeth Griffith by Dr. & Mrs. Fred Schnell In honor of Nancy Brown Cornett by Mr. William S. Lamb
Memorials In memory of Edwin Anderson by Ms. Helen Anderson In memory of Fern Allrich by Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Bornemann In memory of Mary Amelia Barshow Dr. Maurice Solis & Ms. Lee Johnson In memory of Steve Frame by Mr. and Mrs. Steve Durkee and Ms. Sally M Heard In memory of Jack Haugabook by Mr. and Mrs. Steve Durkee In memory of Charlie Hertwig by Ms. Helen Anderson In memory of Shellie Inzer by Ms. Sally M Heard In memory of Sara Griffin Perkins Landry by Ms. Betty Sweet Ladson and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Durkee In memory of June Liles by Ms. Betty Sweet Ladson In memory of Mary Evelyn Mitchell by Mr. Donald Richardson In memory of Donald Herbert Richardson Sr. by Mr. Donald Richardson In memory of Betty Sweet Simmons by Mr. Mark Doyle and Ms. Jeanie Enyart, Ms. Kay S. Greer, Aimee Dasher Adams, Mr. James E Barfield Mr. Jaime Webb Mr. Don Cornett and Mrs. Nancy Brown Cornett,
Ms. Betty B. Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Albert W. McKay, Jr., Mrs. Gloria McAfee Wynn, Mrs. Gay Faircloth, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Griffis, Community Foundation of Central Georgia, and Mr. and Mrs. Steve Durkee
Corporate and Foundation Gifts 1772 Foundation Community Foundation of Central Georgia E. J. Grassmann Trust Elam Alexander Trust Georgia Power Foundation Griffith Family Charitable Foundation, Inc. John S. & James L. Knight Foundation National Trust for Historic Preservation Peyton Anderson Foundation The Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation, Inc. W. L. Amos Sr. Foundation
Grants
by Georgia Power Foundation, Capital City Bank Foundation, Medical Center of Central Georgia Knight Neighorhood Challenge
Gifts 1268 College Street by Mr. Virgil E Cooper, Jr., Dr. Maurice Solis and Ms. Lee Johnson, Griffith Family Charitable Foundation, Inc., and Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Dumas in memory of Horace D. Burgamy, Sr. Preservation Revolving Fund by Mr. Donald Richardson, and Mr. and Mrs. Josh Rogers Bequest Ms. June Liles
Donations Anthony G Mikus, Jr., Mr. Matt Mckenna, High Street Unitarian Church, Dr. Amber P. Lawson, Joseph Powell, Mr. and Mrs. Josh Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Smith, Laura Schofield In-kind donations to Decorator Showhouse by Mr. Buck Donnelly and Ms. Tricia B. Burttram, Ms. Lesley D. Volpe, Mr. and Mrs. John Fox In-kind Gifts Ms. Sara Beth Hertwig, Mr. C. Terry Holland
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Historic Macon Membership Form New ___ Renewal ___ Name(s): ___________________________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Email(s): ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone: (home) _________________________ (work) _________________________ (cell) ___________________________ MEMBERSHIP LEVELS (Check one) Individual Memberships Household Memberships ___ $25 Student
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___ $60 Individual
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You can join online! www.historicmacon.
Name: ___________________________ Birth Date: __________________________ METHOD OF PAYMENT ___ Check enclosed ___ Credit Card Credit card # ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Expir ____ / ____ CSC ____Zip Code____ Join online or send this form with payment to: Historic Macon Foundation | P.O. Box 13358 | Macon, GA 31208 Go online to learn about monthly contributions, gift memberships or donations in honor of a loved one. 22