Lake Oconee Living - Spring 2025

Award-Winning Greens on the Shores of Lake Oconee

Set among 1,100 lush wooded acres, and bordered by nine miles of Lake Oconce shoreline, Harbor Club is an award-winning golf and lake community located an hour east of Atlanta in prime Georgia lake country, Whether you are looking to build the home of your dreams or revel in the comfort of a move-in-ready residence, Harbor Club offers an array of real estate opportunitics for you to craft your greatest lake lifestyle.

Sales Center Open Wednesday - Sunday

Since 1987, Reynolds Lake Oconee Properties has represented buyers and sellers alike in the sale of thousands of properties, all of them only at Reynolds Lake Oconee.  Our team is connected every day with club operations; plugged in daily with the social rhythms of clubs and events; and not distracted by, or obligated to buyers and sellers of any properties beyond the gates of Reynolds.

Reynolds Lake Oconee is what we do.  It’s also all we do, and it shows.

Lake Oconee’s

volume xxviii , no . 1 , spring 2025 The magazine that reflects the lifestyle of residents of the Lake Oconee area and beyond.

PUBLISHER OTIS BRUMBY III

GENERAL MANAGER LEE GARRETT

EDITOR PATRICK YOST

ART DIRECTOR BETH POIRIER

SALES & MARKETING ALEXIS BROWN

CIRCULATION DAVE GOSSETT

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS EMILY WHITTEN, TIA LYNN IVEY, CHIP BELL, SCOTT KEY, CRYSTAL JACKSON, JUDY GARRISON, DESTINIE BREEDEN, BETH SEXTON, PATRICK YOST

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS

DEANNA NEWCOMB, MALLORY AGNEW, CLAY ENFIELD, LEN GARRISON, RINNE ALLEN, PATRICK YOST, CHIP BELL, TREADWELL CROW, LIZ LINDER

WEBSITE

Please visit our website at www.loliving.com.

SUBMISSIONS

Unsolicited queries and submissions of art and writing not accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope will not be returned. Response time varies and Lake Oconee Living cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited materials. To contact the editor by email, address correspondence to editor@loliving.com.

ADVERTISING

You can request a media kit with information about our distribution, deadlines, readership, and advertising rates and specifications by emailing marketing@loliving.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Lake Oconee Living is published for the United States, its territories and possessions. Four issues per year: $17. Single issues in the U.S. $5. If you are moving, renewing, or have a question, please enclose subscription label with all correspondence; allow four weeks for change of address. Address all correspondence pertaining to subscriptions to:

Lake Oconee Living, 259 N. Second Street, Madison Ga. 30650, or call 706.342.7440 or fax 706.342.2140.

©2025 Times-Journal, Inc.

Lake Oconee Living

By The Book

Chip Bell takes a look back in time at some local authors who lived, worked and died in the Lake Oconee area and added importance to the life and texture of the region.

In The Garden

Its time to ‘Go Native’ in your yard by cultivating native plants that grow stronger and healthier in their natural environment and add habitat for our local pollinators.

Story by Crystal Jackson

In the Spirit

Our intrepid mixologist and attorney Scott Key ventures back to the Spring Break days of your youth and resists some distilled spirits that deserve a second, sober look.

Story by Scott Key

Photos by Patrick Yost

A Madison Miracle

The Fifth Street Community Garden has grown more than fruits and vegetables, it also has produced community cooperation, education and an environment of love.

New Creation Soda Works

Paul Kooistra was looking for a way to involve his entire family in a business concern. Welcome to New Creation Soda Works, a unique brand of freshness that is spreading over the United States (and beyond).

The Richland

Tom Fazio opens his longawaited masterpiece at Reynolds Lake Oconee and the early reviews are exemplary.

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Table At The Lake

What started as a concept soon grew into one of the hottest restaurant ideas on Lake Oconee. Come inside for a behind-the-scenes look at an intimate dining experience fueled by love and history.

A Natural Inspiration

Interior Designer Rachael Bell knocks a Richland Pointe home out of the park by listening and observing the natural flow of a property with incredible Lake Oconee views.

The World According To Butch

If you’ve ever meet him, you won’t forget him. Beth Sexton has a sit down to try and find out what makes Lake Oconee’s Butch Foust, Butch Foust.

A Treasure Revealed

A Madison couple puts their heart and money into the renovation of a family jewell. Take an insider’s look into this amazing property in the heart of Madison’s Historic District.

The Horse Returns

After years of environmental and human abuse, the famed Iron Horse off Highway 15 goes back to the barn for an extensive restoration before being placed back in the field of the Curtis Farm in Greene County.

Forever Elvis

As long as E.J. Boyer is around, Elvis will never leave the building. Boyer reflects on the life and times of an Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA).

hearing loss take you out of the game.

HARMONY MEDICAL CENTER

117 Harmony Crossing, Suite 8, Eatonton GA (706) 453-2119 Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm Fri 9am-12pm

MADISON - (New Location!) (at rear entrance of Dr. Pamela Hall’s office)

Enjoy This Moment

It happens to all of us, or should.

There is that moment in March or early April that the enormity of Spring comes with the earthy smell of rain hitting soil, of sunshine warming the air.

It is a time of rebirth and renewal and, if you are of a certain age, it is a moment of reflection on another ride around the sun. Spring comes with an undefined, open promise. Spring is joy in the smell of cut grass and wisteria, of 9 a.m. tee times and slow afternoons reading a book on the porch.

It is a lovely time to be alive.

I am blessed to live in a neighborhood of children. It’s both walkable and, when the weather permits, the kids circle the neighborhood on all manner of bike and scooter. They laugh and, sometimes cry, they holler and perform great feats of strength and agility. There is a creek close by and often I’ll catch a child or two dancing in the water or throwing a rock.

It is a sweet reminder of my youth and offers an eternal promise of new beginnings that comes creeping with a 6 a.m. sunrise. The dirt smells different, too.

I love the thought of it all.

Soon, gentle reader, the golf courses will fill, the outside patios of our favorite restaurants will come alive with laughter and joy. Porches in my neighborhood will fill. We will all be in a better mood with the covenant that is Spring. I invite you to recognize the moment. Take a deep breath, feel the grass growing under your feet. Ride a bike. Talk with your neighbors. Chase your dog. In the interim, enjoy the moments we have captured in Lake Oconee Living. There is promise at Table at the Lake in case you haven’t noticed. Travelers are already talking about the rebirth of the Iron Horse and Tom Fazio’s masterpiece at Reynolds is experiencing its first growing season.

2002 S. Main St., Madison GA (706) 453-2119 Wed. 9am-5pm MADISON - (New Location!)

There is much ahead for all of us and Spring serves as a sweet, pleasant reminder of our revival.

Serving Lake Oconee, Atlanta, and surrounding communities across the Southeast. Service includes Interior Design, Renovations, and New Contruction Projects

Find your Place at the Lake

Charity Gives - We contribute a portion of our proceeds to a local charity of your choice every time you buy or sell a home through our services. Charity Joiner

| by the book |

Dearly Departed: The Final Chapter of Famed Middle Georgia Authors

by Chip Bell

The renowned expert on death and dying, author Elizabeth Kubler-Rose, wrote, “I’ve told my children that when I die to release balloons in the sky to celebrate that I graduated. For me, death is a graduation.”

When we hear of the death of an important person, one of our early questions is, “How did he or she die.” How one leaves this world can be instructive in learning more about one’s life and legacy. Romantic poet Emily Dickinson’s final words were: “I must go, the fog is lifting.” And Truman Capote uttered, “Mama, mama, mama,” as he died. In this article, we remember the passing of a few local writers whose literary lives made a difference.

Joseph Addison Turner (Eatonton)

Joseph Addison Turner was born in 1826. He became a state legislator, school principal, and an attorney. Author of Kemble’s Poems, he regularly contributed to the Southern Literary Messenger. In 1862, he did what had never been done--established a newspaper on a plantation. It was at Turnwold Plantation that Joel Chandler Harris worked as a printer’s assistant for the newspaper, The Countryman. With Turner as his mentor, Harris acquired a love for literature, and heard the slave stories that would become the Brer Rabbit tales told by Harris’ Uncle Remus. By the end of the Civil War, Turnwold Plantation had been ransacked by the Union Army. Heartbroken that he never became the literary giant of the South, Turner moved to Eatonton and resumed the practice of law. He died of a lung ailment in 1868, leaving behind a pregnant wife and five children. He is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in Eatonton.

Flannery O’Connor (Milledgeville)

Mary Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah in 1925. A young avid reader, she critiqued the children’s books she read. After her father died, she and her mother moved to Milledgeville, her mother’s childhood home. O’Connor graduated from Georgia State College for Women and completed a master’s degree at the University of Iowa. She began publishing short stories and wrote two books, Wise Blood and A Good Man is Hard to Find. After contracting lupus (which had caused her father’s death), she returned to Milledgeville from Connecticut and lived her last 13 years with her mother at Andalusia. In her final days, her health deteriorated until, on August 2, after being rushed to the local hospital, her kidneys began to fail. In the early hours of August 3, 1965, she slipped into a coma and died at 39. Acerbic to the end, one of her last lucid comments was a complaint that the song “Clementine” played in her head instead of some celestial chorus. She is buried in the Memory Hill Cemetery beside her father.

Some authors take their “graduation” with somber resolution. Others view it as time to reveal their genuine side. When asked on his death bed how he was feeling, Joel Chandler Harris impishly replied: “I am about the extent of a tenth of a gnat’s eyebrow better.” In life and death, authors can be pathfinders for us all. May they rest in peace, and may their memories be a blessing.

Chip Bell is an international best-selling author and board member of Georgia Writers Museum. He also serves as managing editor of the museum’s quarterly magazine, Page Turner

Native Plants You Need to Grow in Your Garden This Season

Walking through a local nursery can be dangerous. Beautiful plants beckon seductively from every direction, tempting the enthusiastic gardener. An

exotic bloom might seem novel and exciting, but the American Society of Landscape Architects recommends adding plants native to the region when planting a garden.

There are practical reasons for cultivating native plants. They are more likely to grow healthier and stronger in their natural environment. They’ll provide local wildlife–including the coveted area pollinators–with their preferred habitat. Native plants also reduce the need for fertilizer, save water, and reduce soil erosion. They are the perfect low-maintenance addition to any garden.

Exotic plants may seem appealing, but many of them simply aren’t meant to survive in this soil or climate, requiring soil amendments, fertilization, and extra watering. Many nonnative species are also invasive and can spread to areas where they aren’t wanted. While many non-native plants may be an established part of the current landscaping, it’s important to add more native varieties to the garden.

One third of the land in Georgia is located within the Piedmont Region, just south of the Appalachian Mountains. While Georgia might be known for its peaches, pecans, and Vidalia onions, there are many other native plants that will thrive in our gardens. From flowers to ground cover to trees, here are some of my top recommendations to add to your native garden. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is more than just a simple bloom to add to your garden. It is also a native plant commonly used for its medicinal properties. Indigenous tribes in the area used echinacea for respiratory infections, snakebites, and toothaches.

Creeping Phlox

Black Eyed Susan

| in the garden |

Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia hirta) are simple flowers–perfect for cottage gardens. They provide a low-maintenance and droughtresistant bloom for local gardeners. They attract a variety of pollinators to the garden, increasing biodiversity.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata) is an excellent ground cover in the Piedmont region. It suppresses weeds, helps control soil erosion, attracts pollinators, and is resistant to deer and rabbits. It’s also beautiful with starshaped blooms. It’s also non-toxic to dogs. Creeping phlox works well in rock gardens, as groundcover, and even to edge garden beds.

Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) is sometimes referred to as shadbush. This native plant can stand alone or beneath the shade of other trees. Its blooms and berries attract pollinators, and the berries are also healthy for human consumption. In fact, the serviceberry contains iron, fiber, calcium, manganese, and magnesium.

Native plants benefit the garden as well as the gardener. While many offer indigenous herbal remedies, others simply provide beautiful, lowmaintenance blooms that can withstand the heat of our summers and make a home in the thick Georgia clay. No matter why you choose a native plant, you’ll be creating a welcoming habitat for the butterflies, bees, and fireflies that call Georgia home

Serviceberry blooms

Serviceberry

Scott Key is an amateur mixologist with aspirations of owning an upscale establishment where the patrons are sophisticated, low maintenance and pay in cash. When he is not mixing the greatest cocktails the world has ever beheld, he practices complex trial and appellate law out of his Madison, Ga. law office. He is also a law professor at Mercer University’s School of Law, which he is told is a dry campus. Before you write us; yes, he knows that he shares a name in common with the guy who wrote the national anthem.

SPRING BREAK

BY SCOTT KEY

PHOTOS BY PATRICK YOST

If Spring is a time for rebirth, then it is also a time for reflection on the misspent days of youth. And it is also a time to reconsider biases based on those days. Consider for a moment four spirits with which you may have had an inauspicious encounter on the Florida panhandle decades ago: rum, gin, tequila, and fireball. For a moment, allow yourself to see them anew. And if you aren’t exactly able to blame yourself for that unfortunate illness you experienced, then at least allow the possibility that the drinks were less to blame than the funnel you used to consume them. The older and more sophisticated you should revisit the spirits of spring breaks past with an open mind, a wise heart, and an experienced liver.

RUM

You may hate rum because you’ve not yet experienced it when not combined with coconut flavored high fructose corn syrup and the remnants of sunscreen. Of late, rum has become the go-to spirit of mixologists. Its heritage predates an independent America, and its story is rich and complicated. Compared to rum, bourbon is a Johnny-come-lately. And the price is a bargain, when compared to whiskeys.

The Tuesday Club Cocktail is featured in the book London Cocktails, from the menu of the bar, Behind this Wall, in London. It features banana syrup, two kinds of rum, and cod. One sip, and you’ll think twice about drinking rum with a generic cola product again. And you’ll have a better rum story to tell than the one that nearly got you kicked out of the lobby of the Motel 6.

GIN

Gin is likely not what you think it is. If you think all gin tastes like the Christmas tree on January the fifth, then your “I hate gin” origin story may relate to a way-too-young raid on a parental liquor cabinet or a budget-based fake id purchase in Daytona. At a recent get-together, I served our featured beverage to friends and heard someone say, “this is gin?” Indeed, it is. The Corpse Reviver Number 2 was a prohibition cocktail crafted by American expatriate Harry Craddock in his Savoy Cocktail Book. Designed as a hangover remedy, he famously wrote “four of these taken in quick succession will unrevived the corpse again.”

TEQUILA

People falsely accuse this beverage for containing live stomach bugs or an otherworldly spirit that makes them, as the British say, “fighty.” The reality is that it’s a complex spirit with a long origin and a range of complex flavors. Your tequila origin story likely involves sugary swill out of a fluorescent premixed machine. In fact, there may be lots of terrible things that have been done in Spring breaks past in the name of tequila. But let’s start our second glance at it with a simple margarita, made with a few natural ingredients.

FIREBALL

The problem with fireball is that not enough people have learned to just say no to glycol. Judging from the number of discarded plastic containers outside various SEC stadiums, not enough of you have broken up with Fireball. It’s past time that you do. Let me suggest an alternative. The West Manhattan, Tennessee, is a classic Manhattan using Jack Daniels Fire. And, yes, it is possible to enjoy Jack without the evening ending by being cut off by the bartender and the police being called. This drink proves it (until it doesn’t).

LAKE OCONEE

Mixologist Scott Key pours a West Tennessee Manhattan, a drink using Jack Daniels Fire, Red Vermouth and orange bitters.

INGREDIENTS

3 dashes of cinnamon bitters

1.75 oz light rum (preferably El Dorado 3-year old)

.75 oz spiced rum

.25 oz banana syrup

a mist of pear liqueur

2 drops of cbd oil

Dehydrated banana chip for garnish

TO MAKE

In a rocks glass, place one large ice cube. Add the bitters, rums, syrup, and cbd oil. Stir vigorously with a bar spoon until the drink is chilled. Spray the pear liqueur over the drink with an atomizer.

BANANA SYRUP

Combine 2 cups of water with one cup of sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Then reduce to simmer. Add 2 chopped overripe bananas and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Then cool the syrup. Then strain out the bananas. Keep in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.

THE TUESDAY CLUB

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz gin

1.5 oz orange liqueur

1.5 oz lemon juice

1.5 oz Lillet Blanc

Splash of absinthe

TO MAKE

Rinse a coupe with absinthe. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and Lillet Blanc. Strain into your rinsed coupe.

Step into spring in style!

INGREDIENTS

2 oz tequila

.5 oz orange liqueur

.5 oz agave syrup

1 oz lime juice

TO MAKE

MARGARITA

Salt the rim of your glass of choice. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and either pour with the ice or strain (your choice) into that glass. Garnish with a lime. Celebrate the flavor by throwing away all margarita mix that may be in your home.

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Jack Daniels Fire

1 oz. Red Vermouth

WEST TENNESSEE, MANHATTAN

2 dashes of orange bitters

TO MAKE

Combine all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Then strain into a chilled coupe or martinis glass.

A Gardening Miracle in madison

Fifth Street Community Garden helps a community grow

By Emily Whitten

Nestled on a quiet street not far from downtown Madison, local residents can come together to commune with nature while growing nutritious food and beautiful flowers at the Fifth Street Community Garden.

The garden, a nonprofit 501 (C) 3, boasts a collection of 52 gardening beds appealing to all with a desire to dig in the dirt and enjoy the miracle of growth that a bountiful harvest provides.

In this garden, gardeners of all skill levels can lease a bed to grow vegetables for their own use or they can assist with growing produce in beds designated to local food pantries.

The fenced garden-space opened a few years ago, holding its grand opening in the spring of 2023. It was developed through a partnership with the city of Madison and the Madison Downtown Development Authority and the help of grants and donations.

“I could never have imagined that our community garden would become so connected in so many ways to so many people and organizations throughout the county,” said Sally Fowler, president of the 5th Street Community Garden.

In addition to producing highquality foods, the garden’s goal is to be a place of welcome for the entire community.

“We foster personal interaction linked with gardening practices that increase local food sources, including donations to local food pantries,” the garden’s mission statement states. “We are deeply committed to enhancing community resilience and providing educational opportunities for young and old inspired by a vision of sustainability that honors and protects our earth.”

Fowler said garden volunteers take this mission seriously at the garden and in their outreach into the community.

“I’m delighted that we are teaching folks of all ages how to produce their own food and providing a space where folks can come together from all walks of life,” Fowler said.

This garden got its start thanks to a dream of Fowler’s as she was inspired by events across the country in 2020. She wanted to find a way to make a difference in her community.

Fowler got the idea for the garden after learning about a community garden in Ireland while watching an episode of “Grow, Cook, Eat.” She decided to see if a similar garden could be established in Madison.

Following a period of time working

Fifth Street Community Garden Volunteer Nancy Vaughn and UGA Extension Agent Jeff Johnson work with children at the Community Garden.

with local officials, the Fifth Street Community Garden received its nonprofit status and entered into a five-year-lease in Nov. 2021 with the city of Madison for the property at 664 Fifth St.

Today, thanks to Fowler’s hard work and community support, a once abandoned corner behind the Rose of Sharon Church, in a predominantly African-American community, has been transformed.

Raised beds now dot the landscape overlooked by two scarecrows and a metal sculpture entitled, “Red Digital Arch,” provided by the Madison Arts Commission. It also includes a pavilion, a garden shed with tools, access to water, a parking lot and an in-ground growing plot for the Madison-Morgan Boys & Girls Club.

“The Community Garden has given me a sense of purpose in my retirement,” said Karen Whitt, a member of the garden board. “I enjoy the gardeners and the volunteers who work behind the scenes to make it all happen. This is a gift from Sally Fowler to Madison.”

It is a gift to all the gardeners as well. The volunteers love to share their knowledge of gardening and offer support to all those leasing a bed. Each person gardening at that site is responsible for maintaining their plot, fertilizing, watering and weeding.

Trails in the garden are designed for easy walking and some of the beds are raised or handicap accessible. This makes gardening easier even for those with mobility issues.

None of this would have been possible without the support of so many.

The garden received funding from the Lowe’s Hometown Grant, the AARP Community Challenge State Grant and the city of Madison ARC Grant. The Rotary Club donated materials and built the beds.

The garden also continues its partnership with the Madison-Morgan Boys & Girls Club with a goal of teaching young people how to grow food and how to incorporate those foods in recipes that garden volunteers provide.

“Through collaboration with Fifth Street Community Garden, the Boys & Girls Club fosters a deeper connection to nature, teaches

valuable life skills, and empowers youth to make a positive impact on both their environment and their community,” said Terry Darrisaw, club director, Madison-Morgan Boys & Girls Club.

Service clubs at Morgan County High School also volunteer in the garden and the school system’s agricultural students raise vegetable seedlings for planting in the garden each year. Agriculture tech students made the donation plaques and helped assemble the shed to house gardening supplies.

Morgan County probation officers have used the garden as a community service location and local churches have used the garden for volunteer projects.

Fruits and vegetables almost ready for harvest during last’ years gardening cycle. Raised beds are available for rent at the garden.

The garden received corporate sponsorship from the Bank of Madison, Madison Reality, Farmview Market, Main St. Vet/The Lodge, Southern Landscaping and the Bryans Foundation.

“It has been heartwarming to see the support from the community - from our gardeners, the community at-large and our community sponsors,” said Ann Clarke, president-elect of the Fifth Street Community Garden. “The financial support has allowed us to continue improving the infrastructure of the garden.”

And the partnership with the Boys and the Girls Club is one in

which the organizers are thrilled to continue in the future, according to Cheryl Hooks, education chair and member of the board.

Garden volunteers Karen Kerlin and Carolyn Craft are offering cooking classes at the club and the garden is also in the process of funding three cooking carts equipped with supplies, tools and tabletop convection ovens to assist in that process.

Last year, they also taught classes on the “scientific aspects” of fresh food incorporating math skills when possible and in the future want to invite members of the hospitality industry as guest speakers.

“These programs emphasize the importance of building healthy relationships with foods you enjoy and learning how to prepare them,” Hooks said.

The volunteers are also offering an Adult Educational Seminar Series at the local library with a Jan. class on Seed Starting/Soil Testing.

“We had a fantastic turnout for the first of our four educational classes at the Morgan County Library and invite everyone in the community, from beginners to seasoned gardeners, to join us for the remaining sessions,” Hooks said.

Upcoming classes include Companion Gardening and Crop Rotation on February 15 at 10:30 a.m., Food Preservation on March 29 at 10 a.m. at the UGA Extension Office, and Pollinator Gardening on April 19 at 10:30 a.m.

Another event for 2025 is the Community Unity Celebration for May 3 that may become an annual event. It will include food, games and music to bring people together at the garden.

“In 2025, we look forward to exploring innovative ways to engage youth of all ages in growing and cultivating food, helping them build confidence in their food choices,” Hooks said. “Additionally, we aim to create opportunities for adults to connect and strengthen community bonds through shared experiences in gardening and food preparation.”

For more information on the Fifth Street Community Garden or to volunteer visit www.fifthstreetgarden.com

The Fifth Street Community Garden provides a learning lab children to learn about food production.

Same lake, different take.

From the moment you arrive, you’ll notice something special here. Maybe it’s Georgia’s #1 Residential Golf Course or the genuine sense of community among our residents. Perhaps it’s the relaxed pace of life, defined by Southern Hospitality. Whether you’re seeking lakefront luxury or a peaceful escape, we’re excited to help you create a lasting legacy. Explore our website to discover all our community has to offer.

Craft Soda bRIDGES THE BEVERAGE GAP IN OCONEE COUNTY

Business grew from a family root beer recipe

By Crystal Jackson

Photos by Mallory Agnew

In a year that left popular craft beer companies like Southern Brewing closing its doors, local craft soda maker New Creation Soda Works is still going strong. Located in downtown Bishop, this locally owned soda company makes its soda in what used to be Thaxton Turkey Hatchery, which operated from 1956 to 1963. I sat down with owner Paul Kooistra to learn more about this familyowned Oconee County business.

Surrounded by cases of canned soda and sparkling water, owner Paul Kooistra spoke about his journey from corporate America to starting a family business. “My wife and I have three daughters. They were in middle and high school at the time. We talked about what kind of business we could do, and we thought about craft beer, but it’s not a great business for young children to get into. It’s really competitive, and with distribution laws and alcohol taxes, we decided to do something simpler. Not many companies make craft soda in the South, and we could get the girls involved in making flavors.”

Craft soda might seem like an unusual choice until you hear about Kooistra’s family history. His grandfather used to make root beer at home for his children. Kooistra’s mother would talk about it, and even though he never got to experience this homemade root beer for himself, the legacy around that experience endured.

Kooistra and family started selling homemade syrups at the Watkinsville farmer’s market. “We wanted to see if people even wanted something like this. It was popular, so we decided to take one of the flavors and put it in bottles and try to sell it to restaurants around town. The first was the Strawberry Habanero. We wanted to make real sodas with real flavors and real ingredients. We used strawberries from Washington Farms. What better way to start a beverage company in Oconee County than to use Oconee County strawberries? We grew our own habaneros in our backyard.”

Heirloom Cafe in Athens was the first customer, but New Creation wouldn’t stop there. It is now in over 1,000 locations nationwide. It’s a true family business with their daughters helping to come up with flavors, pack, and label the sodas. They still help in the business although in a lesser capacity. The eldest daughter is now a labor and delivery nurse. The middle daughter, responsible for the beautiful graphics in the warehouse space, is studying medical illustration at UGA, and his youngest daughter is a student at University of North Georgia in Dahlonega. Still, all three still pitch in from time to time and are an integral part of any changes to the family business.

Flavor creation is a big part of the family business. The Peches Georgia Peach Soda was soon to follow–using real peaches in the recipe. The ingredients are simple: Purified Carbonated Water, Peaches, Pure Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (for freshness). While the Peches label might be reminiscent of the iconic Georgia farmstand, Kooistra explained that there’s no connection or affiliation. Instead, they used the French word for peaches as the name on the label and wanted the art to represent a summery day on a Georgia farm–the perfect time to enjoy a peach soda.

While Kooistra started

out making syrups with strawberries from Washington Farms, these days, the soda company’s needs are too great to hand-pick strawberries locally. Each batch of the strawberry habanero soda requires about 1,000 pounds of strawberries. The same amount is required with the peaches. The strawberries are shipped in from a company called IQF and frozen at the peak of freshness. Peaches come from Pearson Farms in Fort Valley, Ga., which, Kooistra claims, are the best peaches in the world with the perfect environment for peaches– a claim that seems to be backed up by the recent Flavor of Georgia award.

The Peches Georgia Peach Soda was the Grand Prize Winner at Flavor of Georgia in 2024. It won Best in Category, Best in Beverage, and Best in Overall. It beat out over 300 beverages to win this coveted spot.

Another surprising flavor is the Split Banana Cream Soda, created exclusively for the Savannah Bananas baseball team and containing flavors of creamy caramel and banana bread. Kooistra called up Savannah Bananas Owner Jesse Cole after reading his book ‘Banana Ball’ and pitched the idea of a soda partnership. Cole agreed to sample some flavors and take a look at the art. Pleased with both, the Split Banana Cream Soda rolled out to the public – and is available for sale at Savannah Bananas games.

“Our soda takes all day to make. The ingredients are real. There are no artificial colors and no artificial flavors. Real and natural aren’t the same thing. Natural peach usually means there’s no peach in it at all. They have chemical formulas that make it taste something like a peach. Natural flavors often don’t have real ingredients.”

New Creation Owner and CEO Paul Kooistra stands in front of a large pallet of canned sodas and sparkling waters ready for shipment from the company’s Bishop plant.

With a focus on real ingredients, family, and sustainability at the forefront of this business, it’s easy to see why it’s growing in popularity in Oconee County and elsewhere. In the company’s manufacturing facility there is a noticeable chill in the air. Redolent of strawberries with an undercurrent of spice, Kooistra explained that the strawberry habanero cream soda, his personal favorite, was currently being crafted.

A short assembly line in the center of the room hinted at the packaging process. While some of the cans are screen printed, others receive wrapped labels. Even surrounded by sodas, Kooistra says New Creation has another location at Wire Park, which is needed to store the rest of their soda to meet the demand on their product.

“We have the best schools in the state here,” Kooistra remarked proudly. “Even some of the best schools in the country. People are moving here, and it’s growing.”

New Creation is growing, too, with sparkling water as a newer venture. “I always liked craft beer and had an interest in hops. There are hundreds and even thousands of different varieties of hops, and they can change the flavor of beer quite distinctly. I really wanted to highlight the flavor of different hops.” Kooistra pointed to the cases of sparkling water. “They are made with hops, water, and a little flavoring to complement the type of hop. Like, Zappa is a grapier type of hop, so we add blackberry juice to complement it. We don’t want to overpower the flavor of the hops. There’s zero sugar and zero calories and are good for you. They’re a member of the cannabis family but don’t have THC in them. They have the same restful effects and are good for digestion and other things as well. It’s an alternative to an alcoholic beverage.”

Their creativity doesn’t end with soda and sparkling water. They have also branched into margarita mixes. “Salty Goat Margarita Mix is the world’s first paper bottle margarita. There’s even a grocery store in Saint Thomas that now orders our sodas and margarita mixes. They love the paper bottles because on the island, they don’t have a way to get rid of the trash. Our bottles can be crushed flat or composted.”

“Our focus is on what we have right now. There are some farmers in Georgia that are discarding product that is just too ripe for them to use, and we’re doing some research on how to access that. We’ve got 11 SKUs, and we only have three tanks to make them. We’re partnering with other small businesses to do some co-packing orders. We’re partnering with the Food Product Innovation Center in Griffin, Ga., an arm of UGA. They help develop flavors for food and beverage for people, and then we can help co-pack products to help businesses put their food and beverages on the market.”

While local partnerships are a part of the future plans, Kooistra also foresees changes coming in the beverage industry. “The alcohol industry right now has taken a hit overall. People are drinking less. Gen Z and Millennials are more sober-curious. The Surgeon General came out a few weeks ago and said alcohol is bad for your health and can cause cancer. They want warnings on alcohol like they did on cigarettes. It’s bad news for the alcohol industry, and it’s devastated the craft beer industry over the last year and a half.”

“This is the first time that New Creation has been in a position to solve problems. Giving people a great local craft soda is another option for non-drinkers. With alcohol sales going down, there’s a beverage gap. Craft soda is on the rise, so we’re a great way to fill that gap. It’s also great with families. Children can drink a craft soda while their parents enjoy a craft beer or bottle of wine. If they add floats to their menu, that’s another way restaurants can help with that beverage sales gap. We’re bridging that gap and filling a void. Before, we were just a fun drink. Now, we’re a fun drink that solves a problem as we see a decline in alcohol revenue.”

In the Lake Oconee area, you can find New Creation Soda Works beverages in the Publix on Linger Longer and at Scratchers City Market. In Madison, you can find them on the shelves in Ingles, The Sinclair, and Farmview Market.

New Creation Soda Works fills the space that was once the Thaxton Turkey Hatchery in Bishop, Ga.

The New Creation Soda Works headquarters in Bishop. New Creation is a family-owner and operated business.

New Creation is creating a line of drink mixers in compostable bottles.

Licensed &

Roofing

Interior/Exterior Painting

Gutter Painting & Cleaning

Landscaping

Swimming Pools

AC/Heating

Fencing

Electrical

Plumbing

Flooring

BobCat Work

Lot Clearing

Basements

Remodeling

Decks

Sunrooms

Concrete Work

Gutter Guards

Septic Services

Water Damage Specialist

RICHLAND at Reynolds Lake Oconee

With its opening in October, 2024, the Richland golf course at Reynolds Lake Oconee becomes the seventh course for the Lake Oconee development and is already gaining notoriety among the golfing public. Soon after opening, the Richland was named “Best New Private Course in 2024” by Sports Illustrated.

The course, which utilized holes 1 through 5 and 15 through 18 from the Bluff nine of the National course and added new holes 6 through 14 that rumble across a 75 acre peninsula and down onto Lake Oconee, completed a vision designer Tom Fazio had when the National Club opened in 1998.

“My goal is always to create distinctive, one-of-a-kind golf courses,” said Fazio after the opening. “There’s a lot of terrain variation- lots of ups and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns- which is great for golf. That’s what makes this such a fine natural setting.”

The course plays to a par of 72 and 7,090 yards from the tips. The Richland has a slope of 140 and a rating of 74.0. It is the second private golf course, along with the Creek Club, within the Reynolds Lake Oconee community. To play the Richland, members must be Platinum members of the development.

Fazio was able to utilize parts of the Bluff nine to finalize his vision for the “visually aesthetically pleasing piece of property,” says Reynolds Lake Oconee Director of Golf Wes Forester.

Forester says early reviews for the course from membership has been exceptional “They love the look and they love playable it is,” he says.

Fazio says he took the natural flow of the property, which provides a 100 feet of elevation change and opened up the course for creative shot-making.

“Members will enjoy this golf course because it has character and will never play the same. This new course will provide a challenge and have endless possibilities for a fun and captivating golf experience,” Fazio said.

John Gunderson, president, Daniel Communities, managing partner for Reynolds Lake Oconee, said the contour of the land allowed the designer to utilize his vision. “Richland adds a seventh distinct playing experience for Reynolds Lake Oconee members,

Wes Forester

Tom Fazio (above) was able to complete a vision he held when he first completed the Bluff Nine at Reynolds National. Fazio incorporated some of the Bluff holes with new holes including the 13th (opening photo). Reynolds Lake Oconee Director of Golf Wes Forester says the Richland offers its members “a lot more options of creativity…”

highlighting Tom Fazio’s design and the topography of the site,” he said. “It’s tough to imagine a finer collection of golf courses in any community in the country.”

With the Richland’s opening, Reynolds Lake Oconee now has two Fazio designs (Richland and The National) along with Great Waters (Jack Nicklaus), The Oconee (Rees Jones), Creek Club (Jim Engh) and The Preserve and The Landing (Bob Capp).

The Richland is part of the 500-acre Richland Pointe community in Reynolds Lake Oconee which includes the Richland Pointe Village.

In constructing the course, Fazio was able to reinvent some of the Bluff holes, including repositioning and adding bunkers, combining bunkers to create larger ones reshaping and moving greens and repositioning tee boxes to bring lake views into the mix.

The Richland utilizes TifEagle Bermuda for its slick greens and Bermuda for the fairways.

The fairways, especially on the newly constructed holes, provide an ample, wide margin of rolling options for golfers, Forester said.

“You have a lot more options of creativity and a lot more options at your disposal.”

The eighth hole flows downhill with strategic bunkering. Noted designer Tom Fazio wanted the Richland to offer golfers opportunities to take chances and initial reviews have been exemplary.

McTell’s 12 Sting Stuto is a public art project with hand-painted replicas of McTell’s guitar.

Florida-based guitarist Selwyn

kicks off the weekend with a dynamic Friday night concert. Considered by Rolling Stone as “a remarkable contemporary bluesman … a powerhouse young guitarist and soulful vocalist,” his performance emits his version on contemporary

Festival director Don Powers and artist ShinyRibs take a breath.

Birchwood

blues.

Fusing hot jazz with rock and roll, Decatur-based group Blair Crimmins and The Hookers delight the crowd for the second time.

Beat the Georgia Heat with the Blues Blind Willie McTell Music Festival

By Judy Garrison | Photography by Len Garrison, Seeing Southern

September is made for Georgia football between the hedges in Athens and the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival in the field in Thomson. If you’re lucky, schedules don’t conflict and you can experience the best of both worlds to begin your Georgia fall in spectacular fashion.

In the small town of Thomson, the biggest names in the music world take the stage each fall. Now in its 31st year, the festival celebrates hometown legend William Samuel McTell, born in 1901 and known as Blind Willie McTell. He was a master at the twelve-string guitar, differentiating him from other bluesmen. His tenor voice smooth, a deep contrast to bluesmen hailing from the Mississippi Delta, he could read and write music in Braille.

Contemporaries regard McTell as a guiding influence in their work. Bob Dylan and the Allman Brothers Band covered his most famous song “Statesboro Blues.” Considered one of the great musicians of the 1920s and 1930s, McTell’s passion still vibrates in the community where he was born. In 1990, he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

Visit Thomson McDuffie County curates the yearly event with Don Powers as the director and Elizabeth Vance as its co-pilot.

“We’ve had folks from all over the country,” says Vance. “Washington, Arizona, California, Minnesota, etc., but the vast majority [of attendees] are from Georgia.” Hundreds gather on a field off Stagecoach Road, bringing canopy tents, lounge chairs, and dance moves to spend the full day, often baking in the sun, to enjoy everything from blues to jazz. Food trucks and local vendors are on hand for food and drink.

“Our local Hampton Inn and Comfort Inn are the go-to hotels,” she says. “We also have two local RV campgrounds on Clarks Hill Lake. The CVB offers a shuttle to and from the festival site from the local hotels and campgrounds. There are several Airbnb’s in Thomson as well.”

Smithsonian Folkways artist Jerron Paxton pick and sings, while hanging on to his pipe and his flask.

It’s a family-friendly environment, introducing generations to music that will continue to be a cornerstone of future collaborations.

The 2025 festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 6, with a kick-off show in downtown Thomson on Friday night at the Train Depot. It’s free and open to the public; bring your chairs and coolers and get a front-row seat. Saturday’s main stage requires tickets; no pets, coolers or outside food permitted.

Although the lineup for this year’s festival has not been released, stellar entertainment is a guarantee. Past entertainers have included Mavis Staples, Randall Bramblett Band, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Samantha Fish, Jimmie Vaughan, and in 2024, Wynton Marsalis.

“There’s no real criteria [for entertainers],” explains Vance, “We do try to hit a several different genres of music and not just the blues. This is mostly because Blind Willie McTell played several different genres himself, country, folk, gospel, ragtime, etc.”

Vance believes Wynton Marsalis describes the festival’s mission. Marsalis says, “The blues is the basis of most American music in the 20th century. It’s a 12-bar form that’s played by jazz, bluegrass, and country musicians. It has a rhythmic vocabulary that’s been used by rock n’ roll. It’s related to spirituals, and even the American fiddle tradition.”

Every musical note ever played is said to be influenced, whether directly or indirectly, by the blues genre. And Blind Willie McTell is considered to be one of its most influential legends.

For more information on the festival and to purchase tickets, visit the website, www.blindwillie. com. Sign up for the newsletter to be the first to know the lineup and ticket availability.

Our expert team has over 25 years of aesthetic experience to serve you.

The world’s greatest trumpeter, Wynton Marsalis on stage with Blair Crimmins. With Blair Crimmins as the front man, the groups deliver an excitement not duplicated by many.

table at the lake

By

Crystal Jackson

Photos by Clay Benfield

Pull Up A Seat

EVERY DINNER AT TABLE AT THE LAKE IS LIKE AN ELEGANT PARTY WITH FRIENDS. GOOD FRIENDS.

While the world was shut down in a global pandemic, a group of friends began to dream of a place where people could gather, connect, and celebrate. It wouldn’t be an ordinary restaurant. Instead, it would be a place where people could come and feel like they were at an intimate and elegant dinner party with friends.

After spending four years in Chicago, Table at the Lake Owner Jon Altizer-Bieger and his husband Geoff decided during the pandemic to leave the city and settle down at Lake Oconee. “We wanted to slow things down and move away from the pace of city life. Having lived in Atlanta for over a decade, we had visited Lake Oconee countless times. Its strong sense of community, natural beauty, and small-town charm consistently drew us back, making it the perfect place to call home.”

Meanwhile, Executive Chef Casey Burchfield began to realize that his next passion would be making a name for himself. “What started out as home delivered meals and catered functions quickly turned into a bigger vision to build a food truck. The brand “The Burch” was created during worldwide

hardships and the community showed up to make it more successful than I could have ever dreamed. Lake Country and the surrounding areas are what gave me the hope and desire to expand my talents beyond the food truck.”

Jon, Geoff, and Casey’s path’s crossed while Casey was the executive chef at Linger Longer Steakhouse at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Oconee. Their casual conversation about creating a brickand-mortar restaurant concept at the Lake led to dinner parties to further discuss the idea. “Table at the Lake was born from a series of dining experiences that all of us had while traveling the world,” Jon explained as he gestured around the dimly lit restaurant where diners were engaged in quiet conversation. “We each realized how transformative food and drink can be in fostering connections and celebrations.”

Table at the Lake began as handwritten ideas in a notebook during the pandemic, but today, that dream is real.

Both Jon and Geoff’s, earliest culinary experiences were framed by family. Jon fondly remembers the warmth and love of his mother and grandmother’s cooking. The early introduction to

Executive Chef and Co-Owner Casey Burchfield works his magic at Table at the Lake.

Jon Altizer-Bieger, co-owner and managing partner of Table at the Lake with his husband Geoffrey Altrizer-Bieger at Table at the Lake.

southern cooking, in particular his grandmother’s homemade biscuits, led to a lifelong love of food and shared dining experiences. Geoff also reflected upon a childhood filled with memories of good food and even better company. His experience of Southern comfort food on his mother’s side and the more Mediterranean influences of his father’s side of the family made a mark. It was those early experiences that informed the vision that would become Table at the Lake. Part of the challenge in initially opening the doors was Jon’s lack of previous restaurant experience. However, he saw this as an advantage. “We leaned heavily on the consumer perspective, asking ‘What do I want when I go out to eat?’ This mindset shaped our focus on delivering a unique, guest-driven dining experience.” With Chef Casey’s culinary expertise and Jon’s experience as a consultant, they were able to recognize a significant gap in dining options in the Lake Oconee area and conceived what would become the Lake’s newest and hottest upscale dining experience.

It took three years to bring the dream to life from early concept to the doors opening in May 2023. Every decision made along the way was intentional. Chef Casey brought on culinary classmate Shaun Thomas who was promoted from Sous Chef to Chef de Cuisine within the first year. The building at 1010 Cowles Clinic Way was renovated to recreate their vision with lush greenery, soft bistro lights, and an elegant outdoor courtyard. Menus were prepared, staff members were selected, and the dream grew.

Even the smallest details are chosen with care.

The books on the shelf above the kitchen space are personal collections of cookbooks and books about fine food and dining. At the entrance, a books shelf and its bold colors demands attention and speaks to defiance. There is Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing” next to George M. Johnson’s “All Boys Aren’t Blue.” Jon smiles at the choices. “These are all banned books,” he says.

While the display could be merely seen as part of the overall interior design, the particular selection is a peek behind the curtains, where not a single detail is chosen without care and consideration. From the air plants separating the bar from the dining area to the blankets and heaters available for guests dining on the beautifully-appointed patio, each detail is intentional. All of it adds up to the experience of dining at Table at the Lake.

“Table at the Lake is a place where global flavors meet Southern Hospitality. We are a casual fine dining restaurant–think linen napkins but not tablecloths, with a laser focus on exceptional food, warm service, and a relaxed yet refined atmosphere. Our team’s dedication to hospitality is at the heart of everything we do, and it’s beautifully complemented by the innovative talents of Chef Casey and Chef Shaun. Their culinary expertise and creativity ensure that every visit feels special and every dish tells a story.”

“What sets us apart is our unwavering focus on creating meaningful experiences. Every detail, from our thoughtfully crafted seasonal menus to our curated wine dinners, is designed to bring people together–whether it’s reconnecting with loved ones over a meal or discovering new and exciting flavors. We want you to feel as though you are dining with us in our home.”

Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan diets are all welcome here. The chefs see it as a creative challenge, and even the friendly bartender is happy to create a custom mocktail for non-drinkers. While inclusion might not have been the theme of the books at the entrance, it’s certainly the theme of this dining experience.

Imported – wine and truffles from France and venison from New Zealand come to mind – much of it is local and seasonal.

1. When presentation matters, Chef Burchfield and his team produce works of art.

2. An interesting selection of titles meets guests at a prominent bookshelf at Table at the Lake.

3. Chef Casey Burchfield and Shaun Paul Thomas prepare an order.

4. Specialty cocktails add to the dining experience

“Our vision continues to grow and evolve as we explore opportunities to serve Lake Oconee in meaningful ways. While we have ideas for a small number of complementary projects that address different needs in the community, our immediate focus remains on enhancing what we already do best,” Jon says. “We’re excited to continue growing our wine and supper club offerings, hosting more private events, and crafting unforgettable guest experiences. We’re committed to innovating and building deeper connections–not just through food and wine, but by remaining an integral part of Lake Oconee’s thriving and ever-growing community.”

Table at the Lake is more than just another restaurant. It stands out with the care taken in every detail, from that first contact during the reservation process to the moment the guest walks out the door. It’s an intimate dining experience where connections are made, savored, and rapturously remembered.

Co-owner and Managing Partner Jon Altizer-Bieger keeps a steady hand on the restaurant’s operations.

Table at the Lake has allowed Chef Casey Burchfield to expand his vision of fine dining.

Even

the storage of plates and bowls at Table at the Lake provide an air of both design and function.

Proud to Be Madison’s Hometown Hospital for 65 Years

For 65 years, Morgan Medical Center has stood as a beacon of quality care in the city of Madison.

From routine check-ups to the latest innovations and technologies, general surgery and physical therapy, advanced cancer care, plus emergency and critical care for heart attack and stroke—Morgan Medical Center is your trusted source for the best care available, close to home

We care about Madison, and we care about you. That’s why we continue to invest in the health of our community.

byDesigned Nature

BY DESTINIE BREEDEN | PHOTOGRAPHER: ROBERT PETERSON OF RUSTIC WHITE

Designer

Rachael Bell

allowed the natural beauty of place to inspire a stunning Richland Pointe home allowed the natural beauty of place stunning Pointe home

Nestled on the shores of Richland Pointe, this lakefront home perfectly balances elegance with grounded, family-oriented comfort. Designed by Rachael Bell Interior Design, the residence reflects the seamless integration of refined aesthetics and practical living.

From the sweeping views of the lake to the meticulously curated interiors, the home offers a serene retreat for its owners and their extended family.

The architecture, thoughtfully crafted by Harrison Design, was strategically designed to harmonize with the natural surroundings. Expansive steel and glass windows, fabricated locally by Stair South, frame breathtaking views of the lake, blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces. The layout situates two primary bedroom suites on the main floor, ensuring privacy and convenience while all the main living areas open toward the water.

The architectural plans ideally made the home feel private and tranquil, even with neighbors nearby. Bell says, “When you’re in the main living areas or enjoying the backyard, you don’t even realize there are neighbors on both sides.”

The natural beauty of the lakefront setting heavily influenced the home’s design. “No matter the season, nature provides beauty for these spaces,” Bell explained. Bell worked closely with H&H Quality Homes to select materials and finishes that complemented the natural environment. This thoughtful

collaboration ensured that the home’s interiors mirrored its tranquil surroundings, incorporating organic textures and a palette that shifts subtly with the seasons.

The kitchen, often the centerpiece of any family home, embodies style and function. Bell’s design emphasizes usability without compromising elegance. Two islands serve dual purposes: one for meal preparation and cooking and another for casual seating, encouraging social interaction while maintaining functionality. The warm, whitewashed oak cabinetry provides a timeless backdrop, paired with a custom stainless steel and brass custom range hood that is a stunning focal point.

Large windows above the sink emphasize the natural light and showcase the front yard’s landscaping. Bell noted that framing the kitchen’s corners rather than traditional cabinetry allowed for a clean, modern look while maximizing the visual connection to the outdoors.

The kitchen, living and dining spaces flow seamlessly into one another, creating an open-concept design ideal for entertaining. A

cohesive color palette of soft blues, greens, and warm wood tones ties the spaces together, while distinctive design elements lend character to each room. Features such as boxed beams in the living room and subtle wall planking in the dining area add texture and depth without overwhelming the overall aesthetic.

A standout space is the bourbon room, which pays homage to the homeowners’ Kentucky roots. Rich, saturated tones and sophisticated detailing make this space both luxurious and personal, celebrating the family’s love for bourbon and the Derby.

“Spaces like this, richly steeped in family tradition, show the most heart in a home,” Bell reflected.

One of the home’s most charming features is the bunk room, a creative reimagining of a previously underutilized area. Originally planned as a small office adjacent to the media room, Bell transformed the space into a cozy retreat with two built-in twin beds. The bunk room is clad in deep blue nickel gap planking and provides a welcoming, functional

This lakefront home on the shores of Richland Pointe offers sweeping views and, by design, allows natural light to pour inside.

space for visiting grandchildren or guests. This small change significantly impacted the home, adding personality and practicality.

Throughout the project, Bell’s approach exemplified her philosophy of client-centered design. From the earliest stages of planning to the final touches, her work was guided by the homeowners’ needs and preferences. Bell’s collaboration with Harrison Design and H&H Quality Homes ensured that every detail—from the architectural framework to the custom furnishings—aligned with the homeowners’ vision.

The owners’ reaction to their completed home affirmed the success of this collaborative effort. “Moments after they arrived at their completed home, I was getting messages

“Spaces like this, richly steeped in family tradition, show the most heart in a home,” says the home’s designer Rachael Bell.

At JEDT, we understand that each individual is truly unique, and so are your insurance needs. That’s why we are dedicated to tailoring our services to align perfectly with your net worth and specific circumstances. As your assets grow, so does the necessity for robust protection; we are here to ensure that you have comprehensive coverage that safeguards what you’ve worked hard to build. Allow us to guide you in crafting a personalized insurance strategy that not only meets your current needs but also adapts with you as your financial journey evolves. Your peace of mind is our priority, and together, we can create a secure future that reflects your individuality.

After the homeowners walked into this Richland Pointe masterpiece, they contacted designer Rachael Bell with excitement. “Their giddiness is contagious, and they truly love to live in this home,” she says. “That’s beyond rewarding for us.”

brimming with their excitement, saying, ‘You should hear me squealing as I see each room!’ Their giddiness is contagious, and they truly love to live in this home. That’s beyond rewarding for us,” Bell shared.

This Richland Pointe residence is a testament to the power of intentional design. By blending architectural precision, thoughtful interiors, and a deep appreciation for the natural surroundings, Bell has created a home that is as beautiful as it is livable—a true lakeside sanctuary.

For inquiries, contact Rachael Bell Interior Design at (229) 2202248 or via email at design@rachaelbellid.com. Discover more about Bell and her team and explore their portfolio of interior designs at www.rachaelbellid.com.

The World According to

Story By Beth Sexton

“He’s one of those characters where I think God broke the mold. He didn’t have room for two Butches on earth.”

Fans who gathered at the second hole at Augusta National stood silently, motionless, reverently. After all this was the Masters. The only sound was the gentle whir of two golf carts as groundskeepers towed their two tractors nearby. The quiet was suddenly broken by someone shouting, “Hey, Hollywood! Hollywood!”

Ethan Cooper stretched to see where the commotion was coming from and saw the groundskeepers jump off their golf carts and rush to the front of the line of spectators to hug a blond-haired man and his blond-haired wife.

“Who is that?” he asked his boss, the owner of a golf course in Perry who had brought him to the tournament.

“Hollywood” turned out to be none other than Butch Foust, a legend in golf circles and a man who left Augusta National in 1986, to become superintendent at what would turn into the renowned award-winning Reynolds Lake Oconee. The Augusta National groundskeepers once worked for Foust and they were excited to see their old boss in the crowd.

Foust, his friends say, got his nickname because no matter if he was laying sod in the sun or headed to an important dinner, he “always looks good.” His blond hair combed back in place and often wearing golf shoes and attire, he would work alongside his employees outside all day then head off to a special event. Former employees say they admire him because no matter his title, he always worked as hard as they did.

He also, they say, happens to be one of the funniest people they know.

In the golf world where decorum is king, Foust is often the jester. His practical jokes are legendary. He once had an employee who ate his lunch quickly and would spend the rest of his time taking a nap in his car. One day, Foust decided to play a joke on the man by shooting off the screaming bottle rocket-style gun they used to chase away geese. He shot the gun, but the rocket component landed on the hood of the man’s car and exploded. It almost scared the man to death. And Foust ended up buying the man a new hood for his car. But they all agreed, it was still funny.

A year after Cooper got his first glimpse of “Hollywood” at the Masters he crossed paths with Foust again, this time while he was a college student in Florida going through the golf course program and

in search of an internship. Cooper interviewed with top golf courses in Florida, Alabama and Georgia. Wearing his best suit and tie, he met with officials and greens committees at some of the region’s most prestigious golf clubs. After guided tours of the grounds and formal meetings in their wood-paneled board rooms, Cooper received several offers, including one from Shoal Creek Golf Club in Alabama and Bay Country Club in Florida. He was planning to take the Shoal Creek position, but told them he had one more interview he had committed to do.

Great Waters has been called the “crown jewel” at Reynolds Lake Oconee. Cooper arrived at Great Waters that day, again in his suit and tie, and met a man working outside wearing shorts with his two little girls playing nearby.

“Hey, man, are you here to interview?” Cooper remembers Foust asking him.

“Let’s ride around. Jump on that golf cart and my daughter will drive you.’ I hadn’t even shaken his hand. His little daughter, who was in grade school, was driving me around as we followed his golf cart. Every hole we went to, everybody wanted to talk to Butch Foust. When we got back to the shop, I figured they would sit me down to do a formal interview. Butch said, ‘Man, are you hungry?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I guess.’ He said, ‘I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat. There’s a new restaurant that’s just opened in Milledgeville.’...We pulled in and the Golden Corral had just opened.”

Cooper gets a big laugh at the memory. He said they sat in the restaurant and talked not just about golf, but about life. “When we got done, he said, ‘Are you going to come work for us this summer?’ I said, ‘I’d love to.’”

His life changed that day. Foust’s two young daughters became Cooper’s goddaughters and Foust and Cooper became great friends. To this day, their families get together and often celebrate the holidays with each other. Cooper and Foust have also taken many trips together and Cooper remembers the first time they ever went to a NASCAR race in Daytona. Their seats were on the second row at the finish line. They watched as stewards constantly worked to keep people away

Butch Faust and his wife Susan Kelly Foust at the couple’s Harbor Club home.

from the fence, but Cooper noticed a man in sunglasses and a blue sportcoat walk up to the fence and no one said anything. He pointed out the man to Foust and wondered why they let the man stand there. “You know who that is, don’t you?” Foust asked him. “That’s Donald Trump.” Cooper remembers Trump was so close that when the cars roared by, the wind blew his hair.

Foust has spent his life on the golf course. As a child, he lived for a time in the ladies locker room at what he calls the “humble” Pine Lake Golf Course outside of Anderson, S.C. It was the early 1960s, and his little brother was on the way when Foust’s parents took over management of the little golf club that still charges $42 for a round of golf, cart included. His stepfather, Bill Foust would serve as superintendent, pro and general manager of Pine Lake for the next 38 years.

Foust says it became a hands-on learning experience in an industry to which he would devote his life. There were years he enjoyed “tearing up carts and busting windows with golf balls,” but mostly his childhood and teen years gave him what he calls a “master’s degree in the real world.” He worked to learn every aspect of the operation. “I didn’t know it as a kid, but I was learning a trade,” he said.

Now 68, Foust has little time for his own game. He loved it in his younger days and as a junior, helped T.L. Hanna High School, where he held the school record, to a South Carolina state championship. As a 19-year-old, he shot a 63 at Pine Lake, just one point shy of the longtime course record set by his stepdad, who, for years, also owned a number of other course records across the region. Foust was offered a golf scholarship to Anderson University, but instead decided to enter the profession of golf. “School just wasn’t my thing,” he said. At 18, he became the pro superintendent at The Shriners Club in Mauldin, S.C. Foust went on to hold the same job at another course in Upstate South Carolina when he received an invitation from a friend that would change his life. Larry Jones had worked at Pine Lake for Foust’s stepfather, but was now at Augusta National and reached out to the young man about coming to work at one of the most famous and iconic golf courses in the world. Billy Fuller, presently a golf course architect and owner of Better Billy Bunker fame was superintendent of Augusta National at the time.

“Billy became like a big brother,” Foust said. “He was my mentor. He was the one—along with hard work—who got me where I am today.” It was Fuller who convinced Foust to go back to college and get a turf degree. Fuller told him there was an assistant’s position open, but he couldn’t give it to Foust because he didn’t have a turfgrass degree. That happened twice and it finally led him to enroll in the Turfgrass Management Program at Penn State, which at the time was known as the top turf program in the country. Foust studied under the legendary Professor Joe Dutch, known as the father of bentgrass, who gave Foust high marks for his “street smarts” and awarded him The Most Likely to Succeed in the Industry Award.. He continued working at Augusta National while completing his degree. During his years at

Butch Foust and Jack Nicklaus in 1986 at the 10th green of Augusta National. Faust was an Augusta National employee the year Nicklaus won his last major.

Augusta National, Foust said one of the last tournaments he worked was quite sentimental and one of his favorites. Jack Nicklaus won his last Masters Tournament and Foust was on staff for that event. He has a photo of him with the Golden Bear on the 10th green.

It was 1986, when Foust left Augusta to go with Fuller, who had been named chairman of what was then known as Port Armor Golf Club and now known as The Landing and part of Reynolds Lake Oconee. Fuller brought him in as superintendent and Foust spent the next 20 years becoming director of agronomy at Reynolds Lake Oconee and becoming integral to the development of what is now its six-course operation. As director of agronomy, Foust was responsible for the six courses, employing more than 100 people, six superintendents and managing more than $10 million in budgets. He oversaw the building and construction of each of the six golf courses, as well as their later renovations.

“One of the things that impressed me so much is I discovered very quickly that he was a good leader of people,” Fuller said of Foust. “I could put him on a project with a handful of people and walk away and know that project would get done. He was extremely good at motivating and leading people. He’s as hard a worker as you will ever meet.”

In the sometimes rarefied world that is professional golf, Foust stands out. He can be as professional as the job demands when needed and the next minute he might be playing a practical joke on a coworker. He was known for his ability to easily communicate with everyone from Reynolds club members to groundskeepers and everyone in between. His personality and sense of humor continue to make him a favorite to all who meet him. While at Reynolds, Foust was also involved in the community, including helping with fundraisers for former President George W. Bush, Habitat for Humanity, Greene County High School and Greensboro churches. He also worked closely with top architects Bob Cupp, Tom Fazio, Jack Nicklaus, Jim Engh and Rees Jones. He worked alongside golf course builders Landscapes Unlimited and Wadsworth and Medalist Golf. Foust formed a partnership with Wayne Massey and Mike O’Shea, the founders of Medalist Golf and Drew Kiepchick to buy Lane Creek golf course in Bishop in May 2006, just as the owners were about to shut it down. Foust’s group invested about $750,000 updating the course with Champion bermudagrass greens that were among the first in the state. They brought the greens up to USGA standards, did renovations and maintained annual rounds in the 32,000-34,000 range. Some have joked that Foust “can grow grass on asphalt.”

When Lane Creek was sold in 2020, Foust and his wife of 43 years, Susan Kelly Foust returned to Greene County to retire in the Harbor Club community. However, as his wife says, “Retirement is not a word in his vocabulary.” Her husband formed Foust Landscape and Consulting where he now uses his 40-plus years of experience in the turf and golf course industry to specialize in commercial landscaping and golf course consulting.

“I have a few projects left in me,” Foust laughs, adding that, “I’m a lucky man. All my dreams have come true. I worked at Augusta National. Had six courses with more than 100 employees and $10

million in annual budgets and I have been a golf course owner.” He says he doesn’t play much golf right now and when asked what his handicap is, he laughs and says, “my swing.”

These days, Foust and his wife, who taught at Corry Elementary and Gatewood School are looking forward to becoming first-time grandparents in May. They have two daughters, Lindy Foust in Dallas, Tex., and Laura Foust in Greensboro. A proud “girl dad,” Foust was involved with his daughters as they grew up participating in golf, swimming, cheerleading, basketball and dance. Cooper says he copied Foust’s bedtime ritual with his own children.

“He always, every night, he’d tuck his daughters in and get on his knees and say a bedtime prayer,” Cooper said. “That’s why I ended up doing that with my children. Every time I tuck them in, we’d say our prayers because of Butch Foust.” Foust and his wife are active members of the First Methodist Church of Greensboro.

Friends say his stories of helping people could fill pages. Cooper remembers going with him to McDonald’s one day where they went inside to order and were walking out the door with their lunch when Foust asked him if he had $5 cash. Cooper only had $3, but Foust took it, went back inside and gave it to the young man who was wiping off tables. Foust later gave Cooper back his $3. He is famous for seeing someone working hard at their job and giving them money and a word of encouragement.

Foust’s co-workers remain friends for life. He and Fuller keep up with each other and enjoy a big golf outing together each year. “Our relationship has never quit,” Fuller said. “He’s one of those characters where I think God broke the mold. He didn’t have room for two Butches on earth.”

Fuller said Foust is so funny “he could take Jay Leno’s place tomorrow” and he is always the life of the party. “You don’t meet many people who don’t get in a bad mood,” Fuller added. “He’s one of those people that when you get around him, it’s contagious. It just brightens your day.”

While funny and outgoing, Foust is most uncomfortable talking about himself. He says he’s been blessed with many wonderful relationships in his life and career and credits his childhood at the golf course with how he relates to people. He remembers one elderly man who would take up time with him. He was about five or six at the time and the man would pull his chair up beside him in the mornings at the golf shop and they would watch the cartoon “Underdog” together.

“As a kid growing up on a golf course, there were a lot of people I looked up to and I kind of patterned myself after them,” Foust said. “I took what I thought was the best out of people and tried to live my life that way.”

It is a pattern that has paid off and made him a beloved friend and a treasured mentor to many, as well as a successful person in business.

“You just treat people the way you want to be treated,” Foust said. “It’s simple to me. As I tell my kids and my employees, you’ve got to show up, work hard and work a little extra every day. Be the first one there and the last one to leave and it will pay off. I guarantee you that will work. You will make it.”

The combined family of Butch and Susan Kelly Foust and Ethan Cooper, an early professional peer of Faust, get together annually to celebrate their growing families.

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FALL ISSUE THIS OLD HOUSE

Lake Oconee Living magazine warmly invites you to embark on a captivating journey through time, delving into the rich tapestry of historical properties that are integral to our vibrant community. These charming homes, imbued with history and character, provide a unique glimpse into the past while seamlessly accommodating the demands of modern living

SPACE DEADLINE 7/21/25 PUBLISHED 9/4/25

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Step into the enchanting world of holiday traditions with Lake Oconee Living magazine! As we capture the essence of the season, celebrating the unique customs and heartwarming rituals that unite our community. SPACE DEADLINE 10/15/25 PUBLISHED 12/4/25

Earthen jars collected from the couple’s world-wide travel grace an interior room at Bonar Hall. Photo by Liz Linder

Bonar Hall

Comes Alive

One couple’s meticulous renovation brings a Madison gem back to life

By Tia Lynn Ivey

Every year the Madison Spring Tour of Homes resurrects a bygone era of Southern grandeur and glory as thousands descend upon Madison to explore a selection of the city’s pristinely preserved historic homes, museums, churches, and other significant sites.

This year’s tour, slated for the weekend of May 16, 2025, will feature Bonar Hall, an exquisite Georgian-style house built in 1839, as the crown jewel of the Spring Tour of Homes, opening the one-of-akind hidden gem for an exclusive look inside. This will be the first time in nearly a decade since Bonar Hall has opened its doors for the annual Tour of Homes.

Bonar Hall owner Betsy Wagenhauser says this year’s tour will be bittersweet as it is the first time the house will be open to the public since the death of her beloved husband, Alex Newton, who died in early 2024. He inherited Bonar Hall in the 1990s as it was passed down through his family throughout the 20th century.

“Alex was just amazing and so generous with this house,” says

Betsy. “He was not only proud of this house and the work we put into it, but he was proud to be a steward of the house, a caretaker having the honor of looking after such an historic treasure. He was just an energetic guy who wanted to restore this place to its rightful glory as a historical asset in the city of Madison.”

Now that Alex has passed away, Betsy is carrying the torch herself to continue enhancing the enduring legacy of Bonar Hall, blending the meticulous preservation of the home’s historic characteristics with the thoughtful incorporation of modern--and even global-elements to the house’s eclectic style and charm.

Today, Bonar Hall sits on a lavish 13-acre estate surrounded by enchanting Boxwood gardens and an array of exotic plants, trees, and shrubberies planted by Alex Newton. Several historic structures also surround Bonar Hall, with some transplanted to the property. Alex’s love of old houses led him to rescue endangered structures and move them to the grounds, inspiring a friend to refer to them as “Alex’s Architectural Petting Zoo.”

Photo by Deanna Newcomb

Throughout its long history, Bonar Hall has served as a residence for numerous prominent families, a makeshift hospital during The Civil War, and even a movie set in 2004. The premises are also rumored to be haunted by a deceased former owner of Bonar Hall. It’s been sought after for numerous Madison-Morgan Cultural Center events, art conferences, and house tours over the years.

But the winding story of Bonar Hall all began in the mid-1800s during the heyday of Madison’s cotton boom, becoming one of the first grand-style homes built in the area in 1839. John Byne Walker, an early Morgan County pioneer and plantation owner, set out to build Bonar Hall with his new bride, the Heiress Eliza Fannin, the halfsister of infamous commander in the Texas Revolution James. W. Fannin Jr. With bricks produced from Walker’s own plantation, construction on Bonar Hall began in February of 1839. After 10 months of labor, the couple became the first residents to occupy the majestic twostory brick manor.

This first iteration of Bonar Hall was designed by a professional architect, whose name has been lost to time, as a traditional “four-over-four” Georgian-style house, which features four 20x20-foot rooms on each floor and eight fireplaces.

Betsy believes the architect may have been superstitious due to the ceilings measuring just one inch shy of 13 feet. The number 13 has earned an ominous reputation for thousands of years across numerous cultures, signifying bad luck.

“All the ceilings in the house are 12 feet, 11 inches high, right on the nose. Why else leave off that one inch?” wonders Betsy.

From Bonar Hall, the Walkers built a local empire acquiring massive amounts of wealth and sprawling lands. As a military family, with sons fighting in the Civil War, the Walkers converted Bonar Hall into a make-shift hospital for the better part of a year to care for wounded soldiers fighting for the confederacy in 1863.

John Byne Walker rose to become one of the wealthiest men in Morgan County, but troubles brought on by the Civil War lead to dire financial ruin for the Walker family, leaving John to die as a pauper and Bonar Hall in need of a new owner.

A prominent family, the Broughtons, purchased the house in 1880, making significant upgrades to the vacated home. The original small front portico with four columns was torn out and replaced with an intricately ornate Victorian veranda that remains to this day. The Broughtons also added the stencilled ceilings in the double parlor and the Victorian carriage house.

In 1920, ancestors of Alex Newton procured the house when Josie Bacon, the widow of Edward T. Newton and a relative of Eliza Fannin, purchased the house. The Newton family’s historic furnishings stand at Bonar Hall, dating as far back as the 1820s. Many of the pieces come from Annie Newton, Alex’s grandmother, who lived in another historic Madison home, the Carter-Newton House.

“It’s incredible how well it’s held up,” says Betsy, who has reupholstered fabric pieces and reinforced wooden furniture over the years. “It’s not just the house that is historic, it’s the furniture, too. It all tells a story.”

Family lure has it that at the fine dining table in Bonar Hall once sat General William T. Sherman and his troops who dined on it while passing through Burke County, Georgia, at a plantation owned by Josie Bacon’s aunt.

“It’s the family legend. That’s the story we have always been told, and I am sticking to it,” laughs Betsy.

The dining room at Bonar Hall ready for guests. Photo by Deanna Newcomb.

A curtain opens a room to the expansive gardens at Bonar Hall.

Josie Bacon is the one who dubbed the house Bonar Hall, naming it after one of her beloved relatives, Charles Bonar. Portraits of Charles Bonar, as well as his son William Bonar, hang in the formal sitting room, along with several other relatives and previous Bonar Hall owners. Josie’s daughter, Therese Newton, inherited Bonar Hall, and became the longest running resident of the historic home, living in the house off and on for about 70 years. A French teacher and world traveler, Therese Newton never married and left Bonar Hall in her will to her nephew, Alex Newton.

Before Betsy married Alex in the 1990s, he took his bride-to-be to see Bonar Hall during a trip home to meet his family.

“The whole place was swallowed up by wisteria. It probably had gone 50 years without one piece of wisteria ever being cut back,” remembers Betsy. “It was the perfect snapshot of the decaying south, though the place still had its majesty underneath. The good bones were still there.”

When Alex confessed to Betsy that he was set to inherit the house. Betsy gasped in shock and asked him why he hadn’t begun working to restore it.

“First I had to make sure my wife would want to live in it,” he replied with a sly smile. Betsy was all in and so, when Therese Newton died in 1994, the couple embarked on a nearly two-decade journey to painstaking restore Bonar Hall, even while living overseas and raising two children. Alex and Betsy traveled the world through his humanitarian assistance work with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“It took us a long time. There was no money. Whatever family fortune Therese Newton had inherited was long gone by the time she died,” says Betsy. “We came back and forth from overseas and were raising our kids, but we still worked at it.”

Alex and Betsy were determined to revive Bonar Hall once more.

“He was a fanatic about the house,” says Betsy. “He learned every minutia of its history. He went so far as to get the original mortar used to lay the brick. He wanted to stay true to Bonar Hall’s history.”

In the early years of the restoration, Alex and Betsy mainly worked on the outside grounds that were overgrown and covered with wisteria.

“All the inside work at that time was going through boxes. Boxes and boxes, you can’t fathom how many were in the house that needed to be unpacked and sorted through,” says Betsy.

Two master craftsmen oversaw the stabilization and restoration of Bonar Hall, Bobby Crisp, a lifelong Madison resident who is still alive at 96-years-old, and the late Jerry Gray, a lifelong resident of Eatonton.

“They were fabulous craftsmen who took on the project with incredible care,” says Betsy.

In the midst of the restoration, Bonar Hall drew the eye of filmmakers, asking to use the unrestored house for a movie project. In 2004, Bonar Hall became the main set for the Emmy Award Winning film, “Warm Springs,” which chronicles President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s struggle with polio in the 1920s. The film featured Kenneth Branagh as Roosevelt, Cynthia Nixon as Eleanor, and Kathy Bates as his therapist.

“It was wild. They came in and made a lot of changes. I still have the curtains they used in the movie hanging up,” says Betsy.

Finally, in late 2010, after a modernized kitchen and heating and air units installed, Bonar Hall was move-in ready, though not complete.

“The whole place was swallowed up by wisteria. It probably had gone 50 years without one piece of wisteria ever being cut back. It was the perfect snapshot of the decaying South, though the places still had its majesty underneath. The good bones were still there.”

A beautiful Tulip arrangement sits on the dining room table.

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Betsy says that during the restoration, workers and friends who visited the property were spooked several times by odd occurrences, leading some to believe Bonar Hall to be haunted. Betsy recalls showing up one day to find painters outside who would not reenter the house after ladders started shaking and moving on their own. A friend of Betsy’s swears she was physically “pushed” off the porch of Bonar Hall while she was alone at the property.

Betsy believes if there is a ghost at Bonar Hall, it is the spirit of Therese Newton, who was fiercely protective of the house when she was alive. She recalls unpacking boxes alone at Bonar Hall on the second floor and feeling an unsettling presence across the hall in one of the empty bedrooms.

“I suddenly just looked up and had the urge to say, ‘it’s going to be OK,” remembers Betsy. “When I told Alex about it later, he said that empty room used to be Therese’s bedroom. If she is still here, we’ve learned to live in peace. But some weird things have happened here and some weird things still happen even to this day.”

If tourists aren’t startled by any lingering ghosts at Bonar Hall during

the Spring Tour of Homes, they will definitely be surprised by the unique art that fills the historic manor, often catching people off guard.

As once prolific world travelers, Alex and Betsy collected a variety of rare artistic treasures to display throughout Bonar Hall, showcasing the diverse cultures they once immersed themselves in while trotting the globe.

Their extensive travels spanned five continents and too many countries to count. According to Betsy, tourists can expect to see cherished keepsakes from their global adventures in the artwork and rare trinkets dispersed throughout the house.

“It was very important to us to preserve the intrinsic historic style of Bonar Hall while also reflecting the lives we lived together,” says Betsy. “In the front rooms you will primarily find the traditional southern art pieces and portraits of historical figures connected to the house, but we gave ourselves more freedom in the back rooms to decorate with the cultural pieces we’ve collected over the years.”

Besty says to expect to see artwork and artifacts from Kazakhstan, Russia, Egypt, Indonesia, Colombia, Afghanistan, and several other African and South American nations. She also warns some of the art is not for the prudish.

“There are a lot of breasts around,” laughs Betsy. “I overhead a couple ladies leaving the last tour say, ‘I’ve never seen so many naked things.’”

The art holds special significance to Betsy as a testament to her extraordinary life with her late husband Alex.

“It’s all so meaningful to me. They represent so many memories from so many different places. People will see a bunch of Russian icons from the 1800s throughout the house, these incredible African masks used in dance rituals, and a lot of African sculptures and folk art from South America,” says Betsy.

Betsy is looking forward to welcoming tourists into her home once again.

“I don’t feel like the owner of this home, just a steward of it to share with others, just like Alex did. All we ever wanted was for Bonar Hall to be a historical feature in Madison that the entire community could be proud of. There is not a day that I don’t walk out the backdoor and just feel blessed being in this special place.”

The parlor room at Bonar Hall complete with unique sculptures the couple collected during their international travels. Photo by Deanna Newcomb

A yard cat rests majestically on a garden bench at Bonar Hall.

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The parlor room at Bonar Hall allows for lots of natural light to highlight the craftsmanship of the room. Photo by Deanna Newcomb

A winding staircase leads visitors to the second floor of this expansive house. Photo by Deanna Newcomb

An outdoor table ready for a spring picnic on the front lawn of Bonar Hall. Photo by Treadwell Crown

Let’s Go On A Tour

Madison in May Spring Tour of Homes offers an insider look at some of Madison’s famed historic homes

Interested in visiting Bonar Hall in person and several other Madison landmark historic institutions? You’re in luck.

On Friday, May 16 and Saturday, May 17 several notable Madison residents will be open and available for touring during the annual Madison In May Tour of Homes, including Bonar Hall.

This year’s Spring tour is sponsored by the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center and serves as a fundraiser for the arts and humanities organization.

Tour headquarters will be the Center, 434 South Main Street. The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center occupies a restored 1895 Romanesque Revival Building and is located in the heart of Madison’s National Register Historic District.

While on the tour, check out the Center’s permanent collections, a history exhibit highlighting the Piedmont Region of Georgia in the 19th century, a restored circa 1895 classroom and an Arts and Crafts gallery that showcases the original furnishings from the Arts and Crafts Period. The original auditorium is part of the main building and today is the site of Center’s annual main stage productions.

The Center also houses The Andrews Family Legacy: Rooted in the Agriculture and Arts of Morgan County” exhibit. The exhibit showcases the artistic and literary contributions of members of the Andrews Family, including world-renowned artist Benny Andres, author Raymond Andrews and folk artist George ‘Dot Man’ Andrews.

Early bird tickets for the Madison in May Tour of Homes are $30 until May 1 and $40 after May 1. The Center offers a $10 discount per ticket for groups of more than 15 people. To purchase a ticket go to:

https://www.mmcc-arts.org/ event-list/2025springtourofhomes

The tour lasts from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Spring Tour provides a wide variety of significant architecture

460 ACADEMY STREET

Built in the 19th Century on a corner near some of Madison’s grandest homes, this house started as a typical four-room/central hall plan. It became known as the “Porch House” after 1916 when the owner of Farmer’s Hardware expanded his home and added the extra-wide porch with its large pipe railings, no doubt from his store.

364 PORTER STREET

A local furniture merchant built his home on this lot about 1847, but he would hardly recognize it if he were to return today. In the Victorian era of the latter 19th Century, the house acquired the fashionable Queen Anne treatment with the large porch, gingerbread trim, and shingled gable that it exhibits today.

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*Onstage Outreach is put on in collaboration with The Arts Barn* alive in your community! alive in your community!

The Iconic Comes Home Iron Horse

By Crystal Jackson

‘I think it’s strange and wonderful, too, that it’s become so loved over time.’

The Iron Horse, originally described as “Pegasus Without Wings,” was the work of avant-garde University of Georgia (UGA) artist-in-residence Abbott Pattison in 1954, a notable sculptor at the time. This nearly 12-foot tall, 2-ton abstract horse sculpture was placed in front of Reed Hall where it was met with confusion and derision by UGA students and faculty. While some individuals admired this work of art from the beginning, others responded with derision– from graffiti of the words “Front” and “Rear” on the neck and backside of the sculpture to defacement with manure and an attempt to burn it to the ground. What began as a series of pranks escalated into a riot.

In an interview with Atlanta Journal, Pattison remarked, “I was struck with the idea of ancient Athens, where people lived with sculpture all around them, and even if they didn’t like it, they left it alone. I wanted Athens, Georgia, to have a piece of sculpture to look at. And I think the least I could have expected, even if they didn’t like it, was a little Southern courtesy.”

Due to escalating attempts at destroying the sculpture, the University president had it moved to storage a mere 24 hours after it was first placed. It stayed there for five years until horticulture professor Lawrence Cowley (L.C.) Curtis requested its display on his farm on Highway 15 in Greene County–where it remains to this day. Part of the persistent lore surrounding the Iron Horse is that its tail was intentionally pointed toward the university campus in response to its mistreatment, a claim that endures despite repeated denials from the family.

In 1981, Bill VanDerKloot made the Iron Horse the subject of a documentary–from its infamous beginning to its beloved place in current local lore, which is available to the public to watch through the Brown Media Archives at UGA. Somewhere between its removal to the farm in 1959 to the 1981 documentary, the Iron Horse became a much-loved tourist destination and local landmark.

It is now said to be a symbol of UGA secret society the Order of the Greek Horsemen, formed in 1955. According to UGA’s publication The Red & Black, the Order of the Greek Horsemen was formed to be a guardian over the university’s fraternity system. Each year, five new members are inducted from existing fraternity members and announced during the Greek Week Awards Banquet. It is said that members of the Order seek to protect the Iron Horse.

Despite its rise in popularity, the sculpture still experienced repeated vandalism. From painted stripes to carved symbols, this popular sculpture still did not receive the respect it was due. Many pieces of the sculpture have even gone missing over the years.

Private Athens art sculpture conservationist Amy Jones Abbe, formerly of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, assessed the condition of the Iron Horse in 2020 at the request of Annelies Mondi, deputy director at the Georgia Museum of Art. Mondi has been an instrumental part in bringing attention to the condition of this sculpture and its strongest advocate for its proper conservation and restoration. To properly assess the condition,

Abbe brought in her colleague Donald Cope, a local metalworker and fabricator. “We wrote up an assessment of the condition problems the horse had, which were many and severe. Sometime in 2024, the University officially regained ownership of the Iron Horse and immediately asked us to start the restoration project.”

Discussing the vandalism of the Iron Horse over the years, Abbe explained, “You have to understand that modern art was not common in the South. It was really new, and people react in funny ways to things that they don’t understand. I think it might be too strong to say that people hated the structure. I think it’s more accurate to say that some people might have just been baffled by it. I think there were just as many people who really loved it. It’s interesting and fascinating that now there aren’t many people who hate it. It’s universally embraced. I think it’s strange and wonderful, too, that it’s become so loved over time.”

In May of 2024, Abbe and Cope began the restoration of the 70-year-old structure. “The restoration process was quite difficult and logistically challenging because it had to be removed from the field to do it. The condition problems that it had were so severe that we were really worried about its stability in the process of moving it. The difficulty of getting it out of the ground was a lot harder than we anticipated. Since the sixties, it had been embedded in a slab of concrete that the Curtises had poured around it, and they had welded pieces of rebar to the base that were embedded in concrete as well. It was hard to get it out without damaging the sculpture further. It took about two weeks just to get it out.”

“Don fabricated an external steel support structure to stabilize the head for the process of moving it. We had to use a crane to lift it onto a trailer. We built a special platform for the trailer. We then took it to Don’s shop in Athens where it stayed for the next five months of the restoration process.”

Once transported, Abbe and Cope were challenged to return the sculpture to its original, if initially unrecognized, glory. “Don did an expert, responsible, and sensitive job of restoring the pieces that have gone missing using archived images of the sculpture in its original form,” Abbe shared. “Pieces had started going missing almost immediately from that first vandalism event. We don’t know if people took those pieces or if they just deteriorated and fell off. Don fabricated 31 separate elements as restorations of what went missing.”

“The sculpture had to be media blasted to get off all the layers of old paint and built-up iron corrosion. After it was media blasted, we were able to see that it was even worse condition than we had realized. Large areas of the steel were so thoroughly rusted that there were holes all the way through it. Its stability was very much compromised. The deteriorated metal had to be cut out and replaced. Don welded replacements in place to improve the structural stability. The majority of the welds were either failed or in the process of failing from corrosion. Once he had done all of that and made the preserved, intact sculpture stable, he set about fabricating the restoration pieces and welding them in place. Then, it had to be media-blasted again to prepare the surface for paint coatings. We used state-of-the-art coating systems to paint it so that it will do a much better

A restored Iron Horse sculpture welcomes the rising sun sitting in its pasture off Highway 15 in Greene County.

Photo by Mallory Agnew

The controversial sculpture had suffered severe damage from the elements during it more than 50 years of sitting in the L.C. Curtis farm in Greene County and was meticulously brought back to its former glory by a dedicated group of restorationists. Photos by Rinne Allen.

job of withstanding exposure to weathering, but it will still need to be maintained in perpetuity.”

Asked about the damage from vandalism versus weathering, Abbe explained, “I could not say that one was worse than the other. I do think the weathering might have made it easier for pieces to come off and to be taken off, but in its early years, people tipping it over and climbing on it would have been the real reason that those pieces came off and went missing. There was a substantial element from its head that went missing since we did our assessment in 2020, and I have to think that was actually stolen. It would have been hard to do that if it wasn’t already in a compromised state from weathering.”

The Iron Horse was returned to its original place in the fields on land that was gifted to UGA by Patty Curtis and her daughter Alice Hugel. The land is now known as the University of Georgia Iron Horse Plant Sciences Farm. Abbe noted that she has observed footprints on the sculpture since it was returned to the field in November 2024. It’s already been climbed on since the restoration.

“When it was originally on view at the quad on Reed Hall, it was originally placed on a concrete plinth, so when we put it back in the field, we placed it on a plinth. It’s a little bit taller than the concrete one it was on in the quad. We’re hoping that the added height might deter some people from climbing on this vulnerable structure. We also wanted to present it in a way to show that it’s a work of art, not a jungle gym. It was also gratifying to know that the Order of the Greek Horsemen are doing their part to encourage people not to climb on it.

“The space that it’s occupied in people’s minds is that climbing on the structure is a thing that you can do with it and that it’s there for you to interact with in that way. I hope that this project helps reframe that understanding and might help them appreciate that it would be better not to do that. It’s wonderful, and we all love it, but we need to love it without climbing on it.” Signs in the field reinforce the idea that it’s an artwork and not a climbing structure.

Abbe wasn’t familiar with Pattison’s work prior to the Iron Horse but notes that he was a successful artist in his time and even has another sculpture on campus–the Mother and Child, which is a lovely abstract marble sculpture in the garden between the Fine Arts Building and Lumpkin Street. Abbe noted that it is also badly in need of conservation to preserve its integrity. She admitted that she hoped that the attention the Iron Horse is receiving will help the Mother and Child sculpture get the conservation and restoration it deserves as well.

Abbe noted that the work of restoring the Iron Horse was a team effort. “My favorite part of the project was working with Don to realize the restoration of all the parts that had gone missing and to see the horse slowly become whole again. No one had seen it in that form in more than half a century. Almost since the day after it was made, it had not existed in its complete form as the artist intended until Don did this work. It was really wonderful to see.”

The Iron Horse is a local legend in more ways than one. From its inauspicious start to its current place in beloved local lore, this story continues to fascinate residents and visitors alike. With its recent restoration, the Iron Horse was finally able–with the help of artists and art enthusiasts– to canter home.

The Iron Horse, a sculpture created in 1954 by American Sculptor Abbott Pattison is removed from the campus of the University of Georgia after it suffered vandalism upon its placement in 1955.

A dedicated team of restorationist worked diligently to restore the sculpture to its original glory and replace it back on the fields of the Curtis Farm in Greene County, along with a marker explaining its history and significance. Photos by Rinne Allen

THE UNBEARABLE BURDEN OF BRINGING BACK

AS LONG AS E.J. BOYER IS AROUND, ELVIS WILL NEVER LEAVE THE BUILDING

BY CRYSTAL JACKSON | PHOTOS BY MALLORY AGNEW

“…THERE WAS THIS LITTLE OLD LADY AT ONE OF MY PERFORMANCES WHO I BENT DOWN TO GIVE A SCARF AND KISSED HER CHEEK, AND SHE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SAID ‘I LOVE YOU, ELVIS.’ SHE THOUGHT I WAS ELVIS, AND IT WAS HEARTWARMING TO SEE IT.”

I“ ”

t all began in childhood,” says E.J. Boyer.

Boyer is dressed in a red jump suit, his trademark high-rise Elvis pompadour shining above jet-black sideburns. The hair, the chops, the suit is all part of the “it.”

Boyer is Elvis.

Elvis is Boyer.

Boyer speaks in a soft drawl, leaning closer to compensate for the hearing loss he’s sustained over the years. “I remember being 8-yearsold and sitting in my mother’s station wagon listening to the eight tracks of Elvis, so I’ve always been a fan. He was bigger than life at the time. As a child, I never imagined I would ever be on stage singing Elvis or doing anything Elvis. He was too big for that.” At that, he paused, remembering. “It wasn’t until adulthood that I sang in public at all. I sang a karaoke version of Love Me Tender, and the audience loved it.”

Boyer would later perform as Elvis later that year for a celebritythemed birthday party for his wife’s grandfather. He and his wife went to Party City where he procured an Elvis costume complete with wig, glasses, and sideburns, and his wife purchased a James Brown ensemble for her performance. His sister-in-law performed as The Juggs, a play on The Judds, in a rather top-heavy costume, his wife stunned them all with her enthusiastic James Brown, and Boyer took the stage as Elvis for the second time in his life.

This performance would lead to others. His next performance was at a local senior center in Snellville in 2006. His late wife and motherin-law handmade an elaborate Elvis jumpsuit for this performance–a jumpsuit that remains in his collection to this day. While that performance was nerve wracking in its way, the most challenging performance for him was performing as the King at a family gathering in Michigan. Despite anxiety, his relatives complimented him on his performance giving him confidence to continue. “I’ve been doing it ever since.”

But how does one become an icon? “I take a real deep breath. I’m scared to death every time I do a show. It doesn’t matter how many I’ve done. When I’m backstage and I put that jumpsuit on, my whole world changes. I can’t breathe. I just about hyperventilate. But after the first or second song and the audience’s receptiveness, I’m into it the rest of the show.”

The jumpsuits also figure into the process of becoming Elvis. While he started with his first handmade costume, he has since collected about seven replica jumpsuits–including the embroidered peacock and tiger suits, which were reportedly some of Elvis’s personal favorites.

The rest of his appearance came through the advice of fellow Elvis Tribute Artists (ETA) Mark Pitt of Helen, Ga. “I bought my first jumpsuit from him, and he told me that people like authenticity. He said, the more natural you can get, the better you are, but you’re going to face ridicule along the way. I decided to try it. I didn’t like the wig or glasses, and I didn’t like the glued on sideburns. I decided to do it the natural way, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a negative response from a man. In part, I think it’s because I keep it family-friendly and avoid the grinding, Chippendale-style routines of some other ETAs. People know they can bring their kids to my shows.”

For Boyer “Wonder of You” is a personal favorite. Fans enjoy “Suspicious Minds” and “American Trilogy,” which he dedicates to all veterans and especially to his father.

The gig, though, comes with a cost, he says.

“Drunken, crazed fans have about pulled me off the stage,” he says. “That can be scary.” Those experiences are rare. Instead, Boyer focuses on the positive aspects of the role despite the challenges he experiences with hearing loss and the necessity of hearing aids to perform.

“Some of the aspects of the show are pure theater. I give out scarves and teddy bears and kiss cheeks. Some women throw panties on the stage. It’s all part of the theater of attending an Elvis show.”

His wife passed away six years ago but was an integral part of the show. Years later, he met his current fiancé who has a mutual love of Elvis’s life and music and understands the theatrical aspects of show fans.

“The really older folks think that’s who I am when I perform. It’s so

E.J. Boyer has performed across the South as an Elvis Tribute Artists and has a scrapbook full of performance photos to chronicle his performances.

“

heartfelt. I always give out scarves, and there was this little old lady at one of my performances who I bent down to give a scarf and kissed her cheek, and she looked up at me and said ‘I love you, Elvis.’ She thought I was Elvis, and it was heartwarming to see it. And the kids … the 8-year olds who are singing Elvis for the first time. You know, he’s been gone 50 years, and there are still so many Elvis fans. I don’t think his legend will ever die.”

Boyer is one of many ETAs making sure of it. There are more than 250,000 ETA’s worldwide and Elvis is the most imitated person in the world. For some Elvis Tribute Artists, becoming Elvis is a calling. For others, it’s purely competition –and a cutthroat one at that.

“That almost broke me of doing Elvis,” Boyer confided. Elvis Tribute Artist competitions judge on Stage Presence, Looks, Sound, and Crowd Interactions. “I realized there’s so much politics in it. Judge me by my talent. If that doesn’t get me to where I want to go in a competition, then I don’t need to do it. I’d just assume sing in front of the people here in this place,” he said, gesturing to the growing lunch crowd. “Then to be in competition and try to win a trophy. Winners get a chance to go to Memphis and compete for the Ultimate World Championship, but to get there, I’m not willing to do what they have to do to get there. You have to invest money to start going places, and it isn’t worth it to me.” Overall, Boyer said that the regular ETAs he comes across are supportive of one another, but the competitive circuit is a different story.

Boyer doesn’t participate in the competitive side of being Elvis. A self-taught singer, Boyer has shown a natural talent for embodying the King.

“I was 14 when Elvis died. My mother was distraught, and at that age, it was a shock to me. I walked around in shock. It wasn’t long after that we saw his live Hawaiian show, the Aloha concert. As much as I’ve read and seen, I don’t believe he died when they said he did.”

“Elvis was a prisoner in his own home. He couldn’t go anywhere. Everybody knows that. His divorce was finalized in 1972 with Priscilla

so he didn’t have that anymore. After a concert, there was nothing left for him. I think he was so saddened by his life at that time. He was so big, at the top of his career. He fired his entourage months before his death. I just think he escaped the life.”

But Boyer doesn’t stop there. “Look up Bob Joyce out in Arkansas. People all over the world think it’s Elvis. Sounds like him, sings his music, and has his own church. The intriguing part is that he married Wilena Joyce, Elvis’s ex-girlfriend. There’s just too many coincidences. I don’t know if I met him if I’d know for sure. I need more proof. But he did attend Lisa Marie’s private funeral at Graceland and shared a moment with Priscilla Presley. It makes you wonder. I don’t think we’ll ever know the truth. I don’t think we could handle it if we did.”

By day, Boyer works in the street department for the city of Madison. He’s also ordained and has performed many weddings and vow renewals over the years.

Unlike the King, Boyer can be a regular person when he’s not on stage. Even with the black hair and distinctive sideburns, he can leave the persona behind at will, a luxury Elvis Presley never had–unless, of course, you believe as Boyer does, that Elvis was able to escape his big life to lead a quiet one in obscurity. It’s a nice idea.

“You know, it isn’t about trying to be Elvis. It’s a tribute. We’re keeping his legend alive. Some of these kids are going to grow up and do what I’m doing. They’re going to go places when I’ve long gotten out of it.”

YOUR UNITED BANK Dream Team

March

March 1

Spring Happenings

The Madison Artists Gallery and Guild at 125 W. Jefferson St., will present the exhibit, “Branching Out” featuring the artwork of Barbara Odil through March 8.

ArtiGras 2025, will be held at Barrel 118 in historic downtown Eatonton, a celebration and fundraiser for the arts. theartisansvillage.org

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center will host an opening cocktail reception for “Equipoise” - A Retrospective by Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. mmcc-arts.org

March 4

The Georgia Writers Museum, at 109 S. Jefferson Ave. Eatonton, will host Meet the Author with Chris Greer at 7 p.m. georgiawritersmuseum.org

March 6

The Plaza Arts Center at 305 N. Madison, Ave. Eatonton will present the Hotel California - Eagle Tribute. plazacenter.org

The Artisans Village will present the opening reception for the Something About Me art show from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Drop-off dates are Feb. 19 to 22. theartisansvillage.org

March 11

Eatonton will host a Business Education Expo (BEE) from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Eatonton-Putman Chamber of Commerce 108 W. Marion St., for new and current small business owners. downtowneatonton.com

March 13

Farmview Market, at 2610 Eatonton Road Madison will host March Supper Club from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. farmviewmarket.com

The Madison Artists Gallery and Guild, at 125 W. Jefferson St., will present the exhibit featuring Robert Miller’s thought-provoking mixed media works exploring the interplay of positive and negative space from March 13 to April 19. themadisonartistsguild.org

March 20

The Madison-Morgan Cultural Center will host the 23rd annual Madison Antiques and Fine Things from 6 p.m. March 20 to 5 p.m. March 22 at the Hall on Foster. mmcc-arts.org

March 22

The 5th Annual Sweet Tooth Festival will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at 1311 Fairgrounds Road in Madison presented by This and That.

March 27

An Evening in Eatonton will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Shop and dine with your closest friends in downtown Eatonton. downtowneatonton.com

April

April 1

Georgia Writers Museum, at 109 S. Jefferson Ave. Eatonton, will host Meet the Author with Lydia Menzies at 7 p.m. georgiawritersmuseum.org

April 3

The Plaza Arts Center at 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton will present the Putman Free Film Series at 7 p.m. plazacenter.org

The Big Little Project Reception will take place at Barrel 118 in Eatonton for 2025 guild members. Panels are due by March 14 and tickets go on sale on March 17. theartisansvillage.org

April 4

The Plaza Arts Center at 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton will present On Golden Pond, April 4, 5, and 6 and April 11, 12 and 13. plazacenter.org

April 5

Old Buckhead Days, an annual festival and 5K race, and a day of family-friendly fun, food and exercise, will take place with the proceeds of the event to benefit the Town of Buckhead.

April 12

The Magnolia Market and Chalk Walk will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 100 S. Jefferson Ave. in Eatonton. downtowneatonton.com

Hard Labor Creek State Park in Rutledge hosts Spring Wagon Rides with the Easter Bunny, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on April 12, 13 and 19. explore.gastateparks.org

April 15

The Festival Hall, at 201 N. Main St. Greensboro will host Greene County Arts Night from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. festivalhallga.com

April 16

The Plaza Arts Center at 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton will present This World is Not My Own. plazacenter.org

April 19

The Southland Jubilee, Greensboro’s premier spring festival, will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Greensboro. downtowngreensboroga.com

April 24

The Madison Artists Gallery and Guild, at 125 W. Jefferson St.. will present the captivating ceramics of Isabell Daniel and Patty Okeefe-Hutton showcasing both sculptural and functional pieces from April 24 to May 31.

April 25

The Day Party Celebrating Eatonton will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eatonton City Center Stage. Eatonton is hosting this event as part of Georgia Cities Week. downtowneatonton.com

The Oconee Performing Arts Society will host Rhapsody in Blue, with Stuart and Zev Malina, fourhanded piano version at 7:30 p.m. at Festival Hall in Greensboro. opas.org

April 26

Madison will host the 26th annual Madison Fest, a springtime garden and crafts celebration, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Town Park.

May

May 3

Eatonton One-Day Paint Out will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with workshops and a paint out. Register online at theartisansvillage.org

The “Peg Leg” Howell BBQ and Blues festival will take place from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Eatonton City Center Stage. downtowneatonton.com

Farmview Market, at 2610 Eatonton Road Madison will host Spring Fest from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. farmviewmarket.com

May 6

Georgia Writers Museum, at 109 S. Jefferson Ave. Eatonton will host Meet the Author with Marie Bostwick at 7 p.m. georgiawritersmuseum.org

May 8

The Festival Hall, at 201 N. Main St. Greensboro will host the Jazz Legacy Project: Miles Davis, Miles Ahead from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. festivalhallga.com

May 15

Farmview Market, at 2610 Eatonton Road Madison will host May Supper Club from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. farmviewmarket.com

May 16-17

The city of Madison will host the Spring Tour of Homes from 10 a.m. May 16 to 4 p.m. May 17. mmcc-arts.org

May 17

The Plaza Arts Center at 305 N. Madison Ave. Eatonton will present Bogey and The Viceroy. plazacenter.org

12 Advanced Audiology

64 Amelia’s Apparel

47 Amici Foods

26, 27 Ansley Real Estate

47 Athens Academy

24 Barkin’ Dog Shoes

25 Bend the Trend

13 Black Sheep Interiors

4 Breda Pest Management

95 Bug House of Lake Oconee

79 Century Bank

14 Charity Joiner

17 Crowe Marine

33 Cuscowilla

85 Dermatology Consultants

30 Farmers Merchants Bank

77 Farmview Market

96 Fatboy Golf Carts

95 GA Writers Museum

69 Gatewood Schools

11 Greensboro Main Street

INSIDE FRONT COVER Harbor Club

81 Harmony Pet Resort

68 In High Cotton

63 JEDT BACK COVER Jim Boyd

Sweater weather, not critter weather!

37 JSG Enterprises

71 Juturna

8 K&D Shoes

83 Keller Williams

7 Kim & Lin Real Estate

19 Lake Country Outfitters

6 Lake Oconee Ace Hardware

72 Lake Oconee Living Upcoming Issues

5, 61, INSIDE BACK COVER Luxury Lake Oconee

67 Luxury Pool & Outdoor

23, 43, 73 MAD Hospitality

18 Madison Markets

77 Morgan Cultural Arts

57 Morgan Medical Center

56 Oconee Radio Group

85 Plaza Art Center

2, 3 Reynolds Lake Oconee

96 Selwood Farms

46 Southern Laser Medical

31 Southern Spa & Patio

65 Spa Medical

79 Spa Peau Paraite

1 Stanton Home Furnishings

41 Tim Green Designs

92 United Bank

15 Whidby Jewelers

As the weather cools down, uninvited critters may try to make your warm home their own. Our skilled exterminators specialize in wildlife removal, keeping your space safe and free from unwanted guests! Discover What

GWM has to offer:

the Author - Writers Workshops - Book Clubs

There must be something in the soil! Nine of America’s most celebrated authors called middle Georgia their home. Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker and best-selling author Joel Chandler Harris began their literary journeys in Eatonton, Georgia. Five more lived and wrote within a 30-mile radius of the Georgia Writers Museum.

In total, more than 90 writers from across the state are recognized at the Georgia Writers Museum for their literary success by receiving the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame induction, the Georgia Author of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award, or the Townsend Prize. Only three authors have received all three honors – visit us to find out who!

Georgia Writers Museum is dedicated to inspiring today’s writers and readers and celebrating Georgia’s literary heritage through exhibits, programs, workshops, and student education.