Historic Augusta News Volume 42 , No. 1
The mission of Historic Augusta, Inc., is to preserve historically or architecturally significant structures and sites in Augusta & Richmond County, Georgia. 1 | Spring 2016
Spring 2016
HISTORIC AUGUSTA’S
Downtown Loft Tour MAY 6 & 7, 2016
Historic Augusta’s 12th Annual Downtown Loft Tour is a great
opportunity to stroll through historic downtown Augusta while popping in and out of private loft apartments and other businesses. The tour will take place on First Friday, May 6 from 6-9 pm and will continue on Saturday, May 7 from 11 am-4 pm. Lofts on the tour can be visited in any order and tickets are good for both tour days. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 during the tour. Tickets can be purchased during the tour at tour headquarters, which will be a tent outside of the Metro Market, 851 Broad Street; or in advance from Historic Augusta; Mellow Mushroom Aiken, Downtown Augusta, and Evans locations; and State Bank and Trust Company Evans, Martinez, and Wheeler Road locations. See you at our Downtown Loft Tour! KB
Join
Historic Augusta's Cotton Ball
May 19, 2016 2 | Spring 2016
us for Historic Augusta’s annual Cotton Ball, held this year at Twin Gables the home of Augusta University’s President Brooks A. Keel and First Lady Tammie Schalue at 920 Milledge Road. This casual, outdoor garden party will take place on Thursday, May 19 from 6:30-9:30 pm. Dinner will be provided by Outback. Be sure to save room for dessert from Dippin’ Dots. There will be a cash bar including the famous Cotton Ball mint juleps and Augusta Lemonade from Fruitland Augusta. A raffle will be held for a 5 day, 4 night vacation at a beachfront condo in Flagler Beach, FL or an iconic Tiffany & Co. bracelet. Admission to the Cotton Ball is by current, new or renewing membership in Historic Augusta. To join, or to check on the status of your membership, please contact Historic Augusta at 706-724-0436. KB
Historic Augusta News
AUGUSTA PROPERTIES TO BE NOMINATED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER Historic
Augusta staff is currently working on three nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Applications for the Woodlawn Historic District and the Weiss-Steinberg-Bush House at 1300 Buena Vista Road will be presented to the Georgia National Register Review Board in August. Woodlawn is a large mostly residential area roughly bounded by Walton Way, Druid Park Avenue, Wrightsboro Road and Heard Avenue, and made up of several subdivision plats that were woven together from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries to form a middle class streetcar suburb on the west side of Augusta's original city limits.
Woodlawn Historic District
The Weiss-Steinberg-Bush House was built in 1932 by John H. and Virginia Weiss, transplants from Chicago. Designed
by Augusta architect Willis Irvin, it was one of the early homes built in Forrest Hills, the city's first subdivision laid out with curvilinear streets planned for automobile access, and the first that incorporated a hotel and golf course as part of its scheme. Weiss came to Augusta when he established Leigh Banana Crate Company in Ellenton, South Carolina. The second owner, Allen Steinberg owned a garment factory in Waynesboro. Bill Bush, the third owner was in the brick manufacturing business, and with his wife, Frenchie, was a founder and first President of Historic Augusta, Inc. Historic Augusta held it's 2015 Cotton Ball there as a part of its 50th Anniversary events. The third National Register nomination currently under development is for the Hill Crest neighborhood, roughly bounded by Walton Way, Highland Avenue, Lombardy Court and Peachtree Road. The proposed historic district consists of three subdivisions: Hill Crest (1907, 1914), Timberlake (1916) and Oak Highlands (1923). When it was initially developed it was the western-most residential area in town, and was first annexed by the Village of Summerville in 1910, and subsequently annexed by the City of Augusta in 1912. The substantial homes in the neighborhood are largely architect designed and make up an eclectic variety of popular American styles in the first five decades of the 20th Century. The application is expected to be completed and submitted to the Georgia Historic Preservation Division for review in the summer. EM
Historic Augusta News
The Weiss-Steinberg-Bush House located at 1300 Buena Vista Road
Proposed Hillcrest National Register Boundaries with line drawn
Spring 2016 | 3
Spring 2016 Congratulations to Mark Donahue who was recently
Awarded!
awarded an outstanding rehabilitation award for his investment in the Lowrey Wagon Works at 912 Ellis Street. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation annually recognizes exemplary preservation projects around the state at an awards ceremony during its annual meeting, which was held in Marietta on April 22. Donahue completed a certified rehabilitation in 2015 by converting the vacant 1860 factory into 19 apartments. EM
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One of the first floor units in the Lowrey Wagon Works.
Progress continues toward finalizing the lease between the city
and Historic Augusta for the Children of Israel Synagogue (c1869, 525 Telfair Street) and the Court of Ordinary Building (c1860, 527 Telfair Street) in order that both buildings can be adaptively used as a new Augusta Jewish Museum. The lease is expected to be signed this spring, and a sublease will be executed with the Augusta Jewish Museum board, which has been established under the leadership of Jack Steinberg. The AJM board has engaged Jim Webb and Studio 3 Design Group for architectural services, and is exploring fund-raising firms to help raise the funds that will be needed. The effort to save the buildings got the attention of the National Trust for Historic Preservation when it included a photo and caption regarding the efforts to save it in a recent issue of Preservation Magazine. The buildings were also named to the Georgia Trust's Places in Peril list in the fall of 2015. EM Court of Ordinary and Children of Israel Synagogue.
Historic Augusta's fiftieth anniversary book project continues with progress being made throughout the fall of 2015 and
into the spring of 2016. Jackie Blanchard, chair and Albert Cheatham, co-chair of the project have assembled their team including Van Jones Martin as producer; Jim Lockhart as photographer; Jim Garvey as author; Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell as historian; and Erick Montgomery as coordinator. Clay Boardman also assists the committee with planning needs. Photos are being made and chapters are being written with the goal of a fall 2017 publication date. Stay tuned for more information in coming months. EM
4 | Spring 2016
Historic Augusta News
We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth Gordon of New York City
recently donated a shotgun house located at 1421½ Picquet Avenue in the Bethlehem Historic District to Historic Augusta's Real Estate Program. The circa 1917 house had served as the home of Mrs. Gordon's mother for many years, and after her passing, it was maintained for her Augusta visits. The value of the donated property will be deductible based on an appraisal. Historic Augusta subsequently donated the property to the Laney-Walker Development Corporation which manages a number of properties in the neighborhood. A preservation easement was retained by Historic Augusta to ensure its long-term protection. After rehab, Laney-Walker Development will rent the house to a qualified tenant. Thanks are due to attorney Jim Trotter who provided legal services for the transaction.
Endangered!
Mrs. Elizabeth Gordon in front of 1421 Picquet Street the day the property was tranferred to Historic Augusta
Historic Augusta's Real Estate and Preservation Committees
are currently working with Ron Drawdy, owner of the Old First Baptist Church building at 802 Greene Street, to find a solution to save the significant downtown landmark. The largely vacant building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was named to Historic Augusta's 2014 Endangered Properties List. It was recently condemned for occupancy by the city for code violations. The biggest challenge is finding a viable future use for the historic sanctuary. EM
After years of concern, and listing in Historic Augusta's
first Endangered Properties List for 2007, the Richmond County Board of Education finally approved demolition of the Old Davidson School at 1114 Telfair Street. Bulldozers began their odious task late in 2015 and as we go to press, the demolition continues. Old Davidson School is a poster child for expected results of long-term demolition by neglect. Sadly, there were opportunities for investment in the 1932 structure that would have saved it, but were not accepted by the board. What does the future hold for this now vacant scar in the Augusta Downtown Historic District? EM
Historic Augusta News
Lost! Spring 2016 | 5
WILSON HOUSE UPDATES We
are grateful to both the Spade and Trowel Garden Club and the Camellia Garden Club for continuing to maintain our two garden plots in the back and side yards of the Wilson House. These ladies (with some male assistance on occasion), dutifully come on a seasonal basis to keep the period plantings thriving. Spade and Trowel Garden Club members who assisted with holiday decorations
Camellia Garden Club
You may have heard about an ongoing controversy regarding President
Wilson's positions and policies regarding race during his two terms in the White House. This largely came to the national spotlight with respect to how Princeton University honors him a century after he served as its President, before he was New Jersey Governor and U.S. President. Historic Augusta has drawn up a statement regarding our position with respect to President Wilson's attitudes, and how we interpret those aspects of his world view. You can read the position statement by visiting our website at www.wilsonboyhoodhome.org/learn/about-woodrow-wilson/woodrowwilson-a-progressive-man-of-his-era. Or, Google "Woodrow Wilson: A Progressive Man of his Era." EM
If you have not already discovered them,
you will enjoy a series of video's known as
"Kirby's Augusta," found on the Augusta Chronicle's augusta.com
website and
at
on
www.chronicle.
YouTube.
These
are written and narrated by Bill Kirby, Online News Director of the Chronicle, and
produced by Mark Albertin. In observance of President Wilson's 160th birthday on
December 28th, an episode was published on YouTube. Go to www.youtube.com/ watch?v=HhEYlO2kNTE.
Or,
"Kirby's Augusta - Woodrow Wilson."
6 | Spring 2016
Historic Augusta News
100
TH
Maintenance on any home
is seemingly never complete, and work continues to keep the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson in good condition for our visitors. This has been accomplished in the past few years with support from various funding sources, including generous grants from the Creel-Harison Foundation, the Knox Foundation, the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board and private contributions.
Recently the back porch has been repaired, including the replacement of some rotting floor boards, handrails, and moldings. In addition, the door into the kitchen building has been replaced with repairs to the threshold. The work has been done by Robertson Restoration. Other repair work will continue as funds are available.
ANNIVERSARY OF
GREAT AUGUSTA FIRE
Augusta Fire of 1916
March
22-23 marked the centennial anniversary of the Great Augusta conflagration that burned all or parts of 36 blocks of downtown and Olde Town Augusta's northeast quadrant encompassing 160 acres. Among the losses were entire commercial blocks of destroying 141 buildings and cotton warehouses, 541 residential structures; and perhaps the most sentimental loss, Saint Paul's Church. 3,000 people were left homeless representing 600 families, and 1,000 lost their jobs. Historic Trinity CME Church on Eighth Street. There was a total estimated loss of $4.2 million with 20,000 bales of cotton burned. In recognition of this momentous event in Augusta's history, Historic Augusta's Executive Director, Erick Montgomery, developed a program entitled "The Great Augusta Fire of 1916," which was presented in the River Room of Saint Paul's Church on March 13th to an audience of about 250. Subsequently, he make the same presentation at Augusta University's Reese Library on March 22nd, and to the the Augusta Lion's Club on March 29th. If other groups are interested in the program, get in touch at Erick@historicaugusta.org or 706-724-0436. EM
Augusta Conflagration M ap of 1916, courtesy of Augusta Museum of History
Next door at the Joseph R.
Lamar Boyhood Home, work will hopefully begin in the summer to rebuild the front porch, which was incorrectly designed and constructed in a way that has caused constant water damage over the years since the initial restoration in 2004. A new design by Cheatham, Fletcher, Scott Architects will correct the issues that have created the problems. Historic Augusta News
Spring 2016 | 7
A cluster of shotgun houses as seen on Fenwick Street in the Harrisburg neighborhood.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SHOTGUN HOUSE With
the recent acquisition and subsequent transfer of 1421 ½ Picquet
Street in the Bethlehem National Register Historic District, the question of “Why is this house important?” may pop into your mind. The online publication House Types in Georgia prepared by the state of Georgia’s Historic Preservation Division offers a brief academic sketch of this house type. A house “type” is the floorplan of a building and other character defining features. Shotgun houses were predominantly built for low-income workers across Georgia from the 1870s into the 1920s and are commonly found in a row along the street, resulting is
a repetition of long, narrow houses along the streetscape. Usually found in
the urban core around large factories, like the textile mills along the Augusta Canal in Harrisburg, the shotgun house is identified by its footprint of being 1 room wide and two or more rooms deep without a hallway. Another character defining feature of the shotgun house include a gabled roof, like the one observed at 1421 ½ Picquet Street. Although there are many original surviving examples of the shotgun house in Augusta, many other properties can be observed in various conditions ranging from insensitive alterations by installation of
vinyl siding and non-historic windows to complete abandonment and near
collapse. Without surviving examples of shotgun houses in Augusta and many other American cities, both a cultural-developmental context and substantial existing building stock ripe for rehabilitation with potential for certified rehabilitation tax credits vanishes. As an example of a uniquely American house type, shotgun houses are worthy of preservation and tell the story of Augusta’s industrial development and subsequent neighborhood growth. RA
ENDANGERED PROPERTIES 2017 Historic Augusta is seeking nominations for properties to
be featured on the 2017 Endangered Properties List. The list, like those compiled by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other statewide preservation organizations, attracts the attention of investors, politicians, and other interested groups who might not otherwise be aware of the historic resources in the community. It also helps to focus the organization’s and community’s energy on historic
8 | Spring 2016
buildings with the greatest need or those which represent a particular type which also have a chance of being preserved through solution-oriented grass roots efforts. Criteria for listing includes, but is not limited to, demolition by neglect, threat of demolition or insensitive alteration. The building should also be eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places and be 50 years old or older. RA
Historic Augusta News
New Officers & Directors Elected At its Annual Meeting held during Historic Augusta's Fiftieth
Anniversary Celebration on November 12th at the Old Medical College Building, the following new Officers and Trustees were elected following a motion by Nominating Committee Chairman Paul King, for terms beginning January 1, 2016. W. Cameron Nixon, elected President for a one-year term. Paula Knox, elected First Vice President for a one-year term. Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell, elected Second Vice President for an additional one-year term. Elizabeth McGee, elected Secretary for a one-year term. Libby Macuch, elected Treasurer for an additional one-year term. Elected for an additional four-year term to the Board of Trustees was Holly Andrews Blanton. Elected for an initial four-year term on the Board of Trustees were Christy Beckham, Nathan Jolles, Elizabeth McGee, Rommel Romero, Sylance Scott, Max Vallotton and John Williams.
Cameron Nixon, President with Becky Smith, Immediate Past President
Elected as an Honorary Trustee to the Board of Trustees was Becky H. Smith. Thanks were extended to the following Trustees whose terms ended on December 31, 2015: Karen Hull, Sanford Loyd, Grieg McCully, Lynn Meybohm, Cary Rivers, Beth Storey and Beverly Tarver. Serving with Mr. King on the Nominating Committee were Cameron Nixon, Karon Williamson and Becky Smith, assisted by Erick Montgomery, Executive Director. EM
May is Preservation Month and along with the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, we encourage you to share your stories as we celebrate places that matter the most. This Place Matters began in 2008 as a way to connect people across communities with the places that are most important to their history and their future. Whether the place is a building, landscape, or region, large or small, nationally significant or personally priceless, historic or just old – we’re interested in places that played as significant role in your life. Download and print a "This Place Matters" sign from savingplaces.org and take a photo of it next to a place that is significant to you. Be sure to use the hashtags #ThisPlaceMatters and #HistoricAugusta so we can interact with your story.
Historic Augusta News
Spring 2016 | 9
2015
232 Broad Street. Built circa 1920 and located in the Olde Town neighborhood, the home has been a duplex unit and was returned to a single family floor plan after sitting vacant and neglected for years. RAM Construction was responsible for the rehabilitation. Presented to RAM Construction.
Historic Augusta, Inc. announced
1426 Anthony Road, built c. 1926 and a contributing resource to the Summerville Historic District. This single family home with a rear cottage has slowly been rehabilitated since 2000. Original
the recipients of ten Awards given at its Awards Presentation held on January 26, 2016, at 6:00 pm at the Lamar House, 415 Seventh Street. Historic
character defining features include hardwood floors, and a rear cottage was also renovated and serves as an income producing residential unit. Presented to Nancy and Tom Sutherland.
Augusta recognizes outstanding historic preservation projects each year throughout the city.
Historic Augusta awarded the "Bill and Marie Bush Friend of P r e s e r v a t io n Award" to the organization’s past president Tennent Houston for his dedication to downtown revitalization, leadership for the restoration of Union Baptist Church, and support of the mission of Historic Augusta. The Bush Award was established in honor of Historic Augusta founders Bill and Marie “Frenchie” Bush in 2012 and is awarded at the discretion of the Awards Committee to recognize outstanding service to Historic Augusta and its mission of historic preservation in Augusta and Richmond County. RA 10 | Spring 2016
Dr. William D. Jennings, Jr. House, 2534 Henry Street. Built c.1920, this American Foursquare house sat vacant since the mid-2000s. A contributing resource in the Summerville Historic District, original character defining features include hardwood floors and windows. Presented to Margaret Williams.
The Henry Kennedy Building, 1022 Broad Street. Built circa 1901, this is an example of a commercial storefront found in the Augusta Downtown Historic District. This certified rehabilitation was completed by Ben Harrison, who transformed the second floor into 4 incoming producing residential apartments. General contractor was Peach Contractors and architects were Christopher Booker and Associates, PC. Presented to Ben Harrison.
Historic Augusta News
The Mary Warren Home, 2109 Central Avenue. Built in 1915 and a contributing resource to the Summerville Historic District. Designed by prominent architect G. Lloyd Preacher, this property served indigent and widowed women and children until 1994. Listed to Historic Augusta’s Endangered Properties List in
2015, this certified rehabilitation is now serving as student housing and prominently anchors the corner of Hickman Road and Central Avenue. Presented to Robert Lacher and Jerry Reynolds of KMI LLC.
The Lowrey Wagon Works, 912 Ellis Street. Built in 1860 by proprietor J. H. Lowrey, the building was converted to a shoe factory for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. At the end of the war, it briefly served as a school for newly freed AmericanAmericans, and then returned to operation as the wagon works. This certified historic rehabilitation converted the open floor plan into 19 income producing residential units, featuring original wooden beams and flooring throughout the units. Owner and general contractor was Peach Contractors and architect was Jim Webb, Studio 3 Design Group. Presented to Mark Donahue.
NEW CONSTRUCTION AWARDS
Historic Augusta also gave three awards for new construction. This category was developed in 2013 to encourage the owners of newly-constructed buildings to contribute to the character of the historic neighborhood in which it is built by respecting the location, design, materials, and other character-defining features of historic buildings that surround it. 610 Milledge Road, a project of the Hull Property Group. This property sensitively reflects the architectural character and appeal of the Summerville Historic District. Presented to Coles Doyle, Hull Property Group. Turn Back the Block, for 621 Metcalf Street. This faith-based non-profit organization strives to revitalize the Harrisburg neighborhood through the rehabilitation of existing housing stock, new construction, and promotion of home ownership. Presented to Christel Jiles, Executive Director, Turn Back the Block.
Historic Augusta News
Powell Pointe, named for Addie Scott Powell, founder of the Bethlehem Area Community Association, community activist and preservationist. Powell Pointe features 8 single-family homes and 32 duplex living units. Presented to Dr. Rodger Murchison, Chairman, Augusta Housing Authority.
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SUMMERVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT
HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY
PHASE 3
Historic
Augusta, Inc., was hired by Augusta-Richmond County to complete Phase 3 of the historic resources survey in the Summerville neighborhood. Historic resources surveys collect and record information about extant historic buildings on a county-wide or community-wide basis. City or county governments generally undertake surveys for their communities as a first step in documenting historic resources for planning purposes. This survey information includes an architectural description of the building, photographs, and field notes on its age, history, setting, and geographical location. Each community or county survey includes a final survey report analyzing the findings. The survey data is entered into an online database known as GNAHRGIS - Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological and Historic Resources Geographic Information System available at www.gnahrgis.org.
A total of 550 historic resources in a delineated Phase 3 survey section of Augusta’s Summerville Historic District were documented. This is the second of a three phased survey of the neighborhood. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, the Summerville Historic District contains approximately 1,500 properties. Phase 1 completed in 2012 documented 424 historic resources and Phase 2 completed in 2014 documented 500 historic resources, bringing the total so far to 924 resources. The completion of the Historic Resources Survey is an essential tool for documenting historic resources within the boundaries of the neighborhood. A comprehensive inventory of existing buildings has not been completed prior to the survey. This survey will also be useful for local historic district management and creation of an updated set of neighborhood design guidelines. After the completion of the survey, information collected will assist the neighborhood association and Augusta-Richmond County to re-examine the district boundaries for possible expansion of the local district and amendment of the National Register district, as buildings built after 1930 have acquired historic significance since the district was originally listed. RA
12 | Spring 2016
Historic Augusta News
Historic Augusta News
Spring 2016 | 13
HISTORIC AUGUSTA’S
Heritage Party Historic
Augusta honored its principal supporters at its annual Heritage Party held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Burch, Jr. on March 15, 2016. Our generous sponsors and members at the donor level and above enjoyed the well-attended party. Thank you to the hosts Robert and Jan Burch, to Rebecca Rice who chaired the event, our board members who provided food and beverages, and South Star Trolley which provided transportation throughout the evening. We enjoyed food and fellowship with preservationminded Augustans. KB
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Heritage Party Donors Lyn Allgood Christy Beckham Jackie Blanchard Robert Bovard Lee Ann Caldwell Ann Claiborne Christian Marian Clark Elizabeth Donsbach Ann Ewell Gould Hagler Laura Irwin Paula Knox Libby Macuch
Lynn Mays Elizabeth McGee Sissie Morris Cameron Nixon Robert Osborne Rebecca Rice Martha Robertson Ashley Hock Smith Becky Smith Emily Stevenson Max Vallotton John Williams
Historic Augusta News
R abbi Shai Beloosesky, R abbi David Sirull, Dr Barry Stiefel, Jack & Carol Steinberg, and Erick Montgomery following a lecture on Synagogue architecture Erick Montgomery, Robert and Jan Burch, Cameron Nixon, and Rebecca R ice at the Heritage Party
Architectural History LECTURE SERIES
Historic Augusta held an architectural history lecture series in the Fall of
The home of Robert and Jan Burch at 2627 Walton Way
Southstar Trolley at the Heritage party
Historic Augusta News
2015 thanks to a generous grant from the Porter Fleming Foundation. In October, Dr. Barry Stiefel from the College of Charleston presented “The Other House Museum: Places of Worship and the Case of Synagogues” which gave information and resources to those interested in the future of a Jewish History Museum in Augusta, Georgia. Carmie McDonald from the Fox Theatre Institute presented “The Show Must Go On: The Past, Present, and Future of Georgia’s Historic Theatres” at the Imperial Theatre in November. The talk explored ways that historic theatres can revitalize downtown areas and spur the economy. It was a timely discussion given the ongoing restoration of the Imperial Theatre and Miller Theater downtown. In December, Dr. Richard Cloues presented “After the Bungalow, Before the Ranch: The American Small House Phenomenon, 1920s-1960s” at the Joseph R. Lamar Boyhood Home. Cloues’ presentation explored the history of American small houses that popped up in suburbs following World War II. Look for details about this year’s fall architectural history lecture series in an upcoming edition of Historic Augusta News. KB
Paul K ing, Judy & R ichard Cloues, Joyce L aw, and Erick Montgomery
Erick Montgomery & guest speaker Carmie McDonald from the Fox Theatre Institute
Spring 2016 | 15
Fiftieth Anniversary CELEBR ATION
Allison and M ax Vallotton at the 50th Anniversary Celebration
Members gather for cocktails at the 50th A nniversary Celebration
Historic
Augusta celebrated its Fiftieth Anniversary on Thursday, November 12, 2015 at the Old Medical College. Attendees enjoyed cocktails and dinner prepared by Jennifer Shuford of Tastefully Yours. The evening event featured reminiscences of our organizational accomplishments, as well as goals for the future of continuing our mission of preserving historic sites and structures in Augusta and Richmond County. We would like to extend a special thank you to our event co-chairs, Ann Claiborne Christian and Marian Clark in addition to all the members of the 50th Anniversary Committee including: Historic Augusta’s Immediate Past President, Becky Smith, Membership Chair Paula Knox, Lynn Mays, Robert Osborne and Patricia Shelton along with staff members Erick Montgomery, Kuleigh Baker and Robyn Anderson. Mark McDonald, President of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, was the distinguished guest speaker for the evening and a special edition of Historic Augusta News was presented early to those in attendance. We are grateful to the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Georgia, Augusta Town Committee, for helping to fund our commemorative publication, Historic Augusta News: Celebrating 50 Years of Historic Preservation 1965-2015. KB 16 16 || Spring Spring 2016 2016
John and Elizabeth Donsbach at the 50th Anniversary Celebration
Alicia Haltermann, Anthony Ewell and Anne Floyd at the 50th A nniversary Celebration
50th Anniversary Committee prepares flower arrangements
Historic Augusta News
THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS 50TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSORS! OGLETHORPE SPONSOR Carol C. Boardman in Memory of Harold M. Boardman, Jr.
WILSON SPONSORS
Jackie Blanchard Dr. and Mrs. Joe D. Christian Dr. and Mrs. William L. Clark Georgia Bank and Trust Mr. and Mrs. H. M. Osteen, Jr. Rex Property & Land Dr. and Mrs. William A. Speir Beth and Barry Storey
LAMAR SPONSORS
Mr. and Mrs. George D. Bush Merry Land Properties Becky and Randy Smith State Bank & Trust Company SunTrust Bank
EMANCIPATION
The Augusta and the Civil War Symposium Series 1865: Emancipation was held November 5-7, 2015. This was the last in a series on the Civil War put
together in part by the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, the Augusta Civil War Roundtable, the Augusta Museum of History, the AugustaRichmond County Historical Society, the Augusta University Center for the Study of Georgia History, Historic Augusta, Inc., the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, and the Morris Museum of Art. The weekend included a reading of The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks, an artist lecture by Dane Carder, the music of Creative Impressions, and tours of Tabernacle Baptist Church and Springfield Baptist Church. Esteemed lecturers Dr. Bobby Donaldson, Dr. Maryemma Graham, Dr. Glenn Eskew, and Reverend Herman “Skip” Mason, Jr, gave presentations on emancipation, women’s issues, and the emergence of church-sponsored schools in the South with an emphasis on Augusta’s history. Dr. Bobby Donaldson presented “Everything is Entirely Reversed: African Americans, the Civil War, and the Meaning of Freedom” as the Dr. Edward J. Cashin Memorial Woodrow Wilson Lecture. KB
Elyse Butler from the Georgia Historical Society presented the Roger K. Warlick Award to R ebecca Rogers, Christine Miller-Betts, Tom Sutherland, Lee Ann Caldwell, Nancy Glaser, Erick Montgomery, and K evin Grogan on behalf of the Augusta and the Civil War Symposium Series Consortium
Historic Augusta News
Joyce L aw from the Lucy Craft L aney Museum checks in guests to the Symposium Series
Reverend Skip M ason speaks to a crowd at the Civil War Symposium Series
Members of Creative Impressions perform during the symposium
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WILSON HOUSE NEWS Candlelight Tours Candlelight
Tours of the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson were held on Saturday, December 12, Christmas tree inspired by a 1915 celebration Alice Little Caldwell and June Newton perform music at Candlelight Tours 2015. To celebrate Woodrow Wilson’s winter wedding to Edith Bolling Galt on December 18, 1915, the home was decorated with fresh evergreens and a period appropriate Christmas tree draped in string lights, pearls, and a variety of handmade ornaments, pinecones, and foilcovered chestnuts. Tours incorporated details about what Christmas might have been like in Augusta during Wilson’s first term as President of the United States and featured items from the couple’s wedding including local newspaper articles, photographs, and announcements. Local harpist Dr. Alice Little Caldwell performed holiday music during the tours. Visitors enjoyed festive refreshments like pound cake, fruitcake, and cider before and after the tours. The staff of Historic Augusta is thankful to the Spade and Trowel Garden Club for their hard work and dedication to transforming the house museum into an authentic 1915 Christmas.
Pinning Ceremony Aaron
Smith and Marlon Williams took part in a pinning ceremony on the front steps of the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson on Wednesday, January 6, 2016. They were promoted to the rank of Major in the United States Army in front of their closest family and friends. The house museum provided the perfect backdrop for a milestone promotion.
Cub Scouts Field Trip Group to the Wilson House
Field Trips & Group Tours The house museum has been busy with field trip groups
this spring including C. T. Walker, Davidson Fine Arts, Fort Gordon’s Cyber Academy, and more. If you are interested in scheduling a group tour, contact the Wilson Boyhood Home at 706-722-9898.
President's Day Tours Presidents’ Day Tours were held on Monday, February 15 with a buy-one, get-one special. Over 100 people attended tours to learn about Woodrow Wilson and Georgia’s oldest Presidential residence.
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Historic Augusta News
UPCOMING EVENTS SAVE THE DATE!
PERFECTLY AGED BENEFIT AUCTION TO BE HELD THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
Save the Date for Historic Augusta’s Annual Benefit Auction: Perfectly Aged.
This year’s benefit auction will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2016 at Saint Paul’s River Room. Donations of antiques, wine, and unique experiences are requested to make this event a success. Sponsorship opportunities are available for corporate and individual donors. For more information, contact Kuleigh Baker at kuleigh@historicaugusta.org.
SAVE THE DATE!
WALK WITH THE SPIRITS RETURNS TO SUMMERVILLE CEMETERY
Walk with the Spirits will be held October 8-9, 2016 in historic Summerville
Cemetery. The Summerville Cemetery contains graves from the 1820s to the present. Burials represent all of the wars, early Georgia families, as well as local, state, and national leaders and notables. If you are interested in sponsoring Walk with the Spirits, please contact Historic Augusta for more information. Sponsorships include the opportunity to Sip with the Spirits following the last tours on Sunday, October 9.
Historic Augusta wishes to gratefully acknowledge recent grants received from
Grant UPDATES
Historic Augusta News
the following: the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau for the creation of mobile-friendly websites, re-designing free online walking tours, and marketing tours to out-of-town visitors; the City of Augusta-Richmond County for general operating support; the Creel Harison Foundation for much-needed repairs to the front porch of the Joseph R. Lamar Boyhood Home; the Knox Foundation for general operating support and field trip development for the Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson; and the Porter Fleming Foundation for the Historic Augusta Book Project.
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New & Renewed Members, August 27, 2015-April 21, 2016 The following list consists of personal members who have paid dues, new or renewed during the above dates. If you paid your dues during this period, your name should appear below by category. If your name is missing or not in the proper category, and you paid your dues during this period, please let us know. * denotes New Membership + denotes Upgraded Membership
Life Members
Donor
Mr. Clinton L. Lewis III
Mrs. Clayton P. Boardman Jr.
Mr. Les Bertrand & Ms. Mary E. Schorsch
Mr. & Mrs. E. G. Meybohm
Mrs. Harold M. Boardman
Mr. & Mrs. William F. Badger +
Dr. & Mrs. Russell R. Moores
Mrs. J. Craig Cranston
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas M. Blanchard, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. William T. Neumann +
Mrs. Albert Gary
Mr. & Mrs. Braye C. Boardman
Dr. & Mrs. J. Nicholas Powell
Mr. and Mrs. Danforth Hagler
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph E. Bowles
Dr. & Mrs. J. Haley Roberts, Jr.
Mrs. Thomas W. Hagler Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Burch, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. George Sheftall
Mr. Levi Hill III
Dr. & Mrs. Philip Caldwell +
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Ogden Walsh III
Mrs. Stewart P. Hull
Dr. & Mrs. Thomas V. Casella
Mr. & Mrs. William Byrd Warlick
Mr. and Mrs. Wayland Lamar
Ms. Nanette A. Connell
Mr. & Mrs. William Carr White +
Mr. and Mrs. John W. Lee Sr.
Mrs. Elisabeth Curry
Mrs. Cary S. Maxwell
Dr. Elaine B. Feldman
Sustainer
Mr. & Mrs. H. Allen Strickland Jr.
Mr. Rodger Giles
Mr. R. W. Allen
The National Society of the Colonial Dames
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel H. Harkness
Mr. & Mrs. N. Dudley Baird, Jr.
of America, in the State of Georgia,
Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Jolles
Mrs. Elizabeth B. Blanchard
Augusta Town Committee
Dr. & Mrs. Joshua Lane
Mr. & Mrs. Claude H. Booker, Jr.
Mr. William Lawless
Dr. & Mrs. Talmadge A. Bowden, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Michael S. MacFee
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond B. Brady
Mr. & Mrs. William Macuch
Ms. Sally Brittingham
Mr. & Mrs. John P. Manton, Jr.
Ms. Dianne M. Burnside *
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh M. McCutcheon
Drs. John & Alice Little Caldwell
Dr. & Mrs. Walter E. Johnson, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Meybohm
Mr. & Mrs. Raymond G. Chadwick
Dr. & Mrs. Gregory L. Gay
Mr. & Mrs. Cobbs G. Nixon
Ms. Vilma Colon-Oliver
Dr. & Mrs. Don E. Williamson
Mr. & Mrs. Whitney C. O’Keeffe
Dr. & Mrs. Robert S. Crumrine
Dr. & Mrs. James L. O’Quinn
Mr. Nelson A. Danish
The Honorable & Mrs. J. Carlisle Overstreet
Dr. & Mrs. M. Nesbit Dasher, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. William L. Bennett, Jr.
Mrs. Whitney B. Pickett
Mr. & Mrs. Carlton S. Faulk
Mrs. Jacquelyn Murray Blanchard
Mr. Norman Schaffer +
Mr. & Mrs. E. Randall Floyd
Mr. Clayton P. Boardman III
Ms. Natalie Schweers
Mr. & Mrs. John B. Frank
Dr. & Mrs. David L. Booker
Dr. & Mrs. Edouard Servy
Mr. & Mrs. Williard W. Geiger
Mrs. Nancy L. Carr +
Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Stewart
Mr. & Mrs. Gould B. Hagler II
Mr. & Mrs. Doug Cates
Mr. & Mrs. Joe Stevenson
Mr. & Mrs. W. A. Herman III
Mr. Albert F. Cheatham
Mr. & Mrs. Carl T. Sutherland
Mr. & Mrs. W. Tennent Houston
Mr. & Mrs. Nick W. Evans
Dr. & Mrs. Daniel F. Ward
Dr. & Mrs. William P. Kanto, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Anthony J. Ewell
Mrs. Linda H. Weatherred +
Mr. & Mrs. C. Ralph Kitchens
Heritage Mr. & Mrs. Robert P. Kirby
Benefactor
Patron
Mr. & Mrs. William T. Gary
Dr. & Mrs. Malcolm N. Luxenberg
Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Mauldin
Contributor
Mr. & Mrs. George Locke McKnight
Mrs. Jane H. Barrett +
Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Owens
Dr. & Mrs. Holland V. Moore
Mr. & Mrs. Davenport S. Bruker
Dr. Peter M. Payne
Mr. & Mrs. Leroy H. Simkins, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. H. Ray Finney
Mr. & Mrs. Stewart Phinizy III
Dr. & Mrs. William Speir
Dr. & Mrs. Louie H. Griffin, Jr.
Mr. Melton E. Rhodes, Jr.
20 | Spring 2016
Mrs. Christine Miller-Betts
Historic Augusta News
Dr. Geraldine Rinker
Mr. & Mrs. William E. Hollingsworth III
Individual
Mr. & Mrs. T. Heard Robertson III
Mr. & Mrs. Robert H. Johnson, Jr.
Mrs. Patsy Lee Barab
Dr. & Mrs. R. W. Schilling, Jr.
Dr. & Mrs. Robert H. Jones
Mrs. Martha Baxter
Mr. J. Noel Schweers
Dr. & Mrs. T. Scott Key
Mrs. Mary S. Chafee Bell
Mr. & Mrs. Dayton Sherrouse
Mr. & Mrs. Brent Lake
Ms. Roxanne Bustos
Dr. Gurmukh Singh +
Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Lanier, Jr.
Mrs. John D. Capers
Mr. & Mrs. Joel H. Sobel
Mr. Clinton L. Lewis III
Dr. Florence F. Corley
Dr. & Mrs. Theo Thevaos
Mr. & Mrs. Samuel F. Maguire
Mrs. Mamie F. Dye
Dr. & Mrs. David R. Thomas III
Mr. & Mrs. R. Bates McCutcheon III
Ms. Connie Dyson
Mr. & Mrs. Nick Uros +
Mr. & Mrs. James D. McKnight
Dr. Lois T. Ellison
Ms. Linda L. Walker
Mr. & Mrs. Victor J. Mills
Mr. Phil Eve
Dr. & Mrs. William Weston III
Mr. & Mrs. Preston Moss
Rev. Robert D. Fain
Mr. & Mrs. John H. Williams
Mrs. Neita Mulherin
Dr. Glen E. Garrison
Mr. & Mrs. Lucien Williams
Rev. & Mrs. George Muir
Mrs. Frances Gipson *
Mr. & Mrs. Bob Young
Dr. & Mrs. Matthew Neal *
Mr. Bart Grey
Mr. & Mrs. Byron Neely
Mrs. Pia Hagler
Mr. & Mrs. James F. Norvell, Jr.
Mr. Scott Hardigree *
Dr. & Mrs. R. J. Adkins
Mr. & Mrs. Cecil D. O’Bryan
Mr. Edward J. Holmes
Mr. & Mrs. Max Balotin *
Mr. & Mrs. James C. Overstreet
Ms. Jane J. Houston
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Baratto
Mr. E. Owen Perry III
Ms. Ann Kilpatrick
Mr. & Mrs. F. Madison Barrett II
Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Parks III
Ms. Donna H. King
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis W. Beckenhauer
Mr. & Mrs. John Phelan
Ms. Helen Lynn
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis A. Bell
Dr. & Mrs. David Proefrock
Mr. Spyro G. Meimarides
Mr. & Mrs. James J. Bernstein
Mrs. Anna Reeves
Dr. Robert L. Moretz
Mr. & Mrs. Schuyler H. Clark III *
Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Rice, Jr.
Dr. Eugene Norris
Mrs. Barbara Cole
Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Riley
Ms. Libby Osbon *
Mr. & Mrs. Chris Cosper
Dr. & Mrs. B. Kenneth Roper
Mr. Steven J. Rauch
Mr. & Mrs. George Sibley Dale
Mr. & Mrs. John S. Roth
Ms. Melissa Reese *
Mr. & Mrs. P. Ferris Dorr
Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Thurman
Ms. Frances W. Rhodes
Mr. Gary W. Edwards
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory B. Scurlock
Dr. P. T. Rockwell *
Mr. & Mrs. George Eskola
Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Shurtleff *
Ms. Judith F. Ruffin
Drs. Durrell & Denise Evans
Mrs. Rebecca Sibley *
Mr. Steve Sanders
Dr. & Mrs. John H. Franklin
Mr. & Mrs. Jack B. Smith
Ms. Antonia Shiver
Dr. & Mrs. Murray A. Freedman
Mr. & Mrs. Ricky E. Stokely
Mr. Conrad Smith
Dr. & Mrs. James Garvey
Dr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Swift
Mrs. Dawson Stallworth
Dr. & Mrs. Richard Gayle
Mr. & Mrs. Wyatt E. Theus
Ms. Caroline K. Tefft
Dr. & Mrs. H. North Goodwin
Mr. W. R. Toole
Dr. Sandra Tho
Ms. Darlene Graves
Mr. & Mrs. Harry C. Vaiden III
Mrs. Bonnie Thurmond
Mr. Benjamin Hagler & Ms. Eva Watts *
Dr. & Mrs. Ronald Weber
Mr. Robert R. Turbyfill, Jr.
Dr. Paulette Harris +
Mr. & Mrs. Larry White
Ms. Mary Porter Vann
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Jeffrey Harrison
Dr. Roy Witherington
Dr. Janice Williams
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffery J. Heck
Mr. & Mrs. Kirby Yawn
Mrs. Karen Heid *
Mr. & Mrs. Bennett A. Yort
Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Hendrix
Drs. Peter & Avis Yount
Family/Double
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Herzberg
Historic Augusta News
Spring 2016 | 21
Corporate Members Corporate Diamond Knox Foundation
Corporate Benefactor Storey Foundation, Inc.
Corporate Patron Platt's Funeral Home
Corporate Donor 2KM Architects Haltermann Partners, Inc. Meybohm Realtors Signature Interiors Studio 3 Design Group
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22 | Spring 2016
Historic Augusta News
Historic Augusta, Inc., Board of Trustees 2016 Honorary Trustees • Mrs. Jacquelyn Murray Blanchard • Mr. Patrick G. Blanchard • Mrs. Ann Boardman • Mr. Clayton P. Boardman III • • Mrs. Joe D. Christian • Mrs. William L. Clark • Mr. D. Hugh Connolly • Mr. Bryan M. Haltermann • • Mr. George S. Harrison • Mr. Paul G. King • Mrs. William S. Morris III • Mr. Robert C. Osborne • • Mr. H. M. Osteen • Mr. Thomas H. Robertson • Mrs. Paul Simon • Mrs. Randolph R. Smith •
Trustees • Mr. Robert L. Allgood • Mr. Frank Anderson • Mrs. Christy Beckham • Mr. Davis H. Beman • Mrs. William L. Bennett, Jr. • • Mrs. Richard Daniel Blanton, Jr. • Mr. Robert Bovard • Mr. Bennett P. R. Bowers • Mrs. Ronald W. Bowers • Mr. Joe Bowles • • Mr. George D. Bush • Mr. Whatley Battey Bush • Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell • Dr. Benjamin P. Casella • Dr. Thomas Clark • • The Hon. Judge Daniel J. Craig • Mr. Mark S. Donahue • Mr. John A. Donsbach • Mrs. Ann W. Ewell • Mr. Richard Fletcher • • Mr. Gould B. Hagler II • Mr. Benjamin R. Harrison • Mr. Levi W. Hill IV • Mr. W. Tennent Houston • Mrs. Susan T. Hunnicut • • Laura Irwin, MD • Mr. Nathan M. Jolles • Mr. John R.B. Long • Mrs. William L. Macuch • Mrs. Bowdre Phinizy Mays, Jr. • • Mrs. James Baker McGee IV• Mrs. G. Locke McKnight• Mr. W. Cameron Nixon • Mrs. Lynthia Ross Owens • Mrs. Robert W. Rice, Jr. • • Mrs. John Robbins • Mrs. Martha Robertson • Mr. Rommel Romero II • Mr. Steven L. Sanders • Mr. Scylance B. Scott Jr. • • Mrs. Michael C. Shelton • Ms. Ashley Hock Smith • Mrs. Emily C. Stevenson • Mr. Branford Thompson • Mr. James B. Trotter • • Mr. Samuel E. Tyson, Jr. • Mr. J. Maxwell Vallotton Jr. • Mr. John H. Williams • Mrs. Karon Williamson •
Ex Officio • Mrs. Anne S. Floyd • Mrs. Christine Miller-Betts • Mr. Barry E. White •
Historic Augusta, Inc. Officers Mr. W. Cameron Nixon, President Mrs. W. L. M. Knox Jr., 1st Vice President, Membership Chair Dr. Lee Ann Caldwell, 2nd Vice President, Wilson Chair Mrs. William L. Macuch, Treasurer Mrs. James Baker McGee IV, Secretary
Historic Augusta News
Staff Erick D. Montgomery, Executive Director Robyn A. Anderson, Preservation Services Director Kuleigh B. Baker, Programs and Marketing Director Melissa Torres, Administrative Assistant Stephanie Herzberg, Wilson House Tour Guide Keith Watson, Wilson House Tour Guide Paul Lockhart, Maintenance Assistant
Spring 2016 | 23
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Historic Augusta News is published quarterly by Historic Augusta, Inc., PO Box 37, Augusta, Georgia 30903‑0037. Offices are located at 415 Seventh Street. For more information concerning Historic Augusta, the Boyhood Homes of President Woodrow Wilson and Supreme Court Justice Joseph R. Lamar, or historic preservation activities in Augusta‑Richmond County, call Historic Augusta, Inc. Phone: 706-724-0436 Fax: 706-724-3083 Wilson House: 706-722-9828 www.historicaugusta.org info@historicaugusta.org
Contributing Writers: Erick Montgomery Robyn Anderson Kuleigh Baker Melissa Torres Designed by: Lindsay Jacobs of Kruhu, Inc.
Front Cover : Twin Gables, he home of Augusta University’s President Brooks A. K eel and First L ady Tammie Schalue at 920 Milledge Road. Photo Courtesy of Augusta University.