Past Events
Independence Day Closing
July 03, 2009 - July 04, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2009, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 6, 2009.
The Library and Archives will be closed on Saturday, July 4, 2009, and will reopen at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.
See You In Class
June 29, 2009
Introduction to Genealogical Research
Lecturers: Nora Lewis, Lynette Stoudt, and Alison Bentley
Dates: June 29, July 13, and August 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $50
Beginning genealogical research can be intimidating with the amount of
resources available on the Internet and in print. An Introduction to
Genealogical Research is geared towards those just starting out on the
journey to discover their past. GHS staff will help novice researchers
to dive into the sea of genealogical resources with confidence.
Professional archivists from GHS’s Library and Archives will provide an
orientation to genealogical resources at the Georgia Historical
Society. Following an hour of resource education, staff will assist
participants in performing personalized basic genealogical research
using the resources available in the library.
Click here to make your reservation.
Affiliate Chapter Event
June 22, 2009 - June 26, 2009
Imagination Station: Explorers! History Camp 2009
Augusta Museum of History presents annual Summer Day Camp for 9 – 11 year olds
Augusta, Georgia (3/18/09) – Reservations are now open for the Augusta Museum of History’s annual summer day camp, Imagination Station, to be held June 22 – 26, 2009 at the Museum. Imagination Station: Explorers! will be led by the Museum’s education department staff and volunteers. The week of activities offers children ages 9 – 11 an opportunity to discover the many explorers of the region’s past – from early explorers like Blackbeard the Pirate or William Bartram, to today’s modern day explorers like Astronaut Susan Sill, campers will learn how they explored and navigated our region and beyond!
For five exciting days, campers will design their own money, use a compass to navigate a course, learn about wartime contraband, and much more. $90 for Museum members, $100 for non-members. The fee includes all supplies. Camp hours are 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and campers supply their own lunch.
The deadline for registration is Friday, June 6, 2008. For more information, contact the Museum’s Education Department at (706) 722-8454 or hsellers@augustamuseum.org. History Camp Applications are available on www.augustamuseum.org or at the Museum’s front desk.
CALENDAR LISTING:
Imagination Station: Explorers! History Camp, June 22 – 26, Augusta Museum of History
Get ready for an adventure as campers discover the many explorers of our region’s past – from early explorers like William Bartram or Blackbeard the Pirate, to today’s modern day explorers, like Astronaut Susan Still, find out how they explored and navigated our region and beyond! Campers will design their own money, use a compass to navigate a course, learn about wartime contraband and much more! Ages 9 – 11. Camp hours are 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Camp applications available on the Museum website or at the front desk. $90 for Museum members, $100 for non-members.
Augusta Museum of History, the only Museum in the CSRA accredited by the American Association of Museums, was established in 1937 for the purpose of preserving and sharing the material history of Augusta and the region. From a 10,000 year-old projectile point to a 1914 locomotive, the collections chronicle a rich and fascinating past. The museum is located at 560 Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta. Please call (706) 722-8454 for more information or visit our website www.augustamuseum.org.
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Closed Monday
Admission: Adult: $4 • Senior: $3 • Child (6-18): $2 • Child (5 & under): Free
See You In Class
June 22, 2009 - June 26, 2009
Decisive Battles of the Civil War
Lecturer: W. Todd Groce
Dates: June 22-26
Time: 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
Cost: $125 per person
Most Civil War battles were bloody slugfests that resulted in tens of thousands of casualties but failed to bring victory to either side. Only a handful of engagements were conclusive enough to alter the course of the war. In this week-long class, Dr. Groce will examine the five most significant of these and discuss how and why each was decisive in bringing about an end to the conflict.
Click here to make your reservation.
See You In Class
June 15, 2009 - June 19, 2009
Transforming the Bully Pulpit: American Presidents in the 20th Century
Lecturer: Dr. Stan Deaton
Dates: June 15-19
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $125 per person
How and why did the "Bully Pulpit," as Theodore Roosevelt called the American Presidency, become the most dominant branch of the American government in the 20th century? Who were the transformative figures who brought this about and what are its consequences? This five-part course will examine the leadership and personalities of the most dynamic presidents of the 20th century.
Click here to make your reservation.
See You In Class
June 08, 2009
Basic Preservation for Your Family Treasures
Lecturers: Nora Lewis, Lynette Stoudt, and Alison Bentley
Dates: June 8 and July 20
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 per person
Materials included in the price of the class
Taking proper care of your family treasures will ensure that they will be around for future generations to learn from and enjoy. Basic Preservation for Your Family Treasures will provide participants with effective and easy-to-use solutions to prolong the life of family history materials. All techniques are based on archival professional standards and suitable for a wide variety of items. This class will focus on preserving paper-based items such as letters, diaries, newspaper, photographs, scrapbooks, books, and artwork.
Professional archivists from GHS’s Library and Archives will provide information on how to perform basic preservation techniques for the most common forms of family history materials. Following an hour of introduction, staff will provide personalized consultations on items brought to the class by participants. Please note – participants are limited to one item each. Additionally, participants will be instructed in a hands-on preservation activity. All participants will receive one archival document case, ten archival folders, and five archival photograph sleeves.
Click here to make your reservation.
See You In Class
June 04, 2009
Oral History: It's Recorded, Now What?
Lecturer: John Dickinson
Dates: June 4 and August 20
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $35 per person
The most common problem with oral histories is the lack of follow
through once a recording has been made. Often tapes sit unattended
because individuals lack the skills or technical knowledge to process
the information. This class will introduce students to the hardware
and software to take an oral history recording from original medium to
digital production. Students will see options for both audio and video
uploading and production. Students do need to possess basic computer
and internet skills but do not need any special equipment to participate.
Click here to make your reservation.
See You In Class
June 01, 2009
Oral History: Getting Started
Lecturer: John Dickinson
Dates: June 1 and August 17
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $35 per person
This class will discuss how to setup and begin taking an oral history.
Whether one is interested in recording the stories of family or
planning a project to preserve the memories of a particular community,
this class will provide students a basic understanding to begin
recording oral histories. Students do not need any special equipment
or technical skills to participate.
Click here to make your reservation.
School Presentation
May 27, 2009 - May 04, 2009
James Oglethorpe and
the Founding of Georgia
The Georgia Historical Society's Director of Programs, Christy Crisp, will make a presentation on Georgia's early history to students at St. James Catholic School in Savannah.
This presentation is open only to students and invited guests of St. James Catholic School.
Memorial Day Closing
May 25, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2009, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, 2009.
Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America
May 07, 2009
Georgia Historical Society and Savannah-Chatham County School System's Teaching American History Program
Present
Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America
A Lecture by Andrew Ferguson
Thursday, May 7, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
St. John's Episcopal Church
1 West Macon Street, Savannah
Madison Square
free and open to the public - book sale and signing to follow
For more information, please call 912.651.2125 ext. 40
~~~
Lincoln: Remembered or Forgotten
American journalist, author, and reawakened Lincoln buff Andrew Ferguson will lecture on his critically acclaimed book Land of Lincoln: Adventures in Abe’s America. In his delightful and disarmingly funny book, Weekly Standard editor Ferguson explores the question “How do Americans commemorate Lincoln and what do our memories of him reveal about our visions of the good life?” Ferguson traveled across America on a long field trip, his family in tow, to many of the places where Americans have chosen to remember – or to forget – Honest Abe as he dug deep into the revisionist phenomenon that surrounds America’s 16th President. The Washington Post has called Ferguson’s cultural insights “vivid and penetrating” and his writing “terrific.” This work implores the reader to find humor in the many and varied ways a diverse America remembers its leaders.
Affiliate Chapter Event
May 01, 2009 - May 02, 2009
Historic Augusta’s Downtown Loft Tour, May 1 and 2, 2009
Historic Augusta, Inc. will host its fifth annual Downtown Loft Tour on May 1 and 2, 2009. A selection of trendy living and working spaces will be open to the public during First Friday between 6 pm and 9 pm and again on Saturday from noon to 5 pm.
The purpose of the tour, held during National Historic Preservation Month, is to encourage interest in the preservation and use of historic buildings in the Augusta Downtown Historic District by providing the public with an intimate look at their interiors. This year, participants will view ten sites on Broad Street and beyond including the Stovall-Barnes House, built in 1860, which has recently been rehabilitated into apartments, and 965-967 Broad Street, which features a business on the first floor and residence above. The tour contains buildings of various sizes and styles, each with distinctive architectural features and design. On Friday night, tour stops will feature appetizers or sweets from downtown restaurants and caterers such as La Maison on Telfair and Reconstructed Soul.
Tickets for the loft tour can be purchased for $15 in advance or for $20 during the tour. Advance tickets can be purchased at the following locations: Historic Augusta, 415 Seventh Street, Mellow Mushroom, 1167 Broad Street, Metro Spirit, 700 Broad Street, blue magnolia, 1124 Broad Street and Hill Drug, 1432 Monte Sano Avenue. During the tour, participants can collect a map or purchase tickets at Tour Headquarters in front of 1002 Broad Street. Proceeds benefit the programs and projects of Historic Augusta, Inc., a nonprofit membership based organization. The mission of Historic Augusta, Inc. is to preserve historically or architecturally significant structures and sites in Augusta and Richmond County.
Historic Augusta’s Downtown Loft Tour is sponsored in part by Merry Land Properties, Inc., Metro Spirit, NBC Augusta, The CW Augusta and WBBQ 104.3. Other sponsors include Bank of America, John R.B. Long, Attorney-At-Law, Johnson, Laschober & Associates, Red Door Designs, Sanford Bruker & Banks, Sand Hills Properties, and Strother’s Printing, Inc.
To purchase tickets or for more information about this or our other programs, please contact Historic Augusta, Inc. by telephone at 706-724-0436 or visit www.historicaugusta.org.
Historical Marker Dedication
April 28, 2009
Hamilton Plantation
April 28, 2009
10:00 a.m.
Corner of Hamilton Road and Arthur J. Moore Drive on St. Simons Island
Marker Text:
In 1800 James Hamilton, with his partner John Couper, purchased land at Gascoigne Bluff. Under Hamilton’s stewardship, Hamilton Plantation became one of the major St. Simons producers of long-staple cotton. After Hamilton moved to Philadelphia, management oversight was carried out by his namesake, James Hamilton Couper, who eventually owned Hamilton. From colonial days, Gascoigne Bluff had served as a deep-water landing. In the plantation era, imported goods and cotton exports for the entire island were transported through Hamilton Plantation’s wharf. Two tabby cabins that housed some of the plantation’s slaves have been preserved at the Bluff.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, Coastal Georgia Historical Society, Friends of Coastal Georgia History, and Sea Island Company.
2008.11 63-8
Georgia Historical Society Annual Book Sale
April 24, 2009 - April 25, 2009
Friday, April, 24th
Member preview and purchase
Proof of membership is required 
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Open to the public
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 25th
Open to the public
10 a.m - 5 p.m.
Hot dog sale - Saturday only! 11:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.
2 hot dogs, chips, and a drink for $5.00
Please note that the library and
archives will not be open for research on the days of the Book
Join us for this popular annual event that raises funds for the Georgia Historical Society's library and archives. This sale of
donated books will include a wide range of titles covering history, biography,
fiction, and much more!
Book donations for the book sale will be accepted through Friday, April 17th.
Donations can include rare and non-rare: fiction, poetry, children's, and all
non-fiction subjects including history, biography, current events, how-to,
religion, business, self-help, cooking, gardening, etc.
Magazines/journals, outdated and obsolete audio/video/software, and games will not be accepted for use in
the Book Sale.
Introduction to the Collections of the Georgia Historical Society
April 22, 2009
Professionals from the Georgia Historical Society Library and Archives and Programming staff will provide an overview of the Georgia Historical Society and its collections to Savannah State University students.
Wednesday, April 22nd 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Hubert Hall
Open to Savannah State University students and faculty
Affiliate Chapter Event
April 21, 2009
The Cotton Ball
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Historic Augusta’s Cotton Ball, a tradition in Augusta since 1988, will be held this year on Tuesday, April 21 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The casual affair will be held in the gardens surrounding the home of Dr. and Mrs. Logan Nalley, Jr., located at 2229 Pickens Road.
Notable previous owners of the Nalleys’ house include Barna McKinne and his wife Ann Galphin McKinne, poet Richard Henry Wilde, and James Paul Verdery and his wife Jane Cumming Verdery. The McKinnes built the Sand Hills Cottage around 1810 facing Milledge Road at the corner of what is now known as Pickens Road. Wilde added the wings to the house around 1830 which allowed for a dining room on the east and bedrooms on the west. From 1892 until 1896, the Verderys moved the house in three stages to its present location facing Pickens Road.
Dinner will be provided by Outback Steakhouse. Dessert will be provided by La Maison on Telfair. Mint juleps, a Cotton Ball favorite, in addition to a full bar will be enjoyed throughout the evening. Rob Foster and Pulsar will entertain with jazz music. A raffle will be held for a 3-night stay at a five bedroom beach home in Spring Island, South Carolina.
Admission to the Cotton Ball is by current, new or renewing membership in Historic Augusta, Inc., which is open to all who are interested in preserving our city’s historic places. Memberships start at just $50 for individuals and $75 for couples. Advanced reservations are encouraged.
The Cotton Ball is sponsored in part by La Maison on Telfair, Outback Steakhouse, Phoenix Printing, Wachovia, WBBQ 104.3 and News 12 WRDW-TV.
For more information, call Historic Augusta at (706) 724-0436 or visit www.historicaugusta.org.
Affiliate Chapter Event
April 17, 2009
Cherokee County Historical Society's
Historic Preservation Awards Banquet
Featured Speaker – David Bottoms, Georgia Poet Laureate
Friday, April 17, 2009, 7:00 pm
Northside Hospital Cherokee Conference Center
On Friday, April 17, 2009 the Cherokee County Historical Society will honor 4 individuals and businesses for their work to preserve historic structures in Cherokee County. In addition to recognizing these preservation efforts, the Historical Society is pleased to welcome Georgia Poet Laureate, David Bottoms, as the event's featured speaker. Mr. Bottoms was born in Canton in 1949. His first book, Shooting Rats at the Bibb County Dump, was selected by Robert Penn Warren as winner of the 1979 Walt Whitman Award of the Academy of American Poets. His poems have appeared widely in magazines such as The Atlantic, The New Yorker, Harper's, The Paris Review, and Poetry, as well as in over fifty anthologies and textbooks. He is the author of six other books of poetry, most recently Waltzing through the Endtime, as well as two novels. Among his many other awards are the Levinson and the Frederick Bock prizes from Poetry magazine, an Ingram Merrill Award, an Award in Literature from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
Mr. Bottoms has given over 200 readings and lectures in colleges and universities across the country, as well as the Guggenheim Museum, The Library of Congress, and The American Academy in Rome. He has been Richard Hugo Poet-in-Residence at the University of Montana, the Ferrol Sams Distinguished Writer at Mercer University, and currently holds the Amos Distinguished Chair in English Letters at Georgia State University. Since 2000, he has served as Poet Laureate of Georgia. This year he was elected into the Georgia Writer’s Hall of Fame.
This event represents Mr. Bottom's first speaking engagement in Cherokee County. He will discuss his experiences growing up in Canton and read a few of his poems. The event is open to the public, and tickets may be purchased for $22 online at www.rockbarn.org or by calling 770.345.3288.
Georgia Historical Society's Annual Meeting and Garden Party
April 16, 2009
The Chairman and Board of Curators
invite you to attend
The 170th Annual Membership Meeting
& Garden Party
April 16, 2009
Savannah
~~~
170th Annual Meeting
of the members of the Georgia Historical Society
Thursday, April 16, 2009
5:00 p.m.
Georgia Historical Society Headquarters
501 Whitaker Street, Savannah
Members Only
~~~
Garden Party
Please Join GHS members and friends for a Garden Party reception
to follow the 170th Annual Meeting of the membership
Thursday, April 16, 2009
5:30 p.m.
Downtown Historic Savannah Location (provided upon reservation)
Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres
$35 per person
Click here to place your reservation!
For more information please call 912.651.2125, ext. 20.
click the thumbnail to view the invitation.
Affiliate Chapter Event
April 06, 2009 - April 12, 2009
Behind the Swing: The History and Science of Golf
Augusta Attractions collaborate for a weeklong look ‘behind the swing’
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA (4/2/09) - Augusta Museum of History and National Science Center’s Fort Discovery are collaborating to present Behind the Swing: The History and Science of Golf, a weeklong collaboration of exhibitions and programming on Augusta’s favorite pastime – golf, Monday, April 6 – Sunday, April 12, 2009.
The History of Golf is showcased at the Augusta Museum of History through the exhibition, Stories and Legends: Remembering the Augusta National. From the Augusta National Golf Club’s beginnings in 1934, when Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones proposed the club host an annual tournament to notable patrons, including Bing Crosby and President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this special exhibit highlights the personalities and forces that shaped the Augusta National Golf Club into the home of the world’s greatest tournament. The exhibit also chronicles the career of Phil Wahl, longtime club manager of the Augusta National, and includes his personal memorabilia and club correspondence. Augusta has a rich golf heritage, beginning in the early 1900s when Augusta and Aiken served as winter resorts for visitors from the North. Stories and Legends explores the past and how Augusta developed into the capital of golf worldwide.
Also in celebration of this weeklong look at golf, the major motion picture Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius will be playing in the History Theater at the Museum. The film and exhibition are included in the cost of regular Museum admission of $4 for Adults, $3 for Seniors, $2 for Children ages 6 – 18, and free for children ages 5 and under.
The Science of Golf will be displayed at the National Science Center’s Fort Discovery. The science behind the golf swing will be analyzed as visitors experience golf Power Stations (live science demonstrations). Golf is a game of strategies, but there also is a science behind it. From why balls have dimples to why a putt curves, Fort Discovery explores the physics, math and technology of the modern game. And, join in the game in virtual reality!
"We are committed to fostering the cultural and educational offerings in Augusta and partnerships with attractions like the History Museum help achieve this goal.” said Rob Dennis, President and CEO of The National Science Center.
Augusta Museum of History Executive Director, Nancy Glaser said, “We’re pleased to celebrate Augusta’s favorite pastime with a world-class education institution like The National Science Center’s Fort Discovery. Institutions like Fort Discovery and the Augusta Museum of History educate, inform, enlighten, and entertain the residents and visitors to the CSRA, and contribute significantly to the economic vitality and quality of life here.”
Behind the Swing: The History and Science of Golf will run April 6 – 12, 2009 at The National Science Center’s Fort Discovery and the Augusta Museum of History, both located in downtown Augusta. Through exhibitions, films, and demonstrations, Behind the Swing, takes a look at the history of golf in Augusta and the science behind the modern game.
Augusta Museum of History, the only Museum in the CSRA accredited by the American Association of Museums, was established in 1937 for the purpose of preserving and sharing the material history of Augusta and the region. From a 10,000 year-old projectile point to a 1914 locomotive, the collections chronicle a rich and fascinating past. The museum is located at 560 Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta. Please call (706) 722-8454 for more information or visit our website www.augustamuseum.org.
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Closed Monday
Admission: Adult: $4 • Senior: $3 • Child (6-18): $2 • Child (5 & under): Free
Open Monday of Masters Week, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
The National Science Center’s Fort Discovery is located on the scenic Riverwalk in downtown Augusta at 1 7th Street. This 128,000 square-foot family-oriented math and science center fires the imaginations of children and adults by making math, science and technology come alive. Your Fort Discovery experience will be one to remember with 250 hands-on exhibits, custom digital programs in the Paul S. Simon Discovery Theater, a StarLab planetarium, Martian Towers, a Kidscape Gallery for young scientists seven and under, educational workshops, exciting daily demonstrations in the PowerStation, an indoor lightening storm and outdoor high-wire bike.
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sunday, 12 - 5 p.m.
Admission: $8 (Adults), $6 (children, age 55+, military with ID)
Please call (800) 325-5445 or (706) 821-0200 for more information or visit www.NationalScienceCenter.org.
Affiliate Chapter Event
April 04, 2009
Botanicals of the South Family Fun Day
April Family Fun Day highlights Naturalists Bartram, Catesby, and Von Reck
Augusta, Georgia (3/22/09) – The Augusta Museum of History’s 2009 Family Fun Day series continues with Botanicals of the South Family Fun Day on Saturday, April 4, 2009, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Families are invited to glimpse the Natural South, learn of William Bartram and how he recorded species of plants, flowers, and trees, discover Baron Von Reck’s voyages through Georgia, and create their own leaf rubbings to take home.
The film, The Curious Mr. Catesby, will be on view in the History Theater. The documentary explores the life and works of Mark Catesby, who as an explorer, was the first to conduct a critical study of the lush and varied habitat of North America, particularly the southeast colonies and the environs of the Lowcountry and Piedmont areas. His meticulous paintings and etchings of birds and plants captured the diverse natural beauty of colonial America 100 years before Audubon.
“Family Fun Days provide visitors with engaging experiences to help them become more informed and involved in the history of the CSRA by building upon the concepts presented in our exhibitions. These presentations also offer an opportunity to highlight portions of the Museum’s collections our visitors and Museum members may not normally see,” said Heather Sellers, Education Manager.
Family Fun Days are FREE with regular Museum admission: $4 for Adults, $3 for Seniors, $2 for Children, and free for members and children under age 5. For more information about Botanicals of the South Family Fun Day or additional family programming, contact the Museum at (706) 722-8454 or visit www.augustamuseum.org.
Augusta Museum of History, the only Museum in the CSRA accredited by the American Association of Museums, was established in 1937 for the purpose of preserving and sharing the material history of Augusta and the region. From a 10,000 year-old projectile point to a 1914 locomotive, the collections chronicle a rich and fascinating past. The museum is located at 560 Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta. Please call (706) 722-8454 for more information or visit our website www.augustamuseum.org.
Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Closed Monday
Admission: Adult: $4 • Senior: $3 • Child (6-18): $2 • Child (5 & under): Free
The 1797 Ezekiel Harris House¸ said to be “the finest eighteenth-century house surviving in Georgia”, is located at 1822 Broad Street and is an excellent example of early Federal architecture. Fully restored in 1964 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Ezekiel Harris House is a reminder of the days when tobacco was the primary cash crop of Georgia. For more information, call (706) 737-2820 or visit www.augustamuseum.org.
Winter Hours: Guided tours by appointment Tuesday – Friday; Saturday 1:00 – 5:00 pm, with the last tour beginning at 4:00 pm; Closed Sunday & Monday.
Admission: Adult and Senior: $2 • Child: $1
SCAD Student Orientation
March 26, 2009
Professional archivists will provide an orientation to Civil War resources in the collection of the Georgia Historical Society to SCAD Professor Karl Schuler's American Fortified Architecture class.
Open only to students currently registered for this course.
St. Patrick's Day Parade Closing
March 17, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Tuesday, March 17, 2009. The Administrative Offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m. and the Library and Archives will reopen at noon on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.
Georgia Genealogical Society General Meeting Presentation
March 07, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Systems and Catalog Coordinator, John Dickinson, will be presenting an orientation to GHS's genealogical resources with a focus on Irish ancestry at the Georgia Genealogical Society (GGS) General Meeting.
The presentation will take place at the Bull Street Public Library in Savannah, Ga. on Saturday, March 7th from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Registration is required. Open to GGS members and non-members.
For more information on GGS's General Meeting, please see their web site at:
Presentation for the Savannah Area Genealogical Association
February 23, 2009
Unusual, Little-known & Rarely-used Genealogical Resources at
the Georgia Historical Society
The Georgia Historical Society's Reference Archivist Alison Bentley will present an orientation to library and archival materials to the members of the Savannah Area Genealogical Association (SAGA).
The meeting will be held in the John Knox Room of the First Presbysterian Church on Monday, February 23rd at 7 p.m.
Open to visitors and members of the Savannah Area Genealogical Association.
For information on becoming a member of SAGA, please see their web site at:
http://www.savannahgenealogy.org/
Scottish Highland Dinner
February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Fort King George State Historic Site, Fort King George Drive, Darien
This annual event features a Scottish dinner, hosted by Oglethorpe himself, at the Fort King George barracks. This event is organized by Fort King George and the Lower Altamaha Historical Society. For more information, please call 912.437.4770. Reservations required; a fee will be charged for dinner.Scottish Highland Dinner
February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Fort King George State Historic Site, Fort King George Drive, Darien
This annual event features a Scottish dinner, hosted by Oglethorpe himself, at the Fort King George barracks. This event is organized by Fort King George and the Lower Altamaha Historical Society. For more information, please call 912.437.4770. Reservations required; a fee will be charged for dinner.
Fort Frederica Living History Festival
February 21, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009, 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Fort Frederica National Monument, 6515 Frederica Road, St. Simons Island
This annual event commemorates the founding of Frederica in 1736.
Activities throughout the day will immerse visitors in the history of
Frederica and the struggle for empire between Great Britain and Spain
in the 18th Century. Programs include tabby making, hands-on musket
drills, colonial children’s games, journal making, and archeology
programs. This event is organized by Fort Frederica National
Monument. For more information, please contact the Fort Frederica
Visitor’s Center at 912.638.3639. Free and open to the public.
President's Day Closing
February 16, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, February 16, 2009, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2009.
Georgia Days Birthday Bash and Annual Awards Gala
February 14, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Hyatt Regency, Savannah
7:00 P.M.
To see photos from this event, click here!
After 1/30/09 NO REFUNDS will be made for ticket purchases. Thank you for your understanding.
The Georgia Days Birthday Bash and Annual Awards Gala is the lavish culmination of GHS's two-week commemoration of the founding of the Colony of Georgia. Last year's gala was lauded by many for its elegant presentation, delicious dinner, and engaging and informative speaker. The 2009 celebration, "Magic in the Moonlight," will be held under the stars on the banks of the Savannah River, a romantic setting in keeping with Valentine's Day. To recognize the centennial of his birth, nationally-acclaimed lyricist, composer, singer, and Georgian Johnny Mercer will be the 2009 historic honoree and the banquet will feature his memorable music.
|
Mary Matalin and James Carville |
The evening will include greetings from Governor Sonny Perdue and an insightful keynote address featuring Washington's most captivating couple - James Carville and Mary Matalin. Carville and Matalin will combine their unique experience as perennial political insiders to provide attendees with a stimulating, candid, and provocative keynote entitled "All's Fair in Love, War, and Politics". In addition, that evening GHS will recognize and honor Georgians who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of our state and nation (see below for more information). A raffle will be held for items from Tiffany's.
The Georgia Trustees
In 1732, King George II appointed the Georgia Trustees, a group of leaders with the vision and commitment to service necessary to foster the development of the young colony. Their spirited vision lives on through the actions of Georgians who through service and philanthropy have profoundly shaped our state and nation. The Georgia Historical Society has joined with the Office of the Governor to reconstitute the Georgia Trustees, each year honoring contemporary visionaries alongside the founders of the colony. Those chosen as Georgia Trustees will be inducted annually by the Governor at GHS's Georgia Days Birthday Bash and Annual Awards Gala. The first persons in the modern era to join this distinguished group are
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
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For a full listing of Georgia Days sponsors, click here.
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
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Click image to view full sized.
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Preferred Birthday Bash and Awards Gala
Hotel Accommodations
601 East Bay Street
Savannah, GA 31401
877.468.1200 or 912.238.1200
Additional Hotel Accommodations
100 General Mcintosh Blvd.
Savannah, GA 31401
912.233.7722
Block Rates- $129.00 (Cityview) or $149.00 (Riverview)
Oglethorpe Arrives at Darien
February 13, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009, 10:00 a.m.
Fort King George State Historic Site, Fort King George Drive, Darien
Darien was founded by Scottish Highlanders, who arrived at the site of Fort King George on January 19, 1736. James Oglethorpe visited the site a month later. School children will witness a re-enactment of this historic landing and will hear Oglethorpe’s speech to the new Highland settlement. This event is organized by Fort King George and the Lower Altamaha Historical Society. For more information please call 912.437.4770. Free and open to the public.
Georgia Day Dignitaries' Coffee
February 12, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009, 9:00 a.m.
Georgia Day begins with a coffee for dignitaries, sponsors, and special guests. The event features greetings from dignitaries, introductions of historical characters, and a continental breakfast. The Georgia Day Dignitaries' Coffee will also feature the unveiling of new plaques honoring the creators of named endowment funds at the Georgia Historical Society. Attendees are invited to join the Georgia Day Parade, which begins at the conclusion of the Coffee just steps away from the Georgia Historical Society at the north end of Forsyth Park.
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
The Georgia Day Dignitaries Coffee is sponsored by The Savannah Bank.
GHS's 2009 Georgia Days Parade
February 12, 2009
|
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Thousands of elementary school students participate in the annual Georgia Day Parade |
Thursday, February 12, 2009, 10:30 a.m.
Bull Street from Forsyth Park to City Hall, Savannah
The Georgia Historical Society Library and Archives will not be open for research in observation of Georgia Day.
Elementary school students join dignitaries, costumed characters, and local citizens in a colorful parade through the squares of Bull Street in a Georgia Day tradition. The parade begins at Forsyth Park and continues north on Bull Street, ending at City Hall with greetings from the Mayor and other dignitaries as well as Banner Competition awards presentations to the students. Thousands of elementary school children participate annually.
Teachers, to get information about participating in the parade click here.
Free and open to the public
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
Additional support for this event provided by: 
Event Media Sponsor: 
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
Click here to view WTOC's broadcast of the 2008 Georgia Day Parade!
Black History Month Essay and Public Speaking Contest
February 09, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society’s annual Black History Month Essay and Public Speaking Contest will focus on the theme of Savannah in the Civil Rights Movement. Students are encouraged to visit the Frederick Baldwin photography exhibit “Freedom’s March” on display at the Jepson Center for the Arts September 24, 2008 –January 4, 2009 for inspiration in creating these historical essays.
These 500-word essays focus on either a single personality associated with the movement in Savannah, or a specific aspect of the movement such as student involvement, school integration, or the role of local churches. Finalists from the essay portion of the contest will compete in a public speaking event to be held at the Georgia Historical Society on Monday, February 9, 2009. This year's finalists are:
Middle School Division
Haley Martin, sixth grade, Oglethorpe Charter School
Debi Prasetio, sixth grade, Oglethorpe Charter School
High School Division
Emily Hickey, ninth grade, First Presbyterian Christian Academy
Chancellor Hudson, twelfth grade, Savannah High School
Detailed guidelines for this event are available here. To view information about last year's event, click here.
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
Super Museum Sunday
February 08, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009, 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.
Savannah-area museums (Full listing of participating venues available here, for a copy of this year's map, click here)
In commemoration of the founding of the colony of Georgia, GHS invites you to explore historic sites throughout the area. Georgians and visitors alike will experience our first city's rich history and cultural life as historic house museums, art museums, and other points of interest open their doors to the public at no charge during this Georgia Historical Society's Georgia Days tradition. More than 40 cultural institutions in and around Savannah participate in this popular annual family event.
Free and open to the public
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
Additional support for this event provided by: 
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
Colonial Faire and Muster
February 07, 2009 - February 08, 2009
Saturday (Family Day) and Sunday, February 7-8, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wormsloe State Historic Site, 7601 Skidaway Road, Savannah
In commemoration of the founding of the colony of Georgia, GHS invites you to bring your family back in time to the site of one of the earliest and most beautiful colonial-era plantations of the Georgia coast. The ruins of the plantation house, costumed interpreters, colonial-era musicians, and a host of demonstrations evoke the spirit of colonial Georgia for friends and families of all ages. Schedule of events is available upon arrival at the Faire and Muster. For more information, please call Wormsloe State Historic Site at 912.353.3023.
Free and open to the public
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
For a full listing of Georgia Days events, click here.
Savannah Book Festival
February 06, 2009 - February 07, 2009
GHS is proud to partner with the Savannah Book Festival in bringing this exciting series of events to our community.
Savannah Book Festival Events Calendar Entries
Events for February 6, 2009
Savannah Book Festival Keynote Address by Roy Blount, Jr.
Free and open to the public
5:30 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church
225 W President Street, Savannah, GA 31401
Join us for the kickoff event of the second Annual Savannah Book Festival with a keynote address by southern humorist and author Roy Blount, Jr. in the sanctuary of Trinity Church. Blount will be introduced by another southern humorist and author, Julia Reed - returning this year by popular request. Free and open to the public. Festival events continue throughout the weekend. For more information, call the Savannah Book Festival office at 912-358-0575 or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org
Sponsored in part by
Savannah Morning News, Georgia Power Company, The City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Humanities Council, WTOC –TV, UGA Libraries and Georgia Historical Society.
Events for February 7, 2009
Savannah Book Festival
Free and open to the public
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John Berendt speaking at the 2008 Savannah Book Festival |
Beginning at 10:00 am and ending at 5:00 pm, more than 40 nationally-known authors will make hourly talks at different venues in Telfair square and the stately buildings surrounding the square. Authors from Fiction, History & Biography, Contemporary Issues, Lifestyle and Poetry genres will address audiences and sign books. The Savannah Book Festival employs a one-author/one-audience format; each author speaks informally and directly to his or her audience, with audience questions welcomed.
Following their presentations, each author will sign books in the Book Sales Tent adjacent to Telfair Square. Books by all authors participating in the Festival will be available for purchase on site, and are supplied by Follett Higher Education in cooperation with the Savannah College of Art and Design.
In addition to author presentations, family activities and performances by singer-songwriter Caroline Aiken and spoken word artists will be provided in Telfair Square. In the areas surrounding the square will be various food vendors and exhibitors, including publishing companies and literary non-profits. New for 2009 will be the Local Author Marketplace, where emerging and self-published authors may exhibit and gain exposure to audiences.
For more information, call the Savannah Book Festival office at 912-358-0575 or visit www.savannahbookfestival.org
Sponsored in part by
Savannah Morning News, Georgia Power Company, The City of Savannah Department of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Humanities Council, WTOC –TV, UGA Libraries and Georgia Historical Society.
For more information, please contact Amy Rhodes, 912-358-0575 or amyrhodes@savannahbookfestival.org
Georgia Days Kickoff: Pardon My Southern Accent: The Life and Legacy of Johnny Mercer in Word, Song, and Art
February 03, 2009
Image courtesy of Special Collections & Archives, Georgia State University
In this family-friendly event, professional entertainer Jim Wann explores the life and contributions of Savannah’s own Johnny Mercer by providing biographical information interspersed with musical selections from Mercer’s extensive body of work, as well as personal reminiscences of Johnny collected from local Savannahians. A post-event reception will include a rare viewing of several of Mercer’s original watercolors, as well as a display of Mercer’s childhood art.
Georgia Days Signature Sponsor:
Georgia Days Signature Media Sponsor:
Additional support for this event provided by: 
Special thanks to Arts on the Coast and Midway Gallery for their assistance in mounting the Mercer watercolor exhibit.
House of Abraham: Lincoln and the Todds, A Family Divided by War
January 29, 2009
House of Abraham:
Lincoln and the Todds, A Family Divided by War
A Lecture by Stephen Berry
Thursday, January 29, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
free and open to the public - book sale and signing to follow
For more information, please call 912.651.2125 ext. 40
~~~
A Family Divided
In House of
Historical Marker Dedication
January 24, 2009
Americus Colored Hospital
January 24, 2009
3:00 p.m.
133 J. R. Campbell Drive, Americus, GA
Marker Text:
One of the earliest hospitals in southwest Georgia devoted to the care of African Americans, the Americus Colored Hospital opened in 1923. The majority of the funds needed to build the hospital were provided by Dr. W.S. Prather. Practice in the hospital was open to doctors of all races and so provided opportunities for black doctors, nurses, and pharmacists who were unable to practice in many hospitals throughout the South. The hospital suffered financial difficulties throughout its history, but remained in use by the African-American community until Sumter Regional Hospital was constructed under the Hill-Burton Act in 1953.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the City Federation of Colored Women Club
2008.12 129-02
MLK, Jr. Day Closing
January 19, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2009, and will reopen at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2009.
Historical Marker Dedication
January 10, 2009
John McClinton Tutt
1886-1968
January 10, 2009
12:00 Noon
off of Laney-Walker Boulevard at 1108 Phillips Street, Augusta, GA
Marker Text:
For over six decades, John Tutt educated Augusta’s youth at the Haines Normal and Industrial Institute and Lucy Craft Laney High School. After graduating from Lincoln University in 1905, Tutt returned to Augusta to teach Mathematics. Coach Tutt’s teams amassed hundreds of wins in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field – many against college and semi-professional teams. He was a founding member of the Southern Coaches and Officials Association (est. 1922) and was instrumental in organizing its members into a cohesive group of African-American officials prepared to officiate within the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and elsewhere. John Tutt lived at this location from 1928-1968.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, Delta House, Inc./Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, and Zeta Xi Omega Housing Foundation, Inc.
2008.13 121-13
New Year's Day Closing
January 01, 2009
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative
Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, December 31, 2008-January
1,
2009. The Administrative Offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m.
and the Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Friday,
January 2, 2009.
New Year's Eve Closing
December 31, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative
Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday, December 31, 2008-January
1,
2009. The Administrative Offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m.
and the Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Friday,
January 2, 2009.
Holiday Closing
December 23, 2008 - December 25, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed from Tuesday to Thursday, December 23-25, 2008. The Administrative Offices will reopen at 8:30 a.m. and the Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Friday, December 26, 2008.
GHS Affiliate Chapter Awards Presentation
December 04, 2008
Roger K Warlick Local History Achievement Awards:
Exhibits
Presented to the
Columbus Museum and Shaw High School Young Historians Club
and
Programs
Presented to the
Historic Columbus Foundation
December 4, 2008, 12:00 p.m.
WWII Company Street (Mess Hall)
behind the National Infantry Museum
parking across the street at Oxbow Meadows
Fort Benning
3491 South Lumpkin Rd
Columbus, GA
GHS President and CEO Dr. Todd Groce will present two of the 2008 Roger K. Warlick Local History Achievement Awards at 12:00 p.m. on December 4, 2008. The Exhibits award will be presented to the members of the Columbus Museum and Shaw High School Young Historians Club, and the Programs award will be presented to the Historic Columbus Foundation.
The Exhibits award recognizes the efforts of historical organizations within the Georgia Historical Society's Affiliate Chapter Program to interpret the history of the State of Georgia to the general public. The Columbus Museum and Shaw High School Young Historians Club are being recognized for their outstanding work in the creation and interpretation of The Chattahoochee Valley World War II Homefront exhibit.
The Programs award recognizes the efforts of historical organizations within the Affiliate Chapter Program to bring creative and inspired new educational programs to their community. The Historic Columbus Foundation is being recognized for its Red Clay, White Water, and Blues program.
In addition to the award presentations, Dr. Groce will also present a lecture, "Saving Private Ryan: World War II in History and Memory." This will be a "Lunch and Lecture" and attendees are encouraged to bring a bag lunch to enjoy during the presentation; drinks and desert will be provided.
Columbus Membership Party Canceled
December 04, 2008
The invitation-only Membership Party in Columbus, Georgia, scheduled for Thursday, December 4th, has been canceled.
Thanksgiving Closing
November 27, 2008 - November 28, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2008. The Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Saturday, , 2008. The Administrative Offices will reopen on December 2, at 8:30 a.m.
A Small Town on a Sand Hill: Savannah in the Eighteenth Century
November 20, 2008
A presentation to the
Lower Altamaha Historical Society
by Christy Crisp
November 20, 2008
7:00 P.M.
Fort King George Historic Site
1600 Wayne Street
Darien, Georgia
This presentation highlights the earliest years of Savannah's founding as the first British settlers worked to build a successful port city out of a lowcountry pine forest. Focusing on Oglethorpe’s city plan and highlighting the collections of the Georgia Historical Society, the program also includes images of modern Savannah and reveals what can be learned about the colonial and early republic periods in an afternoon spent exploring downtown. Free and open to the public.
Closing
November 11, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. The Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Wednesday, November 12, 2008. The Administrative Offices will reopen on Wednesday, November 12, at 8:30 a.m.
Saving Savannah
October 23, 2008
Saving Savannah:
The City and the Civil War
A Lecture by Jacqueline Jones
Thursday, October 23, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.
Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church
429 Abercorn Street, Savannah
Calhoun Square
free and open to the public - book sale and signing to follow
For more information, please call 912.651.2125 ext. 40
~~~
Transforming Georgia's First City
Jacqueline Jones, prizewinning author of Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow, returns to Savannah to discuss her latest book that explores the complex social fabric of this thriving port city before, during, and after the Civil War. Drawing on military records, diaries, letters, newspapers, and memoirs – many found at the Georgia Historical Society – Jones tells the story of a city struggling to reinvent itself in the face of sweeping societal changes by weaving together stories of individual men and women, bankers and dockworkers, planters and field hands, enslaved laborers and free people of color.
Jacqueline Jones is Walter Prescott Webb Chair in History and Ideas/ Mastin Gentry White Professor of Southern History at the University of Texas at Austin and the author of seven previous books. Among her numerous awards are the Taft Prize, the Brown Memorial Prize, the Spruill Prize, the Bancroft Prize for Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow, and, in 1999, a MacArthur Fellowship. Jones currently resides in Austin, Texas with her family.
Historical Marker Dedication
October 19, 2008
Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery
October 19, 2008
3:00 p.m.
Intersection of Fourth and Bray Streets
adjacent to Springfield Baptist Church, Athens, GA
Marker Text:
The Gospel Pilgrim Cemetery was founded in 1882 by the Gospel Pilgrim Society, a fraternal organization, to furnish respectable funerals and burial places for Athens-area African Americans. Popular in the nineteenth century, such societies offset funeral costs and ensured a funeral procession and proper burial for members. The cemetery illustrates a Reconstruction-era departure in the black community from burial sites associated with specific churches. Gospel Pilgrim also contains fine examples of African-American funerary art. Approximately 3500 persons are buried here, including state legislator Madison Davis and nationally recognized folk artist Harriet Powers.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and East Athens Development Corporation, Inc.
2008.8 29-6
Historical Marker Dedication
October 16, 2008
St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church:
Mother Church of Black Catholics in Georgia
October 16, 2008
2:00 p.m.
556 East Gordon Street, Savannah, GA
Marker Text:
In May 1874 two Benedictine priests arrived in Savannah to work with the city’s African-American community, and constructed a church four blocks north of here. In 1889 a new building was constructed at this site. The Society of African Missions staffed the parish from 1907 to 1968. Staffed by Franciscan Sisters, St. Benedict’s day school operated from 1907 until its closure in 1969 due to integration. The school’s alumni include U. S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The sisters also staffed the orphanage established by Mother Matilda Beasley, the first African-American woman in Georgia to belong to a religious order. The current building was constructed in 1949.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
2008.3 25-30
Historical Marker Dedication
October 16, 2008
Beach Institute
October 16, 2008
12:00 p.m.
502 East Harris Street, Savannah, GA
Marker Text:
The Beach Institute began in 1867 as the first school in Savannah erected specifically for the education of African Americans. It was named for Alfred Ely Beach, benefactor and editor of Scientific American. Following the Civil War, the Freedmen’s Bureau, American Missionary Society, and the Savannah Educational Association purchased land and with the labor of newly freed slaves built this school and a teachers’ house on this site. The Beach Institute, birthplace of First Congregational Church and the Savannah Boys Club, closed in 1919. Operated by the King-Tisdell Cottage Foundation since 1989, today the Beach Institute serves as an educational and cultural center.Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
2008.6 25-34
GHS Presidential Citation Presentation
October 15, 2008
Presidential Citation
Presented to the
First Baptist Church of Americus
at 6:30 P.M.
221 South Lee Street
Americus, GA
GHS President and CEO, Dr. Todd Groce, will present a Presidential Citation to the congregation of the First Baptist Church of Americus in recognition of the recent publication of A Journey of Grace: A History of the First Baptist Church of Americus, Georgia, which tells the story of one of Georgia’s most historic churches in one of the state’s most historically significant communities.
GHS Affiliate Chapter Award Presentation
October 14, 2008
Roger K Warlick Local History Achievement Award:
Archival Excellence
Presented to the
Cherokee County Historical Society
On October 14, 2008
Rock Barn
658 Marietta Highway
Canton, GA
GHS President, Dr. Todd Groce will present the 2008 Roger K. Warlick
Local History Achievement Award for Archival Excellence to the
members of the Cherokee County Historical Society on at 7:00 p.m. on October 14, 2008. The Archival Excellence award recognizes the efforts of historical organizations within the Affiliate Chapter Program to increase public awareness of the importance of archival work and its lasting contribution to scholarship. Cherokee County Historical Society is being recognized for their outstanding work in preserving and processing the Buddy Alexander Photograph Collection, and making this collection available for researchers.
Dr. Groce will also present a lecture,
"Saving Private Ryan: World War II in History and Memory."
Profiles in Leadership
October 10, 2008
Abraham Lincoln:
Leadership and Legacy for a New Generation
The Georgia Historical Society and the Georgia Humanities Council
Present
a Roundtable discussion featuring David Blight and Harold Holzer
Georgia Public Broadcasting Studio C,
260 14th Street NW,
Atlanta, GA
October 10, 2008
8:00 PM
The Georgia Historical Society, in partnership with the Georgia Humanities Council, returns to the Georgia Public Broadcasting Studios in Atlanta for the 2008 Profiles in Leadership, which will focus on "Abraham Lincoln: Leadership and Legacy for a New Generation," as part of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial. This year’s program will explore the life, times, and leadership of a man who guided the nation through one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. Our panelists this year are two of the foremost national authorities on Lincoln and are both Lincoln Prize winners: David Blight of Yale University (click here to read bio ) and Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer, co-chairman of the United States Lincoln Bicentennial (click here to read bio ).
Harold Holzer will be previewing his new book, Lincoln - President Elect (slated for release in late October). Copies will be available for purchase and autographs during the book signing that follows the evening's program.
To read the press release for this event, click here .
Honorary Chairs
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| Secretary of State Karen Handel |
|
The Honorable Sam Nunn |
| Commissioner of Labor Michael Thurmond |
Chairs
| Mr. and Mrs. Ray C. Anderson |
The Honorable and Mrs. Roy Barnes |
| Mr. and Mrs. James H. Blanchard |
Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Brown, Jr. |
| Mr. and Mrs. Archie Davis | Mrs. William M. Gabard |
| Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Hale | Mr. and Mrs. Bill Jones III |
| Mr. and Mrs. Barry Phillips | Mr. and Mrs. John A. Wallace |
Host Committee
| Mr. and Mrs. Alvan S. Arnall |
Honorable and Mrs. David H. Gambrell |
| Mr. and Mrs. Neil Hightower | Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Howell |
| Honorable and Mrs. Willis B. Hunt, Jr. | Mr. and Mrs. Edward Inman |
| Mr. and Mrs. Phil Jacobs | Mr. and Mrs. John F. McMullan |
| Mr. C.B. Harman Nicholson | Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Starr |
| Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Walsh, III |
With Support From
John and Mary Franklin Foundation
Georgia Public Broadcasting
Endorsed by the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Declare Yourself Reception
September 26, 2008
Declaration Tour 2008
Declare Yourself
VIP Reception
Hosted by GHS and Cricket Wireless
Friday, September 26, 2008
Invitation Only
Affiliate Chapter Visit
September 09, 2008
GHS Affiliate Chapter Consultation Visit
September 9, 2008
GHS archives staff visit the Marble Valley Friends in Tate, Georgia, to survey their historical records and conduct a staff workshop on managing, arranging, describing, and storing archival records. Invitation Only.
Affiliate Chapter Visit
September 08, 2008
GHS Affiliate Chapter Consultation Visit
September 8, 2008
GHS archives staff visit the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center in Johns Creek, Georgia, to survey their museum collections and buildings; make recommendations on managing, arranging, describing, and storing their collections; and advise on establishing the facility as a heritage site.
Historical Marker Dedication
August 26, 2008
Robert Sengstacke Abbott Boyhood Home
Founder of the Chicago Defender
August 26, 3008
10:30 a.m.
At the corner of West Bay and Albion Streets Savannah, GA.
Marker Text:
From 1878 to 1889, Robert Sengstacke Abbott lived in the parsonage of Pilgrim Congregational Church, once located on this site. His stepfather, John H.H. Sengstacke, minister of the church, published the Woodville Times. Abbott learned the printing trade here and developed his commitment to equal rights for African Americans. In 1905, he founded the Chicago Defender, a newspaper that revolutionized African-American journalism. He fought to abolish Jim Crow laws and establish a non-discriminatory society. The Defender played a major role in initiating the Great Migration (1915-1919) of approximately 1.3 million blacks to northern cities.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the City of Savannah
2008.7 25-33
Historical Marker Dedication
August 25, 2008
Oakland Cemetery
August 25, 2008
12:00 p.m.
At the cemetery's main entrance on 248 Oakland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA.
Marker Text:
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society; the Garden Club of Georgia, Dogwood District; and Historic Oakland Foundation
2008.1 60-7
Georgia Historical Society Lecture Series
August 14, 2008
|
|
Southern Storm:
Sherman’s March to the Sea
By Noah Andre Trudeau
Thursday, August 14, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Congregation Mickve Israel
20 E. Gordon St., Savannah
Monterey Square
Free and open to the public—Book signing following lecture
For more information, please call 912.651.2125
Or visit www.georgiahistory.com
~~~
Award-winning Civil War historian Noah Andre Trudeau has written a fascinating new account of United States Army General William Tecumseh Sherman’s epic march—a targeted strategy aimed to break not only the Confederate Army but an entire society as well. In vivid detail, Trudeau explains why General Sherman’s name is still anathema below the Mason-Dixon Line, especially in Georgia.
Sherman’s swath of destruction spanned more than sixty miles in width and virtually cut the Confederacy in two, badly disabling the flow of supplies to the Rebel army. Told through the intimate and engrossing diaries and letters of Sherman’s soldiers and the civilians in their path, Southern Storm paints a vivid new picture of an event that would change the course of America.
Community College Faculty Workshop Session II
July 20, 2008 - July 25, 2008
Landmarks of American History and Culture
 |
Slaves labouring in a cotton field, detail of a stereograph from the GHS Collection, 1361SG-AG-Cotton-05 |
Workshops for Community College Faculty:
African-American History & Culture in the Georgia Lowcountry:
Savannah & The Coastal Islands, 1750-1950,
July 13-18 & July 20-25, 2008
The landmarks workshop for community college faculty has been designed to address broad themes of race and slavery in American history covered in a U.S. History survey course by focusing on site-specific experiences of communities in and around Savannah from the late eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries. Through course readings, scholarly lectures, landmark site visits, community presentations, guided tours, and research in primary source documents from the Georgia Historical Society collection we will examine the centrality of place in the African-American experience in Georgia's Lowcountry and the larger Atlantic world. Workshop content is intended to help facilitate classroom discussion of general topics such as American slavery, early-American and nineteenth century economies, art, and music as well as more site-specific subjects such as the impact of geography, environment, time, and place on the development of community values and cultures.
Check back for further updates throughout the coming months.
For more information on NEH Landmark Workshops for Community College Faculty contact Charles Snyder by e-mail and visit http://www.neh.gov/projects/landmarks-college.html
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the national Endowment for the Humanities.
Community College Faculty Workshop Session I
July 13, 2008 - July 18, 2008
Landmarks of American History and Culture
| |
Slaves laboring in a cotton field, detail of a stereograph from the GHS Collection, 1361SG-AG-Cotton-05. |
Workshops for Community College Faculty:
African-American History & Culture in the Georgia Lowcountry:
Savannah & The Coastal Islands, 1750-1950,
July 13-18 & July 20-25, 2008
The landmarks workshop for community college faculty has been designed to address broad themes of race and slavery in American history covered in a U.S. History survey course by focusing on site-specific experiences of communities in and around Savannah from the late eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries. Through course readings, scholarly lectures, landmark site visits, community presentations, guided tours, and research in primary source documents from the Georgia Historical Society collection we will examine the centrality of place in the African-American experience in Georgia's Lowcountry and the larger Atlantic world. Workshop content is intended to help facilitate classroom discussion of general topics such as American slavery, early-American and nineteenth century economies, art, and music as well as more site-specific subjects such as the impact of geography, environment, time, and place on the development of community values and cultures.
Check back for further updates throughout the coming months.
For more information on NEH Landmark Workshops for Community College Faculty contact Charles Snyder by e-mail and visit http://www.neh.gov/projects/landmarks-college.html
Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this website do not necessarily represent those of the national Endowment for the Humanities.
Closing
July 04, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed on Friday, July 4, 2008. The Library and Archives will reopen at 10:00 a.m on Saturday, July 5, 2008. The Administrative Offices will reopen on Monday, July 7, at 8:30 a.m.
GHS Affiliate of the Year Award Presentation
June 29, 2008
Roger K Warlick Local History Achievement Award:
Affiliate of the Year
Presented to the
Stephens County Historical Society
On June 29, 2008
Currahee Military Museum
160 N. Alexander Street
Toccoa, GA
GHS President, Dr. Todd Groce will present the 2008 Roger K. Warlick Local History Achievement Award for Affiliate of the Year to the members of the Stephens County Historical Society on June 29, 2008, at a presentation to be held at the Currahee Military Museum in Toccoa, Georgia.
Historical Marker Dedication
June 25, 2008
U.S. Marshal Robert Forsyth
(1754-1794)
June 25, 2008
2:00 p.m.
At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
605 Reynolds Street, Augusta, GA.
Marker Text:
Robert Forsyth was the first federal law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty. Captain of Light Dragoons in Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee’s cavalry during the Revolutionary War, Forsyth had been appointed the first marshal for the District of Georgia by President Washington in 1789. Forsyth also served as justice of the peace and as a trustee of Richmond Academy. On January 11, 1794, Forsyth was shot and killed by Beverly Allen while attempting to serve civil court papers. Allen was arrested and escaped twice, finally fleeing to Kentucky. Robert Forsyth, father of Georgia Governor John Forsyth, is buried in St. Paul’s cemetery.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the United States Marshals Service Association
2008.9 121-12
Closing
June 18, 2008 - June 19, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June18, 2008, and will reopen on Friday, June 20, 2008.
Historical Marker Dedication
June 17, 2008
History of Emancipation: Gen. David Hunter and General Orders No. 7
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
2:00 p.m.
At Fort Pulaski National Monument, Visitors CenterUS Highway 80 East, Savannah
Free and open to the public
Marker Text:
History of Emancipation: Gen. David Hunter and General Orders No. 7
On April 13, 1862, following the Union capture of Ft. Pulaski during the Civil War, Maj. Gen. David Hunter issued General Orders No. 7 freeing those enslaved at the fort and on Cockspur Island. Hunter, an abolitionist advocating the enlistment of black soldiers in the Union Army, ordered freedmen subject to military service. Not yet committed to a comprehensive plan of emancipation, President Abraham Lincoln overturned the orders. However, Hunter’s orders were a precursor to Lincoln’s own Emancipation Proclamation, formally issued January 1, 1863, and to the establishment of the Bureau of Colored Troops on May 22, 1863. Local African-American units included the 103rd Regiment USCT, which served at Ft. Pulaski 1865-1866.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
2008.5 25-32
Historical Marker Dedication
June 17, 2008
Savannah’s African-American Medical Pioneers
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
12:00 p.m.
At the northwest corner of Liberty and Montgomery Streets, SavannahFree and open to the public
Marker Text:
Savannah’s African-American Medical Pioneers
African-American physician Cornelius McKane (1862-1912) was born in British Guiana and began medical practice in Savannah in 1892. Alice Woodby McKane (1865-1948) came to Georgia that same year – the only black female physician in the state at that time. After marrying in 1893, the couple established McKane Training School for Nurses at this location – one of the first such schools in the region. In 1895 they moved to Monrovia, Liberia, where they helped organize several healthcare facilities. There Alice McKane worked as a U.S. medical examiner for expatriate Civil War veterans. After their return to Savannah in 1896, they founded the McKane Hospital for women and children (later Charity Hospital). The McKanes permanently left Savannah in 1909, relocating to Boston.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and Sam's Club and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
2008.4 25-31
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
May 21, 2008
Thurgood Marshall
May 21, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
May 19, 2008
Leaps For Mankind: Cold War, Civil Rights, and Technology
May 19, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
May 14, 2008
Buffalo Soldiers
May 14, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
Historical Marker Dedication
May 10, 2008
Point Peter Battery and the War of 1812
Saturday, May 10, 2008
10:00 A.M.
Spring House Pavilion, Cumberland Harbor
Point Peter Road, St. Marys
Free and open to the public
Marker Text:
Point Peter Battery and the War of 1812
In 1795 a cannon battery constructed on the Point Peter peninsula became the southernmost fortification in the First System of U.S. coastal defenses. Vacated in 1802, it was reoccupied and strengthened in 1808 to provide support for the enforcement of the Embargo Act and the prohibition of the international slave trade. In 1812, former Georgia governor George Matthews led the unsanctioned “Patriot” invasion of Spanish Florida from Point Peter. On January 13, 1815, during the War of 1812, a British force overwhelmed 116 U.S. regulars here, destroying the fort and barracks. After the U.S. acquired Florida in 1819, the post was abandoned.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and National Society U.S. Daughters of 1812, State of Georgia
Georgia Historical Society Lecture Series
May 08, 2008
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Click image above to view Lecture Card |
Diehard Rebels:
The Confederate Culture of Invincibility
by Jason Phillips
Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Georgia Historical Society, Savannah
Free and open to the public
~~~
Jason Phillips persuasively answers a Civil War mystery: Why did so many Confederates doggedly keep fighting in the face of looming defeat? Much is known about what Confederate soldiers fought for; far less is understood about why they continued to fight despite long odds and terrible costs. Drawing on soldiers' letters and diary entries from 1863 to 1865, Phillips in Diehard Rebels explains why countless Confederate soldiers earnestly believed that victory lay just around the corner. Examining a most impressive array of sources, including many from the Georgia Historical Society, he finds that religious faith, cheerleading propaganda, admiration of the officer class, hatred of Yankees, military discipline, bonding in the ranks, and stubborn denial of the obvious were all factors. Phillips eloquently and poignantly recounts the deprivations and sacrifices that Confederates endured in the vain hope of eventual victory. Every Civil War student will find Diehard Rebels highly moving and tragic.
Historical Marker Dedication
May 04, 2008
Mossy Creek Campground and Rock Springs Campground
Sunday, May 4, 2008
4:00 P.M.
Mossy Creek Campground
GA Hwy 254 South, two miles north of US 129
Cleveland, Georgia
Marker Text:
Mossy Creek and Rock Springs Campgrounds
Mossy Creek Campground was established in 1833 and has continued as a site of yearly religious revival meetings since that time. Rock Springs Campground was established in 1887 and is one of the few remaining camp-meeting sites organized by black congregations in Georgia. Similar sites developed throughout the region during and after the Second Great Awakening of the early nineteenth century. In addition to religious teaching, camp meetings provided social opportunities for isolated rural communities. Brush arbors, or open-air shelters, like the ones at Mossy Creek and Rock Springs, are typical of southern camp-meeting sites.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, Mossy Creek Tentholders, Rock Springs Campground Association, and White County Historical Society
Georgia Historical Society's Annual Book Sale
April 25, 2008 - April 26, 2008
Friday, April, 25th
Member preview and purchase
Proof of membership is required
9 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Open to the public
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday April 26th
Open to the public
10 a.m - 6 p.m.
Please note that the library and archives will not be open for research on the days of the Book Sale.
Join us for this popular annual event that raises funds to purchase books for the Georgia Historical Society's library and archives. This sale of donated books will include a wide range of titles covering history, biography, fiction, and much more!
Book donations for the book sale will be accepted through Friday, April 18th. Donations can include rare and non-rare: fiction, poetry, children's, and all non-fiction subjects including history, biography, current events, how-to, religion, business, self-help, cooking, gardening, etc.
Magazines/journals, audio/video, and games will not be accepted for use in the Book Sale.
Donations are tax deductible charitable donations.
169th Annual Membership Meeting & Garden Party
April 17, 2008
The Chairman and Board of Curators
invite you to attend
The 169th Annual Membership Meeting
& Garden Party
April 17, 2008
Savannah
Click here to view a PDF of the invitation.
~~~
169th Annual Meeting
of the members of the Georgia Historical Society
Thursday, April 17, 2008
5:30 p.m.
Hodgson Hall
501 Whitaker Street, Savannah
Members Only
~~~
Garden Party
Please Join GHS members and friends for a Garden Party reception
to follow the 169th Annual Meeting of the membership
Thursday, April 17, 2008
6:30 p.m.
509 Whitaker Street, Savannah
Built right after the Civil War and overlooking beautiful Forsyth Park, the John Williamson House has been impeccably restored by the current owners, Mr. and Mrs. Mark V. Smith.
Cocktails and Hors d'oeuvres; Susan Mason Catering
$25 per person
For more information please call 912.651.2125, ext. 20.
~~~
Hotel Accommodations
601 East Bay Street, Savannah 201 East Bay Street, Savannah
877.468.1200 912.231.9700
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
March 17, 2008
Alexander Hamilton
March 17, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
CLOSING
March 14, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society Administrative Offices and Library and Archives will be closed Friday, March 14, 2008.
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
March 07, 2008
Nation Among Nations: World Wars and After
March 7, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
Historical Marker Dedication: Leo Frank Lynching
March 07, 2008
Leo Frank Lynching
Friday, March 7, 2008
2:00 P.M.
The marker text will read as follows:
Near this location on August 17, 1915, Leo M. Frank, the Jewish superintendent of the National Pencil Company in Atlanta, was lynched for the murder of thirteen-year-old Mary Phagan, a factory employee. A highly controversial trial fueled by societal tensions and anti-Semitism resulted in a guilty verdict in 1913. After Governor John M. Slaton commuted his sentence from death to life in prison, Frank was kidnapped from the state prison in Milledgeville and taken to Phagan's hometown of Marietta where he was hanged before a local crowd. Without addressing guilt or innocence, and in recognition of the state's failure to either protect Frank or bring his killers to justice, he was granted a posthumous pardon in 1986.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society, the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation, and Temple Kol Emeth
Historical Marker Dedication
March 03, 2008
Largest Slave Sale in Georgia History:
The Weeping Time
Monday, March 3, 2008
10:30 A.M.
Dunn Street and Augusta Avenue, Savannah
The marker text will read as follows:
One of the largest sales of enslaved persons in U.S. history took place on March 2-3, 1859, at the Ten Broeck Race Course ¼ mile southwest of here. To satisfy his creditors, Pierce M. Butler sold 436 men, women, and children from his Butler Island and Hampton plantations near Darien, Georgia. The breakup of families and the loss of home became part of African-American heritage remembered as "the weeping time." The event was reported extensively in the northern press and reaction to the sale deepened the nation's growing sectional divide in the years immediately preceding the Civil War.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the City of Savannah
Click here to listen to Dr. Todd Groce's interview about this event on Georgia Gazette.
The Atlantic World And African American Life And Culture In The Georgia Lowcountry: 18th To The 20th Century
February 27, 2008 - February 29, 2008
Symposium February 27-29, 2008
Savannah, Georgia
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Untitled, James S. Silva Collection, 1888 - 1910s, VM2126 |
The role of African-Americans in the history of Georgia's barrier islands and Georgia's place in the larger Black Atlantic world has been significant but largely overlooked by scholars who have traditionally focused on South Carolina. This symposium, featuring ten of the leading voices in the field, will provide a much-needed forum for new directions and new scholarship.
Speakers include David Brion Davis (Yale University), Philip D. Morgan (Johns Hopkins University), Michael Gomez (New York University), Jacqueline Jones (Brandeis University), Emory Campbell (Penn Center), Erskine Clarke (Columbia Theological Seminary), Allison Dorsey (Swathmore College), Timothy B. Powell (University of Pennsylvania), Theresa A. Singleton (Syracuse University), and Betty Wood (Cambridge University).
The seminar will take place in the center of historic Savannah, Georgia, where participants will be able to experience firsthand many of the sites discussed through exciting events and pre- and post-conference tours.
In addition, Symposium sponsors will also conduct two workshops for teachers, geared towards using local resources to teach history and culture.
For more information, or to register for the symposium, visit The Ossabaw Island Foundation website.
The Georgia Historical Society is proud to lend its support to this exciting educational event.
Sponsors:
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Historical Marker Dedication
February 25, 2008
Savannah: Colonial Capital and
Birthplace of Representative Government in Georgia
February 25, 2008
1:45 P.M.
Reynolds Square, Savannah
Abercorn Street at Congress Street
Join us for the dedication this historical marker highlighting the significance of the city of Savannah in the development of Georgia's state government. This marker is part of an initiative, sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of State, to mark the colonial capitals of Georgia. Secretary of State Karen Handel is scheduled to attend.
The marker text will read as follows:
In March 1750, the Georgia Trustees in London resolved to allow colonists to elect a representative assembly to meet in Savannah, Georgia's colonial capital. Sixteen delegates met on January 15, 1751, for a twenty-four-day session. Representative government continued in 1755 in the Commons House of Assembly, which by 1770 began meeting in a building on the southeast trust lot of Reynolds Square. In 1777, the new state constitution provided for an elected House of Assembly. The Georgia constitution of 1789 expanded the legislature to two houses, known and the General Assembly.
Erected by the Georgia Historical Society and the Office of the Secretary of State
Free and Open to the Public
Scottish Highland Dinner
February 23, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Fort King George State Historic Site, Fort King George Drive, Darien
This annual event features a Scottish dinner, hosted by Oglethorpe himself, at the Fort King George barracks. This event is organized by Fort King George and the Lower Altamaha Historical Society. For more information, please call 912.437.4770.
Reservations required
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
February 22, 2008
Little Big Horn
February 22, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
February 20, 2008
Sherman: A Soldier's Passion for Order
February 20, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
275th Birthday Bash and Annual Awards Gala
February 16, 2008
This event has been SOLD OUT!
Click to view PDF of invitation
Saturday, February 16, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency, Savannah
On the Occasion of the 275th Anniversary
of the Founding of the Colony of Georgia
Awards:
Archie Davis, Volunteer of the Year
Bradley Hale, Lifetime Achievement
Keynote:
Michael Beschloss, NBC's Presidential Historian
Keynote address sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Jepson, Jr.
For a list of all Georgia Days 2008 sponsors, click here
Join the Georgia Historical Society and national, state, and local leaders in honoring the 275th Anniversary of the founding of the Colony of Georgia. This gala evening will feature acclaimed author and NBC's Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss as Keynote Speaker. The evening will begin with cocktails at the site of Oglethorpe's landing; dinner will follow in a seating plan designed to evoke Savannah's famous historic squares. The program will feature greetings from Her Majesty's government, the presentation of the Society's three major awards, and Mr. Beschloss' address on great moments of leadership in American history. A book signing and dancing will roundout the 275th Birthday Bash.
This event has been SOLD OUT!
Georgia Day Dignitaries' Coffee
February 12, 2008
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Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson (right) and Oglethorpe re-enactor Scott Hodges (left) were among the celebrants at the 2007 Georgia Day Dignitaries' Coffee |
Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 9:00 a.m.
Sponsored by: The Savannah Bank
Georgia Day begins with a coffee for dignitaries, sponsors, and special guests. The event features greetings from dignitaries, introductions of historical characters, and a continental breakfast. The Georgia Day Dignitaries' Coffee will also feature the unveiling of new plaques honoring the creators of named endowment funds at the Georgia Historical Society and recognition of student award winners. Attendees are invited to join the Georgia Day Parade, which begins at the conclusion of the Coffee just steps away from the Georgia Historical Society at the north end of Forsyth Park.
Invitation only
2008 GHS's Georgia Day Parade
February 12, 2008
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Thousands of elementary school students participate in the annual Georgia Day Parade |
Tuesday, February 12, 2008, 10:30 a.m.
Bull Street from Forsyth Park to City Hall, Savannah
Sponsored by: The Savannah Bank
with additional support from the City of Savannah
The GHS library and archives will be closed to researchers from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for this event. GHS will be open for research from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Elementary school students join dignitaries, costumed characters, and local citizens in a colorful parade through the squares of Bull Street in a Georgia Day tradition. The parade begins at Forsyth Park and continues north on Bull Street, ending at City Hall with greetings from the Mayor and other dignitaries as well as Banner Competition awards presentations to the students. Thousands of elementary school children participate annually.
Free and open to the public
Click here to view WTOC's broadcast of the 2008 Georgia Day Parade!
Black History Month Essay and Public Speaking Contest
February 11, 2008
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WSAV Anchor Kim Gusby (left) and GHS President & CEO Dr. W. Todd Groce (right) with the 2007 Black History Month Essay and Public Speaking contest winner, Eleanor Marchant (center). |
Monday, February 11, 2008, 5:00 p.m.
Georgia Historical Society, 501 Whitaker St., Savannah
Sponsored by: Cumulus Savannah, Savannah Morning News, WSAV
The five finalists of the Georgia Historical Society's annual Black History Month Essay and Public Speaking Contest will present their essays publicly at the Georgia Historical Society's Hodgson Hall Library. The public presentations will be judged and three winners selected by a panel representing Savannah's academic and media communities. Prizes to be awarded. A reception will follow the event.
To view contest guidelines, click here; to download a copy of the entry form, click here.
Free and open to the public
Super Museum Sunday
February 10, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008, 12:00 noon - 4:00 p.m.
Savannah-area museums (click here for listing)
Sponsored by: Richmond Hill Plantation
Georgians and visitors alike will experience our first city's rich history and cultural life as historic house museums, art museums, and other points of interest open their doors to the public at no charge during this Georgia Historical Society's Georgia Days tradition. More than 40 cultural institutions in and around Savannah participate in this popular annual family event.
For a listing of 2008 participants, click here or contact individual sites of interest.
For a map of the participating venues, click here.
Free and open to the public
Oglethorpe Arrives at Darien
February 08, 2008
Friday, February 8, 2008, 10:00 a.m.
Fort King George State Historic Site, Fort King George Drive, Darien
Darien was founded by Scottish Highlanders, who arrived at the site of Fort King George on January 19, 1736. James Oglethorpe visited the site a month later. School children will witness a re-enactment of this historic landing and will hear Oglethorpe's speech to the new Highland settlement. This event is organized by Fort King George and the Lower Altamaha Historical Society. For more information please call 912.437.4770.
Free and open to the public
Georgia Days Kickoff Event
February 05, 2008
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Scott Hodges portrays Georgia founder James Edward Oglethorpe |
An Evening with James Edward Oglethorpe
A Dramatic Historical Presentation by Scott Hodges
Tuesday, February 5, 2008, 6:00 p.m.
Georgia Historical Society, 501 Whitaker St., Savannah
Sponsored by: British Gas
The GHS library and archives will close to researchers at 4 p.m. for this event.
The Kickoff Event for Georgia Days 2008 explores the life and legacy of Georgia's founder and the 2008 Honoree General James Edward Oglethorpe. Professional interpreter Scott Hodges brings thirty years of experience as a re-enactor to the role of Georgia's founder. Hodges draws upon the journals, diaries, and letters of the time period to vividly bring to life the first years of the "Georgia Experiment." A little history, a little humor, and a lot of first-person character! An extensive display of English trade items, along with maps, accompany this "hands-on" program suitable for all ages.
GHS will also display that evening a nationally recognized and award-winning collection of rare Oglethorpe stamps from the private collection of Mr. Charles J. O'Brien III of Alpharetta, Georgia. The "Georgia Bicentennial" exhibit celebrates the Oglethorpe stamp released in Savannah on February 12, 1933, to honor the 200th anniversary of the founding of Georgia. Reception to follow.
Free and open to the public
Colonial Faire and Muster
February 02, 2008 - February 03, 2008
Saturday (Family Day) and Sunday, February 2-3, 2008, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wormsloe State Historic Site, 7601 Skidaway Road, Savannah
Sponsored by: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Georgia
Bring your family back in time to the site of one of the earliest and most beautiful colonial-era plantations of the Georgia coast. The ruins of the plantation house, costumed interpreters, colonial-era musicians, and a host of demonstrations evoke the spirit of colonial Georgia for friends and families of all ages. Schedule of events is available upon arrival at the Faire and Muster or by clicking here.
Free and open to the public
Savannah Book Festival sponsored in part by the Georgia Historical Society
February 02, 2008
The Georgia Historical Society
is proud to be a sponsor of the:
Saturday, February 2, 2008
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Locations:
History & Biography - Telfair Museum
Fiction - Trinity Church
Poetry & Songwriting - Telfair Square
Contemporary Issues - First African Baptist Church
(Business, Economics, Science, Technology, Public & Foreign Affairs)
Lifestyle - Jepson Center for the Arts
(Art, Architecture, Food, Travel, Leisure)
Teaching American History Workshop for Teachers
January 11, 2008
Rousing Conscience: The Growth of Democracy
January 11, 2008
Open to registered teachers only
For more information on GHS's role in TAH Programs click here;
for registration information see the Savannah TAH website.
260 14th Street, N.W., Suite A-148
Atlanta, GA 30318
Tel 404.376.8161
Fax 404.671.8570
501 Whitaker Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Tel 912.651.2125
Fax 912.651.2831
Toll Free 877.424.4789
Library & Archives: 912.651.2128
Hours
- Office
- Mon-Fri
8:30 am - 5 pm
- Library
- Tue-Fri: Noon - 5pm
- Sat: 10am - 5pm
Smack Dab Studios