The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Announces Its 2012 List of State's 10 'Places in Peril'

ATLANTA, Oct. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released today its 2012 list of ten Places in Peril in the state.

Sites on the list include: Rutherford Hall on the University of Georgia campus in Athens; Orange Hall in St. Marys; W.W. Law House in Savannah; historic railroad buildings of Atlanta; Historic Liberty Street in Milledgeville; Randolph County Courthouse in Cuthbert; Mt. Zion Church in Sparta; Crown Mill Store in Dalton; Secondary Industrial High School in Columbus; and, Chattahoochee Park Pavilion in Gainesville.

"This is the Trust's seventh annual Places in Peril list," said Mark C. McDonald, president and CEO of the Trust. "We hope the list will continue to bring preservation action to Georgia's imperiled historic resources by highlighting ten representative sites," McDonald said.  

Places in Peril is designed to raise awareness about Georgia's significant historic, archaeological and cultural resources, including buildings, structures, districts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes that are threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.

Through Places in Peril, the Trust will encourage owners and individuals, organizations and communities to employ proven preservation tools, financial resources and partnerships in order to reclaim, restore and revitalize historic properties that are in peril.

Sites that have been placed on previous years' lists have included:  the Cowen House in Acworth, which was sold and rehabilitated through The Georgia Trust's Revolving Fund program; the Wren's Nest, home of folklore writer Joel Chandler House in Atlanta, which has undergone extensive restoration since its 2007 listing; Bibb Mill in Columbus, which was destroyed by fire just weeks after it was placed on the list; and, Old Hawkinsville High School in Pulaski County, which won a Preservation Award from the Trust in 2011. Updates on these sites and others can be found at www.georgiatrust.org.

Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country's largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. Committed to preserving and enhancing Georgia's communities and their diverse historic resources for the education and enjoyment of all, The Georgia Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund; provides design assistance to 102 Georgia Main Street cities and encourages neighborhood revitalization; trains teachers in 63 Georgia school systems to engage students to discover state and national history through their local historic resources; and, advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts.

Editor's Note:  Summary information on each 2012 Places in Peril follows. For additional background material and more information on each site including downloadable high-resolution images, please go to www.georgiatrust.org/news/2012pip.php.

The Trust will premiere its 2012 list of the 10 Places in Peril in Georgia at a reception tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011) at Rhodes Hall at 1516 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta. The evening's activities, which begin at 7:00 p.m., will include remarks by Mark C. McDonald, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.

Summary Information on each Places in Peril Site

Rutherford Hall, University of Georgia, Athens-Clarke County

Built in 1939, Rutherford Hall is the University of Georgia's third oldest female dormitory and has been the residence of hundreds of young women.   The Neoclassical style building was constructed with Public Works Administration (PWA) funds during President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal program.  

The University is planning to demolish the residence hall in order to build a new 260-bed residence hall on the same site as Rutherford.

Orange Hall, St. Marys, Camden County

Built sometime between 1829 and 1839, this Greek Revival house is located near the ferry landing that takes visitors to Cumberland Island and is an iconic building for the City of St. Marys. The building was purchased by the City in 1965 and has been used as a museum since. The City would like to continue providing funds for the building's restoration and maintenance, but it is currently overextended financially and is postponing repairs to the building.

The building is in need of exterior and interior repairs that include several structural problems. Orange Hall operates as a house museum but creates little revenue.

W.W. Law House, Savannah, Chatham County

Located in Savannah's Cuyler-Brownsville Historic District, this house was the home of Westley Wallace Law.  Law was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement for Savannah and served as president of the Savannah chapter of the NAACP for 26 years. The W.W. Law House has strong community support from different stakeholders within the Savannah area and nationwide. The house contains an enormous collection of periodicals, books and other important documentary material whose weight has damaged the structural integrity of the building.

The property has been vacant for nearly a decade and is suffering from a lack of maintenance and severe structural issues.  The home's interior requires extensive rehabilitation.

Historic Railroad Buildings of Atlanta, Fulton County

The development of the railroad was a leading force in Atlanta's growth and prosperity in the 19th and early 20th century. With the demolition of Atlanta's Union and Terminal Stations, Georgia's capital lost much of its railroad legacy. Many railroad structures in Atlanta are vacant and have no current plans for reuse. Among the remnants of Atlanta's railroad legacy are Peachtree Station on Peachtree Street and the Norfolk Southern complex on Spring Street.  Peachtree Station, now known as Brookwood Station, was designed by Neel Reid and built in 1917. It is leased to AMTRAK. The Norfolk Southern complex includes two 1912 buildings as well as the largest vacant swath of undeveloped land in Atlanta, known as "the gulch."

Neglect and abandonment threatens many of these resources. AMTRAK is planning to move out of Peachtree Station.

Historic Liberty Street, Milledgeville, Baldwin County

As part of the Milledgeville National Register Historic District, Liberty Street contains some of the best preserved and unique examples of ante- and post-bellum architecture within the city.  Notable examples include the Homestead and Orme-Sallie House, constructed with elements of the Federal and Greek Revival styles. These large private residences are noteworthy for their quality of detail, design, and historic character.

Many locals are concerned that these single family homes will be converted into student housing, losing their historic fabric and perhaps falling into disrepair.  Currently there are several homes for sale on Liberty Street.  Existing city ordinances are designed to dissuade the conversion to multi-family homes, but residents of Liberty Street believe that the legislation contains too many loopholes.

Randolph County Courthouse, Cuthbert

Built in the 1880's, this masonry courthouse located on the town square of Cuthbert was built in the Dutch Romanesque style, which is unusual for Georgia. With the construction of a new judicial center for Randolph County, the functions of the courthouse were relocated.  The county is working with the architectural firm of Lord, Aeck & Sargent to redevelop the building as offices for many municipal functions including a welcome center, chamber of commerce, soil conservation lab and event space.  The county is performing the restoration in phases, using prison labor.  The courtroom benches have been restored as part of a rehabilitation program that trains prisoners to refinish furniture.

Randolph County Courthouse has fallen into disrepair. Large amounts of timber framing in the building need repair due to extensive termite damage.

Mt. Zion Church, Sparta, Hancock County

Located in Hancock County, approximately seven miles north of the town of Sparta, this 1813 Greek Revival style building is all that remains of the once-thriving community of Mt. Zion.  The former Presbyterian Church is owned by the Sparta-Hancock County Historical Society, which would like to rent it to create revenue for future maintenance of the building.

Mt. Zion Church needs exterior and interior repairs.  Its remote location makes it particularly susceptible to vandalism. The building has neither restroom facilities nor electricity.

Crown Mill Store, Dalton, Whitfield County

Built in the late 19th century, this masonry building was the company store for Crown Cotton Mills in Dalton.  Although there were earlier fabric mills in the area, Crown Mill was the leading producer of the muslin cloth that was vital to the area's chenille cloth industry.  This building served as the general store for the employees and residents of the surrounding mill village.

The Crown Mill Store is vacant and in need of restoration. The City of Dalton owns the building and is working to redevelop the Crown Mill area into an art and culture overlay district.  With support from the City, the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society plans to restore and operate the building as a local history museum.

Secondary Industrial High School, Columbus, Muscogee County

Centrally located in the Waverly Terrace community of Columbus, this Beaux Arts masonry school building was constructed in 1906.  It was the first school in the nation to combine vocational and academic courses in a public school system. The Muscogee County Board of Education has voted to use a special option local sales tax to redevelop the building to house alternative education programs. Secondary Industrial School's rehabilitation could have a catalytic effect on the surrounding community and its revitalization.

Redevelopment plans have been halted as funds for the rehabilitation of the building may not be available for five to ten years, leaving the building vacant and susceptible to further decay.

Chattahoochee Park Pavilion, Gainesville, Hall County

Built at the turn of the 20th century, Chattahoochee Park Pavilion was used as an entertainment venue in an amusement park called Chattahoochee Park, built on the banks of what was then Lake Warner.  Georgia Power purchased the facility in 1923 and operated it as an employee retreat until 1955.  When Lake Lanier was completed in 1958, most of the buildings of Chattahoochee Park were covered by water, leaving behind a sole pavilion building.  This wood frame structure, which features an intricate roof trussing system, is owned by the American Legion Post 7 of Gainesville.

The pavilion has a large amount of rotting timbers that are in need of repair and replacing.

For More Information Contact:
Traci Clark
404-885-7802
[email protected]

SOURCE The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation