Newsletter Volume 1, Number 3 September 2012
Executive Director chosen for McRitchie-Hollis Museum WE WELCOME JOANNA ARRIETA & HER WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE On October 1, the Historical Society will welcome our new Executive Director, Ms. Joanna Arrieta. She comes to us from the Atlanta History Center in Buckhead. Joanna graduated from Clemson University with a BA in History and Spanish and began her career as a school teacher in Managua, Nicaragua. She was then hired by the Atlanta History Center as a coordinator of their tours, programs and volunteers. For the last five years she has been the Director of Historic Houses, overseeing every aspect of the Center’s Swan House, Margaret Mitchell House and the Smith Family Farm. She obviously brings with her the experience and expertise that we will need in the operation of the McRitchieHollis Museum. We are extremely fortunate to have Joanna join our staff. You will have the opportunity to meet and welcome her at our membership meeting in November, details to follow. Table of Contents Annual Meeting" " " " " " 2 Gift Shop Sale" " " " " " 4 Holiday Parties at the Depot"" " " 2 Lewis Grizzard Exhibition" " " " 3 Lincoln Lecture" " " " Murder Mystery Party" " " Preservation Awards" " " President’s Message" " " Embroidered NCHS Shirts
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Dates to Save - Details Forthcoming October 21" Kids’ Treasure Hunt December 8" Christmas Reception December 31 Palmette New Year’s Eve Ball
Construction has taken 5 months but is almost complete!
Joanna Arrieta
staircase in house
The restoration of the McRitchie Hollis house should be complete by the end of October.
P.O. Box 1001, Newnan, GA 30264 770-251-0207 www.newnancowetahistoricalsociety.com nchs@newnanbiz.net
We invite you to join us in our continued endeavors to preserve the History and Heritage of Newnan & Coweta County, Georgia.
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Message from the President - Dan Dietz As fall approaches, we see our restoration of the Peniston house, soon to be the McRitchieHollis Museum, coming to completion. The house has been rewired, re-plumbed, repainted, refinished and soon to be re-landscaped and redecorated. It’s been arduous but the Headley Group has done an outstanding job. After a couple of preview opportunities for you before the end of this year, the Interior Design Committee will begin transforming the beautiful house into an elegant 1930s home that will serve as the McRitchieHollis Museum. Upon completion in early spring, our Donor level members of 2012 and 2013 will be invited to the Grand Opening followed by a general membership open house. Most of our painted horses will be going to pasture at their new homes this month while four of them will remain on the square for a bit longer. They have been an unbelievable success and a boon to downtown Newnan. Thanks to all involved. Many thanks to the City of Newnan for their new “pervious” parking lot at the Depot. As weather becomes milder, it will be landscaped and will become a huge improvement to that area of the city. Elsewhere in this newsletter you will read of our hiring an executive director, sure to be a highlight of the year; we’re expecting great things to follow. She is an extremely bright, poised and competent young lady. Please plan on meeting her at our November membership meeting. For those receiving this newsletter via e-mail: if you would like a paper copy and you don’t have a printer, please call Tom at the Museum 770-251-0207. Thanks for supporting our exciting “new” Historical Society.
Dan
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Annual Membership Meeting Nov. 15 - 7pm - The Depot Agenda: --The McRitchie/Hollis Museum Project – behind the scenes story - before, during and after pictures and explanations by project engineers and supervisors ---Interior Design Committee presenting furnishing and décor plans for the house --New Executive Director, Joanna Arrieta, explaining the interpretation of the home that will be presented to visitors --Voting for next year’s slate of officers See you there! Rsvp to: nchs@newnanbiz.net
We now have NCHS Polo Shirts! -Great quality! -2 color NCHS embroidered logo. -Order yours (S, M, L, XL) specify Ladie’s or Men’s. -Call the Male Academy Museum (770-251-0207) $35 for members - $40 non-members MasterCard and Visa accepted.
Party at the Depot! The Perfect Venue for Your Holiday Celebrations When you’re planning your office party, family celebration or a reception for friends during the Holiday Season, you may want to consider the 1890s NCHS Depot History Center. Off the square in downtown Newnan, it is a great historic building with a new parking lot. Contact the Male Academy Museum (770-251-0207) for rates and details. We even offer non-profit rates to qualified 501C3s. You may provide your own insured caterer. Make your reservation early!
Lewis Grizzard Exhibit to start Sept. 30. The permanent exhibition at the Moreland Mill Museum - “Lewis Grizzard and His Life,” will be on display at the Male Academy Museum for six months beginning September 30. We will have several special events in conjunction with this temporary exhibit and are firming up the dates now. We will keep you posted.
2012 Preservation Awards
This year’s NCHS Preservation Awards were presented at an old fashioned, pot luck Sunday supper at the Depot History Center. Liz and George Tedder received their award for their restoration of the Arnold Cemetery to include the beautiful duplication of the original wrought iron fence. The citizen volunteers of Raymond received their award for the restoration of the Mary Ray Memorial School. Their attention to detail and authenticity was remarkable. Many thanks to all for preserving our irreplaceable historic treasures
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!!! ---for updated event details! --for New, Exciting and Educational Volunteer Opportunities! --Lots of things are about to HAPPEN!
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Newnanite ~ Daniel Stowell, Ph.D. Expert on Abraham Lincoln Presidential Papers returning for lecture.
Over thirty years ago Daniel Stowell, then a recent graduate of Newnan High School, was preparing to head off to the University of Georgia. While in high school Daniel was honored as a Star Student (History) selecting Pat Tidwell as his Star Teacher. Daniel received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Florida, a M.A. in history, and a B.A. in history and political science from the University of Georgia. Fast forward and you will find Daniel Stowell, Ph.D., editor and director of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln, a project of the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Daniel’s office is located in downtown Springfield in the Lincoln Library directly across the street from the Abraham Lincoln Museum. The NCCW150 Sesquicentennial Committee, a subcommittee of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, has invited Daniel to return to Newnan and present a lecture regarding his extremely interesting career. The lecture will focus on the papers of Abraham Lincoln’s legal career, his presidential years and how Daniel determines if they are legal vs. forgeries. On Monday, November 5, 2012 Daniel will meet during the day with AP Honor History students from the three local public high schools. That evening at 7PM he will present his lecture at the Wadsworth Auditorium; a reception will follow at the Historic Train Depot. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for students. Ticket locations beginning October 15th will be the Male Academy Museum (770-251-0207), Scott’s Bookstore (770-253-2960) and the box office on the evening of the performance.
Murder at the Museum
The time is October, 1932. October 20, 2012 The Hurlington Will has been 7:00 pm sealedea sealed for over ten years --$30 each or ever since the scandal. $50 for couples But tonight, we will be opening Rsvp: t the house for our very special 770-251-0207 g guests to attend the reading (tickets limited)
Will and t Testament of Mr. Hurlington, who has now been declared dead by the court. Please join his widow Grace, estranged son Luther, brother Willis and the house staff for beer, wine and light hors d’oeuvres. Spirit Strolls Oh yes, did we mention that there Are Baaaaaack! will be at least one murder, probably October 19 & 26 more, as the evening progresses? You can join in the fun by helping deduce 8pm -- Meet at the who the killer(s) may be. Male Academy The reading of the will takes place at Museum 7:00 P.M. on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012 (Corner of Temple Ave. & at 74 Jackson Street, Newnan. (site of College Ave. DT Newnan.) the future McRitchie-Hollis Museum) $15.00 per person Come in 1930s costume and Payment must be character for even more fun! We made at time of suggest you form a team to share booking. l clues, get the real “dirt” from the 770-251-0207 family an staff and win some great prizes Visa/MC wh while solving the crime. 770-251-0207 for reservations and to charge your tickets.
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Depot Receives New Parking Lot If you’ve passed by the Depot History Center lately, you must have noticed the new parking lot. It’s not ours but it sure does help the appearance of the Depot and the area in general. Many kudos to the City for doing a first class job. They chose to create a pervious pavement, thereby eliminating the requirement for a detention pond for storm water runoff. The pavers and the underlying base of rock and stone provide a filtering system for the rainwater as it makes its way down to the water table. The project also includes the re-landscaping of the Depot property and landscaping of the parking lot when the weather cools. Thank you, City of Newnan.
......Sale in the Gift Shop....... Be sure to visit the Gift Shop at the Male Academy Museum, 30 Temple Ave. for the perfect gift for any occasion. Christmas is around the corner! Is there a history lover in your family? No home should be without a copy of the “History of Coweta County.” There are many other unique items to choose from including souvenirs, books, locally made soaps, note cards and more. Keep us in mind as the holiday season approaches. Members receive a 10% discount. Except for the “fine book collection,” most items are on sale as we prepare to move the gift shop to the McRitchieHollis Museum. We now accept Visa and MasterCard! Hours of operation: Tue.-Sat: 10am-noon/1pm-3pm Sunday: 2-5pm.