Preservation posts: the online journal of the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Dec. 2011

In this issue:
-Message from the Director -Historic House Plan Books Donated to the Historic Preservation Division -Thankful Baptist Church Dedicates Georgia Historic Marker -Environmental Review Program Case Study: A Tale of Three Mills -Archaeology at Bush Head Shoals -Periodic Maintenance for National Register Historic Districts Series, Part 1 -Tax Program Highlight: 111 Howard Street -Staff Profiles: Betsy Shirk
Message from the Director
By Dr. David Crass, Division Director & State Archaeologist
In years past, mid-December was a time when the pace of work often slowed a bit, giving us all a breather before the upcoming General Assembly met. Over the last several years, however, that breather

has become shorter and shorter, and this year it appears to have disappeared altogether--which is not all bad because there are some great things happening at HPD.
First, starting with the New Year, HPD will expand our tax incentives program capacity with the addition of Roy Edwards to our staff. Roy worked from 2008 to the present as a pollution prevention specialist for DNR's Sustainability Division, and before that, as an engineer and specialist with the Environmental Protection Division. Roy holds a B. S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Alabama A&M University and is a retired naval engineering officer. With the addition of Roy to our talented staff HPD will enter the world of sustainable rehabilitation. While it will take a while to start up this new aspect of our tax program, the recently-issued Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated Guidelines on Sustainability for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings give us a roadmap of sorts to develop a
long-term strategy in this area. Sustainable building and maintenance practices are growing in importance in historic preservation, and HPD is one of the few SHPOs nationwide with a full-time staff person who has this expertise. Welcome aboard, Roy!
HPD's Leigh Burns partnered with Cindy Eidson and Kim Carter, of the Office of Downtown Development at the Georgia Department of Community Affairs earlier this month to hold a downtown design retreat hosted by Lord Aeck and Sargent Architecture. HPD and DCA had not had a combined design retreat since 2008 and this one was a great success. The half-day retreat included presentations on various types of technical assistance, a design presentation from Steve Storey that was given at the 2011 Main Street Institute in Dahlonega, and a session dealing with supporting the Secretary of the Interior's Standards in Georgia downtowns, as well as supporting the historic rehabilitation tax incentives.
Participants included Carrollton Main Street (Jessica Reynolds), the Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Kim Carter, Cindy Eidson, Carmine Fischetti, Julien de Rocher, Steve Storey, Evan Thibeault, Leamon Scott), the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation (Kate Ryan), HPD (Gretchen Brock, Leigh Burns, Richard Cloues, Beth Gibson, Bill Hover, Rachel Klaas Rice, Steven Moffson, Carole Moore, and Amanda Schraner), and Lord Aeck and Sargent Architecture (Karen Gravel and Courtney Swann).

The retreat generated an ongoing commitment by DCA/HPD to revive the Tax Workshops and find innovative ways to strengthen a better understanding of the Secretary of the Interior Standards with local governments. The group will reconvene in two years to assess progress and formulate new goals and initiatives.
Finally, HPD will partner again this year with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to sponsor the 2012 Statewide Historic Preservation Conference, to be held April 19-20. The city of Roswell will join us this year as host. The conference is supported by a Certified Local Government grant and will feature a packed agenda. The program will begin at 11:00 AM on Thursday the 19th with a plenary address by DNR Commissioner Mark Williams, who will be followed by a presentation by the city of Roswell on its historic preservation program. Following lunch, we will break into three tracks: one focused on local government officials, consultants, and planners; a second focused on students and young professionals; and a third focused on non-profit preservation groups and historical societies. All three tracks will feature the latest in historic preservation developments in the state, ranging from the Georgia Natural, Archaeological, and Historical Geographic Information System (GNAHRGIS), to new research on mid-20th-century architecture, to case studies illustrating new and innovative approaches to adverse effects mitigation. There will be plenty of time to network, including a reception to be held at historic Bulloch Hall.
I am particularly excited about the focus on students and young professionals. The historic preservation world moves much faster than it used to, and frankly, is so competitive, that mistakes early on in one's career can be much more costly than might have been the case in the past. With that in mind, we have recruited speakers to offer guidance and experience in everything from maximizing your graduate school experience, to developing your first curriculum vitae and interview techniques, to making your mark early in your first full-time position. HPD will use social media to increase the reach of this track so that students who cannot make the trip to the conference can access the presentations.
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a productive New Year from the HPD staff to you!

2011 HPD staff retreat photo at Hardman Farm (White County)
Historic House Plan Books Donated to the Historic Preservation Division
By Richard Cloues, Historic Resources Section Chief

The 1947 Small Homes Guide was distributed to prospective post-World War II homebuyers by Atlanta-area banks and mortgage brokers. It featured numerous examples of the new Ranch House along with more traditional house
types.
The Historic Preservation Division has received a unique holiday gift: 62 historic house plan books, magazines, and pamphlets from the personal collection of Decatur resident Terry Bird. These materials

date from 1929 through the 1970s. They cover a wide range of house types including the American Small House, the Ranch House, Split Levels and Split Foyers, Two-Story Houses, and the 1970s Cedar-Sided Geometrics; also represented are house types not yet fully documented such as the 1920s-1940s "FiveRoom House." Every prevailing architectural style is represented as well, from the English Vernacular Revival and Colonial Revival to the Contemporary and Modern, along with "plain" houses exhibiting no architectural style. Each plan book includes sketches or photographs of exteriors along with floor plans, and many illustrate landscaping as well; some feature recently built houses with photographs, while others present new designs through renderings. Many of the "home and garden" magazines include photographs or renderings of interiors as well. While much of this material is national in scope, some of it pertains directly to Georgia -- either produced in Georgia by Georgia architects and designers or distributed throughout the state. The plan books represent a wide range of production values; some are in excellent condition, while others are quite fragile due to pulp paper deterioration.
These plan books already are proving to be an invaluable source of information about our state's early to mid-20th-century houses. For example, one plan book contains the earliest known reference of the term "split level" in describing this relatively new house type. Others contain numerous examples of a previously undocumented house type, dating from the 1920s through the 1940s, known colloquially as the "Five-Room House," a product of the 1920s Small House/Better Homes movement nationally. Still others illustrate the range of new Ranch House designs available to Georgia homebuilders and buyers starting in the late 1940s and continuing through the 1960s; of particular interest are photographed examples of asbuilt Ranch Houses with their characteristic side porches and the regionally distinctive use of "Stone Mountain" granite as a foundation material. A few of the plan books help document the introduction of the Split Foyer House in the early 1960s. Looking ahead, some of the 1970s plan books provide information about the "Cedar-Sided Geometric" house which highlighted this decade of new house construction.
The donor, Terry Bird, is a Decatur lawyer, collector of memorabilia, avocational architectural historian, dues-paying member of the Society of Architectural Historians, and treasurer of DOCOMOMO Georgia. The donated items will be cataloged and kept in a special collections area of our office's non-circulating library. After cataloging, this material will be available for use by researchers by special appointment. Some restrictions may be placed on certain fragile materials until they can be scanned.
Learn more about Georgia's historic houses on our website.

Thankful Baptist Church Dedicates Georgia Historic Marker
By Jeanne Cyriaque, African American Programs Coordinator
Thankful Baptist Church was organized in 1840 as the "Independent" Baptist Church in Augusta's First Ward, an area that was known as "Pinched Gut." At that time in Augusta's past, most of the enslaved population would walk to Sunday services from the east side of Augusta to the northwest side of town to hear the message of Reverend Jacob Walker, who at that time was pastor of Springfield Baptist Church. This situation angered slave owners, so the City of Augusta provided land in Pinched Gut to build a church on the corner of Walker and Lincoln (presently Third) Streets. Four years later, the name of the church was changed to "Thankful" under the leadership of Reverend Henry Johnson. From its earliest beginnings, Thankful Baptist Church became a community center for spiritual, cultural,

and political involvement for its members. In 1860, the church organized the Shiloh Missionary Baptist Association, which founded the Shiloh Orphanage in 1902. Thankful was also instrumental in establishing Macedonia and Hale Street Baptist churches in Augusta. As membership soared after the Civil War, Thankful outgrew its original wood building, and its new pastor, Reverend Cyrus Wilkins, envisioned a brick building that would rival some of the largest churches in the South. His dream was realized when construction of the new church began in 1893 and was completed in 1899.
Reverend Wilkins invited many guest speakers to the church, including Dr. W.E.B. DuBois. Church annals report that he spoke to a packed house, and the choir from Haines Normal and Industrial School provided musical entertainment for the event. Reverend Wilkins resigned in 1904, and is buried on church grounds along with Reverend Johnson.
Thankful Baptist Church is designed in the Romanesque Revival style. The exterior has decorative brickwork, especially around the windows and arches. From 50-70 male members constructed the church, providing free labor while female members provided meals. Their craftsmanship withstood five floods from the Savannah River that were frequent in the Pinched Gut area of Augusta. During those times, the church became a refuge for people fleeing their homes. In 1960, the congregation replaced the stained-glass windows with memorial ones that are now historic. The interior of the church has a ceiling made from tongue-and-groove boards. A mural depicting the baptism of Christ dominates the apse of the church. The 1899 pipe organ is still present in the church.
Throughout the 20th century, Thankful Baptist Church continued its dual role of spiritual and community service. Pastor Nathaniel T. Young led the congregation from 1945-1991. He collaborated with other African American ministers in Augusta to bring about change during the Civil Rights Movement, and was instrumental in desegregating public facilities without violence. Reverend Young was one of the first African Americans to serve on the Richmond County School Board. During his watch, Thankful Baptist Church was listed as a contributing resource in the Pinched Gut Historic District, listed in the National

Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Thankful Baptist Church dedicated their historic marker after morning services on October 23, 2011. The sponsors of the marker were the church, the Lucy Craft Laney Museum, and the Georgia Historical Society (GHS). Church member and Augusta historian Dr. James E. Carter III discussed the purpose of the dedication, while Corey Rogers, historian of the Laney Museum, shared anecdotes from the research he conducted for the application. Reverend Christopher J. Waters, pastor of the church since 2009, gave remarks and led the benediction.
The Georgia Historic Marker Program is administered by GHS through partnerships with the host organization. Each of the partners shares the financial costs of the marker. These markers are excellent ways to commemorate sites, events, and persons that are significant in Georgia history. For more information about the marker program, visit the GHS website or contact Will Hanley, coordinator, at 912651-2125.
More information on Georgia's historic African American churches is available on our website.
Environmental Review Program Case Study: A Tale of Three Mills
By Betsy Shirk, Environmental Review Coordinator
Cotton and Textile mills were built throughout Georgia beginning around 1810. An industrial expansion in the late 19th century brought a boom in cotton mill construction to Georgia. Even though many of these mills have been lost to demolition or disasters such as fire, a number of them remain in varying states of preservation from ruins such as those at Sweetwater Creek State Park (New Manchester Manufacturing Company); to abandoned buildings; to those repurposed as loft apartments, such as Fulton Cotton and Bag, or some other function; to those that continue as active mills. Often the mill housing that was associated with the mills is no longer in existence while the industrial buildings survive. In projects that HPD reviews for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act, mills and mill villages may be historic properties considered in the Section 106 process. Recently, three such properties - Acworth Mill and Mill Village in Cobb County, Trion Mill and Mill Village in Chattooga County and Carter Mill in Lamar County - were documented as part of the Section 106 process.
The first property, Acworth Mill and Mill Village (originally Acworth Cotton Manufacturing Company), was

already recorded at the survey level as part of a potential East Acworth historic district. It consists of approximately 55 acres and includes the mill buildings and railroad corridor, public space including Newberry Park and Eli Whitney School, the Pyron Family Cemetery, and the mill housing. The district is located just over a half mile from Acworth and is geographically isolated from the historic downtown. It is recognized as an exceptional example of an early to mid-20th century textile mill and associated village.
This property was identified as part of the Section 106 review for a proposed cell tower located in its viewshed. Mitigation measures to address the adverse visual effects to this property consisted of the preparation of documentation to support a National Register nomination. It was prepared by Environmental Corporation of America and was completed for documentation purposes only and will be retained in HPD's file. However, should the community and property owners have an interest in pursuing the National Register nomination and listing of the district, this information, prepared to National Register standards, will expedite this process.
For more information, see the Acworth Mill and Mill Village documentation PDF.
The second property, Trion Mill Village (aka Park Avenue Apartments), Chattooga County, was documented as a result of Section 106 compliance for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant received by the City of Trion to mitigate repetitively flooded properties. The demolition of the 54 residential units in three buildings located along Park Avenue in Trion was found to be an adverse effect to historic properties.
The group of three early 20th-century buildings (each containing 18 units), the associated rear garages, and planned landscape were found to be eligible for

inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) individually as a rare and intact example of row housing in a mill village in Georgia. The row house buildings are also considered eligible as contributing properties to the potentially NRHP-eligible Trion Mill and Mill Village Historic District. Due to the rarity and significance to the state, HPD asked that FEMA and the Town of Trion consider alternatives to demolition, specifically whether there were funds available to acquire the properties, and rather than demolish them, put in place measures to prevent future flooding and stabilize the buildings. Unfortunately the measures required to prevent future flooding were found to be not feasible. Therefore, the town's plan to demolish the properties and retain the area as a riverside park moved forward with the development of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to address the adverse effects associated with this undertaking.
The Trion Manufacturing Company built its first mill in 1847. The mill survived the Civil War but burned in 1875. It was rebuilt in 1876 and expanded in 1889 and 1899 but the company was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1912. Riegel Textile Corporation from New York bought all the assets including the mill facility. By the early 1920s, the company had expanded the operation and constructed the Park Avenue Apartments. In the mid-1980s, Riegel Textile Corporation sold the Trion Mill to Mount Vernon Mills of Greenville, SC. It is still in operation today and manufactures denim clothing, flame retardant fabrics, military uniforms, sportswear and career apparel.
Originally, residents rented the apartments from the Riegel Manufacturing Company but were later allowed to buy the apartments. Residents were mid-level managers at the Trion Mill and city officials such as the Chief of Police. The apartments consist of three buildings with 18 two-story apartments in each building. The properties are clad in red brick and have low-sloping roofs. Each set of two apartments shares a prominent one-story front porch.
The photographic documentation was prepared by URS cultural resource consultants and dated October 24, 2011 (available here as a PDF). Additional mitigation measures that will be completed include erecting an interpretive marker that will describe the Trion Mill and Mill Village, and installing an exhibit in the Town Hall that features the history of the mill and mill village.
The third property, the former Carter's Mill, is an extensive mill complex that began in the late-19th century and developed through the late 20th century on the northeast side of Barnesville in Lamar

County. The Central of Georgia Railway (now Norfolk Southern) runs along the northwestern edge of the mill complex. Beginning as a single building built by Oxford Knitting Mills in 1899, the mill facility expanded to occupy two city blocks operated by the William Carter Company and currently consists of 21 buildings. One of two large milling operations in Barnesville, the Carter's Mill provided long term employment for the citizens of Barnesville and the surrounding areas. In 1965, the William Carter Company's operations in Barnesville employed more than 900 people. Until as recently as 2003, the Carter's Mill was considered a primary employer in the city.
A proposed cell tower on the parent tract of the mill was found to be both a direct and a visual adverse effect to this complex. As required as part of Section 106 compliance, alternatives that would result in a better outcome for the mill were considered. These included moving the cell tower further away from the mill building, and alternative height and design such as a water tower since historically a tower had existed on the site. This resulted in the lowering of the height of the tower, but no feasible alternatives were identified that met project needs and avoided an adverse effect so mitigation measures were discussed and a MOA was developed.
Mitigation measures agreed upon to address the adverse effects associated with the proposed cell tower included three products prepared by Dynamic Environmental Associates, Inc. These were: photographic documentation that showed contextual, interior, and exterior views of the mill and included a brief history of the property to facilitate understanding of the mill's evolution; a history of the Carter Mill that described the developmental history of the property and its associated impacts to the growth and development of the City of Barnesville; and an informational brochure on the history of the mill for use by the City of Barnesville.
In summary, when adverse effects to historic properties cannot be avoided, the Section 106 process includes the identification of measures to mitigate or resolve the adverse effects. Mitigation is the public benefit that balances the loss (or diminishment) of the historic resource. Two of the properties, Acworth Mill and Mill Village and Carter's Mill, were visually affected by the proposed cell tower projects but will not

be physically affected. The third, Trion Mill Village, will be demolished, but the mill itself will not be affected. In mitigating the adverse effects to these properties, it is important that the new information concerning these historic properties is made available to the public. This article is in part an attempt to provide this benefit. More information about archaeology on DNR-managed lands is available on our website.
Archaeology at Bush Head Shoals
By Richard Moss, Staff Archaeologist
A view of Bush Head Shoals.

Located on the Chattahoochee River north of West Point Lake near the city of Franklin, Bush Head Shoals is currently an undeveloped DNR property. I recently visited to conduct a small-scale archaeological reconnaissance survey prior to planned forest management operations. This place, with its rolling hills, woods, and shallow rocky riverbed, epitomizes the scenic beauty of the Georgia Piedmont. The property also provides a glimpse into Georgia's past through the archaeological resources found there.
During this initial survey, several prehistoric sites were identified. On an upper terrace landform, high above the river, shovel test excavation revealed dozens of quartz flakes (debitage of stone tool manufacture) and pieces of river cobbles reddened and cracked by fire. Artifacts like these are typical of Archaic Period occupations. At another site closer to the river, sherds of a broken ceramic vessel were found. An intricate curvilinear pattern was stamped onto the surface of
pot, a characteristic decoration that indicates this pottery likely dates to the Middle Woodland Period.
The area is not an untouched wilderness throughout there is evidence of historic period Euro-American occupation, such as agricultural terracing and remnants of razed outbuildings. The land clearing and agricultural practices of the historic era often damaged prehistoric sites, making those that remain intact rare and even more significant.
Periodic Maintenance for National
Register Historic Districts Series
By Gretchen Brock, National Register & Survey Program Manager

Part 1: Revisiting National Register-Listed Districts
This is the first in a series of articles about amending National Register historic district nominations in Georgia.
Similar to cherished antique automobiles, historic districts that were listed in the National Register 20 to 25 + years ago may need a complete overhaul. If the historic district was listed during the early days of the National Register program, from 1966 to 1980, it is long overdue for maintenance because of changes that may have taken place in the community.
In this series, we are going to discuss (1) why it is important to revisit National Register-listed historic districts; (2) how to determine if the district needs updating or amending ("periodic maintenance"); and (3) how to update and amend National Register-listed districts.
It is important to revisit National Register-listed historic districts. A National Register nomination documents the history and physical condition of properties up to the date the nomination is listed. Time does not stop--buildings change, buildings are lost, landscapes change, landscapes are lost--and as the years go by, more properties become eligible for listing in the National Register because they reach 50 years of age. Unless a National Register nomination is actively updated, none of these changes is documented.
The first step in revisiting a National Register-listed historic district is to get a copy of the official National Register Registration Form and the accompanying National Register historic district map. This documentation is available at HPD if it is not available locally.
The second step is to verify the period of significance for the historic district, which can be found in section 8 of the National Register Registration Form. The period of significance is defined as the length of time

when a property or district was associated with important events, activities, or persons, or when it attained the characteristics which qualify it for National Register listing. The period of significance for a district is a range of dates beginning with the date of the earliest extant resource through the end of the historic period. For National Register purposes, the historic period generally ends 50 years before the year in which the district was listed.
The period of significance is critically important for properties within National Register-listed districts. State and federal tax incentives programs for rehabilitation and historic preservation grants are only available for historic properties that are listed in or eligible for the Georgia/National Registers either individually or as contributing to a historic district. Contributing properties are buildings, sites, structures, or objects that (1) were present during the period of significance; (2) retain their historic integrity; and (3) are associated with one of the themes or areas of significance of the district.
To illustrate this concept consider the following hypothetical examples:
Main Street-Courthouse Square Historic District was listed in the National Register in 1970. The period of significance is 1820 (the date of the extant courthouse) through 1920, the end of the historic period at the time of the nomination (1970 minus 50 years). John and Mary Preservation want to purchase a boardedup, vacant theater on the square that was gutted by fire and needs a complete rehabilitation. The couple wants to rehabilitate the building back into use as a theater for first-run movies and local drama productions. In order to make the project work financially, the couple wants to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives. The theater was built in 1929 and retains its Art Deco-style faade. Because the period of significance for the district ends in 1920, the theater is considered non-contributing to the district. The theater is unlikely to be individually eligible for National Register listing because of the damage to the interior.
In the same city is a large, vacant, textile mill and warehouses built in 1940 that are just outside the boundary of the Main Street-Courthouse Square Historic District. Sam Espresso wants to purchase the property and rehabilitate the buildings into a coffee shop, restaurant, farmers market, and artist studio space. In order to make the project work financially, he needs to take advantage of federal and state tax incentives. The complex is likely individually eligible for listing in the National Register.
Finding out that the properties need to be listed in the Georgia/National Register in order to qualify for the tax incentives, Mr. and Mrs. Preservation and Mr. Espresso petition the mayor and city council for

assistance. These potential projects would bring new jobs, construction work, needed tax revenue, and visitors to the city and put unused buildings back into everyday use for the citizens. Because of time constraints with the tax incentives programs, it would be more efficient and expedient to hire an experienced preservation professional to complete the National Register and tax incentives forms.
Going back to our antique auto analogy at the beginning, there are two options the city can take: 1. "Fix the part that needs it the most to keep it running for a little longer" approach and offer to assist Mr. Espresso in getting the mill complex individually listed in the National Register, but the city will hold off on assisting with the district update. Mr. and Mrs. Preservation cannot take on an entire district update for their project so they unfortunately will have to leave town and find another theater in another city. 2. "A Complete Overhaul" approach for both short- and long-term gain. Although it requires more assistance, the city could offer to update and expand the Main Street-Courthouse Square Historic District. The updated and amended district would encompass properties built between 1921 and 1968 to include the theater, other mid-20th-century commercial buildings, and the last major building built in town--an architect-designed 1968 New Formalist-style bank. The amended district would also extend the boundaries to include mid-20th-century and industrial resources adjacent to, but not included in the original district.
Next month in Preservation Posts: Part Two: Determining the Need to Update and Amend a National Register-Listed District
For questions or more information about the National Register process, please contact: Gretchen Brock, National Register & Survey Program Manager at 404-651-6782 or gretchen.brock@dnr. state.ga.us
Lynn Speno, National Register Specialist at 404-651-5911 or lynn.speno@dnr.state.ga.us
More information about the National Register process in Georgia is available here.
The official National Register of Historic Places website is here.

Tax Program Highlight: 111 Howard Street
By Beth Gibson, Preservation Architect

The front elevation of 111 Howard Street, Atlanta (Dekalb County) as seen before rehabilitation (top), in an architect's drawing (middle), and after rehabilitation.
The house at 111 Howard Street in Atlanta (DeKalb County) recently completed an extensive rehabilitation using historic preservation tax incentives. Built in 1894, the 4,200 square foot residence is located within

the National Register-listed Kirkwood Historic District. Rehabilitation work included updating kitchen, baths, systems (plumbing, electrical, and hvac) and repair of existing features and finishes. It qualified for both State Tax Programs for Rehabilitated Historic Properties: the Preferential Property Tax Assessment and the Income Tax Credit.
Staff Profiles
Betsy Shirk, Environmental Review Coordinator
Betsy Shirk is a coordinator for HPD's Environmental Review (ER) program. She has worked within the ER program at HPD since 1999 holding different key positions in support of the HPD mission. Involved in the field of preservation for over 15 years, she holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico and a MA in Anthropology from the University of Georgia. She is active in archaeology outreach and education and is a past president and board member of The Society for Georgia Archaeology (SGA), the

statewide nonprofit that that promotes the proper identification, protection, and preservation of significant archaeological sites and resources across Georgia.
How did you become involved in the field of historic preservation? Growing up I had an appreciation for the past and a sense of place that included my grandparents' 1860s farmhouse in Vinings, my great-grandmother's two-story Victorian in East Atlanta, and our brand new Ranch House in East Atlanta, which was the location of my father's drug store that had been established by his father in the early 1900s. My involvement with historic preservation began when I made the decision to transfer from Agnes Scott College where I was a Chemistry major to the University of New Mexico to pursue Anthropology. Then in graduate school, I worked on the Wallace Dam Project (now Lake Oconee) so was involved early in compliance or ER even though at that time it was more commonly referred to as salvage archaeology, rather than part of historic preservation. Georgia Power was required to consider historic properties in constructing the reservoir and this compliance remains the basis for my involvement in historic preservation at HPD. While federal legislation does not mandate preservation, it often results in a good outcome for historic properties identified as a result of this process.
What do you do on a typical day? What do you like most about your job? I am the primary contact for the environmental review program, excluding Georgia DOT projects (we have a dedicated team for those). This involves working with federal and state agencies to improve compliance with federal and state legislation and with the public to increase understanding for ER. Additional responsibility includes review of agreements between our office and agencies to resolve and mitigate adverse effects associated with projects or to streamline compliance. The variety of tasks that make up a typical day is usually anything but predictable. This makes my job both challenging and enjoyable. Working with HPD colleagues, as well as federal and state agency staff and project applicants, to ensure consideration of historic properties in the 3,000 or more project submittals that we review each year is very rewarding.
What do you like to do outside the office? I have enjoyed an active involvement with SGA, one of HPD's preservation partners, which included leadership positions in the non-profit as well as journal editor and responsibilities in archaeology and outreach education programs. The accomplishment I most value is the reprinting of the classic textbook, Frontiers in the Soil: The Archaeology of Georgia, after a 20-year absence from circulation. For more than a decade, I was coordinator of SGA's Archaeology Month promotion, co-sponsored by HPD, an annual event that fosters better public awareness of archaeology and a sense of stewardship for our state's

archaeological sites. I have also been part of the committee that converted a retired bookmobile into the Archaeobus, a mobile archaeology classroom that travels to venues such as Coastfest, the Georgia National Fair, and the State Conference of Social Studies Teachers. In addition, I enjoy travel, reading, and attending opera and Broadway shows, as well as UGA sporting events (particularly football).
Please send your comments or suggestions to charlie.miller@dnr.state.ga.us.
Not a member? Subscribe now! Our mailing address is: Georgia Historic Preservation Division Department of Natural Resources 254 Washington Street, SW, Ground Level Atlanta, GA 30334 Add us to your address book Copyright (C) 2011 Georgia Historic Preservation Division All rights reserved. Title image: Detail from the cover of a 1963 house plan book by Atlanta designer W. D. Farmer that featured designs for a wide variety of "homes for pleasant living" including this sprawling Ranch House. Recently donated to HPD.