Preservation posts: the online journal of the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Dec. 2012

In this issue:
- Message from the Director - Georgia State University Project Documents Auburn Place Apartments - A New Port for the Historic Schooner Roseway - Happy Holidays from HPD - Recent News & Announcements - Upcoming Events
Message from the Director
By Dr. David Crass, Division Director & Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
Like most of us, I find myself reflecting on the last twelve months as the calendar year draws to a close. It's been another challenging year at HPD, but I remain as always impressed by the high professionalism of our staff. I am also particularly thankful for our strong partnerships, both with our sister divisions in DNR, as well as with local jurisdictions and our outstanding non-governmental organizations like the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Historic Savannah Foundation, and many more. All around the state dedicated practitioners, both professional and citizen volunteers, do the hard, inch-by-inch work to advance historic preservation and enlightened economic development. I hope that as you enjoy some quiet moments over this holiday season, you find time to congratulate yourself for the work you have done in your local communities. Know that those of us in the state office appreciate deeply all that you do, and that we look forward to working with you in the New Year!
Georgia State University Project Documents Auburn Place Apartments
By Dr. Karen Anderson-Cordova, Environmental Review and Preservation Planning Program Manager
The State Agency Historic Property Stewardship Program and Georgia Environmental Policy Act (GEPA) (OCGA 12-3-50 through 12-3-58) require state agencies to consider the effects of their projects on historic properties. Late last year, Georgia State University (GSU) consulted with our office concerning their proposal to acquire and demolish three vacant apartment buildings located at 89, 91, and 103 Fort Street (also known as the Auburn Place Apartments) for the purpose of creating recreational fields. All three buildings were located within the Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) National Register district, the City of Atlanta MLK Landmark District, and the MLK National Park Service Preservation District. Since the MLK National Register historic district was amended and expanded in the year 2000, many historic apartment buildings in the vicinity of the Auburn Place Apartments have been demolished, resulting in significant diminishment of the historic setting. However, because these apartments were located within the designated district and were individually significant for their association with historic African American housing patterns in the Sweet Auburn and Fourth Ward communities during the 1950's and 1960's, the proposed demolition of these buildings was considered to be a significant impact. Because retention of these apartment buildings was not feasible given the intent of the project, GSU and the Board of Regents consulted with our office on ways to mitigate the impact of their demolition. In addition to documenting the buildings by establishing a permanent archival photographic record, GSU agreed to develop a historic context report for the Auburn Place Apartments. GSU contracted with Brockington and Associates, Inc., a cultural resources management firm, to produce Photo Documentation and Historical Context of the Auburn Place Apartments (on our website in two parts - 89 and 91 Fort Street; 103 Fort Street). The context documents the history of the Auburn Place Apartments, placing these apartment buildings in the broader history of apartment complex development in the Old Fourth Ward from 1945 through the 1960s, providing a broad comparison of the apartment buildings and complexes built in the Old Fourth Ward with those built elsewhere in Atlanta at the time, providing a broad socioeconomic comparison of the Old Fourth Ward apartment complex development with the chronologically-contemporary Collier Heights neighborhood; and creating a documentary photographic record of the three apartment buildings at 89-103 Fort Street. Although demolition of these buildings will be a significant impact that cannot be avoided due to the nature of GSU's proposed project, the documentation produced as a result of consultation to mitigate the impact provides a historical record and contributes to the wider context of historic apartment development in the City of Atlanta, and specifically, to housing trends in the African American community. The cumulative impact of demolitions within the Sweet Auburn and MLK, Jr. historic districts has been considerable, and has again resulted in national attention with Sweet Auburn's placement on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2012 11 Most Endangered Historic Places List. Sweet Auburn was also included in the Georgia Trust's 2012 Places in Peril list. National Register listing recognizes historically significant properties, and federal and state legislation allows for the consideration of historic properties in project planning. However, this does not guarantee nor mandate preservation. It is hoped that the documentation produced to mitigate the loss of the Auburn Place Apartments will help broaden the knowledge of the historic significance of the Sweet Auburn and MLK historic districts and will motivate all of us to work harder to find ways to work together to preserve these nationally and locally significant districts.
A New Port for the Historic Schooner Roseway
By Chris McCabe, Deputy State Archaeologist - Underwater
Schooner Roseway underway (inset) and docked at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort on Hutchinson Island (inset photo courtesy of the World Ocean School).
In May 2012, over a dozen traditional sailing ships called on Savannah's historic waterfront as part of the Tall Ships Challenge, an annual series of international touring and racing maritime festivals. Vessels and crews hailed from the US, Canada, Europe, and as far away as New Zealand and Indonesia. Among those in attendance was the historic schooner Roseway, notably distinctive with her sleek black hull and dark tanbark sails (inset above). For five days, coastal residents celebrated time-honored maritime traditions on the Savannah riverfront with some of the grandest sailing ships in the world, and if recent efforts continue as planned, Roseway will be making Savannah a regular stop. During the Savannah stopover there were many opportunities to tour the tall ships and meet the crews, and afterwards I had the good fortune to be a guest aboard Roseway as she continued on to Charleston. We rode the afternoon ebb tide down the Savannah River, as so many working schooners have done in the past, and met the rising swell of the Atlantic as we passed Tybee Island light, quietly grateful to be free of the river's more constrained environment. The wind wasn't entirely favorable for our planned northeasterly transit so we headed southeast toward the warmer blue waters of the Gulf Stream for an added push north. The captain set the first underway watch in the late afternoon with a rotating schedule of deck chores, bow watch, navigation, and helm. All onboard participated, save the cook who was busy below in the galley. My duties alternated between bow watch and helm, and I was privileged enough to stand a midnight watch at the wheel under a deep canopy of stars and a late rising moon in the company of dolphins just off our beam. Unfortunately, conditions turned a bit sour during the days that followed and we weathered a few soaking squalls as we drew near our destination. Our brief voyage ended well however when we docked in Charleston, temporarily leaving Roseway's more familiar natural setting behind. Built from Massachusetts white oak in 1925 to exacting standards for speed and dependability, the 137' Roseway originally served as a Grand Banks fishing schooner and was unusually well-maintained compared to other working vessels of the time, no doubt contributing to her long life. During WWII, she served with distinction as an armed pilotboat out of Boston. The vital and demanding all-weather responsibility of assisting ships through the labyrinths of environmental and military obstacles contributed considerably to the naval war effort. Roseway and her crews so excelled at maritime pilot service that it wasn't until 32 years later in 1973 that officials ultimately retired her from service, the last pilot schooner working in the United States. Shortly thereafter, Roseway was refitted for the Windjammer tourism trade and successfully plied the waters of coastal New England for many years. In 2002, after being laid-up for a short period, she was completely restored by the newly formed World Ocean School and refitted as a seagoing classroom where she serves actively today. Working primarily out of Boston and St. Croix USVI, the non-profit World Ocean School's mission is to provide challenging onboard educational programs in science, math, language arts, maritime and natural history, sail training, and team-building while also nurturing an appreciation for local and global communities alike. Roseway is one of only six original Grand Banks schooners still remaining afloat, and is a registered U.S. National Historic Landmark. In early November after a summer in New England, the World Ocean School and Roseway returned to Savannah for a scheduled six-week pilot project to determine the likelihood of making the historic port their biannual hub between Boston and St. Croix. As an advocate for Georgia's maritime cultural heritage, I saw opportunities for mutual benefit, thus volunteered some time, historical information, and local knowledge to help the staff and crew become more familiar with Georgia's first city. Early indications for continuing relations between Roseway and coastal Georgia are very encouraging. In only a few weeks, the World Ocean School provided substance-rich educational programs for over 700 Savannah students and offered numerous historical day-sail opportunities for residents and visitors. Roseway sailed for St. Croix on December 16th, but is scheduled to return to Savannah in early April when further educational collaboration regarding Georgia's maritime history and archaeology is possible. We wish Roseway and her crew safe passage and look forward to having her grace Savannah's historic waterfront again in the spring. More information may be found at www.worldoceanschool.org and in future issues of Preservation Posts.
Happy Holidays from HPD
HPD staff participated in a holiday door decorating contest during December. Entries were judged for artistic merit and creativity by DNR Commissioner Mark Williams and Director of Public and Governmental Affairs Lauren Curry.
The winning door was decorated by Staff Archaeologist Aimee Bouzigard (left); 2nd place was Preservation Specialist Debbie Wallsmith (right).
In 3rd place was Environmental Review Specialist Jennifer Dixon (left); Operations & Outreach Section Chief Jana Fitzgibbon took 4th (right).
The runners-up were Division Direct David Crass (left) and a high-concept work by Media & Communications Coordinator Charlie Miller (right).
Recent News & Announcements
2013 Historic Preservation Fund grant applications now available The FFY 2013 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant applications are now available on our website. These grants are available to Certified Local Governments (CLGs) for Survey & Planning, Predevelopment, or Development projects. Applications must be postmarked on or before February 1, 2013. Grant awards will be announced by April 2013. Projects may begin in April/May 2013, and must be completed by September 30, 2014. If you have questions about the grant program or application process, please contact Tax Incentives & Grants Coordinator Carole Moore at 404-6515566 or at carole.moore@dnr.state.ga.us. December 2012 issue of Reflections now available The December 2012 issue of Reflections, the publication of the Georgia African American Historic Preservation Network, is now available in PDF format on the HPD website. Download now!
Upcoming Events
April 26-27, 2013 - Georgia Historic Preservation Conference - Milledgeville Up-to-date information - including the call for session proposals, agenda, travel recommendations, and more - will be posted to our website at www.georgiashpo.org/conferences. Please contact Outreach Program Manager Leigh Burns at leigh.burns@dnr.state.ga.us with any questions.
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) 2012 Georgia Historic Preservation Division All rights reserved. Title image: 2012 HPD staff photo, taken during our annual planning retreat held on December 12th at the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum in Atlanta.