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

In this issue:
-Message from the Director -Going, Going...Gone? -Professionalism & Practice: Historic Preservation Conference Follow-up -Archaeologists Wrap Up Survey of Sunbury's Colonial Waterfront -Valdosta Hosts Spring HPC Training -World War II Prisoner of War Camps in Georgia
Message from the Director
By Dr. David Crass, Division Director & Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
It seems like the busy legislative season just ended, and summer time is already upon us. The second revitalized statewide historic preservation conference in Roswell was a great success, thanks in no small measure to Leigh Burns of our staff and our great partnership with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of Roswell, and the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau. We have already begun planning for next spring's conference and, based in large part on comments from participants this year, I think we will see further improvements in content. We are also actively looking for ways to give local non-profits a greater stake in the proceedings. Stay tuned; we will be communicating more on this later this summer and fall.
HPD recently absorbed the Cultural Resources Unit (CRU) from DNR's Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites Division. We have been working closely with the CRU folks to develop an over-arching framework to make our support of our historic sites more efficient and effective. We will be implementing those changes over the next year.
HPD has several upcoming human resources changes coming. Below you will read a column on Dr. Richard Cloues' retirement. While RC will be retiring from full-time state employment, he will continue working on some special projects for us, including the webbased GNARHGIS (Georgia Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System), funded through the Georgia DOT with Federal Highway Administration Funds. GNARHGIS has added tremendous value to HPD's environmental review process, and we look forward to further advances over the next 2 years under Richard's leadership.
Finally, our Operations and Outreach Section Chief, Candy Henderson, retired several months ago. Candy was responsible for helping me guide the division through the continual budget contraction of the last 5 years, and will be staying around to see us through the end of the state fiscal year in June. I'm happy to welcome aboard her replacement, Jana Fitzgibbon, who comes to us with a stellar record from the Department of Corrections. I have long thought that HPD can do all the great historic preservation we want to, but that if the business side of the division isn't functioning at maximum efficiency, it won't matter. Candy helped us re-engineer all of those business systems when she came on board, and I look forward to working with Jana as we move forward.
Going, Going...Gone?
Dr. Cloues at work (from L to R) in 1978, 1994, and 2012. The glasses may have gotten smaller, but the smile remains the same.
After 34 years of service, Dr. Richard Cloues will be resigning from his full-time position with HPD at the end of June.
During those 34 years, Richard has served as architectural historian, National Register program coordinator, Survey and Register Unit Manager, Historic Resources Section Chief, and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. Throughout his career, he has worked to broaden public understanding of the state's historic properties by putting them in their social and cultural as well as architectural contexts. Highlights include working on the 1984 Historic Black Resources handbook, the 1991 Georgia's Living Places project, the Rivercare 2000 project, and the chapters on Georgia's historic properties in several of HPD's five-year preservation plans. In 1988 he helped develop the office's first computerized historic resources database, and for the past 10 years he has been working on the various versions of GNAHRGIS, the office's on-line historic resources geographical information system. Most recently he has been researching mid-20th-century houses and helped oversee publication of The Ranch House in Georgia: Guidelines for Evaluation (2010). Along the way he has been involved in one way or another with more than 1,500 of the state's 2,000+ nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, and he has visited historic properties in every county in the state. He also has served on national workgroups developing policies for historic preservation planning, state program reviews, National Register eligibility for less-than-fifty-year-old properties, and the National Register eligibility of mid-20th-century houses.
As an "extracurricular" activity, Richard also helped orchestrate six office moves during his career: from the Trinity-Washington Building ("chaotic") to the Twin Towers in 1986 ("crowded cubicles"), to the historic Healey Building in 1995 ("preservation office heaven"), to the Trinity Avenue Building in 2000 ("the less said the better . . ."), to the former Health Building in 2004 ("quirky but workable"), to the 34 Peachtree Street Building in 2005 ("mid-century modern"), and to our current office in the former Labor Building at 254 Washington Street in 2009 ("comfortable, commodious, and convenient"). "Enough is enough," he says of moving, "until the next time..."
Although Richard is resigning from his full-time staff position, he will not be disappearing from the office. In August, he will be "returning" under a part-time contract to work on historic resource research projects and historic contexts to support HPD's survey, National Register, and Environmental Review programs. And so while he is "going" from the office, he will not be "gone" from the preservation scene in Georgia!
Richard has requested there be no traditional "retirement" event at this time. "I'll be too busy with my contract projects!" he says. "That can wait until I'm done and gone for good... "
Professionalism & Practice: A Follow-up to Our Recent Historic Preservation Conference
By Leigh Burns, Preservation Planner & CLG Coordinator
Richard Hallberg speaks about the history of Roswell during the opening session in the historic sanctuary of the Roswell Presbyterian Church.
On Thursday, April 19th, and Friday, April 20th, more than 150 preservationists traveled to Roswell, Georgia for our state historic preservation conference. Co-sponsored by HPD, The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of Roswell, and the Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau, the statewide preservation conference provided a great opportunity for people to attend various sessions and hear about successful preservation projects across Georgia, network with fellow preservationists, enjoy the reception at historic Bulloch Hall, and spend time in historic Roswell. The Georgia Trust's Spring Ramble followed the state historic preservation conference that Friday, April 20th through Sunday, April 22nd.
HPD and Georgia Trust staff chose a theme of "Professionalism & Practice." The conference theme allowed for opportunities to raise professionalism through the student and young professionals track, while supporting the ongoing shared dedication to sound historic preservation in Georgia. Both HPD and the Georgia Trust enjoyed the partnership and are very appreciative of the City of Roswell for accepting a Historic Preservation Fund grant that made the conference possible. These grants are only available to Certified Local Government cities and counties in Georgia.
Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Commissioner Mark Williams was our opening session speaker at the historic sanctuary of the Roswell Presbyterian Church the morning of Thursday, April 19th. Commissioner Williams presented a broad perspective of the state of projects, happenings, and changes at DNR, but he focused primarily on HPD and their ongoing role in preservation planning in Georgia. Commissioner Williams also highlighted HPD's ongoing efforts in supporting preservation in Roswell through numerous grants, historic rehabilitation tax credits, and assistance to the local Roswell Certified Local Government program. Many sessions were offered over the two days in three different tracks, on topics such as preservation faade easements, preservation and sustainability, historic school rehabilitation, redefining historic landscapes, and more. The full conference agenda is available online.
HPD and the Georgia Trust are especially grateful to our outstanding speakers, dedicated conference planning team, and participants, all of whom contributed to the success of the conference. We are already looking forward to the 2013 conference, tentatively planned to be held in Milledgeville next spring. Future conference information and other training opportunities will be posted on HPD's website. Again, thank you to all who were such terrific partners and great hosts!
By Stephen Dilk, Underwater Archaeologist
HPD archaeologists have completed their fieldwork and data analyses of the Medway River waterfront at Sunbury, Georgia. The Phase I project is part of the larger St. Catherines Sound underwater archaeology survey, and data from the investigation culminated in a completed Master's thesis by Stephen Dilk at East Carolina University's Program in Maritime Studies.
Like many colonial towns on the Atlantic seaboard, Sunbury played an influential but often overlooked role in the origins of the United States. Author and historian Paul McIlvaine claimed that Sunbury likely produced more famous people per square foot of real estate than any other town in America (McIlvaine 1971:1). While this statement undoubtedly exaggerates the distinction of the small coastal community, it is not without certain legitimacy. Notable figures Button Gwinnett and Lyman Hall, both signers of the Declaration of Independence, were leading citizens of Sunbury, which is rather impressive for a small remote frontier town of less than a mile square (Jones 1878:140).
Equally noteworthy yet overlooked was Sunbury's importance as an early strategic and economic marine terminal. The town was one of only two ports-of-entry in colonial Georgia, important enough to be protected by an earthworks fortification and shore battery. The town's economy prospered during the 1760s despite the post-Seven Year's War recession felt in northern ports. Located at the southern edge of Britain's colonies, Sunbury adopted an export economy and developed under an agrarian colonial regime, best exhibited in the low country of Charleston, South Carolina and the Caribbean (Sheftall 1977:1-15). The port's main resources were lumber, rice, turpentine, and animal skins, which were shipped to ports throughout the Atlantic. Yet Sunbury`s maritime tenure was short-lived. The lack of inland maritime reach limited the town`s development, as merchants could not diversify when product markets shifted elsewhere. This pattern established Sunbury as a secondary port without major capital investment undermining economic support (Price 1974:124-185).
Outside forces also pushed and pulled the citizens of Sunbury away from the town. For example, disease, hurricanes, and a devastating occupation by the British during the American Revolution left the town vacant and neglected, but not entirely without substance. In 1878, historian Charles C. Jones wrote: "A stranger pausing here would find no trace of the past once full of life and importance, but now only existent in the skeletal memories which redeem place and name from that oblivion which sooner or later is the common lot of all things human" (Jones 1878:221). Certain things remained from this oblivion: items resistant to weathering such as stone grave markers and artifacts preserved underground or underwater like glassware, ceramics, and wharf timbers. The inter-tidal survey rediscovered many of these preserved aspects of Sunbury's maritime archaeological footprint, including four distinct colonial-era wharf sites: Lamotte's Wharf South (9LI1908), Fisher, Jones, and Hughes Wharf (9LI1909), Darling and Company Wharf (9LI2013), and Kelsall and Spalding's Wharf (9LI2039).
Researchers used both traditional and electronic distance meter (total station EDM) mapping techniques to generate site plans and create digital reconstructions of the wharf remains (Figure 1). They also compared material culture (surface ceramics, glass, ballast stones, fill types, etc.) and visible construction characteristics of the wharves with other recorded mid-18th-century eastern seaboard wharf sites and found both similarities and unique vernacular building techniques. For example, three of the four sites exhibit crib or grillage floor remains, while Lamotte's Wharf (9LI1908) shows features that may be the result of a novel blending of styles borrowed from Southern rice plantations (Figure 2). Analysis of Sunbury's shipping records (1763-1767) revealed that wharf dimensions correspond with the estimated sizes of vessels entering and clearing the port. Waterfront owners built their wharves to accommodate vessels of a particular size and burden and did not expect to handle many of the larger vessels in the colonial trade.
While investigating the wharf owners themselves, researchers found some interesting yet little-known connections to greater Georgia history. For example, James Spalding, father of Thomas Spalding of Sapelo Island, built a wharf and storefront at Sunbury after living and working at Ft. Frederica. His posts in the Florida backcountry served as the headquarters for William Bartram's expeditions, and in all likelihood Bartram stayed with Spalding during his visit to Sunbury. Bartram even employed the wealthy South Carolina planter Henry Laurens, who frequently did business in Sunbury, to ship his specimens back to England onboard his schooner Mermaid. Before they sailed for England, the vessel offloaded rice at the Sunbury waterfront.
Furthermore, James Spalding's business partner, Roger Kelsall, contributed to sowing the seeds of Georgia's coastal development in the early 19th century. In the aftermath of the American Revolution, Roger Kelsall, a staunch Loyalist to the end, found himself expelled from Georgia. He reestablished himself in Exuma, Anguilla and began to cultivate cotton there. According to one author, he sent the first seeds of this strain to his former partner who began cultivating them in Georgia (Coulter 1940:2-66). After many trials and strict genetic selections from other strains, the famed Sea Island Cotton (Gossypium barbadense) emerged. While the story of Kelsall as the sole originator of Sea Island Cotton is certainly apocryphal, his trade with Spalding was not. Kelsall's modest shipments of cottonseeds to his friend helped reinvigorate Georgia's economy and made a lasting impression on the landscape and history of his former home.
The presence of wharf remains harkens back to a time when Sunbury was an important and busy seaport. All along the waterfront sailors from different countries and colonies shipped countless types of goods, spoke diverse languages, and sailed a multitude of vessels to and from Europe, the northern colonies, and the Caribbean. Yet the historical record shows that not all vessels survived to complete their voyages, as several are reportedly lost in the waters around St. Catherines Sound. An examination of Sunbury's waterfront archaeology, culture, and economy is a necessary and logical step to better understanding other submerged maritime resources located in nearby Georgia waters. Look for further updates on the St. Catherines Sound survey in future issues of Preservation Posts.
Valdosta Hosts Spring HPC Training
By Emily Foster, Historic Preservation Planner, City of Valdosta
Participants at the Spring HPC Training in Valdosta.
On March 30th and 31st, Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) members, elected officials, and preservation professionals from across Georgia attended the Spring HPC Training in Valdosta, where participants learned best practices for administering local preservation programs. The training - a partnership between the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Natural Resources, Carl Vinson Institute of Government-UGA (CVIOG), Center for Community Design and Preservation-UGA, and Georgia Alliance for Preservation Commissions (GAPC) - was made possible by a Historic Preservation Fund grant awarded to the City of Valdosta. In addition to our state partners, the workshop was facilitated by the City of Valdosta and Valdosta Main Street with sponsorships from the Valdosta Heritage Foundation and Central Valdosta Development Authority. HPC training is typically offered twice a year at different locations around the state and is required for the Certified Local Governments in Georgia. Valdosta's Historic Preservation Planner, Emily Foster, was the local facilitator for the training, which related directly to her role as Valdosta's HPC staff person within the City of Valdosta's Planning and Zoning Division.
On Friday, after being welcomed by Valdosta Mayor John Gayle and HPD Division Director Dr. Dave Crass, participants were given a thorough primer on preservation law from Professor James Reap of the College of Environmental Design, University of Georgia. Madison Preservation Planner and GAPC President Ken Kocher then presented a lively session on compatible design in local historic districts.
On Friday evening, HPC training participants were treated to a tour of three of downtown Valdosta's recent historic building rehabilitations, all of which utilized both historic preservation tax incentives and low-interest revitalization loans. Each building owner shared the unique experience in rehabbing his or her building and explained how both Downtown Development Revolving Loan Funds and historic preservation tax incentives were used in the rehabilitation process. The tour was followed by a reception at the historic Converse-Dalton-Ferrell House in downtown Valdosta. Built in 1902 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the house is now home to the Valdosta Junior Service League.
Saturday's educational sessions began with an overview of Robert's Rules of Order, given by Chrissy Marlowe with CVIOG. The workshop then broke out into two separate tracks, with sessions geared towards both new and advanced HPC members. The new member sessions, presented by Leigh Burns, HPD's Preservation Planner & CLG Coordinator, concentrated on using preservation ordinances and standards in Georgia's communities. The advanced design sessions focused on appropriate landscape design for historic resources, as well as reading plans and specifications related to their modification. These sessions were followed by a working lunch and wrap-up session facilitated by Ken Kocher on behalf of the GAPC.
A valuable educational opportunity for Georgia's HPCs, the training attracted over 70 attendees from around the state. Valdosta was honored to be selected to host this important training, and proud to have received so many compliments about its preservation accomplishments from participants. Regarding the workshop's success, Leigh Burns, Preservation Planner & CLG Coordinator said, "The City of Valdosta, Valdosta Main Street, and Valdosta Heritage Foundation did an amazing job hosting the statewide HPC training. The venues, tour, staffing, hospitality, and every component came together seamlessly and all the hard work of our local partners did not go unnoticed. We look forward to returning to Valdosta!"
World War II Prisoner of War Camps in Georgia
By Lynn Speno, National Register & Survey Specialist
Curiosity got the best of me a few weeks ago as we reviewed applications for our Georgia Centennial Farm Awards program. We came across a farm that had submitted copies of documentation that their family had kept regarding using World War II prisoners of war (POW) for farm work. Since May is the month we acknowledge the victory in Europe, or V-E Day, it seemed an appropriate topic for this month's Preservation Posts.
Almost every one of the 48 states (which is all there were at that time) had POWs housed in their state. Beginning in late 1942, transport ships brought about 400,000 prisoners of war to this country. In all, there were about 700 camps scattered across the country, most located on military bases or airfields in the South or Southwest. In Georgia, there were five main camps: Camp Stewart, Camp Wheeler, Fort Benning, Fort Gordon, Fort Oglethorpe, and numerous branch camps, primarily in rural areas. The branch camps were established to place the POWs closer to where they were needed as laborers.
Based on the Geneva Convention, the prisoners could be forced to work, but only if they were paid. Once the government decided to utilize POW labor beginning in January 1943, the military got first choice of such labor. These POWs were utilized in military hospitals, mess halls, warehouses, and base shops. Later, these mostly German and Italian prisoners were put to work on farms picking cotton, peanuts, corn, and tobacco. Others worked on timber operations or in canning factories. There was a shortage of manpower everywhere in the U.S., and this helped alleviate that issue. Farmers, in contracting with the government to use these workers, had to abide by strict regulations. The prisoners were paid 80 cents per day. Pay was in canteen coupons for use in the camp store.
The first large-scale use of the prisoners in Georgia was in the fall of 1943 when they were sent to harvest peanuts in Macon and Webster counties. Apparently, the prisoners were not accustomed to farm work, but did their job well. Harvesting cotton proved a bit more difficult and many of the prisoners complained of the south Georgia heat. By war's end, the POWs had worked on planting or harvesting crops in almost every state in the country and the number of POWs engaged in agricultural labor exceed those employed in military work. In Georgia, according to Arnold Krammer's Nazi Prisoners of War in America (1979), those numbers are reflected in the over 1 million stacks of peanuts harvested on 58,000 acres.
A letter dated August 7, 1944 sent to Worth County farmers by the county agricultural agent, advised farmers that the county would be given 70 prisoners from Turner Field in Albany and 40 from Spence Field in Moultrie to assist with the peanut harvest. The letter made clear, that if the farmer did not need the labor, they were not to apply. Only those farmers who were in danger of losing their crop should apply. The farmer had to arrange to transport the prisoners from Albany or Moultrie by 7:00 am and return them within 12 hours. A guard would accompany the prisoners. The use of POW labor was tightly regulated - a PDF of 1944 regulations for peanut farmers on the use of POWs is available here .
The existence of these POW camps was not kept secret, but only those Georgians who lived next to a camp or worked at one of the camps generally had any intimate knowledge of their operations. The government did not encourage fraternization with the prisoners. The camps were closed in 1946 after all of the prisoners were sent back to their home countries. These were temporary structures and little evidence of these camps remains. In our office, we often come across these tidbits of Georgia history which I find interesting to delve further into. Sometimes these tidbits find a way into one of our programs at a later date, but often they are only an interesting sidebar to our past.
More information on prisoners of war in Georgia is available in the New Georgia Encyclopedia.
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: Participants at the 2012 Statewide Historic Preservation Conference listen to Division Director Dr. David Crass.