Preservation posts: the online journal of the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Apr. 2014

Preservation Posts - April 2014
In this issue:
- Message from the Director - Section 106 Training Returns to Georgia with National Partners - Statewide HPC Training Convenes in Athens - Historic Preservation Fund Grants - Part Two - The Effects of Reenactments on Civil War Battlefields - Recent News & Announcements - Upcoming Events - Available Grants
Message from the Director
By Dr. David Crass, Division Director & Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
As this edition of Preservation Post is being finalized, I am on the road, but I wanted to take this opportunity to call our readers' attention to Leigh Burns' article on the recent Certified Local Government (CLG) training in Athens. The training was cosponsored by HPD and the Georgia Alliance of Preservation Commissions, with support from the Athens Welcome Center, Athens-Clarke County Historic Preservation Commission, and the UGA College of Environment and Design. With sessions on a range of preservation-related topics, it served as a great reminder of the expertise that is present in Georgia's preservation community. The evening reception, held in the Founder's Garden, was truly outstanding. Many thanks to Dean Nadinicek and the historic preservation faculty at UGA for all of their support. HPD's relationship with UGA is critical to our long term success. I am especially proud of the work Leigh Burns, Marcy Breffle, Stephanie Jordan, and Charlie Miller did to plan and execute the workshop - it came off without a hitch. If you haven't been to one of the CLG trainings HPD holds on a regular basis, I urge you to do so. It's a great opportunity to learn about preservation, even if you aren't on a historic preservation commission.
Section 106 Training Returns to Georgia with National Partners
By Marcy Breffle, Outreach Program Assistant
The 1905 Lowndes County Courthouse in downtown Valdosta. Photograph taken by Gayle Bowman and submitted to our 2012 Downtown Georgia Photo Contest.
This June, HPD will host a one-day training that will address Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The training will take place Thursday, June 5th, at the City Hall Annex in historic, downtown Valdosta, one of Georgia's Certified Local Government communities. Sponsored through a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant from the National Park Service, this training will provide both a national and Georgia perspective on Section 106, which requires federal agencies to consider the effects of projects they approve, fund, or complete on historic properties.
Training participants will gain insight into the Environmental Review process and the Certified Local Government program from a panel of experienced speakers. Megan Brown, the Certified Local Government National Coordinator from the National Park Service, and HPD's own Leigh Burns will present dual perspectives on the Section 106 process. Blythe Semmer, a training specialist from the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation, will outline the basics of Section 106 and the review process. HPD's Stephanie Jordan and Sharman Southall from the Department of Transportation will examine Section 106 through a transportation viewpoint. Jennifer Dixon, from HPD, will provide a telecommunications take and Mary Beth Reed of New South Associates will offer insight as a private consultant.
Training will satisfy a program requirement for CLGs, and each HPC member must attend training once every three years. Training is highly encouraged for any new HPC member, and especially for all members of a newly established HPC. Registration will open May 1, 2014 and a welcome reception will take place on Wednesday, June 4th. For more information about the training, visit our website here. More information about the Section 106 process is available here.
Statewide Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) Training Convenes in Athens
By Leigh Burns, Outreach Program Manager and CLG Program Coordinator
Athens Mayor Nancy Denson makes introductory remarks.
Through a shared partnership, the Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Georgia Alliance of Preservation Commission (GAPC) offered a two-day educational training for HPC members, staff, local government officials, and preservationists on April 11-12, 2014. More than 100 registrants attended numerous sessions and networking events including an elegant welcome reception at the historic Founders House and Memorial Garden on the University of Georgia's picturesque North Campus. The reception was highlighted with a book signing by Mr. Larry Dendy, who before the reception, led a tour of the historic North Campus and then signed copies of his book entitled Through the Arch: An Illustrated Guide to the University of Georgia Campus.
Friday sessions were held at the Foundry Park Inn, with sessions on Saturday at the University of Georgia's College of Environment and Design. Many diverse and thoughtprovoking sessions were presented by many experienced Georgia preservation professionals as well as the professors and staff from the UGA College of Environment and Design. Some of these highlighted sessions included topic areas such as Conservation Easements, Ask The Experts, Preservation Law and Ethics, New Member Orientation, Downtown Design Practices, Landscape Architecture and UGA Outreach Programs. Following the conclusion of Friday's sessions, registrants enjoyed three tour options that included Athens Historic House Museums and guided walking tours of North Campus and the Downtown Athens Historic District. We appreciate the commitment of our fantastic speakers and tour guides, as well as our many GAPC Board Members who support HPD's ongoing educational efforts for Georgia's HPCs and preservationists. Additionally, without the support of the Dean, Faculty and Staff of the University of Georgia College of Environment and Design our training would have not been so successful.
More information about the training is available here. To learn more about the Georgia Alliance of Preservation Commissions, please visit their website at www.georgiahpcs.org.
We look forward to returning to Athens again for future events and appreciate all that joined us there this spring.
Historic Preservation Fund Grants - Part Two
By Carole Moore, Tax Incentives & Grants Coordinator
In Part 1 last month, we offered an introductory look at the federally funded Historic Preservation Fund (HPF)--HPD's oldest existing grant program--which is earmarked only for Georgia's Certified Local Governments (CLG). In that article, we featured various CLGs that had used the HPF grant program to promote preservation within their communities. These projects included historic resources surveys, National Register nominations, design guidelines, walking tour brochures, workshops and conferences, and predevelopment/development projects for significant landmarks.
The HPF grant program is appropriated annually from Congress through the National Park Service to support the operations and activities of the nation's State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs). As Georgia's SHPO, HPD reserves 10 percent of each year's appropriation to award 60%/40% sub-grants to CLGs for preservation projects. Since 2001, almost $1 million in sub-grants has been awarded to Georgia CLG communities for such projects. Individually each grant is not large, but cumulatively they have had a significant impact on preserving historic resources in the state.
Seven CLGs are starting new projects this month as recipients of the FFY2014 grant cycle. These projects include two historic resources surveys, one print/audio tour brochure, one historic context study, and three development (bricks-and-mortar) projects.
The City of Albany in Dougherty County received $15,000 to produce a much-needed citywide historic resources survey, which will be conducted in phases. FFY 2014's Phase 1 will include the Rawson Circle and Rawson Park neighborhoods. Rawson Circle is an early 20th-century neighborhood featuring winding streets, a beautiful oak canopy, and large lots. Predominate house styles include English Vernacular Revival, Colonial Revival, and Craftsman. The adjacent Rawson Park subdivision was developed in the 1950s and 1960s and features smaller lots in a grid street pattern
with many ranch homes. Because residents from both neighborhoods are interested in being included in a local historic district, the grant project also will include a report evaluating the possible boundary expansion of the current local district to include Rawson Circle and Rawson Park.
The City of Dalton in Whitfield County, a long-time CLG and recipient of many CLG grants over the years, received $10,821 to fund a survey project that will take a new look at four National Register districts listed over 20 years ago--Thornton Avenue/Murray Hill, McCarty Subdivision, Dalton Commercial, and Crown Mill. The survey will reveal properties that have been altered or lost since the nominations were written, as well as mid-20th century properties now considered historic and eligible for the National Register. The new information will assist the Dalton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) as it carries out its official responsibilities. Depending on the results of the survey, city officials may decide to pursue boundary or period-of-significance amendments to the National Register districts and/or expand their local district boundaries.
The City of Atlanta completed its survey of mid-20th century downtown commercial buildings during FFY 2012 with a $10,500 grant, but wanted to expand on that survey's information and data to produce a context study of post-World War II downtown Atlanta. With the award of this year's $20,000 grant, the context study will analyze the architecture of the period as well as research downtown Atlanta's developmental history. The context study also may serve as a model for other communities that want to undertake
similar studies of their own mid-20th century commercial architecture.
The tiny town of Harlem, in Columbia County, near Augusta, has big goals for historic preservation. The city's historic preservation commission (HPC) has established three local historic districts and currently is pursuing Main Street designation. As a way to increase awareness of the city's history and architecture and to encourage visitors to its downtown, the HPC applied for and received a grant of $1,100 to produce a walking/driving tour of its historic resources, as well as a complementary audio cell phone tour that will provide additional information not in the print
brochure.
Finally, three CLG communities are receiving their first HPF development grants this year-the Cities of Ashburn and Avondale Estates, and the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. Ashburn and Cobb County are long-time CLGs and have received HPF funding over the years for various preservation activities, including historic resources and archaeological surveys, National Register nominations, design guidelines, brochures, and workshops. Avondale Estates joined the CLG network more recently and currently is completing phase 2 of its citywide historic resources survey, funded with a FFY2013 grant. All three communities believed that FFY2014 was the right year to apply for the available bricksand-mortar funding to stabilize significant historic resources within their communities.
Ashburn's Wesleyan Methodist Campground, established in 1902, is one of only six historic Wesleyan Methodist campgrounds that survive in Georgia. Located in Turner County, the campground is now owned by the City of Ashburn and is used as a community center. The $17,280 HPF grant will be used to rehabilitate the campground bunkhouse, including roof and porch replacement, door, window, floor, and siding repairs, and foundation stabilization.
Left to right Ashburn City Mgr. Ben Taylor, Carole Moore, and Ashburn Community Dev. Coord. Ilya Copeland
The City of Avondale Estates was developed from 1924 to 1941 in DeKalb County and is the first documented planned city in Georgia and the Southeast. The city's $9,270 HPF grant will be used to repair and stabilize its one remaining Tudor Gothic Revival archway, called Carl's Corner, which marked the original gateway into the city.
The Cobb County Board of Commissioners partnered with the Vinings Historic Preservation
Society, owner of the circa 1870 Pace House, to apply for a HPF grant to stabilize the foundation of the house, built in the Folk Victorian style. Once repairs are made with the $10,000 grant, its visitors, averaging 1,000 per year, will be able to safely attend heritage education, civic, and other community events at the house museum.
The $83,471 in HPF grant awards for the seven projects described here actually represent almost $140,000 of preservation activity, considering the leveraging effect of the required local match. These examples also illustrate the wide variety of cities and types of projects that this grant program supports, as well as representing important preservation principles, including: identifying historic resources (surveys), preserving historic resources (repair and rehabilitation projects), and promoting preservation awareness (heritage tourism information). Individually and collectively, projects funded through the HPF Grant Program have a far-reaching and long-term impact in Georgia as communities continue to work on preserving, protecting, and promoting their historic resources. More information on HPF grants is available on our website.
The Effects of Reenactments on Civil War Battlefields
By Jennifer Weber, Staff Archaeologist
McLemore Cove
The Historic Preservation Division (HPD) recently assessed the effects of Civil War reenactment on historic battlefields. The National Park Service (NPS) has had a ban on Civil War reenactments on National Parks since 1962 when a reenactment at Manassas National Battlefield Park caused damage to the battlefield itself. Since the Civil War Sesquicentennial is upon us and the public's interest in the conflict has increased as a result, HPD took an opportunity to determine if reenactments damage historic battlefields as the NPS suggests.
The 150th year anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga was held in September of 2013 at McLemore Cove in northern Georgia and provided the perfect test case for our study. The original Battle of Chickamauga took place in September of 1863 northeast of Chattanooga, TN but because the battlefield is now a National Battlefield Park the reenactment cannot take place in its original location. A reenactment of the Battle of Chickamauga was scheduled to take place at McLemore Cove located in Walker County, on state owned land. With about 5,000 participants, it was one of the largest reenactment events in the southeastern US to date.
While anecdotal evidence suggests that reenactments are harmful to historic sites, no systematic studies have investigated their actual effects. In order to determine the reenactment's effects, HPD and volunteers from New South Associates, Inc. metal detected four 100x100 foot areas to clear them of artifacts and metal debris. Three of the locations, the Union Camp, the Confederate Camp, and the battlefield, were selected based on information provided by the event planners. After the reenactment, the areas were metal detected again, to identify materials introduced by the event. No materials dating to the civil war were recovered during the first survey but new artifacts from the reenactment were found during the second one. The reenactment introduced a significant amount of reenactment grade replica artifacts into the archaeological record. Approximately 444 "artifacts" were collected during the post-reenactment survey, including percussion caps,
spent shells, and friction primers. Those "false artifacts" could mix with authentic artifacts and increase research time and money spent in the lab when trying to distinguish replicas from original materials if deposited on an actual battlefield. Additionally, reenactors created new "features" such as fire rings, which could confuse future archaeologists investigating an actual battlefield.
This study suggests Civil War reenactments do in fact negatively impact historic battlefields through the introduction of replica materials, the introduction of new features (fire pits, tent rings, perhaps privies, etc), and the potential damage to above ground features and the landscape. This study supports the National Park Service's position on reenactments on battlefields. Luckily, there are areas like McLemore Cove where large reenactments can take place without damaging historic resources.
The results of this study were presented at the "Fields of Conflict" conference, the eighth biennial conference on battlefield archaeology, which was held March 11-16, 2014 in Columbia, SC.
Recent News & Announcements
Staff Announcement: Dr. Karen Anderson-Cordova, Program Manager for Environmental Review and Preservation Planning, Retires I bid farewell to all of my wonderful colleagues at HPD and to all of you Preservation Posts readers! After almost 14 years at HPD I decided it was time to trade a regular job for new opportunities, and I will be working on a book for University of Alabama Press on the early Spanish-Indian contact period in the Caribbean. Throughout the years I have had the opportunity to work with many of you on various projects, ranging from consultation on interesting and sometimes challenging Section 106 projects, to work on our statewide preservation plans, various publications and our successful Preserve America grants and preservation awards programs. Georgia has a rich history and incredible historic properties and I have been privileged to learn from so many of you. I appreciate the opportunity I have had to serve the people of this state and to contribute even a little bit towards the goal of protecting Georgia's historic resources. I will still be around and I am sure that we will cross paths again in new endeavors! - Karen
Scholarships Available for Georgia's CLGs to attend NAPC FORUM in Philadelphia The Historic Preservation Division (HPD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) is pleased to announce we will be awarding five scholarships to Certified Local Government (CLG) historic preservation commission members and staff to attend the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions Forum. The NAPC Forum will take place from July 16-20, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Awards for these scholarships will be given on a competitive basis to either HPC members or staff in a CLG community of good standing. An application and information packet may be downloaded here (PDF). All applications must be postmarked by Friday, May 15, 2014 for consideration and funding announcements will be made by Friday, May 29, 2014 .
Each CLG may apply for one scholarship per HPC member or CLG staff. Please note that all scholarships will require a 40% match (in-kind, cash, or a combination of the two). If you need assistance with your budget please contact Carole Moore at 404.651.5566 or carole.moore@dnr.state.ga.us. If you have questions about the CLG program please contact Leigh Burns at 404.656.2840 or leigh.burns@dnr.state.ga.us. The most current information about the NAPC Forum may be found here.
We look forward to welcoming our Georgia scholarship attendees to Philadelphia this July!
New Federal Tax Incentives Applications Forms & Billing Procedures Technical Preservation Services of the National Park Service has made some revisions to its Historic Preservation Certification applications for Parts 1, 2, 3, and amendments/advisory determinations. The primary change in the applications is that applicants must now state whether or not they are the fee-simple owner of the property described in the application. If the applicant is not the fee-simple owner, the applicant must attach a written statement from the owner stating that the owner is aware of the application and has no objection to it. In addition, the new applications are in a more fully functional, electronic fillable and savable PDF format, with the narrative text boxes now expanding to accommodate all text. Application fees for Part 2 and Part 3 applications will be billed by TPS and payment will be made through Pay.gov. The new forms must be used, and the new billing system will go into effect, on May 16. For more information or to access the new applications, please visit the NPS website here.
Georgia Heritage Grant Program Re-Opens for SFY 2015 After a hiatus of several years, limited funding for preservation projects through the Georgia Heritage Grant Program will be available in SFY2015. This grant program is 60%/40% reimbursable. Applications will be available on the HPD website by May 31, 2014. The application postmark deadline date will be in early July. Eligible projects include local governments and non-profit secular organizations for historic properties listed in or eligible for listing in the Georgia Register of Historic Places. Eligible activities include predevelopment projects such as preservation plans, feasibility studies or historic structure reports and development projects for actual "bricks and mortar" rehabilitation. For more information, please contact Grants Coordinator Carole Moore at 404-651-5566 or carole.moore@dnr.state.ga.us.
William and Hannah Root House Listed in the National Register of Historic Places (press release - April 8)
Upcoming Events
May 1, 2014 - 7 PM - Preservation Month Lecture Series: The Great Locomotive Chase - Rhodes Hall, Atlanta Learn more about the story of the Great Locomotive Chase that followed a course from Atlanta through northwest Georgia to Tennessee. The lecture will focus on the role that Cartersville and the Etowah Valley played during this historical event and will address the litigation to recover the famed Civil War locomotive, The General, from Tennessee and its rightful return to Georgia. Details
May 8, 2014 - 7 PM - Preservation Month Lecture Series: The National Register of Historic Places and Atlanta - Rhodes Hall, Atlanta It's safe to say that the National Register of Historic Places has had a big impact on the city of Atlanta. From helping document the stories of the city's historic resources and neighborhoods, to helping incentivize the preservation of these places, the National Register program has played a significant role in what we know about Atlanta's historic built environment, and how we experience that environment today. Join Stephanie L. Cherry-Farmer, National Register and Survey Program Manager at the Georgia Historic Preservation Division, to explore the National Register in Atlanta- learn the basics of the National Register program and what it really means for a property to be "listed." Then, uncover fascinating stories behind some of Atlanta's lesser-known, more unique- and perhaps, even infamous- National Register-listed resources. Details
May 22 - 12 PM - Preservation Month Lunch and Learn: From Historic to Sustainable - Rhodes Hall, Atlanta Bring a lunch and join us for a "Lunch and Learn" presentation on the joint efforts of Southface, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable homes, workplaces and communities, and The Georgia Trust to establish the first certification program for the sustainable treatments of historic properties. The presentation will introduce this innovative program, present guidelines for how the program will work, and identify the benefits to property owners. The EarthCraft Sustainable Preservation program was created specifically for historic buildings and was designed concurrently with the sustainable rehabilitation of historic Rhodes Hall. Details
May 29 - 7 PM - Preservation Month Lecture Series: Moving the Lucas House Have you ever dreamed of moving a historic house to your property or wondered what is involved with such a complicated move? In November 2013, the historic Randolph Lucas House was relocated from Peachtree Road to Ansley Park in order to save it from demolition. An overview of this historic home's history, distant and recent, will be provided as well as information on the ins and outs of moving a historic home by its current owners, Christopher Jones and Roger Smith. Results of the "Historic Railroads of Georgia" photography contest will be announced following the lecture. Details
June 5, 2014 - Section 106 for Georgia - City Hall Annex, Valdosta Curious about your role as a Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) member or a preservation non-profit staff in the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act? Are you interested in hearing national and Georgia perspectives on Section 106 and the Certified Local Government program? Please join us for a one-day Section 106 training sponsored through a federal historic preservation fund grant from the National Park Service. Co-sponsored by HPD, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the National Park Service. A registration packet that includes schedule and hotel information is available here (PDF). Registration closes on May 29.
September 26-28, 2014 - 9th biennial "Preserving the Historic Road" conference Savannah "Preserving the Historic Road" is the leading conference dedicated to the identification, preservation, and management of historic roads. This year's conference is co-sponsored by HPD and numerous other Georgia organizations. Details
Available Grants
2014-15 Fox Theatre Institute Preservation Grant The Fox Theatre Institute Preservation Grant Program is designed to encourage the preservation of historic theatres by providing grant funds for the maintenance, physical improvement and preservation of theatres throughout the region. Full details and application are available here (PDF). Applications are due by May 30, 2014.
2014 Historic Landscape and Garden Grant Program The Garden Club of Georgia is now accepting applications for its 2014 Historic Landscape and Garden Grant Program, which provides funds for the preservation and restoration of Georgia's historic gardens and landscapes. Non-profit organizations, local government, and local garden clubs are eligible to apply for the 50/50 matching grant in amounts up to $3,000. Grants only will be awarded to projects that are historically documented, and projects must be completed within one year. Guidelines and the one-page application may be found at the Garden Club of Georgia's website here. The deadline for submission is August 1, 2014. If you have questions about your application, please contact Committee Chair Joy Vannerson - 770-540-2764 or joyvannerson@gmail.com - or Carole Moore, HPD's Tax Incentives & Grants Coordinator - 404-651-5566 or carole.moore@dnr.state.ga.us.
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) 2014 Georgia Historic Preservation Division All rights reserved. Title image: The William and Hannah Root House, listed in the National Register on March 12.