Preservation Posts, October 2016 View email in your browser Message from the Director HPD assists hurricane efforts Ga. Centennial Farms honored 2017 Heritage Grants update News and Upcoming Events Share Tweet Forward A Message from the Director by: Dr. David Crass, david.crass@dnr.ga.gov Division Director & Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer HPD's Role in Hurricane Matthew Response On Oct. 7-8, Hurricane Matthew swept up the Georgia coast, causing widespread power outages and downed trees. DNR had pre-positioned Law Enforcement Division, Wildlife Resources Division, and Parks, Recreation, and Historic Sites Division assets, and teams entered the impacted area immediately following the passage of the storm. During this time frame, the Historic Preservation Division was in constant contact with the State Operations Center, as our DNR representatives monitored the storm and subsequent deployment of DNR teams. Following demobilization of our Law Enforcement Division assets on the coast early the following week, HPD sent a Damage Assessment Team down to the coast Wednesday, Oct. 12. Led by Deputy State Archaeologist Rachel Black, the team visited state-owned historic sites to assess the storm's impact. During the week of Oct. 17, HPD's Barbara Fisher engaged in several teleconferences with the FEMA team in Savannah. Our role, vis--vis FEMA, is two-fold: we will review all FEMA undertakings under Section 106 of the NHPA, and also help them inventory and assess damage to publicly-owned historic resources. We are currently working with FEMA to plan additional, more detailed damage assessment visits in the coming weeks, and are coordinating with our land-managing divisions to insure that we maximize whatever financial resources FEMA can bring to bear in the future. DNR Law Enforcement Division sent all DNR teams a survey following the storm to begin to build a dataset for an after-action report and meeting. I know that HPD learned several lessons in responding to Hurricane Matthew, and we are planning to get in touch with several SHPOs that have experience with disaster response to assess what we can do to improve our performance. You can read more about the HPD Damage Assessment Team's work in Leslie Johansen's article in this issue of Preservation Posts. I will say here that I have never been prouder of HPD's folks for stepping forward to assist our colleagues, and have never been prouder to be a member of the DNR family. HPD Assists in Wake of Matthew - Division's Damage Assessment Team Deployed to Georgia Coast by: Leslie Johansen, leslie.johansen@dnr.ga.gov Compliance Archaeologist In the early morning of October 8, Hurricane Matthew, a category 2 hurricane, impacted coastal Georgia, causing damage across our barrier islands and throughout at least 19 counties in the coastal area. Four days prior, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal issued a state of emergency for 13 counties along the coast. In preparation, as part of the state's Hurricane Matthew Response efforts, the Historic Preservation Division formed a Damage Assessment Team to assist our sister DNR divisions Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division and Wildlife Resource Division with initial damage assessments of our coastal resources once the hurricane passed through the area. We started receiving our first reports from the coast over the weekend detailing that several trees were down, but historic structures and resources were, for the most part, okay. On October 12, given the okay to act, part of the Damage Assessment Team comprised of HPD archaeologists Rachel Black, Aimee Bouzigard, Josh Headlee and myself headed down to Richmond Hill to carry out a preliminary assessment of state resources. Over the next three days we visited some of the more heavily affected sites along with Tommy Turk, Parks Region 2 Manager, and several Parks and Forestry Management Unit personnel. We viewed the damage to several structures and sites and were able to provide technical assistance for clean-up efforts and repair efforts. Over the next few months, DNR will be working closely with FEMA and other state, regional, and local organizations with the assessment and recovery efforts from Hurricane Matthew. Establishing the Damage Assessment Team is the first of many steps HPD will be taking towards developing an Emergency Response Plan to better assist with Georgia recovery efforts during any future disasters. We are excited to be able to put our combined knowledge and experiences together to further the protection of Georgia's natural and historic resources. Georgia's Centennial Farms Honored - 22 farms recognized at 24th annual award ceremony by: Jeff Harrison, jeff.harrison@dnr.ga.gov Public Affairs Coordinator The Georgia Historic Preservation Division and our partners Georgia Farm Bureau Federation, Georgia Department of Agriculture, Georgia Forestry Commission, and Georgia National Fair and Agricenter, with support from Georgia EMC and the Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee hosted the 24th annual Georgia Centennial Farm Awards ceremony in October, honoring 22 farm families. All award recipients were celebrated on the opening day of the 2016 Georgia National Fair in Perry, Ga. Each was presented with a "Centennial Family Farm Award," in recognition of their stewardship of farms that have been continuously operated by the same family for more than 100 years! Farms hold a central role in the heritage of our state, forming the economic, cultural, and family foundation for generations of Georgians. And since 1993, more than 500 farms have been recognized through the Georgia Centennial Farm Program. For a full list of award recipients, visit HPD's Centennial Farms page. Here, we highlight the four longest-operating farms among this year's recipients! The Cowart Farm, in Emanuel County, is owned and operated by Loy Dekle Cowart Jr. The original 300-acre farm was purchased in 1838 by William Roundtree, the great-grandfather of Cowart, though records show the family originally acquired the land through the Headright Bounty Land Grants of 1790. Loy D. Cowart Sr. worked the land from 1914 to 1977 and oversaw row cropping that included cotton, peanuts, and corn, with the use of sharecroppers. He also oversaw the operations of a dairy for 40 years. Loy Cowart, Jr. has farmed the family land since 1958. The McCorkle Farm, in Marion County, is now owned by Clarence R. McCorkle. The original 130-acre farm was purchased in 1847 by Robert McCorkle, the great-grandfather of Clarence. Lumber salvaged from the first farm buildings was reused to build the current residence, constructed in 1968. Clarence and his son, Vance, oversee the farm today. Major crops include peanuts, corn, soybeans, grains, and cows The Johnson Hill Farm, in Evans County, is owned by Pharris D. Johnson. The original 500-acre property was purchased in 1850 by Benjamin Brewton, the great-great grandfather of Johnson. Charlie Johnson, father of Pharris Johnson, inherited 69 acres of the family land late in his life in 1951. In addition to maintaining the farm, Charlie also operated a planing mill and a truck freight business. Over the years, production included cotton, corn, tobacco, watermelons, peanuts, soybeans, and wheat. Today the farm includes 18 acres of Conservation Reserve Program longleaf pines and warm season grasses, a 4 acre pond, and a 52 tree pecan orchard. Honey Oak Farms, in Columbia County, is owned by Walter James Fullbright. The original 100-acre farm was purchased in 1850 by Levi Vardy Fullbright, the great-great-great grandfather of Walter James Fullbright. Most of the original buildings no longer exist, but the old home was reconstructed as an addition to the newly constructed barn! Levi Fullbright was able to grow cotton, corn and sweet potatoes in the red clay. Today the farm primarily produces long leaf pines, and in 2005 the farm was designated as a Stewardship Farm. Walter and his wife will one day pass the farm to their two children and five grandchildren. All 504 Georgia Centennial Farm applications are publicly available to researchers in the Georgia Historic Preservation Division Office at Panola Mountain State Park. The applications are an important resource on Georgia's agricultural history. Applications for 2017 will be available in January, on the HPD website. To see photos of all of our Centennial Farms, visit the HPD Flickr page. 2017 Heritage Grant Projects Underway - Initial work on preservation projects around the state has begun by: Carole Moore, carole.moore@dnr.ga.gov HPD Grants Coordinator In September, the Historic Preservation Division awarded six Georgia Heritage grants totaling nearly $80,000 for the 2017 (State Fiscal Year) cycle. The grants, made possible by the purchase and annual renewal of Georgia's Historic Preservation license plate, aid preservation projects located throughout the state. This year, projects include two schools (one, a historic African-American school building), two courthouses, a cemetery, and a former plantation slave cabin. The Georgia Heritage grant program was initiated in 1995, and since 2009 has been funded solely through revenue generated by sales of the historic preservation specialty license plate. This year's award of $79,854 brings the total amount of license plate funds awarded between 2009 and 2017 to $206,539, benefiting a total of 16 projects. The SFY 2017 awards are as follows: Cassina Garden Club -- $21,134 for tabby/stucco repair at the Hamilton Plantation Slave Cabins site on St. Simons Island, Glynn County. City of Jefferson -- $12,000 for rehabilitation planning documents for the Jackson County Courthouse, located in Jefferson. Friends of Historic Claflin -- $18,000 for conditions and environmental assessment reports for the African-American Claflin School, in Columbus, Muscogee County. Historic Oakland Foundation -- $5,220 for a carriage house conditions assessment and design guidelines, as part of a 2008 master plan update for Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, Fulton County. North Alexander School, Inc. -- $16,000 for repair/rehabilitation of the N. Alexander School bell tower, in Washington, Wilkes County. Polk County Board of Commissioners -- $7,500 for a conditions assessment of the Polk County Courthouse #2 (historically the Cedartown City Hall) in Cedartown, Polk County. Continuing the long-time HPD tradition of making fall season site visits to newly-awarded Georgia Heritage grant recipients, Grants Coordinator Carole Moore and Architectural Reviewer Rachel Rice visited the new grant projects in October, and will continue to do so throughout November. Although the purpose of the site visits are to deliver the grant paperwork, discuss the scope of work and requirements, and to offer technical advice for the project, they also offer an opportunity for HPD staff to meet and greet the many individuals (grant writers, project managers, city managers, mayors, county commissioners, historical society members, preservation planners and others) associated with a successful Georgia Heritage grant project application. Rice says the site visits are a very important part of the grants administration process. "The site visit not only helps the grant recipient get started in the right direction, particularly as to meeting the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Preservation and Rehabilitation, but gives the architectural reviewer the opportunity to see the project and to really understand what is involved," she said. "In addition, HPD believes the grant program is more than just a source of funds for preservation projects. We view the HPD-grant recipient relationship as a partnership and, therefore, we have a vested interest in the success of the project," said Moore. The Georgia Heritage grants also are envisioned as "seed" funds, acting as a catalyst to spur other grants and preservation activity within the community. An excellent example is the first license plate-funded grant award of $20,000 to the Tybee Post Theater, in Chatham County, in 2009. That initial award has since generated about $500,000 in private and civic donations due to community support and enthusiasm for the building, which is now completely rehabilitated and open for business. We hope that these six new seed projects will be successfully completed next year and that the small $79,854 initial investment by HPD will spur further community financial support and interest, resulting in a preserved and still-useful historic site or building for many years to come. A few highlights from site visits already conducted: The exterior of the 1948 front building located at the African American Claflin School site in Columbus exhibits characteristics of the International Style. The second building behind it was built in 1921 in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The Friends of Historic Claflin, Inc. need to raise $12 million to rehabilitate the school. HPD is funding $18,000 for conditions and environmental assessment reports. The Historic Oakland Foundation has been awarded $5,220 to partially fund design guidelines for Oakland Cemetery and a conditions assessment report for the cemetery carriage house. The Cassina Garden Club on St. Simons Island has been awarded $21,134 for tabby repair of the meeting cabin at the former Hamilton Plantation slave cabins site. The cabins were built in the early 1800s and are highly significant African-American resources. The North Alexander School Association (NASA) has been awarded $16,000 to repair the deteriorated bell tower at the 1897 North Alexander School, located in Washington, Wilkes Co. NASA previously received a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant in FFY 2013 to repair the historic windows in the school. Recent News & Announcements - Edgar A. Weil House Listed in the National Register (Press Release - October 26) - Georgia's Centennial Farms Honored at Georgia National Fair (Press Release - October 21) - Lithonia Historic District Listed in the National Register (Press Release - October 21) Upcoming Events November 2016 - HPC Training - Columbus, Ga. The Georgia Historic Preservation Division will host Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) training Nov. 4-5, 2016 at W.C. Bradley in Columbus, Ga. The training is open to HPC members, government officials, planners, historic preservation architects, attorneys, as well as other preservation professionals and students. More information can be found on the HPD website. November 2016 - Fairview School Anniversary Celebration - Cave Spring The Fairview Brown Heritage Corporation will host an event to commemorate the 92nd anniversary of the Fairview Rosenwald School. This Rosenwald School was built in 1924, with the help of the community and organizations such as the Julius Rosenwald Fund. There will be events held Nov. 10-12 to celebrate; the festivities will begin with a Symposium at Berry College, where area college students and faculty will explore the footprints of two titans, Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington. The weekend will culminate with the Northwest Georgia premiere of the recently released film, "Rosenwald," on Saturday, Nov. 12 at the Historic Desoto Theatre (Patron's cocktail hour 6 p.m./curtains roll up at 7 p.m.), in Downtown Rome. Aviva Kempner, the award-winning film maker of "Rosenwald," will be on hand to share her fascinating research about the extraordinary life of Julius Rosenwald and his close friend, Booker T. Washington. Descendants of the Rosenwald and Washington families will be in attendance to share their personal stories about their ancestors. The public is invited to attend these events. For more information, contact the Fairview Brown Heritage Corporation at 706-232-0975 or heritageweekend@yahoo.com. Would you like to see an event listed? Email jeff.harrison@dnr.ga.gov Want to Contribute? Submit a Guest Article Preservation Posts is published to inform the public about historic preservation issues and developments from the perspective of the SHPO. In keeping with that purpose, HPD has inaugurated a new policy of occasionally soliciting guest articles that are directly related to our statutorily mandated programs. Please note that we do not publish opinion pieces. We also retain editorial control as well as the right to reject any submission. To pitch or submit a piece, or ask questions concerning an idea, email HPD Public Affairs Coordinator Jeff Harrison at jeff.harrison@dnr.ga.gov. Title Image: Historic home at Maxwell Heritage Farms LLC., in Grady County. Maxwell Heritage Farms was recognized in October at a 2016 Georgia Centennial Family Farm. Copyright 2016 DNR Historic Preservation Division, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? Update your preferences or Unsubscribe from this list