The state of Georgia and its capitol

the State of
GEORGIA
and
. its Capitol

BEN W. FORTSON, JR.
Secretary of State
STATE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
A Division of the Office of Secretary of State
CHARLIE E. FLEMING
Director-Curator
State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia 30334
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
A Division of the Office of Secretary of State
M ISS CARROLL HART
State Archivist 330 Capitol Ave., S.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30334
Revised February, 1975

A Brief History
The history of any region is unalterably affected by the geography of that area. Therefore, the history of Georgia could begin millions of years ago in geologic time when the features of her varied terrain were being formed by the successive intrusions of the sea.
In a day, one can travel from the blue Appalachian range through the rolling hills of the Piedmont to the coastal plains and tidewater marshes of Georgia. In this brief span of space and time one can understand why Georgians have c1.Jltivated rice plantations, planted pine trees, pu ,hed plows along fertile rows of corn in mountain valleys, and turned to many other agricultural and industrial pursuits. Out of this battle for existence her people wrote their story and developed a culture as varied as the landscape.
It was in 1733 under the leadership of James Edward Oglethorpe that the colonists came, arriving from Britain on the Anne to settle along the Savannah River. South Carolinians welcomed their neighbors to the south, knowing they would form a buffer colony against Spanish, French, and Indian atcack. To the British trustees this was not only a smart military move but a philanthropic enterprise which might also aid British mercantilism. With the arrival of other colonists settlement moved along the coast and up the rivers. In 1758 the province of Georgia was divided into eight parishes; four new parishes were added in 1765.
Being the youngest of the thirteen original colonies at the time of the Revolution, some Georgians still felt loyal to England. Therefore, the war developed into a personal one fought for the most part by the revolutionaries (Whigs) and those still loyal to the king (Tories). Both forces were chiefly local militia fighting isolated battles across the countryside and along the southern frontier. The arrival of the British brought on the fall of Savannah and Augusta.

Seven years of conflict stopped all growth and development in Georgia. But when statehood came in 1788, settlement began to increase, Tories who had fled returned, and American soldiers came back to take up land. Through a series of treaties with the Creeks and Cherokees new western land was opened with six lotteries (1805-1832). The call of gold and land created a swift expansion beyond the old frontier, carrying with it increased trade along the rivers and the migration of people along new roads into the wilderness, hastening the establishment of state and private banking concerns. Sea island cotton gave way to upland cotton, and plantations spread into the new country.
A two-party system began to develop in the 1830's; the believers in a strong federal government created the Union Party, while the followers of more local-state control evolved into a States Rights Party. The years preceding the Civil War were the most prosperous in Georgia's history but she was now involved in national issues and divided by controversies over the status of slavery in the new territory. In 1860, the Georgia Legislature voted to secede from the Union. On January 19, 1861, the delegates at the Secession Convention in Milledgeville adopted the Ordinance of'Secession by a vote of 208 to 89; later that year Georgia became one of the Confederate States of America.
The devastation of war did not come to Georgia until 1863 when General William T. Sherman pushed his route through north Georgia, besieged and captured Atlanta in the late summer of 1864, and began the "March to the Sea." During the war years Georgia sent nearly 125,000 men and boys into battle and lost much of her material wealth. After the war, bankrupt and without machinery and seeds, Georgians began to rebuild again.
From 1868-1871 the National Republican Party, using the newly-achieved Negro vote, helped control Georgia's government. The state's almost half-million black population shifted into rural (tenant farmers) and urban (low salaried) groups.
After this period the state became solidly Democratic, and the only threat to the Party's rule came briefly in the 1890's when the Populist Party gained power under the leadership of Tom Watson.

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The change from an agrarian to an industrial economy came gradually following the war. Voices, including that of Atlanta Constitution editor Henry Grady, were raised trumpeting "the New South" but the long, difficult struggle toward prosperity was not easy.
Slowly cities began to grow, manufacturers moved in, and the impetus of those years of rebuilding has never stopped. Following WorId War II the industrial boom became even more apparent, and now Georgia ranks high in the nation in the number of commercial and industrial firms established in a year.
The political scene has changed with the emergence of a real two-party system, the abolishment of the old county unit system and the reapportionment of the state legislature.
Georgia's governors, fired with the spirit of progress, have initiated reforms and efficiency measures, r a i sed educational standards, and boosted the state's image so that Georgia can maintain her position of leadership in the South.
State Government
The state capitol of Georgia is located in the city of Atlanta in Fulton County.
The Governor is elected for a period of four years and cannot succeed himself.
The Lieutenant Governor is elected for four years and is the President of the State Senate. The Speaker of the House is the presiding officer over the House of Representatives and is elected by the House.
The Secretary of State, Comptroller General, Attorney General, Superintendent of Schools, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Commissioner of Labor are all elected for a term of four years. The five members of the Public Service Commission are each elected for terms of six years.
There are seven judges of the State Supreme Court and nine judges of the State Court of Appeals, all elected for terms of six years.

Georgia has a bicameral legislature. There are 56 Senators and 180 Representatives, elected for terms of two years.
The minimum voting age for Georgia citizens is 18 years. A voter must be a legal resident of the state and of the county.
Georgia has twelve members in the Congress of the United States: two Senators, elected for terms of six years, and 10 members of the House of Representatives, elected for terms of two years.
Outstanding Achievements
Possibly no other state has taken the leadership in so many varied fields of endeavor as has Georgia, whose rich and colorful history dates from February 12, 1733, when General James Oglethorpe landed at Savannah.
1735 Georgia was the first colony to cultivate grapes.
1735 The first agricultural experiment farm and station was established in Savannah.
1735 The first silk from the colonies was sent from Savannah and made into a dress for the Queen of England.
1735 The first Moravian Church in the United States was founded in Savannah where General Oglethorpe had given 600 acres of land to the first colony of Moravians.
1736 John Wesley founded the first Protestant Sunday School in America in Savannah.
1738 Georgia was the first British colony to outlaw the sale of rum.
1741 The first American orphanage, Bethesda, was established in Savannah by George Whitefield.
1755 The first export of cattle from America was from Savannah.
1773 The first Negro Baptist Church was established at Silver Bluff.

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1774 Georgia was first to ordain a black preacher.
1775 Under the command of Captain Bowen and Major Joseph Habersham, a Georgia schooner was the first American schooner launched against the British naval forces.
1783 The first free government-supported high school, Richmond Academy, was opened to Augusta students.
1785 The first state university chartered and supported by state funds was the University of Georgia in Athens. Although it was chartered on January 27, 1785, it did not open to students until 1801.
1788 On January 2, Georgia was the first southern state, and fourth in the nation, to ratify the United States Constitution.
1793 The first cotton gin was invented near Savannah by Eli Whitney and put into operation near Washington, Georgia.
1795 The circular saw was invented by Cox (given name unknown). The original design is still in use.
1802 Sarah Porter Hillhouse became the first American woman to own and edit a newspaper, The Washington Gazette.
1810 The first successfully operated cotton mill in the South, the Bolton factory, was built in Wilkes County.
1819 The Savannah, first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, set sail from Savannah on May 20 en route to Liverpool, England.
1820 Henry McAlpin built the first railroad in America on his plantation "The Hermitage."
1821 Sequoyah, member of the Cherokee tribe, created the first Indian alphabet.
1828 The first Indian newspaper, The Cherokee Phoenix, was published in New Echota.
1828 Gold was discovered and mined in Auraria, Lumpkin County, near Dahlonega, precipitating America's first gold rush.
1830 The process by which cotton seed oil could be made from the previously discarded cot-

ton seed was discovered by Launcelot Johnston.
1832 The first Negro Baptist general hospital and asylum in the United States was the Georgia Infirmary.
1834 The first iron sea vessel, the John Randolph, was built in Savannah.
1834 The first passenger train in the United States ran between Augusta and Charleston, S.C.
1836 Wesleyan College, the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women, was founded in Macon. Catherine Brewer was first to be awarded a degree in 1840.
1836 On December 21 the Western and Atlantic Railroad was created by an act of the General Assembly as the first state owned railroad in the U.S.
1842 Dr. Crawford W. Long was the first American to use ether as a surgical anesthetic in Jefferson.
1842 Dr. Francis Goulding of Bath invented the sewing machine.
1844 The first machine for manufacturing ice was invented by Dr. John Gorrie in Columbus.
1851 The first two sororities in the world were organized at Wesleyan College, Macon Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu.
1866 Georgia was the first state to declare that married women should have full property rights.
1874 Georgia was the first state to create a state Department of Agriculture.
1877 Georgia was the first state to create a railroad commission.
1880 The first long distance phone call ever made was between Rome and Trion.
1881 Spelman College, Atlanta, was the first school to grant a certificate to a black nurse.
1887 Coca-Cola was first made and sold in Georgia.

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1887 The first discovery of bauxite (aluminum ore) was made in Floyd County, Georgia.
1893 Georgian Thomas E. Watson introduced the bill in the U.S. Congress which created rural free mail delivery.
1895 C. Francis Jenkins operated the world's first motion picture theatre with paid admissions at the Cotton States Exposition in Atlanta.
1906 The first school of forestry in the South was established at the University of Georgia.
1912 On March 2 the Girl Scouts of America was formed by Juliette Low in Savannah.
1922 Rebecca Felton of Cartersville became the first woman in the U.S. Senate.
1930 The nation's first county-owned hydroelectric plant was built in Crisp County.
1932 Dr. Charles Herty developed the process for making newsprint from pine.
1945 Georgia was the first state to lower the legal voting age from 21 to 18.
1964 Dr. Martin Luther King was the first Georgian to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
1972 Andrew Young was the first black congressman to be elected from the South since reconstruction.
Georgia leads the nation in the production of peanuts, pecans, broilers and other poultry products, paper and paper board, pulpwood, crushed granite, kaolin, dimension marble, dimension granite, and crushed marble.
The largest state farmers' market of its kind is located in Forest Park.
Georgia is first in the production of gum naval stores; 74.4 per cent of the US total and over 50 per cent of the world's production come from Georgia. Valdosta is the largest naval stores market in the world.
In forestry, Georgia leads the nation in the number of privately owned forest acres and in the number of private acres under organized fire protection.

Georgia produces more lumber than any state east of the Mississippi.
Georgia was the first state to certify tree seed and enact a law to register foresters. It is the site of the world's first major forest fire laboratory and the Eastern Tree Seed Laboratory, a facility for testing tree seed from many states east of the Rocky Mountains. The state has the nation's largest tree improvement program and became the first of the states to produce improved seedlings for landowners.
Georgia is the site of the world's largest piece of exposed granite. Stone Mountain is located near Atlanta and features the world's largest sculpture, a depiction of Confederate heroes.
Georgia's Lockheed plant, near Marietta, is the largest aircraft factory under one roof in the world.
The Ladies' Garden Club of Athens, organized in 1891, was the first such organization to name permanent officers, adopt a constitution and bylaws, and be conducted under parliamentary procedure.
Poppy Day was first inaugurated by Moina Michael of Athens and Monroe, Georgia.
Cotton was first planted for commercial use in Georgia.

Significant Facts

The Georgia Legislature has never designated
an official nickname for the state. Unofficially, it has been called:

E-mpil'e State of the South
The Crackel' State The Goobel' State

The Peach State The Buzzard State
Yankee-land of the South

The Charter of the Colony was granted June 9, 1732, by George II, King of England, to James
Edward Oglethorpe and a board of 21 trustees,
who established the colony in 1733. The original territory extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River, including the land which is now the states of Alabama and Mississippi.

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The Charter was surrendered by the trustees to the Crown (George III) in 1752, making Georgia a royal province. It remained a royal province until independence was achieved in 1776. Nevertheless, remnants of British rule in Georgia lasted until 1782.
Statehood status was gained when Georgia ratified the Federal Constitution on January 2, 1788. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify and the third state to do so unanimously.
Ratified Bill of Rights, The Ten Original Amendments to the U. S. Constitution, Mar. 24, 1939 (see Acts 1939, p. 1414).
Seceded from the Union Jan. 19, 1861 (see Journal of Secession Convention). Fifth state to secede. (Candler's Confederate Records).
Ratified Confederate Constitution Mar. 6, 1861 (See Journal of Secession Convention).
Formally readmitted to the Union by U. S. Congress Act of July 15, 1870.
State Motto: Wisdom, Justice and Moderation (See State Constitution of 1798).
State Colors: Red, white and blue, as established by Act of Feb. 13, 1956, (Acts 1956, p. 38, codified as Sect. 86-1201 of the 1933 Code).
Georgia Waltz: "Our Georgia," words and music by James B. Burch, Thomasville, Ga. (Acts 1951, pp. 842-43).
Capitals of Georgia:
Savannah (under British rule), 1733-1782. [During Revolutionary Period seat of government was shifted among Savannah, Augusta, Heard's Fort (Wilkes County), and Ebenezer (Effingham County) to circumvent British control].
Augusta, 1786-1795.
Louisville, 1796-1806 (first permanent capitol building).
Milledgeville, 1807-1868 (one extraordinary session of the legislature held in Macon, Feb.Mar. 1865).
Atlanta, April 20, 1868 to date.

Counties of Georgia:
Georgia now has 159 counties.
The Constitution of 1777 created eight counties -Wilkes, Richmond, Burke, Effingham, Chatham, Liberty, Glynn, and Camden-replacing the twelve colonial parishes.
Total land and inland water area in sq. mi., 58,914.
Total land area in sq. mi., 58,111.
Total area submerged, 803 sq. mi., or 453,920 acres.
Total number of acres in woodland, 24,066,400.
Total number mi. around state's boundary (perimeter mileage), 1,051 (Georgia is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, Savannah, Tuga100 and Chattooga Rivers; on the west by the Chattahoochee River and Alabama; on the north by North and South Carolina and Tennessee; on the south by the St. Mary's River and Florida).
Geographic center of Georgia: about 17% mi. S.E. of Macon or specifically 4% mi. East-N.E.
of Bullard and llJ. mi. South-S.E. of the junction of
Turvin and Savage Creeks in Twiggs County.
Elevation-Highest: 4,784 feet (Brasstown Bald Mt.) ; Lowest: Sea level.
Length: 315 miles; Breadth: 250 miles.
Georgia Parks and Historic Sites: Administered by the Parks and Historic Sites Division of the Department of Natural Resources, there are 51 active parks, 7 under development, and 8 acquired for future development. There are 20 active historic sites and 4 acquired for future development.
Department of Archives and Histm'y: established by Act of August 20, 1918 (Acts 1918, p. 137). Act of August 28, 1931 (Acts 1931, p. 38) placed the Department in the Office of Secretary of State.
State Museum of Science and Industry: located in the state capitol and established in Office of Secretary of State by Act of March 3, 1955 (Acts 1955, pp. 350-351). It is located on the fourth and the first floors of the capitol building.

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Ge01'gia Commission f01' the National Bicentennial Commission: created by Resolution on April 28, 1969 (Ga. Laws, 1969, p. 1074) and established in Office of Secretary of State on April 5, 1973 by Act #187. The Commission is charged with the responsibility for cooperating with the National Commission and local groups to plan and coordinate observances and activities for commemorating the Bicentennial of the American Revolution.
About 5 percent of the land in Georgia is owned by the U. S. Government in the form of wild life refuges, national parks, forests, battlefield areas, military reservations, agricultural experiment stations, fisheries, soil conservation nurseries, power dams, cemeteries, veterans' hospitals, housing projects, post offices, etc. None of this property is subject to state taxation or control.
Average annual rainfall: 47.14 inches.
Area rank among the 50 states: 21.
Area rank east of Mississippi River: 1.
Population according to the 1970 U.S. Census: 4,589,575.
Population rank among the 50 states: 15 (1970 U. S. Census).
Number of Counties: 159.
Number of Congressional Districts: 10.
Number of Senatorial Districts: 56.
Number of House Districts: 154.
Number of Judicial Circuits: 42.
Number of Constitutions: 8. Adopted in the following years: 1777, 1789, 1798, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1877, 1945 (complete revision of Constitution of 1877 ratified, General Election, August 7, 1945) .
General Assembly: Meets annually the second Monday in January.
Session: 40 calendar days in even-numbered years; 45 calendar days in odd-numbered years.
Senators: 56.
House of Representatives: 180.
Total: 236.

legal Holidays

The following days are declared to be public and legal holidays in Georgia:

First dau of Jamw?'y _

_ ____ __ _ _ New Yea?"s Day

111th day of J a Iluary _ _ __ ..

Lee's Birthday

Thinl Mondau in- Februa?'y _. __ Wash'i1/gton's Birthday

.!6th day 0/ A]J1'il

Confederate Memorial Day

Last ll'lollday in May

__ .National Memorial Da'y

3nl day 0/ June _

Jeffe?'son Davis' Birthday

1, th day of July _

__

!-IlClependence Day

First MOllday ill September

... Labor Day

Second Monduy in October

Columbus Day

11th day 0/ Novembe1'

.

....Veteran's Day

Fourth Thursday ill November _...

Thanksgiving Day

:!5th dau of Decembe1'

Ch?'istmas Day

and any day proclaimed or designated by the Governor of the State of Georgia or the President of the United States as a day of fasting and prayer or other religious observance, are hereby declared public and legal holidays in the State - of Georgia. Whenever a public or legal holiday occurs on a Sunday, the following Monday shall be observed as a public and legal holiday (Georgia Laws, 1969, pp. 9-10).

Observance of Special Days
':' 32-1503. "The connty and local boaTds of education shall see that the following days are observed either by holidays or app1'opTiate exercises and it shall be the duty of the State SupeTintendent of Schools to a1Tange pTograms for the proper obse1'vcmce of these occasions, and of the Supe1'intendent and teache1's to direct the attention of the pupils to these dates and topics by practical exe1'cises."
1. Thanksgiving Day, last Thursday in November. 2, Uncle Remus Day, Decembe1' 9. J. Lee's Birthday, January 19. 1,. Georgia Day, February 12. 5. Wash'ington's Birthday, February 22. 6. Arbor and Bird Day, third Friday in Feb?uary. 7. Confederate Memo1'ial Day, April 26. (Acts, 191,1, pp, 31,9-350.)
';'An Amendment to Section 32-1503 of the Code of Georgia, 1933.

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Georgia Day

State Creed

Februa1'y 12, Obse1'vance
The first person to suggest celebrating the day of Georgia's birth was Miss Frances L. Mitchell of Athens, Georgia. She suggested the observance in her book, Georgia Land and People, published in 1900 by the Franklin Printing and Publishing Company of Atlanta. As a result of her prompting, the Joseph Habersham Chapter of the Georgia Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, first began to agitate the adoption of February 12 as "Georgia Day." The first governor to urge that the day be set apart was Joseph M. Terrell who held office from 1902 to 1907.
In 1909, John M. Slaton, the President of the State Senate, introduced a bill in the Legislature which made it obligatory upon the public schools of Georgia to hold exercises on February 12, "Georgia Day." (See Senate Joumal, 1909, pp. 235, 278, 286). The bill was approved August 13, 1909, and the Act as passed is quoted below from Georgia Laws, 1909, p. 190:
OBSERVANCE BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
An Act to provide that the twelfth day of February in each year shall be observed in the public schools of this State, under the name of "Georgia Day," by appropriate exercises; and for other purposes. Section 1. Be it enacted by the General As-
sembly of the State of Georgia, That the twelfth day of February in each year shall be observed in the public schools of this State, under the name of "Georgia Day," as the anniversary of the landing of the first colonists in Georgia under Oglethorpe; and it shall be the duty of the State School Commissioner through the County School Commissioners, annually to cause the teachers of the schools under their supervision to conduct on that day exercises in which the pupils shall take part, consisting of written compositions, readings, recitations, addresses, or other exercises, relating to this State and its history and to the lives of distinguished Georgians. When said day falls on Sunday, it shall be observed on the following Monday. . .
(For later legislative action see, Geo?'gia Laws, 1941, pp. 349-350, or Section 32-1503 of the Code of Georgia, 1933).

Whereas, the State of Georgia has never officially adopted a "Georgian's Creed" for the benefit of its citizens; and

Whereas, the adoption of a dignified and patriotic "Georgian's Creed" would be of great help to all our citizens and particularly to the youth of our great State; and
Whereas, the following "Georgian's Creed" composed by Mrs. A. H. (Sexta Eavenson) Strickland, one of Georgia's great patriotic leaders, has been adopted by the following patriotic organizations, to-wit:
Cmwford W. Long Chapter, U. D. C.
American Legion Auxiliary, Atlanta Unit, No.1,
American Legion, Atlanta Post, No.1
Fifth District, American Legion of Georgia,
Forty and Eight of Georgia,
Waldo M. Slaton Ame1"ican Legion Auxiliary, Unit No. 140,
Peachtree Hills Woman's Club,
Barrow County Chapter, United Daughters of the Confedemcy,
Elberton Chapter, Service Star Legion.

Now therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, the Senate concurring, that the following "Georgian's Creed" be adopted as the official "Georgian's Creed" for all citizens of our beloved State and its use authorized in all Georgia Schools and at any public or private meetings of the citizens of the State:

"Accepting, as I do, the principles upon which Georgia was founded, not for self but others;-
its Democratic form of Government, based on 'Wisdom, Justice and Moderation'; its natural resources ;-its Educational, Social and Religious advantages, making it a most desirable place to
live-I will strive to be a pure upright Citizen, rejecting the evils-loving and emulating the good.

I further believe it is my duty to defend it

against all enemies, to honor and obey its laws,

to apply the Golden Rule in all my dealings with

my fellow Citizens.

(Cont'd on page 11)

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GbO~GIA

\\6rds by Ik>bert Loveman

Music byLollie~lMie
An. by Esther'Vil1lurn Barnes
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10

Ge01'gia CTeed (Con't)
I feel a sense of pride in the history and heroic deeds accomplished by my forebears, and shall endeavor to so live that my State will be proud of me for doing my bit to make my State a better Commonwealth for future generations."
(Approved March 4, 1939. Ga. Laws, 1939, pp. 1425, 1426).
State Song
A Resolution.
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein, the following:
It appearing that Lollie Belle Wylie has set to music the beautiful poem of Robert Loveman, entitled "Georgia" and that said poem expressed the highest and loftiest sentiment as to our beloved State, and that the music as composed by Miss Wylie is tuneful, refined and beautiful, a copy of said song, as set to music, being attached hereto.
Be it resolved, That the thanks of this body be extended to Miss Wylie for her services to the State in composing this music and that the same be designated as Georgia's song.
Arrangements.
A Resolution.
Relative to the State song; and for other purposes. Whereas, the official State song adopted by the
General Assembly of Georgia in 1922 (Georgia Laws, 1922, p. 1141), entitled "Georgia" with words by the famous Georgia poet Robert Loveman and music by Lollie Belle Wylie is recognized as a wonderful State song, appropriate both as to words and music, and
Whereas, it is well known by school children, teachers and various organizations, but has not been generally used successfully for group singing because of one slight problem of rhythm in three measures, and
Whereas, it has been unofficially changed by many groups who have sung it, and
Whereas, Mrs. Esther W. Barnes has made the desirable changes in the song, a copy of which is on file in the Secretary of State's office, and

Whereas, such changes have been endorsed by many civic groups over the State, members of the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs, members of the Music Educators Association and by classroom teachers, and
Whereas, it is desirable that permission be granted for arrangements to be made of the State song for band and choral groups for State, civic and school purposes.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the General Assembly of Georgia that the official State song, "Georgia", with the changes made by Mrs. Barnes as aforesaid is hereby adopted, and the changes as made are hereby ratified.
Be it further resolved that although the song may not be used for commercial purposes, permission is hereby granted for arrangements to be made for band and choral groups for State, civic and school purposes.
Be it further resolved that the Secretary of State is hereby instructed to keep the copy of said song, which is on file in his office, in a suitable place so that an official copy shall always be available.
(Approved March 25, 1958. Acts 1958, pp. 506-07.)
Georgia Hall of Fame
The idea of creating the Georgia Hall of Fame was adopted in 1953 by the Legislative Committee of the Georgia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. This committee was composed of: Mrs. Forrest E. Kibler, originator of the honor; Mrs. Max E. Flynt; Mrs. L. Cary Bittick; Mrs. Edgar M. Lancaster; Mrs. C. Robert Walker; and Mrs. Mary Givens Bryan.
In 1955 the UDC presented the proposal to the General Assembly which in turn passed a resolution to designate the state capitol as the location of the Georgia Hall of Fame.
Between 1953 and 1963 seventeen prominent Georgians were enshrined. Under the sponsorship of Georgia's patriotic societies, busts of these men,

11

sculpted by Bryant Baker, were located in either the Capitol Building or in the Judicial Building.
In 1971, the bust of Margaret Mitchell was added as the first woman member of the Hall of Fame. Eleanor Platt, who worked with Bryant Baker, was the sculptress.
The Hall of Fame Committee was abolished by Executive Order of Governor Jimmy Carter June 30, 1972. The Hall of Fame itself, however, is still viable. In 1973, the Legislature directed the appointment of a Committee, with the Secretary of State as chairman, to honor the founder of the Girl Scouts of America. Eleanor Platt was also the sculptress of the bronze portrait bust of Juliette Gordon Low given by the Girl Scouts in Georgia on October 31, 1974.
I. Alexander Hamilton Stephens (1812-1883) Vice President, Confederate States of America
2. Button Gwinnett (1732-1777)
3. Lyman Hall, M.D. (1724-1790)
4. George Walton (1749-1804) (The three signers of the Declaration of Independence)
5. William Few (1748-1828)
6. Abraham Baldwin (1754-1807) (The two signers of the United States Constitution)
7. William H. Crawford (1772-1834) United States Senator United States Minister to France
8. Crawford W. Long, M.D. (1815-1878 ) Discoverer of Surgical Anesthesia
9. Archibald Bulloch (1730-1777) A Leader of the Revolutionary Movement in Georgia First President and Commander in Chief of Georgia
10. John Adam Treutlen (1726-1782) Salzburg Patriot First Governor under State Constitution of 1777
II. George M. Troup (1780-1856) Advocate of States Rights Governor, 1823-1827
12. Benj am in Hawkins (1754-1816) Indian Agent, 1796-1816

13. Peter Early (1773-1817) Governor of Georgia during War of 1812 (1813-1815)
14. Margaret Mitchell Marsh (1900-1949) Author of "Gone With the Wind" : Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel of 1936.
15. Juliette Gordon Low (1860-1927) Founde1', Gi1'1 Scouts of the United States of America.
Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia:
16. Joseph Henry Lumpkin (1799-1867)
17. James Jackson (1819-1887)
18. Logan Edwin Bleckley (1827-1907)
19. Richard Brevard Russell (1861-1938) 0:<
':' Formal dedication of the marble busts of famous Georgians listed above was held: February 11, 1953; N ovembel' 25,1957; January 7,1959; March 19, 1960; January 7, 1963. The seventeen illustrious Georgians were sponsored by the following six patriotic organizations: Georgia Division, United Daughters of the Confederacy; Georgia Society, Dames of the Court of Honor; Georgia Society, Daughters of the American Revolution; Georgia Society, Colonial Dames of the XVII Century; Georgia Chapter, Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America; Georgia Society, United States Daughters of 1812. The bust of Margaret Mitchell was dedicated November 8, 1972.

12

Present Great Seal

The present Great Seal has been in use

since 1799 with the exception of the

period 1863-1865, when a specially de-

signed Great Seal was used, and the

period 1868-1871, when it was hidden

by Secretary of State Nathan C. Bar-

nett. In 1872, it was restored by Mr.

Barnett after Georgians were again in

power in the state. In 1914, the date

on the Seal was changed by legislative

action from 1799 to 1776 to correspond

with the date of the Declaration of Inde-

pendence. The device on one side

is a view of the seashore, with a ship

bearing the flag of the United States

riding at anchor near a wharf, receiv-

ing on board hogsheads of .tobacco

and bales of cotton, emblematic of the

exports of this state; at a small dis-

tance a boat, landing from the in-

terior of the state, with hogsheads, etc.,

on board, representing the state's in-

ternal traffic; in the back part of the

same side a man in the act of plowing,

and at a small distance a flock of sheep

in different postures, shaded by a

flourishing tree; the motto thereon,

"Agriculture and Commerce, 1776." The

device on the other side is three pillars

supporting an arch, with the word "Con-

stitution" engraven within the same,

emblematic of the Constitution, sup-

ported by the three departments of gov-

ernment, viz., the legislative, judicial,

and executive-the first pillar having

engraven on it "Wisdom," the second

"Justice" the right

the t of the

hird last

p"ilMlaordaermataionns'"t~nodn

ing with a drawn sword, representing

the aid of the military in the defense

of the Constitution; the motto, "State

of Georgia 1776" quoted from the An-

notated code of Georgia, 1933, chapter

40-7, code section 40-701; Acts 1799;

Cobb, p. 959; Acts 1914, p. 1247.

13

State Flag
The first official flag of the state was established by the Act of October 17, 1879 (Acts 1879, p. 114). The second, and present, official flag of the state was established by the Act of February 13th, 1956 (Acts 1956, p. 38; codified as Sect. 86-1201 of the 1933 Code).
"The flag of the State of Georgia shall be a vertical band of blue next to the flagstaff, and occupying one-third of the entire flag; the remainder of the space to be a square of two-thirds the length of the flag, having the ground red; thereon a broad saltier of blue, bordered with white, emblazoned with white mullets or five pointed stars, thirteen in number, corresponding in number to that of the Confederate States of America as recognized by the Confederate States Congress,o:' so that the said remainder shall be the

same as the union of the flag of the Confederate States as approved and cited in Statutes at Large of the Confederate States Congress, 1st and 2nd Sessions, 1862-3-4, and approved May 1, 1863, such remainder being popularly known as the Battle Flag of the Confederacy. On the blue field shall be stamped, painted or embroidered the coat of arms of the State."
"'Confederate States Congress recognized Kentucky and Missouri, which accounts for the 13 stars. Each of these States had Union and Confederate Governments. Representatives of their Confederate Governments were admitted to the Confederate States Congress.
FLAG ALLEGIANCE
Whereas, it is a part of the duty of every patriotic citizen to pledge allegiance to the flag of our country, and whereas every man, woman, and

14

child of this State owes a similar allegiance to the flag of Georgia, and whereas said State flag along with our National flag should be displayed on all public holidays and in all public schools and civic gatherings:
Now be it resolved by the House with the Senate concurring, that the following be adopted as the pledge of allegiance of the State flag: "I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands; Wisdom, Justice, and Modemtion."
Be it further resolved, that said State flag be displayed at appropriate occasions in the public schools of this State, and in all patriotic meetings, and the citizens of our State be requested to take the above allegiance.
(Approved March 28, 1935, Acts 1935, p. 1253),

State Tree
Many states have chosen a tree indigenous to their particular soils to be a'n emblem of sovereignty. Following this thought, the Georgia General Assembly, at the request of the Edmund Burke Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, selected the live oak as the official state tree in 1937 (Acts 1937, p. 2209).
The live oak flourishes along the coastal plains and on the islands where the first settlers made their homes. The tree is closely associated with Georgia's early history, particularly with the lives of many famous Georgians such as James Oglethorpe, John Wesley, and Sidney Lanier who contributed much of their efforts to the enrichment of the state.

15

State Flower
The ~herokee rose which grows luxuriantly in all sections of the state was adopted as Georgia's state flower by the Georgia Federation of Women's Clubs and confirmed by the state Legislature in 1916. Originally thought to be indigenous to southern soil, it is now the opinion of the National Department of Agriculture that the rose was introduced into the state perhaps directly from China or from China by way of England. One well-known horticulturist agreeing with this latter view gives the year 1757 as the date of its introduction into England and advances the belief that it reached the United States shortly afterwards. The name, Cherokee rose, is a local appellation

d~riv.ed from the Cherokee Indians who widely dIstnbuted the plant, which elsewhere is known b~ the botannical name of rosa sinica. Growing wIld. t~e rose is a high climbing shrub, frequently attaInIng the proportions of a vine, is excessively thorny and generously supplied with leaves of a viv~d green. Its blooming time is in the early sprIng but favorable conditions will produce a second flowering in the fall of the year. In color the rose is a waxy white with large golden center and the petals are of an exquisite velvety texture. Because of its hardy nature the plant is well adapted to hedge purposes and has been used extensively in this fashion throughout the South.
(Adopted by Resolution of Aug. 15, 1916, see House Journal, 1916, p. 1172.)

State Bird
The brown thrasher was designated as the Georgia state bird by official proclamation of Governor Eugene Talmadge on April 6, 1935. Then, on March 20, 1970, at the request of the Garden Clubs of Georgia, the Legislature made the brown thrasher the state bird by passage of a house resolution.
The thrasher is commonly found in the eastern section of the United States, ranging north to Canada, and west to the Rockies. This bird is

migratory in the north and winters in the southern stat~s. The thrasher is almost a foot long. It ~as ~ nch brown color with a white stripe on Its .WIngs, and. brown feathers stripe the creamy whIteness of Its breast. The brown thrasher is one of the finest songsters native to America' it is a very fine mimic, as is its near relative the
mock.ingbird. It nests .in low bushes or brush piles, and Its eggs are thIckly peppered with brown ~pecks. ~he brown t.hrasher, though vegetarian In part, IS a true frIend to the farmer since it feeds on destructive grasshoppers, caterpillars
and worms.

16

Official State Game Bird
At the same time the brown thrasher was officially made state bird by House Resolution, the bobwhite quail was designated as official state game bird. Georgia has long been hailed as the "Quail Capital of the World," so it seemed only fitting and proper to recognize the bobwhite quail by such a designation.

The bobwhite quail, whose familiar "bob-bobwhite" whistle has charmed Georgians since the state was occupied by British colonists in 1733, has also provided Georgia huntsmen with continued sport. The quail can withstand a loss of two-thirds of its population with no reduction in the spring breeding population, so it is in no danger of becoming a species threatened with extinction.
(Georgia Laws, 1970 Session, pp. 418-419).

19

Official State Fish
Some of the best and most picturesque fishing waters of the United States are found in Georgia, and for many years the state has been known as a "fisherman's paradise."

At one time, the world's largest largemouth bass was taken from the waters of a Georgia stream. Accordingly, then, on March 24, 1970, the Georgia House of Representatives adopted a resolution designating the largemouth bass as the official state fish.
(Ga. Laws, 1970 Session, pp. 846-847).

20

J
Okefenokee Swamp Exhibit - Georgia State Museum 21

Red-tailed Hawks - Georgia State Museum 22

The Capital City-Atlanta
Atlanta, the capital of Georgia, is rich both in history and in promise. First chartered in 1855, she progressed rapidly as a center for railway transportation. However, the railroad which brought her prosperity also brought the scourge of war when General William T. Sherman burned the city in 1864 because of its use to the Confederacy as a transportation center. Fortunately, Atlanta had too many natural advantages to be held back for very long by this devastation. Her geographic location made her the logical center of the southeastern region for commerce and distribution as well as transportation. Her moderate climate and abundant labor supply have brought many business concerns to the city, and this migration has in turn caused the population to increase rapidly. In 1960, the 5-county metropolitan area of Atlanta reached the one million mark in population. Recent expansion to a 15county metropolitan area gave Atlanta a 1974 population of over 1.7 million. It is estimated that by 1985 the city will have a population of over 2 million. The 3 million mark will probably be reached by the year 2000.
Business in Atlanta is expanding very rapidly. The city is the home of 48 of the country's 50 largest insurance companies, 26 of the 50 largest retail companies and 40 of the 50 largest transportation companies. Of P01'tune's 500 largest U. S. industrial corporations, 432 are represented in Atlanta.
Today, Atlanta is a communications center. It is the focal point of approximately 30 major airline routes, 4 interstate highway systems, and is the home of 350 regulated motor carriers. The city has 40 of the state's 232 newspapers, 27 of Georgia's 224 radio stations, and 7 of its 23 television stations.
One major factor in influencing business to move to Atlanta has been the educational system. In addition to her rapidly expanding public school system, the city boasts of 25 colleges and universities, 16 vocational, professional and technical schools, and 34 business and related career schools.
Cultural life is also very evident in Atlanta. Activities include a symphony orchestra, ballet companies, theatre groups, and art groups.. Of

special interest is the 13 million dollar Memorial Arts Center with the High Museum of Art.
Recreational activities are readily available in Atlanta. Parks are plentiful, and the Grant Park Zoo has always been popular with children. In addition, the city is the home of major league baseball, professional football, basketball, soccer and ice hockey.
Last, Atlanta is blessed with an enlightened and progressive leadership in both government and business-a leadership which is distinguished by its enthusiasm about the city's growth and possibilities. Programs such as urban renewal and rapid transit will enhance the appearance of the city and aid in its orderly development as a major urban center.
Atlanta is indeed a city which in its optimism and enthusiasm serves as a symbol as well as a capital for the state of Georgia.
A History of the Capitals
of the State
While this article deals primarily with the facts surrounding the location of the capitol in Atlanta, a review of former capitals since the founding of the colony of Georgia in 1733 is pertinent.
On February 12, 1733, General Oglethorpe landed at Yamacraw Bluff and proceeded to establish a settlement. The new town was named Savannah, and it became the seat of government for the British colony.
In January, 1776, the independence of Georgia from Great Britain was declared, and Archibald Bulloch was elected President of the new Executive Council; he served until March 4, 1777, when he was succeeded by Button Gwinnett. This revolutionary state government considered Savannah to be its capital and held its meetings there.
The first Legislature met in the city on May 8, 1777, and the session was again held there in 1778. Evidently, the British were not applying much pressure on Georgia from the years 1775 to 1778, and both colonial and state governments functioned in Savannah at the same time.

23

The state government continued to hold its meetings at Savannah until the city was captured by the British in December, 1778, and then the state capital was moved to Augusta. In 1779, Augusta suffered the same fate as Savannah, and the government was forced to move once again, this time to Heard's Fort in Wilkes County, where it remained for approximately a year.
The Georgians managed to retake the city of Augusta in June of 1781, and the Legislature convened there in August of that year. It met there again in 1782, but the following year, the state government returned to Savannah. During the 1783 session of the Legislature, an act was passed moving the capital to Augusta because that city was nearer to the center of the state than was Savannah.
The capital remained at Augusta through 1795, and four events of importance took place while it was the seat of state government.
1. On January 2, 1788, a convention called by the Legislature unanimously ratified the Constitution of the United States. Georgia was the fourth State of the Union to ratify.
2. On November 26, 1789, the Georgia Legisla-
1 ture celebrated the first Thanksgi 'ng by
attending services at St. Paul's ch rch en masse. The day had been set apart or the celebration by a proclamation from President Washington.
3. In 1791, President Washington visited the city, and was entertained lavishly.
4. The Georgia Legislature passed the famous Yazoo ("Fraud") Act which authorized or permitted the sale of territory belonging to Georgia to private parties or companies.
The Yazoo Act was one of the last measures passed by the Legislature before the state government removed to the new capital, Louisville. During the first legislative session at Louisville, the Yazoo Act was repealed and publicly burned on the capitol grounds. During the session of 1799, the present Great Seal of the State was adopted by the General Assembly. Another outstanding achievement of the capital's tenure at Louisville was the erection of the first permanent capitol building by the state, the site of which is now occupied by the Jefferson County Courthouse.

It was in 1804 that the Legislature passed an act to move the state capital to Milledgeville, and a new brick capitol building was erected there at a cost of $60,000. The General Assembly met there for the first time in 1807. In 1825, General Lafayette, who had come from France to aid the United States during the Revolutionary War, visited Milledgeville and was royally entertained.
On January 19, 1861, a convention of Georgians assembled in Milledgeville and passed the Secession Act by a vote of 208 to 89, whereby Georgia withdrew from the Union and joined the Confederacy. In the fall of 1864, as General Sherman approached Milledgeville, the Legislature adjourned amid utter confusion. Governor Brown re-convened the General Assembly in Macon on February 15, 1865, where it remained in session until March 11th of that year. This was the last session of the Georgia Legislature held under Confederate government.
On June 17, 1865, President Andrew Johnson appointed James Johnson of Columbus, Georgia, to the office of Provisional Governor of the state. Johnson went to Milledgeville. State government began to function again, although under the auspices of the military authorities.
In 1867, a Constitutional Convention was held in Atlanta, and during the course of the debates, the city of Atlanta proposed to the delegates that the capital of Georgia be moved from Milledgeville to Atlanta. This was not the first such proposal to be made. As early as 1847, there had been some consideration given to the idea of shifting the capital from Milledgeville to either Atlanta or Macon. A proposition had been presented to the Legislature to that effect, but it was defeated by a vote of 68 to 55. It was not until 1854, however, that civic leaders in Atlanta began to greatly pressure the Legislature. An illustrated booklet issued in 1901, entitled "Atlanta, A Story of Success," reported:
"In 1854, the removal of the State Capital to Atlanta began to agitate the minds of Council, and a Committee was appointed to receive the Memorial presented on this subject by a number of citizens. This Committee recommended the appointment of a special Committee to urge upon the people of Georgia the propriety of the removal of the Capital

24

from Milledgeville to Atlanta, and this Committee when appointed, was requested to use all honorable means to secure this object."
In the general election of 1854, a proposal to remove the capital had resulted in the following vote: no removal-49,781; removal to Atlanta29,337; and removal to Macon-3,802.
Finally, the persistent Atlanta city leaders achieved their goal during the 1867 Convention. The city promised that if the state would move its capital to Atlanta, suitable buildings for the General Assembly, the residence of the governor, all offices needed by such officers as are generally located in the State House, and all suitable rooms for the State Library and the Supreme Court would be provided free of charge for ten years. The city also promised to donate to the state the twenty-five acre Fair Ground as a location for the capitol, or in lieu of that, the choice of any unoccupied ten acres of ground in the city.
The proposition was accepted by the Convention and was ratified as Article Ten of the new Constitution.
"The seat of Government of this State, from and after the date of the ratification of this Constitution, shall be in the City of Atlanta, and the General Assembly shall provide for the erection of a new Capitol, and such other buildings as the public welfare may require."
In August of 1868, Atlanta's City Council rented the "Kimball Opera House", a structure at the southwest corner of Marietta and Forsyth Streets, for use as a capitol building. The rent amounted to six thousand dollars per year, and was paid for three years. In October of 1870, the State Legislature approved the purchase of the house, and it was bought for $250,000 in Georgia .bonds.
There was some dissatisfaction with the 1868 Constitution which many Georgians felt was a reconstruction document. In 1877, the Georgia Legislature passed a bill which called for a vote by the people on the question of writing a new constitution. The election was held, and the resolution providing for a new constitution passed by a margin of 9,124 votes. The Constitutional Convention convened in Atlanta on July 11, 1877.

The Atlanta City Council again addressed a memorial to the Convention concerning the selection of the capital location :
"If Atlanta is selected by the Convention as the permanent Capital of the State, and if such selection is submitted to and the same is ratified by the people, the City of Atlanta will convey to the State of Georgia any ten acres of land in or near the City of Atlanta, now unoccupied, or the square in the heart of the City, known as the City Hall Lot, containing five acres of land, and bounded by a street on every side, on which to locate and build a Capitol for the State.
"Second-The City of Atlanta will build for the State of Georgia on the location selected a Capitol Building as good as the old Capitol building in Milledgeville."
This memorial was read on July 19, 1877, and debate was held on the proposal. It was finally decided that the location of Georgia's capitol should not be included in the new constitution, but that the question should be submitted to the people in a separate election which would be held on the same day as the election for ratification of the constitution.
The weeks before the election saw a lively competition develop between the proposed new capital and the old one:
"Atlanta and Milledgeville had a warm contest for the Capital. The battle was lively and somewhat acrimonious. Some of the arguments used were of a novel and farcical character. That Milledgeville was a stagnant locality where the average Legislator would browse in public retrogradation, and that Atlanta was a den of immeasurable iniquity whose atmosphere would ruthlessly poison the virtue of the most faultless Legislative body, was irrefutably proven by incontestable evidence.
"The press entered into the fight with wonderful earnestness. Atlanta was mathematically demonstrated to be responsible for every enormity of the Bullock regime and a despotic reconstruction, while in the same unanswerable manner Milledgeville was shown to be only fit for a conclave of fossils. Atlanta

25

fought the struggle with characteristic liberality and enterprise. She had her committees and flooded the State with documents."
On December 5th, the election was held, and the vote on the capital site was: for Atlanta, 99,147; for Milledgeville, 55,20l.
On August 15, 1879, the Legislature accepted Atlanta's site proposal and chose the city hall location. The value of the capitol building at Milledgeville was set by the state at $55,625, which amount Atlantapaid to the state in lieu of a building "as good as the old one." The Legislature also required Atlanta to cancel an old mortgage on the old capitol building in Atlanta which cost the city $60,000.
Because of a shortage of funds, money for the construction of the new building was not provided until 1883. During that year, the Legislature appropriated one million dollars for the capitol building. It was stipulated that the "cost should not exceed One Million Dollars; that the work be finished by January 1, 1889 and that it be constructed under the supervision of a Board of Five Commissioners, exclusive of the Governor, who was designated as Ex-officio Chairman of the Board."
The members of the Board were E. P. Alexander, Philip Cook, Benjamin E. Crane, A. L. Miller and W. W. Thomas. Mr. Crane died on January 15, 1885, and Evan P. Howell, publisher of the Atlanta Constitution, was appointed to succeed him. W. H. "Tip" Harrison served as secretary for the Board. Each of the Commissioners received a salary of one thousand dollars per year.
The Commission selected a design submitted by the architectural firm of Edbrooke and Burnham, of Chicago, and then received bids for the erection of the building. After calling for bids twice, it was decided to accept the one from Miles & Horne of Toledo, Ohio. This bid proposed to build the capitol at a cost of $862,756.75. Indiana oolitic limestone was to be the chief material used, although Georgia marble was utilized for the beautiful interior finish of walls, floors and steps.
The Commissioners considered substituting Georgia marble or granite for the limestone, but deemed it "unwise, impracticable and too expen-

sive." Further increasing the price was the unde"developed nature of the Georgia quarries and the superior facilities used by competitors in quarrying and dressing stone.
The Commissioners apparently exerted every effort to procure much of the capitol material from Georgia. Mr. Evan P. Howell, chairman of the Commission, speaking at the dedication exercises on July 4, 1889, was quoted in the Atlanta Constitution the next morning as saying that "450,000 brick from the old City Hall (site of the new capitol,) built in 1853, went into the new building" and he also pointed out that the iron girders used in the building were "rolled" in Pennsylvania from Georgia ore.
Mr. Howell stated that in addition to all interior marble used in the building, which included all steps, floors and many walls, much of the wood and iron and other materials were obtained in Georgia.
The cornerstone placed in the northeast corner of the building briefly tells the story of the progress of constructing the capitol:
"Commenced work Oct. 26, 1884."
"Cornerstone laid September 2, 1885."
"Building finished and first occupied June 15, 1889."
Dedication exercises for Georgia's new capitol were held on July 4, 1889, and the event drew vast crowds to Atlanta.
The General Assembly met in the new building in 1889, and adopted resolutions of "grateful appreciation of the splendid services rendered by the Commissioners."
Expenditures as listed by the Capitol Commission for the erection of the building were:
Aggregate amount for work and materials: $897,210.48 ;
Salaries of five Commissioners, five and one-half years: $27,500;
Architects's a I a r i e s, d raw i n g s, etc.: $25,000 ;
Salaries of Superintendents: $10,626;

26

Additional land bought to "square" the lot: $20,000 ;
Frescoing halls and offices: $10,645.
Grand total expenses: $999,881.57;
Appropriated for Capitol: $1,000,000;
Balance left in Treasury: $118.43.
This epic accomplishment of erecting the magnificent capitol within the appropriation of one million dollars allowed by the Legislature, and having $118.43 left in the Treasury was unprecedented then and would be considered a miracle now.
The style of architecture of the capitol is Classic Renaissance, and it is still one of the state's most beautiful and magnificent buildings.
The greatest length of the building, north and south, is 347 feet and nine inches and the greatest
depth through the center is 272 feet, 4 1/:! inches.
The open rotunda extends from the second floor through the upper stories to a height of 237 feet and 4 inches. A stately woman's statue, which is fifteen feet tall, adorns the top of the dome. The dome alone measures 75 feet in diameter.
From the dome, the surrounding area may be viewed, including both Kennesaw and Stone Mountains. At the time it was built, the capitol was the tallest building in Atlanta.
The capitol faces west on Washington Street and the entrance is approached by a wide concrete plaza. Six huge, square stone columnar pedestals are placed at the entrance where steps lead to the second floor. Somewhat recessed are two other columnar pedestals, giving an impression of massiveness to the building. Large Corinthian columns top the six outer pedestals and extend to the cornice above the fourth floor.
Above the Corinthian columns on the outside stone wall, there is engraved the State Seal with two figures on each side that represent agriculture and commerce in the state.
Two pillars are also placed at the other three entrances to the capitol.
Governor Marvin Griffin made funds available for renovation of the Capitol Building, under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of State in 1957 and 1958, as authorized by the General Assembly (See Geo1'gia Laws, General Appropriations Act

Amended, 1957, pp. 498-500). As a part of the renovation, forty-three ounces of native gold were donated by the citizens of Dahlonega and Lumpkin County, and applied to the Capitol Dome. The gold arrived by wagon train from Dahlonega and was presented on August 7, 1958 to Governor Marvin Griffin and Secretary of State Ben W. Fortson, Jr.
As part of the reorganization plan, the Capitol Building and grounds were assigned to the Georgia Building Authority by Executive Order on July 1, 1971.
Inside the Capitol
Shining white marble floors, wide steps, and marble wainscotting can be found inside the capitol. The woodwork is both massive and beautiful.
The rotunda and other parts of the building are adorned with large paintings of a number of Georgians, and a bronze plaque lists the names of governors who have served the state. There is also a plaque honoring Dr. Charles H. Herty of Savannah who pioneered in the development of pulp from pine trees.
The large reception room of the Governor's office also contains many interesting state relics including a large clock once used in the operation of the state-owned Western and Atlantic Railroad.
The Civil, Spanish-American, and World Wars are memorialized by the presence of tattered flags and other relics of those conflicts in glass cases on the first floor. Some items of interest on the second floor are: a metal marker stating the facts of the capitol's construction; a monument to Benjamin R Hill; and plaques honoring Hoke Smith, Manning J. Yeomans, Governor Hardman, and Moina Michael, the originator of the World War I Poppy Celebration.
The past arid present are displayed side by side in the State Museum on the fourth and first floors. The Indian and pre-historic man are represented by a large collection of relics. The secrets and diversification of the earth's interior in Georgia are shown in the Mineral and Natural Resources Display. There is also a unique exhibition of moon rocks.

27

Life-like displays show Georgia's agricultural, industrial, educational, and recreational accomplishments. The Museum also contains the "largest stalk of cotton ever grown in the world." The stalk has 715 bolls and was grown in 1912 by John B. Broadwell near Alpharetta.
One of the most interesting displays in the Museum is the collection of Georgia wildlife and song and game birds, all of which are shown in their natural habitats.
Suspended from the balconies of the fourth floor are replicas of each United States flag and the flags of Georgia used throughout history. The flags of each of the fifty states are also displayed in this "Hall of Flags" exhibit.
The Capitol Grounds
All of the Capitol beauty is not confined to the building. The grounds are enclosed by stone walls and contain five acres, adorned with a large variety of trees, monuments and miscellaneous markers that relate Georgia history.
The most recent statue placed on the Capitol grounds is that of Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. It was dedicated on February 14, 1975. Senator Russell served as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives 1921 - 1931; Governor 19311933; and United States Senator 1933 until his death in 1971.
An equestrian statue of General John B. Gordon, "Governor-Patriot-Senator," is at the extreme northwest corner of the grounds. He was the first governor to occupy the capitol.
On the southwest corner is placed a bronze statue, on a stone base, of Governor and Mrs. Joseph E. Brown. Governor Brown served as Governor at Milledgeville from 1857-1865. He also served as United States Senator and as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court.
In the center of the plaza leading to the main entrance of the capitol is placed a statue of Thomas E. Watson, who served as a state legislator from McDuffie County; as Congressman from the Tenth District; and as United States Senator from Georgia.

On either side of the main entrance to the capitol, the Atlanta Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy has placed large metal markers recounting the "Siege of Atlanta," the "Evacuation of Atlanta," and the "Battle of Ezra Church."
On either side of the plaza are located the barrels of two bronze cannons, which were cast at Seville, Spain in 1856, and were originally located at Fort San Felipe near Manila Bay on the Philippine Islands. They were given to the state by the Navy Department in honor of Lieutenant Thomas M. Brumby of Marietta, Georgia, "who represented our Navy in the surrender negotiations at Manila and raised the United States flag over the city walls."
Near the entrance, there is a concrete stone about three and one-half feet high, on one side of which is a bronze tablet designating the "Daniel Boone Trail." This lettering is in the slot at the top of the stone: "U. S. G. 0., G. S., 07" (possibly meaning U.S. Geological Office, Geological Survey, 1907) .
On the Washington Street side of the capitol, near the Gordon monument is a marker which says: "Site of Atlanta's first City Hall (18531883). During the occupation of Atlanta in 1864, Federal troops camped here and used temporary buildings in the park. On September 6, 1864, a notice was sent from here to the civilian population to assemble for registration and eviction from the City."
Near the southeast corner of the grounds, there is a life-size statue of Eugene Talmadge, who served for six years as the Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, and six years as Governor. He was elected for a fourth term in 1946, but died on December 21st of that year.
Other markers and monuments include a replica of the Liberty Bell, one of fifty-three cast in France in 1950 and presented to Georgia in 1950 by direction of The Honorable John W. Snyder, Secretary of the Treasury; a copy of the Statue of Liberty, dedicated by the Boy Scouts of America in 1951 ; a monument to the Spanish War Veterans, placed in 1967; and the Flame of Freedom memorial, dedicated on August 25, 1969, by the American Legion Department of Georgia.

28

Capitol Buildings Expand
The property around the capitol includes:
The five-story Highway Building, the six-story Old State Office Building, the six-story Judicial Building, the six-story Labor Building, the sixstory New State Office Building, the seven-story Health Building, the six-story Agriculture Build-
ing, the two-story # 1 Hunter Street Building,
the six-story #7 Hunter Street Building, the 17 story Archives and Records Building and the eight-story Trinity-Washington Building.
Additional state office buildings are located in areas surrounding the capitol. These include One Peachtree Street Building, the Mitchell-Pryor Street Building and the 209 Pryor Street Building.
The Georgia Plaza, a beautifully landscaped park, is located west of the Capitol and contains fountains, benches, tables, and areas for everyone to enjoy. Light foods are served in an attractive solarium-type restaurant.
The state also owns the Rhodes Memorial Hall located at 1516 Peachtree Street. This magnificent building was a gift to the state from the family of the late A. G. Rhodes and is a part of the Department of Archives and History.
The Governor's Mansion
In 1835, the Legislature appropriated money for a home for the governor. This was the first such dwelling and was called the "Mansion". The General Assembly had appropriated ten thousand dollars for the house, but" ... when it was completed, records show that nearer $50,000 was spent on it." (Atlanta Journal, July 14, 1935). The building is now occupied by the President of Georgia College in Milledgeville.
The next governor's home was not built, but was purchased by the state. In 1869-70, John H. James, an Atlanta banker, built his residence at the southwest corner of Peachtree and Cain Streets on a 1.5 acre tract of land. He paid ten thousand dollars for the lot and fifty-three thousand for the house. On October 31, 1870, the house was purchased from James by the state; the price was ninety thousand dollars and included the building,

furniture, and household goods.
Rufus Bullock was the first governor to occupy the Mansion, and the last one to live there was Hugh Dorsey, who held office from June 30, 1917 to June 25, 1921.
In August of 1921, the Mansion was declared "unsafe" by resolution of the General Assembly. Governor Thomas W. Hardwick, who had been inaugurated on July 25th, resided in a hotel (according to records in the Atlanta Public Library) .
Both public and state officials considered the uptowl1 site to be too close to the heart of the city to serve further as a home for the governor. It was the general belief that the Mansion should be placed farther from the business district and in a residential section.
During the session of the Legislature in 1924 a resolution was passed authorizing a Committee to be appointed to "negotiate" for a new mansion. In the House Jou1'1Lal, 1925, pages 120-123, July 1, 1925, is this report from that Committee:
"To the General Assembly of Georgia:
"Appointed by the Presiding Officers pursuant to Resolution 51, in the Acts of 1924. Said resolution empowered the Committee to 'negotiate for the purchase of a suitable home for the Governor, and to report to the next General Assembly.'
"We recommend the purchase of property now under lease (by the State) and now occupied by the present Governor (Clifford Walker) under a lease contract; and in addition thereto, three acres in the rear of said property and immediately adjoining thereto, known as 'Collier property.'
"The recommended site embraces slightly more than six acres fronting on The Prado, and near Maddox Drive and Montgomery Ferry Drive. It is one of the highest residences in Fulton County, being about 1200 feet above sea level and 40 feet above the sUlTounding streets; it contains seven bedrooms; five baths; large, wide verandas; and reception l'ooms that will care for 300 to 400 guests; it is built of solid granite, on a natu-

29

30

ral rock foundation, said to be an extension of the Stone Mountain strata.
"Price of $86,000 quoted.
"The property is under option to Ansley Park Civic League and negotiations may be concluded through J. Hope Tigner, Secretary and Treasurer of the League."
Members of the committee who signed the report included:
G. W. Lankford, Senator of 15th District; C. D. Redwine, Senator of 26th District; Ben J. Fowler, Bibb County (House Member;)
Bessie Kempton, Representative of Fulton County;
E. B. Dykes, Representative of Dooly County.
The property referred to was known as the "Ansley Home" atop a high hill in Ansley Park, and was built about 1908-10 by the late Edwin P. Ansley. Ansley developed the residential subdivision surrounding it from land purchased from the George Washington Collier estate. The architect was Anthony Ten Eyck Brown.
The Legislature approved the Mansion Committee's report for the purchase of the property and the House Journal of 1925, pages 487, 635, 1034, shows that $86,000 was paid for the lot "as it now stands." Records show that the state acquired the property on December 9, 1925 for $74,000 (Deed Book 1341, page 619).
"At the same time, the State was empowered to purchase three acres from the estate of George

W. Collier for an additional $12,000" (Georgia Laws 1925, page 1614).
In this manner, the state acquired the Prado Mansion, with Governor Cljfford Walker being the first governor to occupy the Mansion.
In 1967, the Prado property was vacated by the governor, and the Legislature directed the State Properties Control Commission to dispose of this property in accordance with their instructions. (Act 174, Geo'f'gia Laws 1966.)
The present Governor's Mansion, known as the Executive Center, was completed in 1967 and is located at 391 West Paces Ferry Road on an 18 acre lot once owned by Robert F. Maddox. It was occupied December 2, 1967, by former Governor Lester Maddox, the first governor to reside there.
A. Thomas Bradbury and Associates planned the building which reflects the Greek Revival style. Thirty massive fluted columns surround the rectangular pink-toned brick structure and support the simple wood cornice. Ornamental patterns on the three-story building are also in keeping with the style popular in the early nineteenth century.
The thirty-room Center is furnished with pieces from the Federal period. The living areas for the governor's family are separated from the portion of the building which is devoted to public functions. These living areas are located at the back of the house, and the guest bedrooms, and public dining and conference areas are located toward the front.
This well-constructed mansion serves as more than a home for Georgia's governor; it will long be a showplace giving testimony to the quality and prosperity of the state which produced it.

31

Lease of the Peachtree
Mansion Site
When the Peachtree Mansion was declared "unsafe" by the General Assembly in 1921, it was taken into consideration that the property had become so valuable that it could be a source of revenue for the state if used for business purposes. Therefore, the Mansion Lease Commission was created by Legislative Act of August 15, 1921 (Ga. Laws, 1921, pp. 194-195) for the purpose of leasing the property.

In 1922, the Mansion Commission signed a lease agreement with the Massell Realty and Improvement Company to span a 50-year period from June 1, 1922 to May 31, 1972. The property leased included 1.5 acres and extended 140 feet on Peachtree St. and westward on Cain Street to Spring Street. Buildings constructed under the lease agreements included the Red Rock Building, the Henry Grady office and hotel buildings, and various stores.
A new 99 year lease with the Peachtree Hotel Company took effect on June 1, 1972. The site was cleared, and preparations for building a new hotel are currently underway.

32

I\ \ \

Department of
Archives and History
Recognizing the need for preserving Georgia's valuable records, the state legislature created the Department of Archives and History in August, 1918.
The objects and purposes of the department shall be to insure the retention and preservation of the records of any State or local agency with historical and research value by providing for the application of modern and efficient methods of creation, utilization, maintenance, retention, preservation and disposal of records ... to collect ... data of all kinds bearing upon the history of the State ... and to keep on file, in a classified arrangement, for convenient reference by investigators. (Acts 1918, p. 137; 1931, pp. 7, 38; 1969, pp. 989,990). The Georgia Archives was originally located in the basement of the State Capitol. As more records were created and collected, there was an increasing need for a larger facility. In 1930 the Archives moved to the A. G. Rhodes home on Peachtree Street, generously willed to the state to be used for historical purposes. In 1931 the department was placed under the auspices of the Secretary of

State. The Rhodes Memorial Home has remained a
branch of the Department of Archives and History. It houses records and items of interest, including the records of ten patriotic organizations. The Rhodes Home is open to the public on weekdays and serves as a regular meeting place for patriotic organizations.
Outgrowing the Rhodes Memorial Home, the Georgia Archives moved the major part of the Department to the 17 story Archives and Records Building in 1965. Here archival records are fumigated, cleaned, arranged, properly boxed and shelved in vaults kept under year round humidity and temperature control to assure their longer life. In fully equipped technical labs, documents can be restored and microfilmed.
Influential in the department's duties is the monitoring of a statewide records management program which establishes retention schedules in offices of state agencies. Related fields include the filming, preservation, and utilization of documents concerning counties, municipalities, churches, schools, and public and private enterprises.
The Georgia Archives is a service agency for state and local governments and for the people of Georgia. The Archives Building itself is a symbol of the respect Georgians hold for their heritage.

Founder
of
Georgia
34

ROSTER OF
GOVERNORS OF GEORGIA 1733 - To Date

TRUSTEE PERIOD

Name

Place of Birth

Birth and Death

Age at Death

James Edward Oglethorpe, Resident Trustee. .... England .. Dec. 22, 1696-June 30, 1785 .. 89. Oglethorpe had no title from the Trustees and should be called "Resident Trustee" The Trustees never appointed a governor for Georgia (A History of Georgia by Coulter, pp. 17-18)

1. William Stephens, President

England

Jan. 28, 1671-Aug. 1753 . 82

2. Henry Parker, President.

.England

Unknown-1752, decd.

Parker died between June 3 and Sept. 21, 1752 (Vol. 6, Colonial Records)

3. Patrick Graham, President . . E n g l a n d .. Unknown-May 30, 1755 .

(Stephens, Parker and Graham should be called "President of the Colony of Georgia").

Term Feb. 12,1733-1743
.... July 11,1743-1751 .... April 8, 1751-1752
Dec 6, 1752 - Oct. 30,1754

ROYAL PERIOD

4. John Reynolds

England

1700-Jan. 1776 or 1781.

5. Henry Ellis ...

England

Aug. 29, 1721-Jan. 21,1806

6. James Wright.

..... England

May 8, 1716-Nov. 20, 1785

Wright fled from Georgia in 1776 when the Revolutionaries took control but

returned in 1779 and continued as Governor of the British held portion of

Georgia until 1782.

.76 or 8L .. Oct. 30, 1754-1757

.. 85.. . .... Feb. 16, 1757-1760

69

Oct. 31, 1760-Mar.,

1776

July, 1779-July 10,

1782

PROVISIONAL

7. Archibald Bulloch, Pres. of Council of Safety .. S. Carolina ... 1730-Feb. 22, 1777.

8. Button Gwinnett, Pres. of Council of Safety England

1735-May 19, 1777

47

..Jan. 22, 1776-1777

43 ..

Mar. 4, 1777-1777

STATE

9. John Adam Treutlen

...... Austria.

1726-1782

56..May 8, 1777-1778

10. John Houstoun . '

... Georgia . Aug. 31, 1744-July 20, 1796 ..abt. 52

Jan. 10, 1778-1779

11. John Wereat, Pres. of Ex. Council

England

12. George Walton

.... Virginia

13. Richard Howley

............. Georgia

14. Stephen Heard, Pres. of Ex. Council

. Virginia..

1730-Jan. 27, 1799 1749-Feb. 2, 1804. r-1740-Dec. 1784

.68 abt. 64

Nov. 1740-Nov. 15, 1815 .... 75

Aug. 6,1779-1780

. Nov.

1779-1780

.. Jan. 4, 1780-Feb. 18, 1780, elected to Congress

...Feb. 18, 1780-1781

15. Nathan Brownson

.. Connecticut .. May 17, 1741-1796

55

. . Aug. 18, 1781-1782

16. John Martin

Rhode Island

., 1730-Jan. ? 1786. 56

Jan. 3, 1782-1783

17. Lyman Hall

.... Connecticut Apr. 12, 1724-0ct. 19, 1790 .66

Jan. 8, 1783-1784

John Houstoun

Jan. 9, 1784-1785

18. Samuel Elbert .. ' ....

. .. S. Carolina..

,1740-Nov. 1, 1788. 48

Jan. 6, 1785-1786

19. Edward Telfair

.. Scotland

, 1735-Sept. 17,1807 72

Jan. 9, 1786-1787

20. George Mathews

Virginia

James Jackson, declined to serve as Governor.

, 1739-Aug. 30, 1812 73 Jan. 21, 1788

. Jan. 9,1787-1788

21. George Handley

.... England. Feb. 9, 1752-Sept. 17,1793 ... 41.

Jan. 26, 1788-1789

George Walton . .

.

.. .Jan. 7,1789-1789

Edward Telfair

1807

.. Nov. 9, 1789-1793

George Mathews

Nov. 7, 1793-1796

22. Jared Irwin

.

.

N. Carolina ...... , 1751-Mar. 1, 1818 .... abt. 68. .. Jan. 15,1796-1798

23. James Jackson.

...... England

Sept. 21, 1757-Mar. 19, 1806..49

Jan. 12, 1798-1801

24. David Emanuel, Pres. of Senate.

.... Georgia

.

, 1744-, 1810

66 . ...... Mar. 3, 1801-1801

Continued on page 36

Name

Place of Birth

Birth and Death

Age at Death

Tenn

25. Josiah Tattnall, Jr.
26. John Milledge Jared Irwin, Pres. of Senate
27. David Brydie Mitchell ..
28. Peter Early David Brydie Mitchell
29. William Rabun, Pres. of Senate

Georgia .............. Georgia

, 1765-June 6, 1803 .... 38. .. , 1757-Mar. 1, 1818 abt. 61

. .

Scotland

. Oct. 22, 1766-Apr. 22, 1837 71.. .

.. Virginia. ... June 20, 1773-Aug. 15, 181744

..N. Carolina Apr. 8, 1771-0ct. 24, 1819 48

. Nov. 7, 1801-1802
Nov. 4, 1802-1806 .. Sept. 23, 1806-1809
Nov. 10, 1809-1813
.. Nov. 5, 1813-1815 ..... Nov. 10, 1815-1817
Mar. 4, 1817-1819

30. Matthew Talbot, Pres. of Senate

31. John Clark

....

32. George Michael Troup.

33. John Forsyth

... Virginia.

.

N. Carolina

.......Georgia (now

Alabama) .

Virginia .

..... , 1767-Sept. 17,1827 .. 6 0 . . . . 0 c t .

Feb. 28, 1766-0ct. 12, 1832. 66 .

Nov.

Sept. 8, 1780-Apr. 26, 1856 .. 76 Oct. 22, 1780-0ct. 21, 1841 .61

Nov. Nov.

24, 1819-1819 5, 1819-1823
7, 1823-1827 7, 1827-1829

34. George Rockingham Gilmer . . . G e o r g i a .

Apr. 11, 1790-Nov. 16, 1859 .69 . . Nov. 4, 1829-1831

35. Wilson Lumpkin

Virginia

Jan. 14, 1783-Dec. 28, 1870 .87

Nov. 9, 1831-1835

36. William Schley.

. Maryland

Dec. 10, 1786-Nov. 20, 185872

. Nov. 4, 1835-1837

George Rockingham Gilmer

... Nov. 8, 1837-1839

37. Charles James McDonald

. ...S. Carolina. July 9, 1793-Dec. 16, 1860 .. 67

Nov. 6, 1839-1843

38. George Walker Crawford

Georgia

Dec. 22, 1798-July 22,1872 74

Nov. 8, 1843-1847

39. George Washington Towns

Georgia

May 4, 1802-July 15, 1854 52

Nov. 3, 1847-1851

40. Howell Cobb. .

Georgia

Sept. 7, 1815-0ct. 9, 1868 ... 53.

Nov. 5, 1851-1853

41. Herschel Vespasian Johnson 42. Joseph Emerson Brown

Georgia N. Carolina

Sept. 18, 1812-Aug. 16, 188068 Apr. 15, 1821-Nov. 30, 1894 73

Nov. 9, 1853-1857 .. Nov. 6, 1857-1865

43. James Johnson, P r o v i s i o n a l S . Carolina ... Feb. 12, 1811-Nov. 20, 1891. 8 0 . . ... June 17, 1865-1865

44. Charles Jones Jenkins

.S. Carolina Jan. 6, 1805-June 14, 188378

..... Dec. 14, 1865-1868

45. Gen. Thomas Howard Ruger 46. Rufus Brown Bullock, Provisional..

..New York New York

Apr. 2, 1833-June 3, 1907 74 Mar. 28, l834-Apr. 24, 190773

Jan. 13, 1868-1868 July 4, 1868-1868

Rufus Brown Bullock, Reconstruction 47. Benjamin Conley, Reconstruction,
Pres. of Senate

. New Jersey. .

,1815- .,188570

July 21, 1868-1871 Oct. 30, 1871-1872

48. James Milton Smith

.. __ Georgia.

. Oct. 24, 1823-Nov. 25, 1890..

. . . . Jan. 12, 1872-1877

49. Alfred Holt Colquitt

Georgia .. Apr. 20, 1824-Mar. 26, 189470 . ..Jan. 12, 1877-1882

50. Alexander Hamilton Stephens 51. James Stoddard Boynton, Pres. of Senate

Georgia Georgia

. Feb. 11, 1812-Mar. 4, 1883. 71 May 7, 1833-Dec. 22, 1902 .69

Nov. 4, 1882-Mar. 4, 1883, died
Mar. 5, 1883-1883

52. Henry Dickerson McDaniel

Georgia

Sept. 4, 1836-July 25, 1926 90

May 10, 1883-1886

53. John Brown Gordon

Georgia

Feb. 6, 1832-Jan. 9, 1904 72

.Nov. 9, 1886-1890

54. William Jonathan Northen

Georgia.

July 9, 1835-Mar. 25, 1913 ... 78

Nov. 8, 1890-1894

55. William Yates Atkinson

Georgia

Nov. 11, 1854-Aug. 8, 1899. 45

Oct. 27, 1894-1898

56. Allen Daniel Candler

Georgia

Nov. 4, 1834-0ct. 26, 1910 .. 76

Oct. 29, 1898-1902

57. Joseph Meriwether Terrell . . Georgia

June 6, 1861-Nov. 17, 1912 . .51

Oct. 25, 1902-1907

58. Hoke Smith. 59. Joseph Mackey Brown

N. Carolina Georgia

Sept. 2, 1855-Nov. 27, 1931 .76 Dec. 28, 1851-Mar. 3, 1932 81

..June 29, 1907-1909 June 26, 1909-1911

Hoke Smith

July 1, 1911-1911

60. John Marshall Slaton, Pres. of Senate

Georgia

Dec. 25, 1866-Jan. 11, 1955 89

Nov. 16, 1911-1912

Joseph Mackey Brown

.. Jan. 25, 1912-1913

John Marshall Slaton

..,

. June 28, 1913-1915

61. Nathaniel Edwin Harris

Tennessee .. Jan. 21, 1846-Sept. 21, 1929 83

June 26, 1915-1917

62. Hugh Manson Dorsey

Georgia

July 10, 1871-June 11, 1948.77 ..June 30, 1917-1921

63. Thomas William Hardwick

. Georgia

.. Dec. 9, 1872-Jan. 31, 1944 72.

. .June 25, 1921-1923

64. Clifford Walker

. ... ..........Georgia

. July 4, 1877-Nov. 9, 1954 ..... 77

. June 30, 1923-1927

65. Lamartine Griffin Hardman, M. D.

Georgia.. Apr. 14, 1856-Feb. 18, 1937 81

June 25, 1927-1931

66. Richard Brevard Russell, Jr.

Georgia

Nov. 2, 1897-Jan. 21,1971 73 -- -.-.. June 27, 1931-1933

36

57. Eugene Talmadge

.

... Georgia

68. Eurith Dickinson Rivers

Arkansas

Eugene Talmadge

&9. Ellis Gibbs Arnall

.

.

Georgia

Eugene Talmadge (Elected, but died Dec. 21, 1946, before taking office in Jan. 1947)

70. Melvin E. Thompson, Lieut. Governor acting governor

Georgia

71. Herman Eugene Talmadge

Georgia

72. S. Marvin Griffin 73. Samuel Ernest Vandiver, Jr.

Georgia Georgia

Sept. 23, 1884-Dec. 21, 1946 62 Dec. I, 1895-June 11, 1967 71
Mar. 20, 1907-living

Jan. .Jan. Jan. Jan.

10, 1933-1937 12, 1937-1941 14, 1941-1943 12, 1943-1947

May 1, 1903-living Aug. 9, 1913-1iving
Sept. 4, 1907-living July 3, 1918-living

Jan. 20, 1947-Mar. 18 1947* Mar. 18, 1947-Nov. 17, 1948
**Jan. 14,1947Mar. 18, 1947
Nov. 17, 1948Jan. 9, 1951
Jan. 9, 1951Jan. 11, 1955
Jan. 11, 1955Jan. 13, 1959
. Jan. 13, 1959Jan. 15, 1963

74. Carl Edward Sanders 75. Lester Garfield Maddox 76. James Earl Carter
77. George Dekle Busbee

Georgia Georgia Georgia

July 15, 1925-living Sept. 30, 1915-living Oct. 1, 1924-living

........Georgia ......... Aug. 7. 1927

Jan. 15, 1963Jan. 10, 1967
Jan. 10, 1967Jan. 13, 1971
Jan. 13, 1971Jan. 13, 1975
. Jan. 14. 1975-Date.

*State Supreme Court Ruling.
**Upon the death of his father, Eugene Talmadge, Dec. 21, 1946, who was elected but died before taking office, Herman Talmadge was elected by Legislature to serve his father's unexpired term. Served 67 days but vacated office when the State Supreme Court ruled by split decision that the Constitutional provision under which he was elected was not applicable in that instance and Ellis Arnall's term continued until the next election. When Melvin E. Thompson was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor, Arnall resigned and Thompson served as Acting Governor until the next General Election. Herman Talmadge defeated M. E. Thompson in the Sept. 1948 primary, and was elected in the general election ~O\ember 2,1948, to complete the unexpired term of his father.
NOTE: The figures preceding the names indicate the number of different individuals who have served. Georgia Laws; 1941 p. 86 ratified June 3, 1941 (see 1877 Consti tution, Code Sec. 2-2602) changed the terms of office of governor and constitutional offices from two to four years.

37

Sources
BOOKS
HERO OF HORNET'S NEST-Louise F. Hays HISTORY OF ATLANTA-E. Y. Clarke
HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY - Walter G. Cooper.
GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS-L. L. Knight
HISTORY OF GEORGIA-Walter G. Cooper HISTORY OF GEORGIA-Joel Chandler Harris HISTORY OF GEORGIA-Lawton B. Evans HISTORY OF GEORGIA-C. H. (Bill Arp) Smith STORY OF GEORGIA AND GEORGIA PEOPLE-Rev. George C. Smith

HISTORY OF GEORGIA-1850-1881-I. W. Avery
STORY OF GEORGIA-Science and Research Associates
INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIA(1909)-Gilman, Peck, Colby, eds.
ATLANTA FROM THE ASHES-Ivan Allen. PAMPHLETS AND ARTICLES
"Atlanta Facts and Figures" August, 1966. Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
"Forward Atlanta, A New 'Ball Game' in 1967". Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
"New Home For Georgia Governors." Andrew Sparks. Atlanta Joun'wl and Constitution Magazine. March 27, 1966.

38

Great Seal of the State of Georgia
GEORGIA'S STATE CAPITOL The golden dome of the Georgia copitol is a landmark in Atlanta and the building is the nerve-center of Georgia government. In 1889 the capitol was completed for just $118.43 less than the million dollars appropriated to build it. Indiana oolitic limestone outside, Georgia marble inside-the building took four years to complete. The dome and cupola of the capitol were gilded with a thin sheet of gold (only 43 ounces were needed) in 1959 and 1960. Mined near the site of Georgia's biggest gold strike in Lumpkin County, the gold was transported to Atlanta by wagon train in a dramatic trip that captured the imagination of the press and the people.
2-75-IOM-3.720-41168