- Collection:
- Reflections on Georgia Politics oral history collection, 2006-2010
- Title:
- Bill Hardman, 04 February 2013.
- Creator:
- Hardman, Bill, 1926
Short, Bob, 1932 - Contributor to Resource:
- Short, Bob, 1932-
- Publisher:
- Athens, Ga. : Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
- Date of Original:
- 2013-02-04
- Subject:
- Georgia--Tourism Division
Southeast Tourism Society
Georgia World Congress Center (Atlanta, Ga.)
Tourism--Georgia
Professional sports--Georgia--Atlanta
Professional sports
Tourism
Six Flags Over Georgia (Ga.)
Georgia--Six Flags Over Georgia
Georgia
Georgia--Atlanta - People:
- Hardman, Bill, 1926-
- Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
interviews - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- Hardman discusses his career as the director of tourism for the state of Georgia from 1959 to the early 1970s, including his office's attempts to improve Georgia's reputation to out-of-state travelers and to lure vacationers headed to Florida through efforts such as building Welcome centers and improving major roadways. He also discusses efforts to promote Georgia tourism outside of the state through trade shows and at public events like Kennedy's inauguration parade and the Tournament of Roses Parade. Other topics include the Southeast Tourism Society and the annual Hoedown in Washington, D.C., the development of the World Congress Center in Atlanta, Six Flags, the impact of sports on Atlanta tourism, and changed to the tourism industry in the late twentieth century.
Bill T. Hardman was born in Colbert, Georgia, in 1926. Governor Ernest Vandiver appointed Hardman to be Georgia's first tourism director in 1959, a time when few other states had tourism divisions. During his twelve years as the tourism director, Hardman oversaw the development of Georgia's first Welcome Centers, promoted Georgia at international and national travel conferences and trade fairs, and worked with the Highway Department to improve the condition of Georgia's major roadways. He helped develop the "See Georgia First" campaign to encourage vacationers on the way to Florida to stop first in Georgia. In 1961, Hardman helped initiate the first Governor's Conference on Tourism, a project to bring together tourism leaders for sharing and collaboration. After retiring from the state, Hardman lobbied for the creation of the Georgia World Congress Center and founded a private travel firm. Hardman also founded the Southeast Tourism Society, which for years staged the annual Hoedown in Washington, D.C., a party and lobbying event for members of Congress from the southeastern states. Hardman retired to Dahlonega, Georgia.
Finding aid available in repository.
Interviewed by Bob Short. - Metadata URL:
- http://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL220ROGP-146/ohms
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- Resources may be used under the guidelines described by the U.S. Copyright Office in Section 107, Title 17, United States Code (Fair use). Parties interested in production or commercial use of the resources should contact the Russell Library for a fee schedule.
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Reflections on Georgia Politics Oral History Collection, ROGP 146, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.
- Extent:
- 1 interview (64 min.) : sd., col.
- Original Collection:
- Reflections on Georgia Politics Oral History Collection
http://sclfind.libs.uga.edu/sclfind/view?docId=ead/RBRL220ROGP.xml - Holding Institution:
- Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
- Rights:
-
