December 2006Volume VI, No. 3

A Program of the Historic Preservation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

PRESERVING A SENSE OF PLACE:THE SPELMAN COLLEGE CAMPUS HERITAGE PLAN

Jeanne Cyriaque, African American Programs CoordinatorHistoric Preservation Division

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Spelman College is one of the most prestigious undergraduateliberal arts colleges for women in the nation. Established forAfrican American women 125 years ago, Spelman College

has focused on academic excellence and leadership developmentin virtually every field. In 2002, the Getty Foundation awarded agrant to Spelman to study its campus heritage. The goals of thestudy were to retain and protect the distinguishing characteristicsof the historic buildings and landscapes on the campus, establishrenovation standards and strengthen the Spelman College Archivesand Special Collections. Clement & Wynn Program Managersassembled a team of architects, archivists, researchers andlandscape architects to conduct a comprehensive investigation ofthe college’s development history, focusing on 14 historic buildingsthat were constructed between 1886-1952. The Campus HeritagePlan provides a blueprint for the early development of the campus.It includes a historic buildinganalysis, architectural drawingsand a photographic history thatconnects the buildings to thefounders and benefactors whodeveloped the college.

Sophia B. Packard andHarriet E. Giles co-foundedSpelman College. At the closeof Reconstruction, Packard andGiles were part of a growingwave of northern missionarieswho came to the south toeducate freedmen and women.Both women were from NewSalem, Massachusetts, wherethey attended local schools andthe New Salem Academy. MissPackard, who was older, first

met Miss Giles while they were students at the New Salem Academy.Miss Packard taught at the Academy in 1854, and Miss Gilesgraduated in 1856.

The two women began teaching in small towns inMassachusetts and opened the Rollstone School. They eventuallyaccepted teaching positions at the Connecticut Literary Institutionin the fall of 1859. This academy was known for emphasis in liberalBaptist principles and high academic standards. Both womenremained in Connecticut until 1864, when they joined the faculty ofthe Oread Collegiate Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts. Oreadwas one of the first academic institutions in the nation to admitwomen for a college education. While at Oread, Miss Packardbegan to hone her administrative abilities, and eventually accepteda managerial position at the Empire Insurance Company in Boston.In 1870, Dr. George C. Lormier offered her a position as the pastor’s

assistant at Shawmut AvenueBaptist Church. When he leftfor a position as pastor ofTremont Temple, Miss Packardwas his assistant. This positionexposed Miss Packard toChristian reform movements.

In 1877, Miss Packardand Miss Giles organized theWoman’s American Baptist HomeMission Society (WABHMS).This organization of 200 womenwas an auxiliary to the AmericanBaptist Home Missionary Society(ABHMS) and supportedwomen missionaries whoeducated Native and AfricanAmericans. Miss Packard wasfirst elected treasurer, and when

Giles Hall is a five-story, T-shaped building that is the anchor of the northend of the historic Campus Oval. The building’s historic use was to providehousing and classrooms. Today, it is a multipurpose academic building.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

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Jeanne Cyriaque, continued from page 1PRESERVING A SENSE OF PLACE: THE SPELMAN COLLEGE CAMPUS HERITAGE PLAN

she later became corresponding secretary, she worked to establishwomen’s groups in churches throughout New England. In 1880,WABHMS sent Miss Packard to the South, where she visitedhomes, schools and churches in Richmond, Nashville and NewOrleans. When Miss Giles joined her in New Orleans, theyconcluded that the most pressing need was educationalopportunities, especially for African American women.

When the two womenpresented their findings to theWABHMS, they asked forfinancial support to establisha new school for women andgirls. The Society did not havethe capital for this venture, andbelieved Miss Packard andMiss Giles, who were then 56and 48 years old respectively,were too old to implement thisplan. The women began to

raise funds with local churches for their travel expenses and salaries.They targeted Georgia as the best locale for the school because ithad the largest African American Baptist population, even thoughthere were no provisions for the education of women and girls. By1881, the Atlanta Baptist Seminary (presently Morehouse College)had moved to Atlanta, and ABHMS could offer a supportiveenvironment. With these developments, WABHMS reversed theirposition, and commissioned Miss Packard and Miss Giles to opena school in Atlanta. With the support of Reverend Frank Quarles,pastor of Friendship Baptist Church, the women accepted his offerto use the basement of the church for a school, and opened theAtlanta Baptist Female Seminary with 11 students on April 11, 1881.

At first, instruction at the Seminary focused on the alphabetand children’s bible studies. From this modest beginning, news oftheir success spread rapidly in the African American community,and by the end of the school’s first year, enrollment had increased

The basement of Friendship BaptistChurch was the home of the AtlantaBaptist Female Seminary. Photocourtesy of Spelman College Archives,Atlanta, Georgia.

to 175 women. The WABHMS commissioned Sarah Champneyand Caroline Grover to join Packard and Giles as teachers, but helpwas needed from the ABHMS to locate a building with adequateclassrooms and living quarters for the faculty. The Society securedan option on nine acres and five frame buildings that were used bythe Union Army for barracks during the Civil War, but ABHMSwanted the seminary to merge with the Atlanta Baptist Seminary asa “Girls Department.” This proposal for a merger was unacceptableto Packard and Giles.

In 1882, Reverend George O. King invited them to speak atthe Wilson Avenue Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Miss Packarddelivered an eloquent speech to the congregation. John D.Rockefeller, who was in the audience, contributed all the money inhis pockets and promised $250.00 for the building fund. Thefollowing day, they were invited to the Rockefeller’s home, whereMiss Packard set forth her vision for the school. She appealed toRockefeller to visit the campus, and on April 11, 1884, on the thirdanniversary, John and Laura Rockefeller, her mother and sister arrivedon campus. At the end of their visit, Rockefeller contributed $5,000for the remaining debt on the property. This was the firstcontribution to Negro education by the Rockefeller family. Withgratitude, Packard asked Rockefeller to name the school in his honor,but he suggested that the school be called the Spelman Seminaryfor Women and Girls to honor Mrs. Rockefeller’s parents, HarveyBuel and Lucy Henry Spelman. The Spelmans were abolitionists inOhio and were activists in the Underground Railroad.

When the seminary moved to the barracks, a boardingdepartment was established. Soon the faculty increased to 16 andthe student body to 600. By the fall of 1884, an elementary schoolopened. Mr. Rockefeller again contributed to the expansion byproviding funds for a brick building. Rockefeller Hall wasconstructed in 1886 as a multipurpose building and is the oldestbuilding on the Campus Oval. The building’s historic use includedthe academic and grammar departments and was the location of theHowe Memorial Chapel with a seating capacity of 400. It is currentlyundergoing renovations that will provide space for the college’sadministrative offices.This historic photo depicts the 1887 Spelman Seminary High School

graduates. Photo courtesy of Spelman College Archives, Atlanta, Georgia.

Packard Hall was named after co-founder Sophia B. Packard. It wasdedicated in 1888, and provided additional classrooms, a library anddormitory space for boarding students. Today, renovations are completed,and the building is the center for student services. Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

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Morehouse-James Hall was constructed in 1901 as adormitory for 100 women. It is named in honor of the correspondingsecretary of ABHMS, Henry L.Morehouse. He was president ofthe first Board of Trustees. Willis L. James administered the musicdepartment and was director of the Spelman Glee Club.

As Spelman Seminary completed its first decade, it wasgranted a state charter, a Board of Trustees was organized andSophia Packard became the institution’s first president. When shedied in 1891, Harriet E. Giles was appointed as the second presidentof Spelman Seminary.

One of the significant accomplishments under Miss Giles’administration was the expansion of teacher training for elementarygrades. A Missionary Training Department was established toprepare students for work in the south as well as Africa. The SlaterFund increased their grant to Spelman Seminary and John D.Rockefeller once again contributed funds for the institution’s thirdbuilding. He requested that it be named Giles Hall, and it wasdedicated in 1893.

The new building was the home of the normal (teaching)school, and housed the primary and intermediate departments. Itbecame the Georgia Colored Teachers’ Training School by an agreementwith the State of Georgia in 1897. The building was home to theseminary’s library that was named in honor of Reverend Frank Quarles.

In 1901, the first collegeclass graduation exercises wereheld in the Howe MemorialChapel. Jane Anna Grandersonand Claudia White wereawarded their baccalaureatedegrees. This signaled theneed for more facilities, andPresident Giles directedfurther development until herdeath in 1909.

John D. Rockefellerwas a major benefactor forSpelman Seminary during itsfirst 20 years. When Miss Gilesapproached him to fundconstruction of four newbuildings for the growingcampus, he responded with a$200,000 donation. Thepresident’s home was namedthe Mary C. Reynolds Cottagein honor of the correspondingsecretary of the WABHMS.

In 1910, Lucy Hale Tapley became the third president ofSpelman Seminary. She was born and educated in Maine, and cameto Spelman in 1890. Miss Tapley led the institution for 17 yearsuntil her retirement in 1927. During her tenure, she successfullybrought the institution out of debt and transferred financial control

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Claudia White Harreld taught atHaines Institute in Augusta aftergraduation and later returned as aninstructor of Latin and German atSpelman and Morehouse. She waspresident of the Spelman NationalAlumnae Association from 1923-1928. Photo courtesy of SpelmanCollege Archives, Atlanta, Georgia.

MacVicar Hall was erected in 1901 as a practice school fornurse training and also served the African American communityduring segregation. The building was named in honor of Dr. MalcolmMacVicar, Superintendent of Education for the ABHMS anddeveloper of the curriculum for the nurse training and teacherprofessional courses. One of the challenges that the 30-bed hospitalfaced was the practice of staffing it with white doctors, as AfricanAmerican doctors were excluded from city hospitals and clinics inAtlanta until 1953. When nurse training was discontinued in 1928,the building became the infirmary for both Spelman and Morehousestudents, and African American doctors were selected as physicians.

Prior to construction of Reynolds Cottage in 1901, the seminary’sco-founders lived in the barracks. It has remained the president’shome for over 100 years. Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

Morehouse-James Hall (1901) has consistently been used as a dormitory.It was renovated in the 1970s to provide housing for 85 students.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

MacVicar Hall (1901) was renovated in the early 1990s. Today, servicesinclude counseling and the Women’s Health Clinic.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

Jeanne Cyriaque, continued from page 3

PRESERVING A SENSE OF PLACE: THE SPELMAN COLLEGE CAMPUS HERITAGE PLAN

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In 1916, the General Education Board that was created byJohn D. Rockefeller awarded Spelman $85,000 to build a nurseshome and a home economics building. Hentz, Reid & Adler wascontracted as the architectural firm and W.T. Courtney, an AfricanAmerican graduate of Hampton Institute, was the constructionsuperintendent. Bessie Strong Hall, the former nurses home, wasdedicated in 1917 and is still used as a dormitory today. LauraSpelman Rockefeller Hall, the Home Economics building, wasdedicated in 1918. In 1930, the Spelman Nursery School was housedin this building, the first in the nation at a historically black college.

Courtney with an appropriation of $140,000. Today, the buildingprovides offices for the mathematics and science department andhealth careers.

Sisters Chapel reflects the continued philanthrophy of theRockefeller family in providing a place to meet the spiritual needs ofSpelman students. Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller, Jr. attended thededication of the building that honored his mother and aunt onMay 19, 1927. Sisters Chapel had a seating capacity of 1,050 andthe first commencement exercises were held there in 1927. BecauseSisters Chapel had the largest seating capacity among the Atlantablack colleges, it became the site for the annual Spelman-MorehouseChristmas Carol Concert. In 1928, this was the only facility in Atlantawhere seating for blacks and whites was not segregated. The bodyof Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. laid in state at Sisters Chapel while Dr.Joyce Johnson played the new Grand Holtkamp organ for the firsttime on April 6, 1968. The building today still serves as anauditorium for concerts, convocations, lectures and special events.The architectural firm of Surber Barber Choate and Hertlein receivednumerous awards for their renovation of Sisters Chapel.

from ABHMS to the school. Her crowning achievementoccurred in 1924, when Spelman Seminary became Spelman College.

With bequests from Lucy Spelman and her sister LauraSpelman Rockefeller, Spelman College built Tapley Hall in 1925 andSisters Chapel in 1927. Hentz, Reid & Adler were the architects forthese buildings. Tapley Hall, the science building, was constructedentirely by African Americans under the supervision of W.T.

In June 1927, Florence Matilda Read succeeded MissTapley as the fourth president of Spelman College. She acceptedthe position on one condition: that the Board establishes anendowment fund for the college. Miss Read immediately set inmotion a plan to dedicate all of the institution’s resources fordevelopment as a liberal arts college. She was a partner in the“Agreement of Affiliation” between Morehouse and Spelmancolleges and Atlanta University that formed the core schools fortoday’s Atlanta University Center (AUC). Florence Read was thefirst secretary of the United Negro College Fund and was the authorof The Story of Spelman College.

Two buildings on the campus were constructed duringthe Read presidency. Read Hall was named in her honor. It wasdedicated in 1951. In 1952, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Hall wasdedicated as a new dormitory for 100 students. It was named inhonor of the wife of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. The Masons of Georgialaid the cornerstone. The Grandmaster of the Masons of Georgia,John Wesley Dobbs, had six daughters who were Spelman graduates.

On April 11, 2006 Spelman College celebrated its first 125years as a liberal arts college for women of African descent. As thecampus expands into the next century, the Spelman College CampusHeritage Plan will be an invaluable tool for its future development.

Bessie Strong Hall (1917) was named in honor of John D. Rockefeller’soldest child. Its historic use was a residence for nursing students. It iscurrently a dormitory. Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

Laura Spelman Rockefeller Hall (1918) is a dormitory today and is thehome of the Child Development Center. Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

Read Hall (1951) still serves as the recreationalfacility for Spelman College.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

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REFLECTIONS RECEIVES

LEADERSHIP IN HISTORY AWARD

Jeanne Cyriaque, Reflections EditorHistoric Preservation Division

History’s Enduring Voices was the theme of the 2006 annualmeeting in Phoenix, Arizona of the American Association for

State and Local History (AASLH). Over 700 participants attendedthe annual conference of historians, writers, museum professionalsand volunteers who interpret state and local history throughoutthe nation. The annual meeting offered 81 workshops and plenarysessions, tours to Arizona historic sites and an exhibit hall featuring42 displays. The highlight of the annual meeting was the 2006Awards Banquet. AASLH has sponsored the awards program since1945, and in this 61st year the program was renamed the Leadershipin History Awards. “This year AASLH is proud to confer 85 nationalawards honoring people, projects, exhibits, books andorganizations,” said Terry L. Davis, president and CEO. Amongthis year’s awardees was one to a Georgia project: Reflections, thequarterly publication of the Georgia African American HistoricPreservation Network (GAAHPN).

To achieve this Award of Merit in the publication category,the nomination for Reflections was submitted to the AASLH statechair for Georgia, Laura T. McCarty, vice president of the GeorgiaHumanities Council. McCarty said, “Reflections is providing a lotof ‘bang for its buck.’ It is an important historical resource in ourstate, both in terms of documenting stories and in inspiring othergroups to document the stories of their community.” McCarty thensubmitted her review to the regional chair, Carole King, historicproperties curator of the Landmarks Foundation of Montgomery,Alabama. Following her assessment of the nomination, King thenpresented it to the national awards committee for a finaldetermination. The awards committee commented that Reflectionsmade “wide use of preservation to include culture as well asstructure,” was “very impressive” and a “role model for otherpreservation organizations.” In addition, it was to be “consideredin the top 10 (out of 149) nominated projects.”

The award nomination for Reflections included criticalassessments from peer reviewers. Helen Aikman, president ofFriends of Historic Downtown Louisville, said “Reflections isessential reading for anyone who is concerned with Georgiahistory… it is a unique voice with an undeniably importantmessage.” Cynthia Ashby, director of state schools for the GeorgiaDepartment of Education, especially appreciated the Reflectionsarticle about the Gordon campus of the Georgia School for theDeaf. The article was distributed to every student on the campusand became an important addition to the campus library. Theresearch about its African American principal will be used for ahistoric marker that will be erected at the site of the formersegregated dormitory.

“Since its inception in 2000, Reflections has been thedefinitive source in Georgia for raising awareness amongpreservationists, historians and the general public of the importanceof African American history and the preservation of the tangiblelinks to that past,” said Richard Laub, director of Georgia StateUniversity’s Heritage Preservation Program. Audrey Brown, whorecently retired from the National Park Service as acting chiefethnographer, commented, “this kind of information about localheritage and historic preservation activities is unique in theliterature. The articles are descriptive, in depth, and cover African

Both Tracy Hayes of the National Trust for HistoricPreservation and Leola Hubbard of the Camilla and Zack HubertFoundation commented that they thought Reflections was a uniqueinformation tool that could be duplicated in other states. MeetingTours International, who sponsors cultural history tours, saidReflections highlighted the importance of the Gullah/Geecheecultural history and African American farmers. One World Archivescommented that “it is accessible and interesting to a generalaudience while often revealing to scholars overlooked pieces ofresearch.” Althea Sumpter noted, “an important factor is thatReflections is available on-line. It is a place that I send others totake note of a certain topic.”

Carlton E. Brown, president of Savannah State University,“was enormously pleased with the issue which traced theuniversity’s humble beginnings from the 1862 Morrill Land GrantAct and highlighted Hill Hall. Because the issue was a thoroughhistorical account, we have often shared the publication with keydecision-makers so that they, too, will appreciate all that Hill Hallsymbolizes as we seek to restore it as a central element of ourstudent-centered campus.”

GAAHPN thanks our reviewers and members of thenetwork who provide oral history, photographs and documentsthat assist us in researching Georgia’s African American past. Wesalute your valuable input to ensure that African American builtand cultural resources are a continuing part of History’sEnduring Voices.

American preservation projects in the gamut of locales in Georgia.The images in Reflections with their accompanying explanationsand testimonies of local people about their significance reinforceour philosophy of the need for flexible historic designationstandards. Reflections makes it clear that historic sites andstructures encompass places and edifices of significance to ordinaryeveryday people as well as those that celebrate our national heroes,heroines and historic events.”

Reflections editor Jeanne Cyriaque (2nd from left) and GAAHPN chairmanIsaac Johnson (3rd from left) accept the Leadership in History Award fromTerry Davis, AASLH president and CEO (left) and David Crosson, AASLHchairman (right). Photo by Jeff Stanton, Stanton Photography, Phoenix, AZ

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REVITALIZING PITTSBURGH: AN ATLANTA RAILROAD COMMUNITY

Tiffany Tolbert, African American Programs AssistantHistoric Preservation Division

The neighborhood of Pittsburgh began as an African Americansettlement in Atlanta during the 1880s. In 1883, the East

Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad built a series of shopsalong the southwestern edge of the city. The area surroundingthese shops was similar to communities around the steel mills inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Consequently, this area became knownas Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh attracted a large number of AfricanAmericans who were employed as laborers and domestic servantsfor the railroad. By 1890, Pittsburgh developed into a predominatelyAfrican American working-class community with a population of684. The community’s growing population led to the building ofsmall, single family homes. Electric streetcar lines ran throughPittsburgh by 1902, allowing residents to have easy access todowntown Atlanta.

With the railroad providing a constant source ofemployment and the continuance of segregation, many AfricanAmerican institutions, including businesses, churches and schools,developed throughout Pittsburgh. Shortly after Pittsburgh wassettled, residents began holding Sunday School and Bible Studyclasses in their homes. These classes eventually led to thefounding of Ariel Bowen (United Methodist) Church and IconiumBaptist Church.

Ariel Bowen is the oldest church in Pittsburgh. While thechurch was founded around the turn of the century, the currentbuilding was built in 1939. Ariel Bowen also served as the site ofthe community’s first school, where classes of the PittsburghGrammar School were held in the basement. While a growing numberof students and inadequate conditions led to numerous relocations,a new two-story building was built in 1909.

Another school was not built in Pittsburgh until 1922 whenthe Pittsburgh Grammar School was closed due to inadequatefacilities. Clark College, the Freedom Aide Society and the AtlantaBoard of Education donated land for the new school. The 19-classroom school was designed by prominent Atlanta architect, A.

Ten Eyck Brown and named the William H. Crogman School inhonor of the first African American president of Clark College. TheCrogman School quickly grew and became one of the best publicschools for African Americans in Atlanta until it closed in 1979, dueto declining enrollment. The Crogman School was listed in theNational Register of Historic Places on July 14, 2005. It was acertified tax incentives project that rehabilitated the old school foradaptive use as loft apartments.

By 1960, Pittsburgh contained over 9,000 residents.However, the population as well as housing began to decrease dueto transportation and urban renewal projects. During the 1950s, inorder to provide easier accessto Atlanta’s business district,a new expressway system wasproposed and designed. Thisnew design not only affectedPittsburgh, but many ofAtlanta’s African Americanneighborhoods. While theimpact in other neighborhoodswas not as severe in Pittsburgh,a number of houses weredestroyed as well as thecommercial district.

Housing was furtherdestroyed by Atlanta’s urbanrenewal plan that called for thedemolition and replacement of deteriorated housing. Funding toreplace these homes was not made available until 1968 after most ofPittsburgh’s middle-class residents had moved to other areas.

Pittsburgh has 792 historic buildings. Among thesebuildings can be found excellent examples of 19th-early 20th centuryhouse types, such as shotgun houses and bungalows as well ascommercial and religious buildings. The Pittsburgh Historic Districtwas listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 2006.

This historic structure is one of thesurviving historic buildings thatstill exist on McDaniel Street in thePittsburgh Historic District.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

The historic Crogman School is located in the Pittsburgh Historic District.The building is adaptively used as loft apartments today and provideshousing for community residents. Photo by James R. Lockhart

Ariel Bowen Church is a community landmark building in the PittsburghHistoric District. Photo by Tiffany Tolbert

Tiffany TolbertAfrican American

Programs AssistantVoice 404/657-1054Fax 404/657-1040

tiffany_tolbert@dnr.state.ga.us

7

Velmon AllenKarl Webster Barnes

C. Donald BeallLinda Cooks

Gerald GoldenTerry & Cynthia Hayes

Kris RobertsCorinne Blencoe Thornton

Linda WilkesThomas Williams

Isaac Johnson, Chair706/738-1901

Beth Shorthouse, Vice-Chair404/253-1488

Jeanne Mills, Secretary404/753-6265

STEERING COMMITTEE

Jeanne CyriaqueAfrican American

Programs CoordinatorReflections EditorVoice 404/656-4768Fax 404/657-1040

jeanne_cyriaque@dnr.state.ga.us

STAFF

SAVE THE DATE:WHAT’S NEW IN THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD?

The rehabilitation of the Crogman School, its certificationas a tax incentive project and the National Register listing hasbrought increased attention to Pittsburgh. The PittsburghCommunity Improvement Association (PCIA) partnered withGeorgia Tech and the Atlanta Neighborhood DevelopmentPartnership’s Mixed Income Communities Initiative to participatein the Georgia Conservancy’s BluePrints for SuccessfulCommunities Process. BluePrints is an educational and technicalassistance program designed to facilitate community-based planningacross the state of Georgia. This process will help Pittsburghdevelop a plan for the smart growth and revitalization of theneighborhood. With the implementation of this plan, Pittsburghwill experience many of the positive effects other revitalized Atlantain-town neighborhoods have experienced, while maintaining itsunique historic character.

Augusta, like many Georgia cities and other locales, isexperiencing change in the built landscape of historic African

American communities. During segregation, many of thesecommunities were considered undesirable, but due to their in-townlocations, today these neighborhoods are often the communitiesthat are most likely to be revitalized. Rebuilding historicneighborhoods while achieving balance among existing historichouses, schools, churches and commercial structures requiresinnovative approaches and partnerships. Thus, the 2007 annualmeeting of the Georgia African American Historic PreservationNetwork (GAAHPN) will focus on the topic: What’s New In theOld Neighborhood?

The GAAHPN annual meeting will be held February 8-10in two Augusta African American historic districts: Bethlehem andLaney-Walker, where participants will experience both educationalsessions in these communities while exploring field sessions toaddress neighborhood preservation. The opening reception will beheld on the campus of the Lucy Craft Laney High School, wheretoday the Haines Alumni Association are stewards of the Cauley-Wheeler building on the campus. Educational sessions and theluncheon will be held on Friday, February 9 at the Beulah Grove

Building of Opportunity, afaith-based initiative that wasimplemented by the BeulahGrove Baptist Church in theBethlehem Historic District.Following the educationalsessions, participants willmove to Springfield VillagePark to see how public art isincorporated into communitydesign, with a presentationby sculptor Richard Hunt,who will discuss the newest

element in the park, And They Went Down Into the Water. Fridaysessions will conclude with a reception hosted by SpringfieldBaptist Church.

The annual meeting will conclude on Saturday, February10 with a field session and end with lunch at the Julian Smith

Barbeque Pit. The registrationfee is $50, and includeseducational/field sessions, andtwo lunches. GAAHPN’sprincipal partners are theAfrican American PreservationAlliance (AAPA), the CentralSavannah River Area RegionalDevelopment Center, HistoricAugusta, Inc., the HistoricPreservation Division (GA-SHPO), the National Allianceof Preservation Commissions and the National Trust for HistoricPreservation. Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee arestatewide networks of AAPA who exist to preserve African Americanhistory and culture and build diversity in preservation.

Ample lodging is available for annual meeting participantsat the Quality and Comfort Inns, or if you prefer a historic hotel, thePartridge Inn is one of the National Trust’s designated hotels. Fora complete conference brochure, hotel and other information, pleasecontact Jeanne Cyriaque (see below) by telephone, fax or email.

Isaac JohnsonChairman

And They Went Down Into the Waterand the Tower of Aspiration are twosculptures designed by Richard Huntin the Springfield Village Park.

Photo by Jeanne Cyriaque

The Cauley- Wheeler building is thesole historic building on the modernLucy Craft Laney High School campus.

Photo by James R. Lockhart

The Georgia African American Historic Preservation Network (GAAHPN)was established in January 1989. It is composed of representatives fromneighborhood organizations and preservation groups. GAAHPN was formed

in response to a growing interest in preserving the cultural and ethnic diversity ofGeorgia’s African American heritage. This interest has translated into a number ofefforts which emphasize greater recognition of African American culture andcontributions to Georgia’s history. The GAAHPN Steering Committee meets regularlyto plan and implement ways to develop programs that will foster heritage education,neighborhood revitalization, and support community and economic development.

The Network is an informal group of over 2,200 people who have an interest inpreservation. Members are briefed on the status of current and planned projects and areencouraged to offer ideas, comments and suggestions. The meetings provide anopportunity to share and learn from the preservation experience of others and to receivetechnical information through workshops. Members receive a newsletter, Reflections,produced by the Network. Visit the Historic Preservation Division website atwww.gashpo.org. Preservation information and previous issues of Reflections areavailable online. Membership in the Network is free and open to all.

ABOUT GAAHPN

This publication has been financed in part with federalfunds from the National Park Service, Department of theInterior, through the Historic Preservation Division,Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The contentsand opinions do not necessarily reflect the views orpolicies of the Department of the Interior, nor does themention of trade names, commercial products orconsultants constitute endorsement or recommendationby the Department of the Interior or the GeorgiaDepartment of Natural Resources. The Departmentof the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basisof race, color, national origin, or disability in itsfederally assisted programs. If you believe you havebeen discriminated against in any program, activity, orfacility, or if you desire more information, write to: Officefor Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 CStreet, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

Published quarterly by theHistoric Preservation Division

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

W. Ray Luce, Division Director &Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer

Jeanne Cyriaque, Editor

A Program of theHistoric Preservation DivisionGeorgia Department of Natural Resources34 Peachtree Street, NWSuite 1600Atlanta, GA 30303-2316