In the 1850s, Hannah and William Root shared their home with their children and extended family. Hannah Root’s father, Leonard Simpson, lived with the family and passed away on October 11, 1856. During the month of October, visitors to the William Root House will see the home decorated for mourning as it would have been at the time of Leonard Simpson's death. Curtains will be drawn, and rooms will be adorned with black crepe and ribbons. Special tours will teach visitors about 1850s mourning practices and superstitions about death.
WHAT: Mourning in the 1850s WHEN: The Root House Museum is open Wed.-Sat., 11am-4pm. Special night tours will be offered every Fri. and Sat. night in October from 7pm-10pm, and also Halloween night, Oct. 31. WHERE: William Root House Museum and Garden; 80 N Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30064 INFORMATION: 770-426-4982; roothousemuseum.com/mourning BACKGROUND INFORMATION: During the 1850s, Hannah and William Root shared their home with their children and extended family. Hannah Root’s father, Leonard Simpson, lived with the family and passed away on October 11, 1856. In the 1850s, only those invited would attend a funeral. Special funeral invitations were made with a black border; the width of the border would indicate how closely related the guest was to the deceased. Antebellum parlors were used for guests, family gatherings, and special occasions such as weddings and funerals. During a funeral, the coffin would have been kept in the parlor with the feet of the body facing towards the door. Many of the items in the parlor would have been draped in a black fabric. The fabric, called crepe, was commonly used for funerals because it was inexpensive and had a matte, lusterless surface that was deemed appropriately solemn for mourning. It was also customary to have flowers for a wake. Lilies were the most commonly used flower at this time because, in the “language of flowers,” lilies symbolize purity. In the dining room, some of the furnishings would have been moved around according to need. During a funeral, furniture would have been moved to the side to make room for chairs for the ceremony. Funeral guests would have been seated across the hall from the parlor so they could view the ceremony through the doorways without being too close to the family and the body. They would be permitted to see the body one at a time after the ceremony. A traditional food for funerals was funeral biscuits. These were shortbread cookies made especially for funerals. They would have an image imprinted on the cookie, such as a heart, cherub, winged head, hourglass, or skull. It was customary to serve the funeral biscuits with beer or ale, and they were usually dipped in the ale before being eaten. ABOUT THE WILLIAM ROOT HOUSE MUSEUM AND GARDEN: Owned and operated by Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, the William Root House Museum and Garden offers an authentic look at life for a middle class Georgia family in 1850s. The simple frame house is more typical of its time and place than the grand plantations and columned mansions people typically imagine when they think of the Old South. Visitors to the museum will learn the story of the house, the Root family, and life in antebellum and Civil War Georgia. Tours include opportunities for visitors to actually handle historic artifacts and to test their skills with various 19th century games. Using electronic tablets, visitors can analyze historic records, family photos, archaeological information, and more. These primary resources help explain how the Root family lived, and how the house has evolved over time. For information about the Root House, hours of operation and admission call 770-426-4982 or visit http://www.roothousemuseum.com/.
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The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s Spring Ramble and Annual Meeting will be held in Marietta, Kennesaw and Acworth, April 22-24. A partnership with Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, the event will offer visitors a rare opportunity to explore private historic homes, buildings and gardens that are not usually open to the public.
History enthusiasts will be charmed by exquisite houses and beloved downtown properties that grew up along the Great Kennesaw Route, a historic rail line that ran from Chattanooga to Atlanta. On Friday, ‘Ramblers’ will have the opportunity to explore historic properties in Marietta, a former winter resort town nicknamed “The Gem City of Georgia,” and Kennesaw, a railroad town steeped in Civil War history. Saturday’s Ramble continues in Marietta with stunning private homes and grand architectural gems. Sunday, Ramblers will take a drive out to Acworth, named after a railroad engineer’s hometown in New Hampshire, where brunch, historic bungalows and a charming Victorian-era downtown await. The Ramble also includes special dining experiences held at magnificent historic sites throughout the weekend. On Friday night, ‘Ramblers’ will dine with the General, made famous during the Great Locomotive Chase of 1862, at the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. Saturday morning breakfast will take place at the historic 1935 Strand Theatre, a former major motion picture house and now an important cultural community landmark overlooking Marietta’s town square. Lunch will be in downtown Marietta, where ‘Ramblers’ can choose from a variety of local eateries. Saturday night’s dinner will be held at Rockford, a unique antebellum home that was once served as a field hospital for the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and headquarters for a Confederate General. Before enjoying picturesque historic Acworth on Sunday, Ramblers will partake in a sumptuous brunch at the beautifully restored Old Mill, the oldest commercial building in town. A wide variety of registration options is available. Whether you plan on touring for one day or spending the weekend, there’s something for everyone as we explore the beautiful cities of Marietta, Kennesaw and Acworth. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaTrust.org. About Rambles Rambles feature tours and social events in historic properties not usually open to the public. Tours of historic homes and buildings are self-guided, and guests provide their own transportation. These trips attract hundreds of participants per Ramble and are offered two weekends each year in the fall and spring. Recent Rambles have included the Golden Isles, Athens and Americus. About the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Founded in 1973, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is one of the country’s largest statewide, nonprofit preservation organizations. The Trust is committed to preserving and enhancing Georgia’s communities and their diverse historic resources for the education and enjoyment of all. The Trust generates community revitalization by finding buyers for endangered properties acquired by its Revolving Fund and raises awareness of other endangered historic resources through an annual listing of Georgia’s “Places in Peril.” The Trust helps revitalize downtowns by providing design and technical assistance in Georgia Main Street cities; trains Georgia’s teachers in Georgia school systems to engage students in discovering state and national history through their local historic resources; and advocates for funding, tax incentives and other laws aiding preservation efforts. To learn more, visit www.georgiatrust.org. About Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, Inc. For more than forty years, Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society has been preserving, protecting, and promoting Cobb County's historic structures and cultural heritage. Through advocacy and public education, we strive to ensure the historically significant sites in our region continue to enhance the county’s quality of life, economy, and tourism. Each year, Cobb Landmarks provides engaging programs and activities that reach thousands of preservationists, tourists, teachers, college students, and school-age children. Many of these programs are centered on the organization’s two historic properties, the William Root House Museum and Garden and the Power Cabin. Currently, volunteer leaders are developing a strategic plan that will guide the organization in creating relevant programs, managing financial resources, and increasing awareness of local heritage. Learn more at: http://www.cobblandmarks.com Trevor Beemon, the Executive Director of Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, found his calling at an early age. When he was 12 years old, he got involved with the Root House as a volunteer. Before long, he was designing exhibitions for the site and became so actively involved that he was presented with the Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society Preservation Award in 2003. That same year, Trevor began pursuing a degree in history at Kennesaw State University (KSU). He graduated from KSU with a degree in American History and a public history certificate in 2008. A skilled graphic designer, Trevor worked for the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, where he helped design exhibition panels and displays and assisted with visitor services. After four years at the Southern Museum, Trevor made the leap to the Atlanta History Center (AHC), where he continued to use his outstanding graphic design skills in support of the exhibition program and marketing efforts of the organization. He eventually was named Director of New Media, a position that allowed him to use his extensive skills to improve the AHC’s online presence. As a resident of Acworth, Trevor became involved in promoting the history of the city through his work on the Acworth Board of Travel and Tourism and as the marketing chair for Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society. Since he was an eager young Boy Scout whose imagination was captured by the Root House, Trevor has devoted himself to interpreting and sharing the history of the area with the public, and it was with great pleasure that the KSU College of Humanities and Social Sciences presented to Trevor the Outstanding Alumnus Award. By Dr. Jennifer Dickey Coordinator, Public History Program, Kennesaw State University Fall 2015 has been a time of exciting and entertaining events and preservation progress, but for Cobb Landmarks members and friends it has also been a time of sadness, as our organization lost three of its most valiant and stalwart supporters in September and October. Bill David, Martha Lee Brumby, and Joe Kirby were all friends of CLHS, promoters of our community, and giants of historic preservation whose collective presence looms large over our organization. Without each of them, we would not be the organization that we are, and it is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to them.
Bill David, husband of former CLHS Executive Director Marcelle David and a supporter of CLHS and the Root House in his own right, died September 5 after a long battle with cancer. Bill and Marcelle were instrumental in the rescue of the Root House and the successful establishment of the Root House Museum and Garden. Terri Cole, who worked with the Davids in the early days of the Root House project, penned this reflection after Bill’s funeral: There are lots of things in this world that can be measured. Bill David certainly understood the word “measure.” He built hundreds of residential homes in the Marietta area during the past 40 years as a partner with Cotton States Builders. Some of you may even be fortunate enough to live in one of these beautiful homes. Lumber, trim, windows, doors, porches, roofing, and even driveways are measured to assure they fit the builder’s specifications. However, there is one thing that is difficult to measure: the value one person can add to another person’s life. The length and depth of time and talent given to another person or organization is immeasurable and often forgotten over time. In remembering our friend Bill, we will never be able to measure the time and talents he and Marcelle gave to make Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society what it is today. Perhaps their son Brad said it best in Bill’s eulogy: “Dad taught me many lessons in life, and I could not have had a better father, a better person to model my life after. One of the most valuable lessons dad taught me, he did not sit me down and talk me through, he simply showed me through his actions. His abiding love and devotion to my mother was the greatest gift that he gave me. Dad showed me what a committed and loving relationship should look like and loved my mother more than anything in his life.” Bill shared and supported Marcelle’s passion for CLHS and The Root House Museum. His presence, kindness, generosity, and courage cannot be measured. He was a good man. We are thankful for what he did for all of us and for his actions that spoke louder than his words. We at Cobb Landmarks extend our heartfelt condolences to Marcelle and Brad and their family. Martha Lee Brumby, a pillar of the Marietta community and widow of Otis Brumby, Jr., the late publisher of the Marietta Daily Journal (MDJ), died October 29 after a six-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Mrs. Brumby was a longtime member of First United Methodist Church in Marietta, where she was active with the Altar Guild and the funeral committee. She was a generous hostess, always willing to extend her hospitality to individuals or civic groups, and she and her husband were supporters of Cobb Landmarks from the early days. The love of community and the support for historic preservation were passed on to their five children: Spain Gregory, Lee Garrett, Betsy Tarbutton, Anna Brumby, and Otis A. Brumby III. It was in large part through financial support provided by Otis and Martha Lee Brumby and their children, through the Brumby-Leonard Family Foundation and the Marietta Daily Journal Community Foundation, that Cobb Landmarks was able to publish Marietta, the Gem City of Georgia: A Celebration of Its Homes – A Portrait of Its People, by Douglas Frey, in 2010. In a reflection in the MDJ penned by Ricky Leroux, Mrs. Brumby’s friend Connie Smith is quoted as saying that Martha Lee was someone who believed you couldn’t do enough to help people. “She was a beautiful, elegant lady inside and out…the kindest, most generous person to everyone.” These qualities of kindness and generosity are certainly her legacy to us, her friends at Cobb Landmarks. We extend our sincere sympathy to Spain, Lee, Betsy, Anna, and Otis and their families. Joe Kirby, local author and historian and longtime editorial page editor of the Marietta Daily Journal, died October 30 after a short illness. Joe contracted a rare form of cancer, probably the result of radiation treatments in his youth, and died only a week after diagnosis. Joe’s contributions to the promotion of our community and the recording of its history are significant, and rare coming from a person who was not a Cobb County native. A native of Washington, D.C., Joe came to Marietta in 1987 to take up a post as a reporter for the MDJ, after stints at the Toccoa Chieftan and the Roswell Neighbor. Dr. Sam Matthews said at Joe’s memorial service, “Joe Kirby fooled me. I thought he was from around here.” He quoted Joe as saying that he came to Marietta “as soon as he could.” Joe clearly loved this community. In an obituary penned by Jon Gillooly for the MDJ, Marshall Ramsey, an ad designer for the paper in the early 1990s who was mentored by Joe Kirby, said of him and his legacy, “…here’s a guy who had the talent to go anywhere, but he stayed in a place where he could make a difference. And he loved the history of the place… He realized that he was where he needed to be to make sure that he could raise his children the right way, and his legacy will be in Miles and Lucy.” Joe’s wife, Fran Froehlke Kirby, said that her husband’s passion was history. He wrote several books of local history, among them The Bell Bomber Plant, Marietta (Then and Now), and Marietta Revisited (Then and Now). These titles are all available at Mr. Root’s Store, and they are an important part of the body of printed scholarship about Marietta and Cobb County. His columns in the MDJ are another source of valuable local history and commentary. Joe was also an enthusiastic supporter of Cobb Landmarks, always willing to provide publicity for CLHS events in his popular “Around Town” column and elsewhere in the paper. He was a frequent speaker to community and civic groups on the subject of local history, always promoting Marietta and Cobb County and exhorting them to make it better. He was a frequent attendee at Cobb Landmarks events, usually present at the Pilgrimage Gala, the Annual Meeting, and many other events. Attorney General Sam Olens was quoted in Jon Gillooly’s reflection in the MDJ as saying that Joe Kirby saw life through a positive lens. “There are few people you meet in life that you view as being ‘glass half full’ each and every day, and he was….He was always there to uplift, always there to discuss the greatness of the community….” All of us at Cobb Landmarks extend our heartfelt sympathy to Fran, Lucy, and Miles Kirby. - Dr. Root’s Miracle Elixir IPA Inspired by Marietta’s first Druggist, William Root -
MARIETTA, GA – The William Root House Museum and Garden introduces a new beer, Dr. Root’s Miracle Elixir IPA, crafted with hops harvested directly from the historic Root House Garden. Inspired by Marietta’s first apothecary, William Root, this new beer was created in partnership with Schoolhouse Beer and Brewing. WHAT: Dr. Root’s Miracle Elixir Craft Beer WHERE: William Root House Museum and Garden; 145 Denmead Street, Marietta, GA 30060 INFORMATION: 770-426-4982; http://roothousemuseum.com/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The William Root House is an antebellum house located in downtown Marietta. It is one of the only wood frame structures in downtown Marietta to survive the Civil War. The home was constructed in the 1840s, and was owned by the Root family. William Root was Marietta’s first Apothecary (druggist), and he ran a fairly lucrative business on the Square for many years. His store was located in the building where Sugar Cakes Patisserie is now located. The Root House Garden is designed to reflect the gardening practices of the mid-19th century, and all the plants growing in the garden have been researched for their availability in Georgia at the time the Root House was built. The Root’s garden in the 19th century would have contained plants that were either ornamental, medicinal, or edible. Today, we grow many medicinal herbs in the garden because it’s likely that William would have used them in his pharmacy. This includes hops. Hops, which is used to make beer, would have been used in the pharmacy as an herbal medicine to assist with sleeplessness and anxiety. Dr. Root’s Miracle Elixir IPA will be available for a limited time at Schoolhouse Beer and Brewing, The Chicken and the Egg, Loco Willy’s, Marietta Pizza Company, and Stockyard Burgers beginning October 24, 2015. ABOUT THE WILLIAM ROOT HOUSE MUSEUM AND GARDEN: Owned and operated by Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society, the William Root House Museum and Garden offers an authentic look at life for a middle class Georgia family in 1850s. The simple frame house is more typical of its time and place than the grand plantations and columned mansions people typically imagine when they think of the Old South. Visitors to the museum will learn the story of the house, the Root family, and life in antebellum and Civil War Georgia. Tours include opportunities for visitors to actually handle historic artifacts and to test their skills with various 19th century games. Using electronic tablets, visitors can analyze historic records, family photos, archaeological information, and more. These primary resources help explain how the Root family lived, and how the house has evolved over time. For information about the Root House, hours of operation and admission call 770-426-4982 or visit http://www.roothousemuseum.com/. Continuing long-standing efforts to preserve the historic Wallis House, Georgia lawmakers have again introduced federal legislation that would annex the house and its neighboring eight acres into Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.
U. S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk introduced HR-3371 into the House of Representatives on July 29. The bill is co-sponsored by Reps. Earl Carter and Lynn Westmoreland. Sen. Johnny Isakson introduced S-1930 in the Senate on August 11, with Sen. David Perdue as a co-sponsor. These bills renew the efforts of Sen. Isakson and former Rep. Phil Gingrey to obtain Congressional authorization to add the land to the park. The property is owned by Cobb County, which has agreed to transfer it to the National Park Service at no acquisition cost if the legislation is passed and signed. Restoration costs, early estimates of which are $800,000, will be the principal costs associated with the project. It is possible that private funding will be sought for some of these costs. The Wallis House, built c. 1853 by Josiah Wallis, has been a Preservation Priority for CLHS for several years. CLHS Chair Abbie Parks wrote to House and Senate Committee members in 2014 urging them to support earlier versions of the legislation, but the bills did not get passed by the full chambers in the last Congress. Executive Director Trevor Beemon wrote to the legislators earlier in 2015 encouraging them to reintroduce the bills. The bills have been read and referred to their respective committees, which must pass them for the bills to reach the floor for full chamber votes. Bills to save individual landmarks are routinely passed in each session of Congress, and here’s hoping that the current session will be the one where the hopes and plans for the Wallis House are realized. Written by Chris Brown The Marietta Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is continuing its efforts to designate a Forest Hills local historic district, and it has recently received City Council approval to begin the study process for a Church-Cherokee-Freyer-Seminole district.
Each project requires extensive research about the neighborhoods, drafting and approval of design guidelines, several public hearings and City Council approvals, and a neighborhood property owner vote. A 60% affirmative vote is required to designate a district. The Forest Hills study area principally includes Forest and North Forest Avenues and Vance Circle, and it also includes the historic Cole house that faces the 120 Loop. The study area currently includes about 50 houses, and the next step for the HPC is to delineate the boundaries of the area that will be included in the property owner vote. The Church-Cherokee study area is larger, beginning with about 120 houses. On August 12 the City Council approved the HPC’s request to begin the project, following homeowner requests that were in part related to potential development of the Ivy Grove estate on Cherokee Street. The fact that, under present rules, the Ivy Grove mansion could be demolished without any reviews or approvals was an eye-opener for many neighbors. A local historic district would require HPC and City Council approval before demolition of a historic house, and it would also require HPC review of architectural plans before new construction could begin. HPC Chair David Freedman estimates the process will take at least six to eight months to complete. Educating homeowners about the protections afforded by a local historic district is scheduled to begin in early September. The homeowner vote, which will be run by the City staff, will likely be held early next year. If approved by homeowners and the City Council, these historic districts would join the Kennesaw Avenue district in protecting the integrity of Marietta’s historic neighborhoods. Written by Chris Brown For those interested in pursuing the preservation of historic resources in their community, the first step is to have a good understanding of what buildings, sites, or structures are potentially historic. The best platform for gaining that understanding is a Historic Resources Survey. Historic Resources Surveys are a way to gather basic information about potential historic properties within a jurisdiction, whether city or county. Historic Resources Surveys usually include an architectural description of the building or structure and photographs. Field work is involved in order to gather notes on the location, age and setting of the resource. A final survey report is usually produced to summarize the findings and give an overview of the community and the process. The Historic Preservation Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources has recommendations of how to produce a survey and how the survey can be used. Survey results are entered into a state-wide database called GNAHRGIS (Georgia’s Natural, Archaeological, and Historic Resources Geographic Information System). GNAHRGIS can be searched online. Historic Resources Surveys are extremely useful tools for a variety of purposes. The survey supports historic preservation ordinances and the efforts of a historic preservation commission. It does this by highlighting resources that are worthy of preservation and those that could be eligible for local designation and the Georgia/National Register of Historic Places. It is an excellent tool for use in planning purposes, including reviewing zoning and variance applications, as well as site plans, to determine their impact on historic resources. The survey can be a source for researching historic buildings and for educating the public about historic places. One of the first efforts towards a historic resource inventory in Cobb County was the Bicentennial Project sponsored by Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society. The project director was Dr. Phil Secrist, and it covered properties in Marietta and Cobb County. The survey, conducted from 1974 to 1975, produced an inventory of over 220 historic structures, ruins, and sites. The next major survey for those areas outside city limits was Architecture, Archaeology, and Landscapes: Resources for Historic Preservation in Unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia by Darlene Roth, which was completed in 1988. Cobb County’s most recent Historic Resources Survey for unincorporated areas was completed in 2007. While the Roth book remains an excellent resource for developmental history and context for Cobb County, many changes had happened in the county over the following twenty years. The current survey can be viewed on the Cobb County website and can be searched on the GNAHRGIS online database. The survey demonstrates the wide variety of historic resources that are present in the unincorporated sections of Cobb County. Over 850 historic resources were surveyed during the 2007 update, with nearly 87% of them being used as residential. Historic outbuildings were included, as well as a sampling of the county’s ranch houses built beginning in the 1950s. Cobb County has some additional Historic Resources Surveys for specific areas. These were usually done as part of an environmental review process for proposed infrastructure projects. These specific area surveys are conducted to determine if the proposed project would have any impact on historic resources within the project area. Earlier this year, Cobb County worked towards creating a list of county-owned properties that have potential historic resources on them. This resource list was conducted as a result of a resolution passed by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners last fall. Staff reviewed information on all county-owned parcels to see if there was the potential for a historic building, structure, or even Civil War earthworks on the property. The final list was provided to relevant county departments for their reference. If changes are proposed to one of these properties, then the Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission is to be given an opportunity to comment.
Acworth, Kennesaw, and Marietta also have historic preservation ordinances and historic preservation commissions. They have Historic Resources Surveys in order to understand what historic resources are present in their communities. Marietta completed a Historic Resources Survey between 1993 and 1994. Additional surveys have been done in areas that are being considered for local designation by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. Kennesaw has a historic resources book which identifies all registered historic structures. Survey information for these municipalities can be viewed on the GNAHRGIS database. The Smyrna Historical & Genealogical Society (SH&GS) has, for many years, encouraged the City of Smyrna to adopt a historic preservation ordinance. The historical society brought in a staff member from Georgia’s Historic Preservation Division to make a presentation on historic preservation ordinances to members of the city council. The city council had questions about what was considered historic in Smyrna. So, the historical society hired an intern to complete a Historic Resources Survey for those properties within Smyrna. Jennifer Dixon, Preservation Chair for Smyrna Historical & Genealogical Society (and Preservation Chair for CLHS), provided oversight and guidance to Jessica McCarron, the intern hired for the project. Jessica, a Masters of Heritage Preservation student at Georgia State University, surveyed historic properties within the city limits of Smyrna. Jennifer had the following to say about the project: Jessica was able to survey virtually all historic resources up through the 1940s. This cutoff date was selected due to the fundamental shift in development from pre-war individual housing to post-war neighborhood and suburban development. The amazing results of this survey can be found on the SH&GS website. The historical society is planning to return to the Smyrna City Council to present the results of the survey and hopefully to further discussions on a historic preservation ordinance and commission. The survey is a crucial step in moving forward with preservation efforts in Smyrna. Historic Resources Surveys are a vital step in understanding the history of a local community. They provide the necessary information on working towards elevating the preservation of a community’s historic places. The best preservation occurs at the local level, and understanding what is worthy of preservation is critical to making that happen. Written by Mandy Elliott, Cobb County Preservation Planner Located in East Cobb off Roswell Road, Hyde Farm has been a CLHS Preservation Priority since 2011. It was farmed using 19th-century techniques until the death of the last living Hyde brother, JC, in 2004, and it is truly a last vestige of a bygone way of life in Cobb County. It was saved from development by the concerted efforts of many people: JC and his brother, Buck, who specified in their wills that the property would be preserved; the Friends of Hyde Farm, who raised money to assist The Trust for Public Land in buying and paying the taxes on the land; TPL, interim steward of the property; Cobb County and the National Park Service (NPS), current owners and stewards; and Cobb Landmarks, which has been the custodian of a fund for the rehabilitation of the buildings at Hyde Farm. Since the signing of an agreement between Cobb County and NPS, work has been underway to repair and restore the dilapidated buildings, and real changes can be seen.
Mandy Elliott, Preservation Planner for Cobb County, gave the following summary of the current state of the work at Hyde Farm: "The rehabilitation work on the Hyde Farm house and outbuildings is well underway. All of the outbuildings, including the barn, are complete. The barn rehabilitation included installing new sills [the bottoms of the walls] and rebuilding the two wings, using as much of the original fabric as possible. The work on the house is in process and involves replacement of some sills, injecting liquid epoxy into termite-affected logs, and installing new structural footings. The wheelchair lift will be installed on the rear entrance to the house to accommodate ADA requirements. The wheelchair ramp which the Hydes had installed will be returned to that entrance. An archaeologist has been retained for the site and has completed a survey of the area behind the house, where a detached kitchen once stood. Unfortunately, the installation of a septic tank removed all remnants of that kitchen. Cobb Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs staff will next be working with the landscape and fields in order to prepare for planting next year." Curt Soper, Georgia/Alabama State Director for TPL, states, “The Trust for Public Land is delighted with the work that is underway to restore the barn and other structures at Hyde Farm. The work that Cobb Landmarks and the County are doing now is exactly what was envisioned when we were all working so hard to acquire the property.” Bill Cox with the National Park Service, Superintendent of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, added “I think Hyde Farm is a great example of an effective partnership between Cobb County and the National Park Service that furthers our mutual goal of protecting and enjoying the historic resources we all value.” All at Cobb Landmarks are excited and encouraged at the progress and look forward to the day when Hyde Farm will be available to the public on a regular basis. Meanwhile, a special event is planned for the fall to take place at Hyde Farm and CLHS’s Power Cabin property. Details will be announced soon. This year, the National Park Service announced that Cobb Landmarks and Historical Society’s house museum, the William and Hannah Root House, had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register provides formal recognition of a place deemed to be of architectural, historical, and/or structural significance. The news of this honor was received with much rejoicing throughout Cobb Landmarks, as it confirmed our long-held view of the importance of this historic structure. The National Register status is the culmination of a process begun in 1991 representing thousands of hours of hands-on restoration work and advocacy.
The Root House, believed to be the oldest frame house in Marietta, was built in 1845 by druggist William Root across from St. James’ Episcopal Church at what is now the corner of Church and Lemon Streets. The house was moved in 1893, around the corner facing Lemon Street, and then again in 1989, when it was donated to Cobb Landmarks and relocated to its present site at Polk Street and the Marietta Loop, to save it from demolition. Since its acquisition by CLHS, the Root House has truly become the flagship property of Cobb Landmarks, providing the only example of a middle-class town house in Marietta before the Civil War. Thousands of visitors every year, many of them school children, are able to have a glimpse into the lives of a typical middle-class family in our town. For many, it is eye-opening to realize that most people did not live at Tara during the antebellum period. The costumed docents at the Root House provide a picture of a way of life that was much more typical of the time than is provided by much of the romantic fiction depicting life in the mid-19th century South. During this year of commemorating the Civil War and its impact on Cobb County, a visit to the Root House to see the Civil War years interpretation of the life of the Root family should be a goal of every citizen of Cobb County who is interested in our history and heritage. Kudos and thanks go to those far-sighted people at Cobb Landmarks who saw the importance of saving this piece of our history for future generations, and thanks to the National Trust for this great honor. |
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