Executive Director of the DeKalb History Center, Melissa Forgey, sends along this announcement…

The DeKalb History Center will host a new Temporary Exhibit on the historic Mt. Zion Community. This project has been a focus for students from the Arbor Montessori School for several years and builds on their work and oral interviews of residents from this community. The DeKalb History Center also received assistance from Commissioner Jeff Rader to conduct research in the community.

The Mt. Zion community is a small African-American enclave located on the northeast side of LaVista Road, and was settled in the 1800s. During the 20th century, the community changed from family farms to a suburban landscape which caused a large portion of the community’s African-American population to move away in the 1940s and 50s and then again in the 1980s and 90s. The community remained close-knit during these times of change and retains its cultural heritage today.

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What can the ranch house teach us?

That question, presented to a historian, architect, or planner will garner three (or more!) very different responses.

• Its long and low form is a direct result of its suburban environment.
• Its interior spaces document the American family’s desire for larger interior spaces.
• The ranch’s simplified architectural style, evolved loosely from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie Style, speaks to the growing desire in the mid-20th century to keep the cost of construction down .

On Wednesday, March 24th at noon, the DeKalb History Center will dedicate an entire Lunch & Learn on one of the most controversial, yet wide-spread house types/styles of the last century: the Ranch House.

All details after the jump!  So jump!

Photo of a “typical ranch house in Belvedere Park” courtesy of the DeKalb History Center

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DeKalb History Center Executive Director Melissa Forgey sends along the details…

The DeKalb History Center’s 2009 Archives Lecture Series concludes in November with a presentation by Terry Martin-Hart on the history of Avondale Estates. The City of Avondale Estates was founded by George Francis Willis in 1924 after a trip he took with his wife to Stratford-upon-Avon.

In 1999, Terry Martin-Hart released the book Images of America: Avondale Estates, through Arcadia Publishing, which shows the history of this unique town through a vivid collection of historic photographs.

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From DeKalb History Center Executive Director Melissa Forgey…

“All Roads Lead to DeKalb” – October 13, 2009 to January 15, 2010

Tuesdays – Fridays from 10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.

Temporary Exhibit Room – Old Courthouse on the Square, 1st Floor

101 East Court Square Decatur, Georgia 30030

Decatur – Back by popular demand! If you missed this two-day exhibition in May, you have another opportunity to see a small portion of the DeKalb History Center’s map collection.

DHC has over 300 maps, which document the development of DeKalb County over the past two centuries. This show features high quality scans of many large maps ranging from 1900 – 1999. These full size reproductions represent the entire county and many cities and neighborhoods including Tucker, Brookhaven Estates, Druid Hills, Atlanta, Stone Mountain and Decatur. Original maps, including a Sanborn Map and a 1915 DeKalb Atlas, will be included.

Stop in for a brief glimpse into this fascinating and extensive collection. Some maps are available for immediate purchase; additional selections can be made available upon request.

This morning’s AJC front page story about the Anne Frank exhibit moving from the Old Courthouse in downtown Decatur to a strip mall in Sandy Springs in December, reminded me that I had looked into this story a few months back, after Susan sent in a note pointing to another article in the Sandy Springs Reporter.

At the time, I sent an email to the Executive Director of the DeKalb History Center, Melissa Fogerty, to find confirm the news and learn of the DHC’s plans to fill the gap left by the Frank exhibit.  This was her response…

The Anne Frank is a moving, or temporary, exhibit and the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust’s contract with DeKalb County is for three years (ending this year). Before locating here, the exhibit was in Kennesaw for three years. DHC is developing new exhibits to cover the history of DeKalb County, and temporary exhibits on special topics and areas in the county.

FMFats forwards this note…

“Unbossed and Unbought” Rev. Hosea L. Williams Exhibit

Tuesday, June 2 – 5:00 – 7:00 PM

The Old Courthouse on the Square – Temporary Exhibit Room

Join us for an opening reception of a special exhibit that explores the work of Rev. Hosea L. Williams. Light refreshments will be served.

On loan from The Hosea Project/Hosea Feed the Hungry, the show features photographs, archival materials and artifacts from Rev. Williams’ years as a Civil Rights leader and politician and a glimpse into his personal life.

Exhibit open to the public: June 2nd – August 28th (Tuesdays – Fridays 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

Don’t forget to stop by the Old Courthouse this weekend when you’re up at the Decatur Arts Festival.  Lots of great exhibits of display.  Personally, I get really excited about old maps.

All Roads Lead to DeKalb - Join us as we showcase a portion of our extensive map collection. The exhibit consists of over 30 high quality scans, which were produced for us by the Georgia Archives. The full size reproductions represent the entire county and many cities and neighborhoods including Tucker, Brookhaven Estates, Druid Hills, Atlanta, Stone Mountain and Decatur. The display includes maps from 1900 to 1999.  Some maps will be available for immediate purchase; additional selections can be made available upon request.

The Harrison Room – Old Courthouse on the Square, 2nd Floor

May 23, from 10:00AM to 5:00PM & May 24, from 12:00PM to 5:00PM

Rev. Hosea Williams Exhibit – Enjoy a “sneak peek” of a special exhibit exploring and celebrating the life and work of Rev. Hosea L. Williams. The show, on loan from Hosea Feed the Hungry, features photographs, archival materials and artifacts highlighting Hosea’s work as a Civil Rights leader, a political figure and a glimpse into his personal life.

Temporary Exhibit Room – Old Courthouse on the Square, 1st Floor

May 23, from 10:00AM to 5:00PM & May 24, from 12:00PM to 5:00PM

Quilt Show – Local quilters from Intown Quilters Quilt Shop, Phoenix Quilt Guild, The Fearless Friday Guild and the Brown Sugar Stitchers will exhibit over 50 quilts, ranging from traditionally pieced quilts to very funky art quilts. Attendees can cast their vote for their three favorite quilts. Those artists will each win an Intown Quilters gift certificate! To show our appreciation, voters will be registered for door prizes donated by local Decatur businesses including Squash Blossom Boutique, Brick Store Pub and Intown Quilters, just to name a few.

Old Superior Courtroom – Old Courthouse on the Square, 2nd Floor

May 24, from 12:00PM to 5:00PM

From Scott's Infamous iPhone

My wife and I noticed the tell-tale signs while walking the dog up to the Square last night:

• Giant lights keeping the confederate monument company
• Mechanical dinosaurs reaching towards courthouse windows
• The long white trailer taking up those two coveted parking spots along Ponce
• The bored security guard

Sure enough, more filming at the Courthouse!

By the time I checked in this morning, Steve, Scott, GAK and the AJC(!) all filled me in on the details.  The Lifetime original “Drop Dead Diva” is back at the Courthouse and is sporting a California flag, opening up the opportunity for countless jokes involving left-leaning Decatur and the Left-Coast.

The AJC article doesn’t mention this, but this isn’t “Diva’s” first time in Decatur.  It was here last September filming at the same location and around town.

GA tax credits to film studios have inadvertantly turned Decatur into a film set.  And while we know the city and county make a tidy sum from permits and whatnot,  I wonder what kind of financial boost the DeKalb History Center gets from this activity…

The DeKalb History Center’s Leslie Borger writes in with details about their “Historic DeKalb County” book release party on February 12th from 6-8pm at the Old Courthouse (where else!?).

The evening will feature remarks from the author (Vivian Price) and artist, a Silent Auction, and book-signing.  Beer and wine will be provided by Parker’s on Ponce, while DeCuir Catering will provide hors d’oeuvres.

If you didn’t purchase an advance copy, the book will be available for purchase at the event.

All other details can be found HERE (pdf).

After reading in the AJC this morning that the Atlanta History Center laid off 15 employees and the Margaret Mitchell House has reduced its staff to ONE, I’m glad I finally stopped procrastinating and became a DeKalb History Center member this past year.

UPDATE: Fellow blogger and frequent DM loiterer, Lain – who has done a bang up job of turning around The Wren’s Nest in recent years – reacts to the AHC cut backs at the Margaret Mitchell House.