
Head over to the Old DeKalb Courthouse on Tuesday, January 19th and learn about one of Decatur’s most transient buildings, the Swanton House! If you’ve ever wondered why Swanton Way in downtown Decatur is so far removed from the house that also bears its name, this will be the lunch and learn for you!
From the DeKalb History Center…
DECATUR – The January Lunch & Learn presented by our archivist Fred Mobley will chronicle the various plans for historic restoration that were developed and considered for the Swanton House in the early 1960s until the dedication ceremonies on December 10th, 1972. Come learn the fascinating history of this house including the various concepts that were up for consideration. and the final results reflecting not only on the practices of historic preservation of that period but the forces at play in the cultural landscape that landed the Historic Swanton House where it sits today.
The Benjamin Swanton House is one of the oldest structures still standing in Decatur – it has a log cabin as its core estimated to have been built about 1825. The house was enlarged and updated throughout its long history, each change reflecting the popular trends of the times.
Utilizing his Master in Heritage Preservation and educational experience gained at the Jefferson Monticello Historic Landscape Institute, and the Georgia Historic Landscape Initiative Fellowship at the Cherokee Garden Library of the Atlanta History Center, Mobley will use resource materials from the DHC Archives to show the house’s changing history. Mobley received his Master in Heritage Preservation-Public History Track from Georgia State University in August 2010.
Free! Bring your lunch.
Tuesday, January 19, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur GA 30030, Second Floor, Superior Courtroom
Love this old 1965 photo of the Swanton House provided by the DeKalb History Center. This is while it still sat in downtown Decatur.