When someone mentions the Historic Macon Foundation, many folks think of old homes or long-abandoned buildings that have been restored to their former glory, thanks in large measure to the foundation’s help and leadership. But we all know that preservation and revitalization come in many different forms, in all walks of life.
Each year the members of our staff, partners with their own areas of expertise and skill, share efforts in their particular field (or an area of interest) that have caught their eye -- or ear -- that they’d like others to know about.
This list, our second Preservation Picks, will give you a sampling of reading and listening options -- and much more -- during a busy holiday season of road trips and family visits. Not that you’d want a little time away from Aunt Martha.
Here goes:
“Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” by John Berendt
For my Preservation Pick this year I've selected “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Admittedly, I should have read this book years ago, but no one ever told me that historic preservation played such a key role in the story. I had seen the movie when it came out, which likely turned me off the book. Needless to say, the book was entertaining -- riveting -- and is certainly worthy of my Preservation Pick for 2018, albeit 24 years too late.
Ethiel Garlington, Executive Director
“Blueberry Hill” by Louis Armstrong
More than 13 years ago, my grandmother in Alaska mailed this CD to me for my 16th birthday. Arguably my favorite album of all time, it has been in heavy rotation ever since. It’s a live recording with multiple singers, and Armstrong leads his band and the listener through an amazing journey of jazz. From a female singer's take of “Georgia On My Mind” to instrumental odysseys in “Jazz Me Blues” to my adolescent favorite, “Jeepers Creepers,” this album has everything a jazz lover could ever want. How wonderful that we can preserve the genius of this man and talented crew through live recordings!
P.S. It's available on Spotify
Rachelle Wilson, Director of Engagement
There’s plenty to love about Instagram, the social networking app made for sharing photos and videos. Here are some of my favorite Instagram accounts for photos of historic architecture and beautiful gardens.
oldgeorgiahomes
thefrontdoorproject
the.preservationist
oakspringgardenfoundation
Mcalpinehouse
archi_ologie
Oldhouselove
These accounts have local connections:
quincy hammond
robinson_home
marypinsonflowers
canaanmarshall
Shannon Fickling, Preservation Project Manager
Shopping in Downtown Macon
My Preservation Pick is all the great downtown Macon shopping options! Travis Jean Emporium, Macon Arts Gallery, WEAR, the Pink Chief, Blair Furniture, Kaybee (and its super awesome upstairs shoe room!). Talk about a hidden gem. Not to mention all the fabulous restaurants that offer cool swag, T-shirts and hats. You can find something for almost everyone when you shop in historic downtown Macon.
Trish Whitley, Director of Development
“The Devil in the White City,” by Eric Larson
If you're like me and love all things architecture, but you also enjoy listening to a true crime podcast, this is the book for you. Taking readers back to 1890s Chicago, we meet the man behind the 1893 Chicago's World Fair architecture and design: Daniel Hudson Burnham (also credited for New York's Flat Iron Building). While Burnham is anxiously building the World's Fair under a tight deadline, a sinister serial killer, Henry Holmes, is slowly building his own murder palace just blocks away.
I could go on and on about all the intriguing facts revealed throughout this book -- one part architectural history and another part true crime -- but what was most interesting was the impact the World's Fair had not only on architecture, but also on food, society, and popular culture for decades.
Lauren Mauldin, Director of Neighborhood Revitalization
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”
Sometimes preservation can simply mean keeping a family tradition alive. This year, my Preservation Pick is just that! As a child, I grew up watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” every Christmas Eve with my parents and siblings. Now a mother, this is a tradition I enjoy doing with my daughter during the holidays. Each year, we cuddle up with our blankets, just like Linus, make hot chocolate, and watch this special film that celebrates the true meaning of Christmas.
Latachia Clay, Business Manager
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
Sanborn Maps, found at the Washington Memorial Library, are unbelievably beneficial to my work. These fire insurance maps, dating back as early as 1884 in Bibb County, document how buildings evolve over time in ways that photographs can’t. Beyond that, they are little works of art! The detail and care that go into each one of these are amazing. It requires what would be considered today a superhuman level of patience. They are a lost art form.
Matt Chalfa, Director of Preservation Field Services
The Telegraph of old
Ever wonder what The Telegraph looked like 100 years ago? Or, for that matter, what the newspaper covered in those days and how it chose to display those stories? Well, there’s an easy way to do that, and it’s fascinating. There is a NewsBank site (easily accessible through the library) where you can search for old Telegraph pages -- or any of thousands of other newspapers across the country -- that have been preserved. You can visit the library to gain access or register and set up your own account. If you are curious or want to do serious research, this is an invaluable way to do so. (Remember: The Telegraph has been known by slightly different names over the years since it began as a weekly newspaper in 1826.) That’s right: It just turned 192 years old.
Happy reading.
Oby Brown, HMF Editor at Large