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Historic
Milledgeville Home Receives Trust’s Highest
Preservation Award
Home
of Eight Georgia Governors Honored in
Thomasville April 2
ATLANTA,
April 2, 2005—The Old Governor’s Mansion
in Milledgeville, Ga., received both the
Marguerite Williams Award and an award for
Excellence in Restoration from The Georgia
Trust for Historic Preservation at its annual
meeting April 2 in Thomasville, Ga.
Completed
in 1839, the Old Governor’s Mansion was the
home of eight Georgia governors when
Milledgeville was the capital of Georgia.
During the Civil War, the house served as
Union General William Sherman’s
headquarters. It was abandoned for several
years after the capital moved to Atlanta in
1868. Later, it became a dormitory for the
Georgia State College for Women.
The
mansion is now located on the Georgia College
and State University campus, where it serves
as a museum documenting the lives of
Georgia’s governors and a meeting place for
the community and the university.
The
building is considered one of the best
examples of High Greek Revival style. In 1973,
the mansion was designated a National Historic
Landmark for its political and architectural
significance. Despite extensive renovation in
the 1960s, the home began to deteriorate in
the following decades. The restoration
project, overseen by Lord, Aeck & Sargent
Architects, returned the mansion to its 1850s
appearance.
Additions
house public restrooms, a catering kitchen and
an educational space, allowing more of the
original home’s historic detail to be
preserved. More than 15,00 square feet of
restoration was completed, as well as 2,000
square feet of additions.
Work
was completed in 2004, and the mansion will
continue to serve a dual role as a museum and
place of assembly while maintaining its
historical atmosphere.
“The mansion has been returned to its former glory and given
back to the people of Georgia to treasure for
years to come,” said Greg Paxton, president
and CEO of The Georgia Trust.
For
more than 25 years the Trust has recognized
preservation projects and individuals in the
state who have made significant contributions
to the field of historic preservation. Awards
are presented on the basis of the
contributions of the person or project to the
community and/or state and on compliance with
the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards
for the Treatment of Historic Properties.
The
Marguerite Williams Award is named for the
founding vice-chairman of The Georgia Trust.
Williams was a board member, volunteer,
generous donor and visionary leader. This
award is presented annually to those that have
had the greatest impact on preservation. This
year the Trust presented two Marguerite
Williams Awards.
Awards
in the Excellence in Restoration category
recognize exemplary restoration of historic
structures. An accurate restoration project
depicts the form, features and character of a
historic building as it appeared at a
particular period of time. Restoration
requires sensitive upgrading of mechanical
systems and other code-required work to make
the building functional. This year the Trust
presented five Excellence in Restoration
awards.
With
more than 8,000 members, The Georgia Trust for
Historic Preservation is the country’s
largest statewide, nonprofit preservation
organization. Founded in 1973, 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; provides design assistance to
46 Georgia Main Street cities and encourages
neighborhood revitalization; trains
Georgia’s teachers in 56 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.
The
Georgia Trust is a recipient of the Trustees
Award for Organizational Excellence from the
National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For
more information on the award winner, contact
Jim Turner at 478-445-4545 or jcturner@mail.gcsu.edu.
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