|
Savannah’s
Railroad Museum Receives Statewide
Award
from Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation
Savannah
Museum Offers Visitors a Glimpse into History of
Railroad Industry
ATLANTA, April
22, 2006 –
The Roundhouse
Railroad Museum in Savannah, Ga., received an
award for Preservation Service from The Georgia
Trust for Historic Preservation at its Annual
Meeting April 22 in Athens.
The museum has been
managed by the not-for-profit Coastal Heritage
Society since 1989. Formerly the headquarters of
the Central of Georgia Railway, the 1855 complex
fell into disuse by the early 1960s following a
merger with Southern Railway. The buildings were
later saved from demolition and stabilized by the
City of Savannah.
In 2003, the Coastal
Heritage Society began preservation work on the
complex that included major repointing projects,
steel restoration of the Paint Shop, restoration
of the workmen’s garden, and reconstruction of the
Compressor Room roof and historic windows on the
Roundhouse. The preservation team carefully
researched, planned and documented all of the work
completed on the property to preserve the
integrity of aesthetic and structural elements and
to ensure that details of the work are accessible
in the future.
“The Roundhouse
Railroad Museum is one of the best surviving
examples of a 19th-century railroad
complex in the nation,” said Greg Paxton,
president and CEO of the Georgia Trust. “Its
preservation is extremely valuable.”
The museum remains
open during the restoration process to help
promote preservation awareness and share the
history of Savannah and the railroad industry. The
museum, which is now a National Historic Landmark
and a “Save America’s Treasures” site, welcomes
more than 40,000 visitors a year.
For more than 25
years, the Trust has recognized preservation
projects and individuals throughout Georgia 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.
Awards in the
Excellence in Preservation Service category
recognize persons, groups, businesses or
government entities demonstrating exemplary
activities and promoting awareness in the field of
historic preservation. The scope of work may be of
local, regional or statewide significance.
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 105 Georgia
Main Street cities and encourages neighborhood
revitalization; trains 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.
Late last year,
the Trust announced its first annual listing of
Georgia’s 10 Places in Peril. 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 Roundhouse Railroad
Museum,
call 912-651-6823.
To
learn more about The Georgia Trust and the
Preservation Awards, visit
www.georgiatrust.org.
-30- |
