FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Carrollton, Carroll County to Showcase
More Than 25 Historical Sites
for Georgia Trust 'Ramblers,' June 17-18

ATLANTA, June 9, 2005—More than 150 members and friends of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation will travel to Carrollton and Carroll County on Friday and Saturday,  June 17-18, to explore local history during the Trust’s annual Spring Ramble. 

Ramblers attending the event will have the opportunity to get an inside look at more than 25 historic properties not usually open to the public, including dinner at the 1884 Merrell-Shaw-Cook-Burson House and a barbeque at the 1852 Dixon-Eady-Horton House.

“With Carrollton being one of the first cities to revitalize their Main Street and some of Georgia’s most beautifully restored homes, Carroll County was an obvious choice for the Spring Ramble,” says Greg Paxton, president and CEO of The Georgia Trust.

“The county’s residents and its many historical societies have taken great pride in preserving and showcasing the rich history of the area,” Paxton said.

Carroll County’s diverse history includes everything from Native American influences to Hollywood glamour. The Lower Creek Indian Tribe, who eventually gave up the land and moved west, first inhabited this part of West Georgia. The county was founded in 1826 and named for Charles Carroll, the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence. Whether it’s downtown Carrollton, home to the state’s oldest bookstore, or the Stockmar Gold Mine, the area is rich in Georgia history. 

In conjunction with its Spring Ramble, The Georgia Trust will also hold its quarterly board meeting in Carrollton on Friday. Trustees will meet at the 1889 Maple Street Mansion, a large, carefully restored home that now serves as a popular Carrollton dining and event facility. 

On Friday, Ramblers can explore downtown Carrollton at their own pace. Private homes on historic Dixie Street will open their doors to Trust members, and there will also be time to wander through historic churches and African-American and Civil War cemeteries in the area. 

Saturday will feature a Carroll County Ramble, which takes visitors to areas including Roopville, Bowdon and Villa Rica. There will be gold mine ruins to explore and a chance to pan for gold on Pine Mountain. 

Movie buffs can visit the 1855 Banning Mill, where scenes for the classic movie Fried Green Tomatoes were filmed, and view the grave of Academy Award-winning actress Susan Hayward. Carroll County is home to The Shelnutt House, which is also a local history museum, and McIntosh Reserve Park, which has 14 miles of walking trails along the Chattahoochee.

Check-in and registration for the Spring Ramble will be at Carrollton Presbyterian Church, 14 Maple Street from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 17, and 10 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday, June 18.

The Georgia Trust’s Spring Ramble is being conducted in partnership with The Bowdon Historical Society, Carroll County, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, Carroll County Community Development, Carroll County Historical Society, Carrollton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Carrollton Main Street, City of Carrollton, City of Villa Rica, City of Bowden, City of Roopville, The Roopville Archive and Historical Society, The Villa Rica Historical Society, local historian Doug Mabry, Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Villa Rica Board of Tourism.

Registration for the Carroll County Ramble is available online at www.georgiatrust.org. Non-members wishing to attend are invited to join The Georgia Trust and will be welcomed at the New Member Reception in Carrollton. For more information about the Ramble, please call Keri Shea at 404-885-7806.

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. For more information on The Georgia Trust, go to www.georgiatrust.org.

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