by Dr. Kathleen Thompson

This article is condensed from a series of articles written for the Pickens Progress by Dr. Kathleen Thompson. The project was made possible by the Pickens Arts and Cultural Alliance, and grants from the Georgia Humanities Council, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The first Black residents of Pickens County were of course slaves. Today some Black residents prefer not to use the term African-American. “I’m an American and I’ve never been to Africa,” a local resident told me. Yet the early slaves did have a sense of being African. Nelson resident Willie Mae Weaver explained that her great grandmother was taken from Africa at age seven and remembered aspects of village life.

Thirty-six Pickens County landowners owned 241 slaves in 1860. By comparison Richmond County (Augusta, Georgia) had 7,812 slaves and 344 whites. In 1960 the state of Georgia was 25% Negro. By far the largest groups of slaves worked for Samuel Tate (31), and William Tate (25). Each of the Tate’s had five slave houses where their workers lived. At this time the marble industry had not developed so the slaves worked on farms.

In 1860 the mountain counties of Georgia presented a special problem for Governor Brown and those who wanted to succeed from the union. With few slaves they did not have the same incentives toward succession as the large slave holding counties.

Pickens County was divided with both Confederate and Union supporters. The last United States flag to fly in Georgia after succession flew in Jasper. For several weeks after succession, the flag waved in defiance. Within a month the Union supporters removed the flag. In all, 1,427 men from Pickens fought for the Confederacy and 253 fought in the Union Army. Before the war was over a few even fought for both armies.

In 1860, slaves were counted not in the census but in a separate “schedule”, reflecting their status as property. Five years after the Civil War under Reconstruction, the United States Census roles included colored individuals.

Between 1860 and 1870 forty-percent (96) of the former slaves left Pickens County. Where they went and why is difficult to know. Those who stayed continued as farm workers, often for their former owners. Others worked as domestic help in White homes. While they were no longer owned, their economic status showed little improvement. The Black population in Pickens did grow in the future, but at this time many free colored families chose to leave.

This article is condensed from a series of articles written for the Pickens Progress by Dr. Kathleen Thompson. The project was made possible by the Pickens Arts and Cultural Alliance, and grants from the Georgia Humanities Council, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. You can find the original series at the following link:

www.pickensprogressonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1361:black-history-in-pickens-part-i-slavery-and-the-civil-war&catid=75:black-history-series&Itemid=127

Gallery on South Main will have an art showing for Artist, Thad Green.  This will take place on Friday, May 4, from 5-8 pm.  Refreshments will be served at this event.  This will also coincide with Jasper’s First Friday, where many downtown shops and galleries open the first Friday of the month. 

Dr. Thad Green is an abstract expressionist who creates colorful and energetic paintings, both large and small.  Recently, he has focused on post-card size art. His art show will include several small pieces of “love” art appropriate for Mother’s Day gifts.  Dr. Green is a former university professor, business owner, management consultant, and author of numerous books on motivation and performance.

Gallery on South Main invites the public to come and support this animated and creative artist, Dr. Thad Green.  He will be Gallery on South Main’s featured artist until May 12, 2012.

Jasper ArtFest 2012 was another hit, with vendors and visitors alike saying they’ll come back next year.

Said one vendor: “I will come back here in a heartbeat, the Art Fest folks were so helpful. They had people here to help us set up and I have never had that at other shows. I’ll definitely be back.”

One guest from Decatur especially enjoyed the tour of the historic jail, and said later with a smile, “I can’t believe I spent Sunday in jail!”

PACA had a full crew of photographers and videographers out shooting all weekend. Featured above are the photo highlights.

You can view the photos individually and at larger sizes on our Group page: Flickr Pickens Arts

We caught some great music on video, like this hot-fingered playing by Mark Walker:

Click to view our videos on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/PACAGeorgia?ob=0&feature=results_main

And our live-streamed videos are all on Bambuser:
http://bambuser.com/channel/pacageorgia

Big thanks to our awesome visuals team: Justin Davis, Mike Davis, Lee Harrison, Arthur McIntyre, Crystal Merrell, Lisa Schnellinger, Suzanne Shull, and Todd Smith.

PACA welcomes contributions of photos and video about any cultural event or sight in Pickens County.

On Flickr: Join the Pickens_Arts Group and submit photos to the pool.
By email: Send photos, up to 500 pixels wide: Click here.

Last year PACA’s live broadcasts from Jasper ArtFest and Summer Solstice events were happy hits on our website.

For the second annual ArtFest, we will do it again, all weekend! Bookmark this page and you can watch the events that you can’t attend in person (but we’d rather that you do actually attend in person).

Two beadmakers pose with their creations

Last year’s ArtFest drew an estimated 5,000-plus visitors to cruise its 50 booths, listen to live music, and watch the lineup of performances, big trucks, classic cars and other events.  Organizers are hoping for a repeat performance – so get on over to downtown tomorrow, 10-5 and Sunday 10-4!

This year’s has gotten more publicity, from Fox news in Atlanta: 

Get Up and Go: Jasper Art Fest: MyFoxATLANTA.com

One of the highlights last year (according to festival-goers) was the effort sponsored by the Pickens Arts and Cultural Alliance to collectively weave the world’s largest kudzu basket. We are still awaiting word from the Guinness World Records people on whether the 136-inch basket will get the honor.

Bead making for the kudzu weaving

This year there will be another public kudzu-weaving art project, a jumbo wall-hanging complete with beads made by the local Boys and Girls Club and hung on a frame made by local woodcraftsman Greg Owens. Join us and put your hands into this community work of art.

PACA will also be live-streaming video from the event, as we did last year. Bookmark this page so that you don’t miss anything!

Marc Unger will play a benefit show for Tater Patch Players theater on Saturday April 21, 2012 at 7:30pm.  All proceeds will go toward improving and supporting the theater.  Marc will provide audiences with “A History of Music”, starting with 16th centuary Renaissance music, to baroque, then the classical and romantic periods, and ending with 21st century nuevo tango.

Tickets are $10 adults, $8 Seniors, and $6 kids.  Tater Patch Players is located at 95 Philadelphia Lane in Jasper.

Visit Marc’s website at www.AtlantaClassicalGuitarist.com and Tater Patch Players at www.TaterPatchPlayers.org

The old Pickens County jail last held prisoners 30 years ago. Though the cells remain empty, the building at the north end of Jasper’s main street is full of history. The Marble Valley Historical Society shares that history with visitors every Saturday afternoon through the summer.

Built in 1906 the jail’s second floor cells offered space for 16 prisoners, but occasionally held more. One court week 30 prisoners stayed in the jail.

The sheriff and his family lived on the first floor. The sheriff’s wife prepared food for her family and the prisoners.

Hosts are on duty to facilitate tours of the jail on Saturdays between 2pm and 5pm. Visitors walk through the sheriff’s first floor living quarters then climb the metal stairs to cells on the second floor.

The main feature of the second floor landing is Pickens County’s gallows. The noose hangs above steel trap doors. An iron lever stands cocked, ready to impose capital punishment. Luckily, in the 76 years the jail housed prisoners the gallows was never used.

One area of the second floor tells the story of law enforcement’s efforts to police moonshining in the area. A model still illustrates “White Lightning” production and displays on the walls tell about Pickens County and federal agent raids on area moonshiners.

Displays in the cell block detail all of the county’s sheriffs and tell of numerous escape attempts.

The jail is on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

Written by Jeff Warren, Pickens Progress

Side-railed since July 2011, the Tate Depot restoration project appears to be headed back onto the mainline.

“It’s back on track,” said Pickens County Commissioner Robert Jones. “The plan’s being redrawn.”

Signs pointed to a groundbreaking on the project in late summer 2011, when forward progress derailed. As drawn then, the project raised red flags with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division.

Historic Preservation Architectural Review Officer Dean Baker and other officials from his office met with some project principals at the depot site Monday, July 18, 2011. Baker communicated then how the planned project differed from Historic Preservation standards.

“The first thing you do [in historic preservation of an old structure] is try not to move the building,” Baker said that day. “The second thing you do [if a building must be moved] is try to make sure the sun rises and sets on it the same way.”

While the Historic Preservation office could accept the depot move, it could not accept drastic reorientation of the building on its new site as the plan called for at the time of Baker’s July 2011 inspection.

The project temporarily halted at that point.

Click here to view the full article at Pickens Progress Online

written by Angela Reinhardt, Pickens Progress

Think about it like Star Search, only for country music.

Similar to Ed McMahon’s classic TV talent show, The Texaco Country Showdown has helped launch the careers of household names like Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Billy Ray Cyrus and Brad Paisley.

 Well this summer, Jasper’s own WYYZ 1490 AM is bringing the nation’s largest and longest running country music talent search to town, and they are on the hunt for contestants.

  “This is going to be a really great thing for the community,” said WYYZ Production Manger Matt Youngblood. “The closest radio station hosting the event is in Cedartown, so we will have contestants from all over north and northwest Georgia competing here in Jasper, and hopefully they will bring their families and spend some time in Jasper. ”

The showdown welcomes all vocal and instrumental performers, individuals or groups of up to seven to compete, but all contestants must begin the competition by performing at local showdowns produced by participating country music radio stations like WYYZ.

Click here to view the full article at Pickens Progress Online.

by Artist Don Hester

Gallery on South Main will have an art showing for Artist, Don Hester.  This will take place on Saturday, April 7, from 5-8 pm.  Refreshments will be served at this event.

Don Hester lived most of his life in Southern Michigan and Florida.  He knew from an early age that he wanted to be an artist, and he was always very creative.  Don’s favorite type of painting includes the use of acrylics on canvas or board.  He also has done oils and watercolor.  Although Don doesn’t have a subject that he favors over another, he does have a variety of styles and images that he has focused on.  He has painted everything from tropical, ocean and southwest scenes, animals, etc.  Don has produced hundreds of paintings in abstract, impasto, realism and other categories.  He is currently a member of Sharptop Art Association in Jasper, GA.  He has won art awards, displayed in various places, and has been published in various capacities as well.

On April 12, 1862, James Andrews and his raiders stole The General in Big Shanty (Kennesaw) and headed north toward Chattanooga. His Civil War mission to disrupt Southern rail traffic failed just north of Ringgold.

Cities along the 80-mile route of the Great Locomotive Race are planning ceremonies, movie screenings, music, and tours to observe the 150th anniversary of the Union effort to destroy the South’s railroad between Atlanta and Chattanooga.

Kennesaw, April 12-15 www.southernmuseum.org
The Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History is a big player in the anniversary evens. It houses the General and related exhibits. The city of Kennesaw also is organizing events, and is helping host a breakfast on the actual anniversary.

April 12: Free admission and guided tours of the Southern Museum of Civil War & Locomotive History, Bobby Horton concert of Civil War era songs                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     April 13-15: Several re-enactment units will interpret Camp McDonald, the Confederate encampment once located across the tracks from where The General was stolen.

 Marietta                                                                                                                                                                                                                           www.mariettacivilwar.com
Andrews and his men rendezvoused in Marietta to begin their journey north. They intended to destroy track, trestles, bridges, and telegraph lines all the way to Chattanooga.

 April 12: “Re-premiere” of the 1956 Disney film The Great Locomotive Chase at the Strand Theater: Tickets: $75/35                                           April 13-15: Tours and exhibits in area museums, re-enactments, showing of The General, Civil War music concerts, Disney Party for Kids sponsored by Radio Disney

Kingston/Adairsville                                                                                                                                                   www.adairsvillewelcomecenter.com/page2.html
The raiders had to wait for almost an hour at Kingston while several southbound freight trains cleared the tracks. Confederates chasing The General switched to The Texas in Adairsville, and ran it in reverse as they followed Andrews.

April 12-14: Depot tours, re-enactors in period dress, dinner theater at the 1902 Stock Exchange, special exhibits, an afternoon tea, old-time games, live Civil War era music, showing of The General  by Buster Keaton, and Disney’s The Great Locomotive Chase

Calhoun/Gordon County  www.calhoungem.org
Andrews’ raiders cut telegraph lines when they went through the city. In Resaca, men on The General detached a burning rail car on a bridge near Resaca in hopes of burning down the bridge.

April 14: Re-enactors display Civil War weapons, book signing Crossroads to Conflict: the complete history of Georgia and the Civil War, by Barry Brown, showing of Disney’s The Great Locomotive Chase, live Civil War era music

Dalton/Whitfield County
One of Andrews’ targets was supposed to be the 1,477-foot tunnel blasted through Chetoogeta Mountain at Tunnel Hill near Dalton.

April 14: A tour featuring Great Locomotive Race sites in Dalton is sold out.

For more information about The Great Locomotive Chase see the following websites:

www.gacivilwar.org

www.greatlocomotivechase.com

www.ngeorgia.com/history/raiders.html

www.locomotivegeneral.com/locomotivechase.html

www.civilwarhome.com/locomotivechase.htm

www.gpb.org/georgia-traveler/season-5/segment/great-locomotive-chase-festival

Tellus Museum photo by AJC/Jamie Gumbrecht

Article from Pickens Progress Online

Anyone with an interest in developing tourism here is encouraged to attend a meeting in Cartersville Monday on “What it take to make us a an arts and cultural destination?”

Organized by the Pickens Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) and 4 Corners Cultural Consortium, the meeting will be  Monday, March 26 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville.

Amelia McIntyre, Executive Director of PACA, said it is important for Pickens County to join other nearby counties to form a large tourism destination. And it is important Pickens residents participate in these multi-county meetings to see that Pickens which is the smallest of the four counties is still well represented.

“It is essential for Pickens to work with the 4 Corners Consortium (named for where the corners of Pickens, Cherokee, Bartow and Gordon counties meet). We have a common drive-through area. We need to work together to create visitor ready venues.”

McIntyre said Pickens is particularly challenged to offer regular, 7-day a week, events and sites, but even the larger Cherokee and Bartow counties face a similar problem. She said Cartersville with the Booth Western Museum and indian mounds has significantly more tourism spots already in place. “But they are right [on I-75] between Atlanta and Chattanooga, so they have the same problem of getting people to stop and not just drive through, just on a bigger scale than we do.”

In Pickens County, McIntyre said she considers the Sharptop Arts Center with its regular shows and the Old Jail with its historic tours, among the best opportunity to develop attractions here.

“We appreciate them being here,” she said. “But we need to help them expand and the way to do that is to create more traffic flow, which brings in more people and more revenue.”

McIntyre is advocating a four county joint approach that mixes and matches from a variety of potential sites and features including the proximity to Atlanta, southern end of the Appalachian Mountains, Native American heritage, marble works. “We are not going to make it on just mountains or on marble alone, but our future is bright,” she said.

McIntyre said she understands the difficulty for people making the meeting during the work day in Cartersville, but it is important for Pickens to be represented.

For more information, e-mail McIntyre at ameliamcintyre@windstream.net