On Monday, October 16th, we released Historic Columbus’ 57th Annual Meeting video. It contains our year in review and our financials and is now on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, please check it out to see all of the work your support has made happen. You can click on the image below and it will take you to the video!
Each year, the Historic Columbus Nominating Committee selects new Directors to continue the work of those individuals who are rotating off the governing Board, as well as new Trustees to join that existing advisory group. This year, Historic Columbus is grateful to our five retiring Board members: Ed Adams, Jamie Harris, Frank Schley, Dina Woodruff, and Sally Walden, all of whom have been dedicated members. Sally also faithfully served on the Executive Committee as Secretary for many years providing her thoughtful insights. Our new Directors, who will be serving a three-year term, have already contributed mightily to this organization and our community: Jack Jenkins, Ken Henson, Richard Peebles, Jack Schley, and Bob Wright. We are so thankful they said yes! We would also like to extend a welcome and a great deal of thanks to five new Trustees: They will be joining a larger class of returning Trustees with a term expiring in 2026: Ed Adams, SirMichael Jones, Frank Schley, Sally Walden, and Dina Woodruff.
There are also two important leadership transitions this year for Historic Columbus. First, after fifteen years of serving as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, George Flowers has passed the torch to Betsy Ramsay. George has continuously and generously given of his time, his knowledge, and his guidance. He has led us through our first ever capital campaign and now our largest project to date. I know I speak on behalf of the entire staff, the trustees, our board of directors past and present, and membership when I say how grateful we are to George! Our second transition is President of the Board of Directors. John Sheftall is turning over the reins to Margaret McCormick. John has served not only one term as president but now two! We are all so appreciative of his leadership and guidance these last two years. John always inspires us to think bigger, expand our vision for the future of preservation, and never stop sharing the history of our community for all our citizens. I am also extremely thankful that my luck has continued - and that Betsy and Margaret said yes! Historic Columbus is grateful to each of these incredible volunteers. We are a better organization and a much stronger one because of you.
The Sarah Turner Butler Heritage Award is the Historic Columbus Foundation’s highest honor, awarded annually since 1984 to an individual or organization for outstanding contributions to historic preservation in our city and region through demonstrated leadership and commitment to the mission of Historic Columbus. This year's recipient has been deeply involved in the betterment of Columbus for over 35 years. His exceptional leadership, strategic foresight, and unwavering dedication to Historic Columbus, St. Paul United Methodist Church., the American Heart Association, the Rotary Club of Columbus, the Columbus Regional Medical Foundation, Columbus State University, and Andrew College have not only elevated these organizations, but our community as a whole.
George Flowers joined the Historic Columbus Board of Directors in 1995. Within two years, he was named Treasurer and would become President in 2001. As you’ve already heard tonight, he became the fifth Chairman of the Board of Trustees in 2008 and has served in that position for fifteen years. Under his leadership, Historic Columbus has flourished. His thoughtfulness and steady guidance have propelled us forward, enabling HCF to undertake ambitious projects like the Heritage Park and Chattahoochee Promenade Revitalization effort that is redefining our community's understanding and appreciation of our history and preservation itself. Moreover, he has played a pivotal role in ensuring the financial sustainability of this organization today and in years to come. He has given Historic Columbus the ability to broaden its relationships with our corporate partners and shared with them why providing a sense of place is vitally important for their employees and their clients. This year’s recipient exhibits great passion for preservation, for his family, and for his community. George is an inspiration to us all and undoubtedly, this organization would not be nearly as strong today without his commitment and dedication.
Congratulations, George and thank you!!
Historic Columbus' 2023 Preservation Awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations who have completed a major historic rehabilitation, appropriate infill development, or a program or exhibit related to our collective history in Columbus. These preservation champions take on the long, hard, and in most cases expensive task of preserving historic properties. Historic Columbus is fully aware of the challenges of this work and is compelled to recognize these efforts. Preserving our historic buildings and telling the stories of our people and places gives us our sense of place as a community. Below are the images of each project and a brief description from their award. Historic Columbus is grateful to each of them for their investment in our community and their passion for preservation.
This home located at 620 Broadway in the Columbus Historic District recently received a full renovation from top to bottom. Not new to historic renovation projects, Renee Roth has once again created an amazing restoration in the historic district. Paying a close eye to retaining historic details, Renee has a unique knack for refitting historic homes and updating them for modern living. Renee is to be commended for her ongoing efforts to improve the historic fabric in Uptown. Historic Columbus is excited to see what she does next.
The historic 1949 John A. Pope Motor Company building is part of a large renovation effort on the south end of the 1300 block of 2nd and 3rd Avenues. The Pope building, now known as Highside Market, will house a variety of tenants from food to retail to offices. The historic rehabilitation retains much of the original layout and design of the building, and it is one of the very few examples of Streamline Moderne in Columbus. Historic Columbus is excited about this adaptive re-use project and is thankful to the Cotton Companies for their significant contributions in High Uptown.
This small commercial storefront on the edge of Bibb City likely has one of the best entrances in town. Starting off as a mortuary in the early 1900’s, the building then served as a part of a larger antique shop operation for many years. Now, new life has been brought to the space in a thorough renovation and it will become the new home of Highland Gallerie. This property is just one example of many positive investments being made in the historic Mill District neighborhoods.
Constructed in 1937, the William E. Joy House is a one-and–a-half-story, brick Georgian house with French Vernacular Revival details. The house has decorative brickwork, an asymmetrical façade, projecting square tower, and triple-hung round arched windows. The house was later purchased by Mr. George Epps and then by his nephew, Dr. George E. Lipscomb in 1970. The Lipscombs raised their family and lived in the home for over 40 years. 1638 Forest Avenue was recently purchased by Liz and Bob Wolverton who have lovingly preserved this historic house, created new landscaping, and enhanced its significance as an entrance to the Peacock Woods – Dimon Circle Historic District.
Never in Historic Columbus’ 57-year history has a preservation award been given for the preservation of a cow, but today will change that long standing record. Kadie the Cow was moved via 18-wheeler to Bay Avenue earlier this year and received a complete restoration. Fiberglass repair, new paint, and finding her long lost baby calf, Bebe as a result of all the press around her relocation made for quite the year for Kadie the Cow. Long used as a marketing tool for Kinnett Dairies, Kadie now has a new lease on life.
The ten hundred block of Broadway in many ways has been the anchor of downtown vibrancy for decades and that trend definitely continues today. The building at 1040 Broadway was recently renovated to include a restaurant on the ground floor and a large event space upstairs with more to come in the future. Restaurant owners Buddy Nelms and Tom Jones are no strangers to serving great food in historic places and this most recent addition to the landscape of Uptown keeps people coming back for more.
The Carson McCullers Center for Writers and Musicians is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Carson McCullers; to nurturing writers and musicians and educating young people; and to fostering literary, musical, artistic, and intellectual culture in the United States and abroad. The home where Carson lived is owned and operated by Columbus State University. It recently received extensive renovation to better serve the needs of students and the university. CSU has been a longtime steward of the home and continues to make investments to preserve the house. Historic Columbus is grateful for partners like CSU who understand the importance of historic preservation and how places can influence the experience of students and community members.
Built in 1926 for George Swift Kyle and Elizabeth Clason Kyle, 925 Blandford Avenue has always been special to its neighborhood. Located in the heart of Wynn’s Hill – Overlook Historic District, this Colonial Revival home remained in the Kyle family until 2021. New owners Rebekah and Drew Brooks have done a wonderful job on the renovation and will be great stewards of this storied historic home.
This two-story brick English Vernacular Revival style house was built in 1926 for Mr. and Mrs. Claude Gordy Scarbrough and was designed by T. Firth Lockwood. The gardens in back of the home were also designed by the Fredrick Law Olmstead firm at the same time as the W.C. Bradley home next door. The Scarbrough Garrett House at 1251 Wynnton Road was recently purchased and renovated by Ken Henson to serve as the temporary home for the Museum while the original museum building is undergoing a significant transformation. This beautiful home will continue to be used as a part of The Columbus Museum.
Located at 1539 Wildwood Avenue, this Colonial Revival home in Wynnton Village was beautifully renovated by Warner and Lisa Neal. The Neals are certainly no strangers to preservation and have once again shown their love and passion for historic structures through their attention to every detail in the process. Historic Columbus is grateful to the Neals for their continued investment in our historic neighborhoods.
Since the 1850s, American audiences have learned about news events through images in newspapers. Illustrated periodicals like Harper’s Weekly employed artists to sketch scenes of interest, which draftsmen turned into woodblock engravings suitable for printing. The introduction of lighter, faster cameras in the 1920s made photographs a staple of news coverage, influencing every aspect of news production and consumption. Photojournalism transcends barriers, purporting to document events as they really happened. However, journalists’ choices about who and what to feature – whether looking through the lens or laying out the front page – can influence public perception and understanding for decades. The Columbus Museum owns more than 250 photographs from the archives of the Ledger-Enquirer, the city’s longest-running newspaper. These images, spanning from the 1940s to the 1990s, represent a fraction of the Ledger-Enquirer’s output but illuminate dozens of notable events and people in our community. The Breaking News Exhibit was featured at The Do Good Fund Gallery, as a part of The Columbus Museum being on tour throughout the Valley while they are under construction. Historic Columbus is grateful for both the Do Good Fund and The Columbus Museum for continuing to educate our community through art.
Columbus State University has also recently renovated and relocated the CSU Archives to the ground floor of the main campus library. This readily accessible space plays a pivotal role for an organization like Historic Columbus by serving as a treasure trove of invaluable resources. It provides access to a wealth of primary documents, photographs, manuscripts, and records that are essential for understanding and safeguarding our cultural heritage. These archives not only preserve the past but also facilitate research and education, enabling scholars, preservationists, and the public to delve into the history of buildings, neighborhoods, and communities.
The recently renovated building at 1947 Wynnton Road is now a wonderful addition to the historic Wynnton streetscape. Midtown Provisions will provide the surrounding community with a variety of goods and services related to food and beverage. This renovation is part of an ongoing effort in the larger Wynnton community to build and support neighborhood friendly businesses in Midtown. Congratulations to the owners of Midtown Provisions on a successful renovation and the official opening of their business.
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