Step back in time at the Heritage Center
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When you visit the Appling County Heritage Center you immediately step back in time. The Heritage Center is a wonderful museum that is opened to the public which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible history of Appling County for the purpose of education, study and enjoyment. The Heritage Center enables people to explore the collections of memorabilia from different eras. The most important thing that the Heritage Center does is it preserves county history and makes accessible to the public historical artifacts and specimens that would other wise be lost. The person in charge of the museum is curator Laverne Courson. Mrs. Courson has been the curator for four years. This reporter met Mrs. Courson in the Genealogy/Research Room at the Heritage Center. She told this reporter that The Genealogy room is often called the Family History Room and that it contains old county tax books, and other county records old census and records for family history researchers to use. They have on microfilm all of the older Appling County records. There is a microfilm reader and printer available for use. There are numerous family histories that are compiled that are contained in the Genealogy Room. The Center has obituaries from 1907 to 1935. These obituaries give a lot more details than the obituaries do today.
The Center assists people who need help in getting started on their family history. Researchers visit from coast to coast, last year they even had a visitor from England. In 2007 the Heritage Center had over 600 visitors and eighty of them were researchers. Mrs. Courson, the Curator, said they get many calls from people from all over the United States that are trying to find information on their relatives. A man from New Mexico called the Center trying to find information on where a relative was buried. Mrs. Courson was able to help the man in locating the burial site he was looking for. The man was very grateful. Many people have expressed their gratitude for the invaluable help they have received. The Center has received many letters from people doing family research that have thanked them for all their help in researching and finding the information they were looking for.
There are four main rooms in addition to the Genealogy Room. The Artifacts Room, School and Memorabilia Room, Black History Room and the War Room.
The Artifacts room has a wide variety of items that detail the history of Appling County. The turpentine display is an extraordinary display explaining the early turpentine production in Appling County. The turpentine section is in the Artifacts room and is a very popular exhibit.
The School and Memorabilia room contains items that relate to schools in Appling County. There are old class pictures, annuals and other information and items on early history of the schools in the county. This is also the room were the officers and board of directors have their meetings.
The Black History room contains items, pictures, and displays and records that detail the early history of African Americans in Appling County.
The War Room is full of interesting exhibits, displays, documents (signed by important officials, presidents and even King George); there are pictures of servicemen from Appling County that served in wars, and many other displays and items from different wars.
The Hall of Fame is an important part of the Heritage Center. There are framed pictures hung on the wall that go all the way down the hall, of prominent persons from Appling County or that had lived in Appling County for a period of time that have been nominated to be honored for their contributions. When someone is nominated a picture of that honoree is placed on the wall in the “Hall of Fame.”
The Heritage Center was incorporated in 1993 and a dedication was held on Oct. 18, 1997.
The officers for 2008 are Chairman - Stan Brobston, Vice-Chairman - Greg Kennedy, Secretary - Rebecca Ogden, Treasurer - Barbara Baker, and Publicity - Mary Godfrey. The Board of Directors are Barbara Baker, Sarah Boatright, Stan Brobston, Ed Flowers, Pat Haynes, H. F. Johnson, Jr., Alberta King, Jeanette Baxley, Linda Brooks, Susie Dean, Mary Godfrey, Greg Kennedy, Peggy Miles and Alice Oliver.
The Advisory Board members are Alex Johnson, Cary Long and Charles Stuckey. Carol Ebel, Mayor Steve Rigdon and Jeff Baxley are Ex-officios.
Footprints in Appling County by Ruth T. Barron, books by William Vance Reynolds and the newest book by Ray Land are available for purchase at the Center.
Heritage Parkway is located off U.S. Hwy 1, and the road is now called Heritage Parkway, where there are columns of Bradford pear trees that stretch for two miles down to Dyal School Road. There are names on markers under the trees that are in memory of individuals or families. About midway at the intersection of Heritage Parkway and Memphis Crosby Road is a monument of the early settlers. On one side of the monument are the 83 surnames of the early settlers of the county. The names along the parkway are not restricted to early settlers. If anyone is interested in having a Bradford tree planted with his or her name displayed on a sign in memory of or in honor of someone who lives in Appling County can do so.
The Heritage Center is supported through the county, fundraisers and membership. The next upcoming support meeting will be held on Oct. 5.
The people of Appling County have been very generous. The annual barbecue is a major fundraiser for the Center. The annual barbecue will be held Oct. 3.
The center has received various artifacts, pictures and books through the year from generous citizens. Visit the Center, tour the different rooms, and take advantage of all the research material that is available. The Heritage Center is located at 137 Thomas Street and the hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 noon until 4:30 p.m. They appreciate and thank the county commissioners, local businesses, the clerk of court, the probate office, city council, volunteers and all those who support the Appling County Heritage Center. Preserving our heritage is very important and without you they could not do their job.
The Center assists people who need help in getting started on their family history. Researchers visit from coast to coast, last year they even had a visitor from England. In 2007 the Heritage Center had over 600 visitors and eighty of them were researchers. Mrs. Courson, the Curator, said they get many calls from people from all over the United States that are trying to find information on their relatives. A man from New Mexico called the Center trying to find information on where a relative was buried. Mrs. Courson was able to help the man in locating the burial site he was looking for. The man was very grateful. Many people have expressed their gratitude for the invaluable help they have received. The Center has received many letters from people doing family research that have thanked them for all their help in researching and finding the information they were looking for.
There are four main rooms in addition to the Genealogy Room. The Artifacts Room, School and Memorabilia Room, Black History Room and the War Room.
The Artifacts room has a wide variety of items that detail the history of Appling County. The turpentine display is an extraordinary display explaining the early turpentine production in Appling County. The turpentine section is in the Artifacts room and is a very popular exhibit.
The School and Memorabilia room contains items that relate to schools in Appling County. There are old class pictures, annuals and other information and items on early history of the schools in the county. This is also the room were the officers and board of directors have their meetings.
The Black History room contains items, pictures, and displays and records that detail the early history of African Americans in Appling County.
The War Room is full of interesting exhibits, displays, documents (signed by important officials, presidents and even King George); there are pictures of servicemen from Appling County that served in wars, and many other displays and items from different wars.
The Hall of Fame is an important part of the Heritage Center. There are framed pictures hung on the wall that go all the way down the hall, of prominent persons from Appling County or that had lived in Appling County for a period of time that have been nominated to be honored for their contributions. When someone is nominated a picture of that honoree is placed on the wall in the “Hall of Fame.”
The Heritage Center was incorporated in 1993 and a dedication was held on Oct. 18, 1997.
The officers for 2008 are Chairman - Stan Brobston, Vice-Chairman - Greg Kennedy, Secretary - Rebecca Ogden, Treasurer - Barbara Baker, and Publicity - Mary Godfrey. The Board of Directors are Barbara Baker, Sarah Boatright, Stan Brobston, Ed Flowers, Pat Haynes, H. F. Johnson, Jr., Alberta King, Jeanette Baxley, Linda Brooks, Susie Dean, Mary Godfrey, Greg Kennedy, Peggy Miles and Alice Oliver.
The Advisory Board members are Alex Johnson, Cary Long and Charles Stuckey. Carol Ebel, Mayor Steve Rigdon and Jeff Baxley are Ex-officios.
Footprints in Appling County by Ruth T. Barron, books by William Vance Reynolds and the newest book by Ray Land are available for purchase at the Center.
Heritage Parkway is located off U.S. Hwy 1, and the road is now called Heritage Parkway, where there are columns of Bradford pear trees that stretch for two miles down to Dyal School Road. There are names on markers under the trees that are in memory of individuals or families. About midway at the intersection of Heritage Parkway and Memphis Crosby Road is a monument of the early settlers. On one side of the monument are the 83 surnames of the early settlers of the county. The names along the parkway are not restricted to early settlers. If anyone is interested in having a Bradford tree planted with his or her name displayed on a sign in memory of or in honor of someone who lives in Appling County can do so.
The Heritage Center is supported through the county, fundraisers and membership. The next upcoming support meeting will be held on Oct. 5.
The people of Appling County have been very generous. The annual barbecue is a major fundraiser for the Center. The annual barbecue will be held Oct. 3.
The center has received various artifacts, pictures and books through the year from generous citizens. Visit the Center, tour the different rooms, and take advantage of all the research material that is available. The Heritage Center is located at 137 Thomas Street and the hours are Tuesday through Friday, 12:00 noon until 4:30 p.m. They appreciate and thank the county commissioners, local businesses, the clerk of court, the probate office, city council, volunteers and all those who support the Appling County Heritage Center. Preserving our heritage is very important and without you they could not do their job.