The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation released today its 2023 list of 10 Places in Peril in the state.
Sites on the list include: 229 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta (Fulton County); Beulah Grove Lodge and School in Douglasville (Douglas County); Chickamauga Masonic Lodge No. 221 in Chickamauga (Walker County); Dasher High School in Valdosta (Lowndes County); Dudley Motel, Cafe and Service Station in Dublin (Laurens County); Lee’s Mill Ruins on the Flint River in Forest Park (Clayton County); McConnell-Chadwick House in Milton (Fulton County); Old Campbell County Courthouse in Fairburn (Fulton County); Wilkes County Training School in Washington (Wilkes County); and the Yates House in Ringgold (Catoosa County).
“This is the Trust’s eighteenth annual Places in Peril list,” said Mark C. McDonald, president and CEO of the Trust. “We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting ten representative sites.”
Places in Peril is designed to raise awareness about Georgia’s significant historic, archaeological and cultural resources, including buildings, structures, districts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes that are threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.
Through Places in Peril, the Trust will encourage owners and individuals, organizations and communities to employ proven preservation tools, financial resources and partnerships in order to reuse, reinvest and revitalize historic properties that are in peril.
Over the past year, several sites from previous years’ lists have made progress: the Chattahoochee Brick Co. site in Atlanta was recently purchased by the city, with plans to create a city park and memorial; Cherry Grove Schoolhouse in Washington was fully rehabilitated thanks in part to a Callahan Incentive Grant from the Georgia Trust and tireless efforts from the community and volunteers; the former homes of George Alexander Towns and Grace Towns Hamilton, located within the Atlanta University Center Historic District, received a $1 million restoration grant from the National Park Service; the Georgia B. Williams Nursing Home in Camilla received a $500,000 National Park Service grant through the African American Civil Rights program for rehabilitation; the Kiah House Museum in Savannah was purchased by the Historic Savannah Foundation; and Darien’s 1813 Adam-Strain Building, a rare example of historic tabby construction that was slated for demolition, is currently undergoing restoration by its new owner.
Here is more on Dasher High School and the Dudley Motel.
Dasher High School (Valdosta, Lowndes County)
The former Dasher High School was built in 1928 as the third public high school for African American students in Valdosta, and it is the only remaining school building from that era. Several prominent leaders of the Valdosta community graduated from Dasher, including writer and journalist Louis E. Lomax, the nation’s first African American television journalist. Today, the Coastal Plain Area Economic Opportunity Authority uses the building to provide services to low-income households.
Dasher High School continues to serve the citizens of Valdosta as a community center. However, parts of the building, particularly the auditorium, are unsafe for the public. Involved partners hope to preserve this part of Valdosta’s African American legacy by restoring Dasher High School and utilizing it to better serve its residents.
Dudley Motel, Cafe and Service Station (Dublin, Laurens County)
Herbert “Hub” Dudley, a prominent Black business owner in Dublin, opened the Dudley Motel in 1958 to accommodate Black travelers during the tumultuous Civil Rights era. It was the first African American hotel in the area and was listed in African American travel guides such as the Green Book. Notable guests included Martin Luther King, Jr. and Andrew Young. In addition to this 12-unit motel, Dudley also owned the nearby Retreat Cafe and service station.