GwinnettForum | Number 21.03 | Jan. 12, 2021
WHILE THE COOLER WEATHER of today might not be the time to celebrate along the Chattahoochee River in Peachtree Corners, remember Jones Bridge Park will be a great place to be when the warmer climes return. Sitting here listening to the river roll over big rocks can be so soothing. And the area can be challenging, too, for fishermen, as some have been known to pull trout from this site. It’s another of Gwinnett County’s beautiful and restful areas. (Photo by Jonathan Phillips of Peachtree Corners.)
TODAY’S FOCUS: Gwinnett changes abound, evolutionary and revolutionary
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Wednesday’s insurrection threatened USA as never before
ANOTHER VIEW: Charlotte Nash ranks among Gwinnett’s best recent leaders
SPOTLIGHT: PCOM Georgia
FEEDBACK: President and his puppets need to be cleared out of office
UPCOMING: Lionheart performance of Orphans continues this week
NOTABLE: Lilburn Woman’s Club offers scholarship to 2021 female student
RECOMMENDED: Circe by Madeline Miller
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Museum of Agriculture located in Tifton at ABAC
MYSTERY PHOTO: Structure not built yesterday is today’s Mystery Photo
Gwinnett changes abound, evolutionary and revolutionary
By Hoyt Tuggle
BUFORD, Ga. | As a life-long resident of Gwinnett, I have seen many changes both on the county level and state level. Some were evolutionary, some revolutionary.
Tuggle
Gwinnett went from Democrat to Republican “wholesale” in one election in 1984. There had been a large influx of white people from “up north” and DeKalb County. The electorate had changed, seemingly, overnight, although it was a couple of decades in the process. Gwinnett would become the fastest growing county in the nation for several years. Gwinnett had gone from rural to suburban. Business would soon follow, bringing infrastructure changes unlike anything we had ever seen or thought possible.
The state shifted from Democrat to Republican with less speed. Some elected Dems switched parties only to go down in flames at the next election. One of our local media (Elliott Brack) predicted Roy Barnes would get re-elected in 2002 with something close to the following comment, “Georgia will elect a Republican governor in the near future, but not this time.”
Well, we awoke the day after in 2002 to find Sonny Perdue being Governor-Elect. So much for “…in the near future…”. The whole state had finally followed Cobb and Gwinnett, and turned red. Prior to the election, I remember Governor Barnes, in a meeting in Gwinnett, saying something like, “When the two or three Democrats call a meeting in Gwinnett, I will be there.”
Gwinnett stayed deep red until 2016 when Hillary Clinton carried the county. It was obvious the “the times, they were a ’changing.” This time came as a result of an influx of African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and, to a lesser degree, Hispanic-Americans.
These old water towers once showcased the county.
The age demographics were also changing. Gwinnett was becoming younger. 2018 was a preview of what was to come in 2020. When Stacey Abrams came so close to winning the governorship in 2018, the handwriting was on the wall. When Carolyn Bourdeaux came within 400 or so votes of flipping the Seventh U.S. House district, which included a part of Forsyth County, the handwriting was on the wall. Bourdeaux in 2018 won the Gwinnett portion of the district handily.
2020 saw an almost clean sweep of Gwinnett by the Democrats. Gwinnett is almost solid blue and will, most likely, be totally blue in 2022.
It appears that Cobb and Gwinnett will follow DeKalb and Clayton into deep blue. The question is, will the state follow suit and return to its Democratic roots?
Since the Atlanta Metro counties along with Columbus, Savannah, and the “belt” from Albany through Macon to Augusta will contain nearly half the state’s population, my guess is, yes. The election in 2022 will tell us. Democrats will be working very hard to make it come to fruition. They may end up with smiles on their faces.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Wednesday’s insurrection threatened USA as never before
Supporters listen to President Trump at a Jan. 6 rally in Washington, D.C. Image via Wikipedia.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
JAN. 21, 2021 | Never before have I felt our United States and our democracy so threatened as I felt on Wednesday. The mobs attacking our Capitol were jeopardizing each of us and our sacred way of life, led by a deranged president who urged them on as if leading the charge, though he remained safely tucked in the White House. The fact that nearly half of the country voted for this lunatic really bothers me.
As a child during World War II, I felt no menacing threat to our nation. Our defense of our country was right, and God would be with us. The Civil War earlier showed that our country held together as one. The Cuban missile crisis of the Kennedy era; the stand-off of atomic arms; and the attacks of 9/11, never caused me to fear for the very existence of my country.
But Wednesday produced this fear for our democracy, as you could see rioters and thugs, American citizens, invading our Capitol, on an insurrection mission, fueled with a religious zeal, moving to destroy our country as never before. This threat was from within. This lays at the feet of the 45th president of the United States, who in his scurrilous four years as president, worked to lay the foundation of the undermining of our 244 years as a democratic republic.
It almost makes you sick at your stomach to watch the realities of what hate and lies can foster. While all this is the product of four years of Donald Trump, what continues to worry me is that there are enough radical extremists in the country who would follow this undisciplined and demographic person who seeks the spotlight only for himself. When will these followers begin to see reality, to understand that they are mere pawns of this outrageous egotist, mere puppets to his ambition?
Though the Capitol was stormed, and sadly though people were killed and injured, our democratic institutions survived. That was because we had enough people determined to defend our walls of Congress, and sane leaders inside the Capitol itself, who repelled the onslaught of the mob.
But this mob scene should never have happened. It came only because of a culmination of four years of a disturbed and unsavory leader, who came within just 37 electoral votes (306-232) of being upheld for four more years of insane direction.
When will his followers realize how disturbed his thinking has been and how unsound his abilities are? It certainly makes us question the desire of some people to elect a “businessman” as president. Give me a good politician any time!
However, we have since learned that this so-called successful businessman made his mark only by running over others, taking advantage of people, and failing in one business after the other, only to be propped up by banks who were giving him more money out of their own greed. Some businessman? For sure, a bully, who should have been spanked by his parents the first time he tried something, but sadly, never was.
For years, we’ve thought that this country was just and right, and found it could even survive Richard Nixon. Now Nixon seems a far more reasonable president. At least he had the good sense to resign.
Yes, I was scared for our country. Though sullied and hurt, our nation continues. We feel we had God’s guidance in electing Joe Biden to soothe, heal and return our nation to more fundamentally sane times.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Charlotte Nash ranks among Gwinnett’s best recent leaders
Charlotte Nash
By Norman Baggs
General manager, The Times, Gainesville
SUGAR HILL, Ga. | Though some may be reluctant to admit it, newspaper reporters don’t know everything. When I first came to Gwinnett County as a government reporter in 1980, there was a lot I didn’t know about the financial side of a county government. The size of Gwinnett dwarfed the rural governmental entities I had covered for the previous five years.
Baggs
It didn’t take long to figure out the quickest way to a simple answer to a complex financial question was to walk myself down to the finance office in the old administration building and ask to see Charlotte Nash.
Whether the issue was bond debt, water/sewer funds, special millage rates, or what it was Wayne Mason said about taxes so fast I couldn’t understand, Charlotte was always willing to offer help.
Now, 40-plus years later, she has walked away from the office of commission chair, presumably retired for good from the county government. She will certainly be missed.
From rising through the ranks in finance, to working hand-in-hand with Chairman Wayne Hill as administrator, to taking the reins of government herself as commission chair, Charlotte brought to the job an incredible knowledge of the county combined with a level of professionalism seldom seen on the local government stage.
She always had a knack for workable, common sense approaches to problem solving, and an ability to bring together diverse opinions to form a consensus. Underneath it all was an incredible intellect, an instinctual understanding of government realities, and a sincere commitment to public service. And woe unto those who ever underestimated her.
When she left her first retirement to serve as chairman, she inherited a county government reeling from scandal and suffering the lingering effects of a financial recession. She leaves behind a county government that is financially and operationally the envy of others across the nation. More importantly, her personal integrity has never been sacrificed to the demands of her political position.
There are a lot of big names associated with the county government of the last 50 years that are deserving of recognition as having major impact on the amazing story of growth and development that is Gwinnett County — Shackelford, Mason, Hill, Buice, Webb to name but a few. Charlotte Nash belongs right there with them.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
PCOM Georgia
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President and his puppets need to be cleared out of office
Editor, the Forum:
On January 8, I received two more mailings from Perdue and Loeffler urging me to support them and proclaiming that they are “Fully backed by President Trump.”
As written in Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal, I voted against Perdue and Loeffler. Many thinking Republicans did the same. We voted against Trump on Tuesday just like we did last November. I was relieved that the Trump Puppets lost. Now I am REALLY glad the Dems won.
Wednesday we saw the beginning of something very ugly. Note the word “beginning.” This was not unexpected.
Trump and his Puppets need to be cleared out. Our democracy is being challenged and we will prevail.
My great-great-great-grandfather (John Conrad Moersberger, who in 1848, arrived from Bavaria alone and penniless), in 1861 Baltimore had an American flag on the front of his house. A mob of Secessionists gathered and were preparing to tear down the offensive symbol. It was a very rough time on the border between North and South, after pitched battles had been fought between Secessionist mobs and Union soldiers headed to protect Lincoln and Washington D.C. My ancestor stood on the front porch roof alone with a shotgun and shouted that he would shoot the first one who touched the flag. He realized he made a good target.
The crowd backed down. The American flag was never touched. Never. John Conrad later became a successful tavern owner and a key supporter of Theodore Roosevelt. I carry his spirit!
— Emory Morsberger, Lilburn
Thanks for perfect summation
Editor, the Forum:
Thanks for the perfect summation of why Georgia turned blue…why Democrats won in Georgia! Abrams and Raffensperger deserve a medal for their efforts and integrity! Now, if both sides can reach across the aisle and work together, I believe our country can begin the healing process.
— Trish Joyner, Monroe
Social media was finally the undoing of current president
Editor, the Forum:
I disagree with some of the things in your January 5 issue. Our economy improved greatly over the first three years. Unemployment for minorities, teens and generally the whole population declined. The unfair trade agreements in place were improved and put my country on an even trade basis with most of the world. China was reined in and started to realize it had to stop stealing our technological and proprietary information.
That President Trump using social media as a way to belittle and argue with detractors was a very poor choice, and, I think it was, in the end, his undoing.
Certainly the reaction to those invading the Capitol was ill advised if not illegal. That a President would condone something of this sort is unconscionable. Those demonstrators like the ones in cities all over my country, should have been arrested and prosecuted. Those who set fire to or destroyed businesses or public property should have been shot if caught in the act. To destroy the livelihood of your neighbor just because you disagree with the government is senseless and criminal.
For all the good accomplishments of President Trump, I thank him. For his conduct this week and since the election, I condemn him.
— Prescott P Lawrence, Sr., Grayson
Dear Prescott: Keep reading and if you must, disagreeing. And let us all know about it. –eeb
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
Lionheart performance of Orphans continues this week
The Lionheart Theatre Company in Norcross is kicking off its 2021 season with Orphans by Lyle Kessler. The play continues through Sunday, January 17. There will be one January 14 evening performance. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. It is directed by Christine Trent and features Jackson C. Trent, Jackson Trent and Bridger Trent. Tickets are $12, and may be purchased online at Lionheartheatrereservations@yahoo.com.
This is a dark, moving story about two lost and forgotten brothers who find redemption through a mysterious stranger, their kidnapped victim. The play contains adult language.
To protect our audience, performers, and volunteers we are limiting each audience to 25 patrons max. Masks are required to enter the theatre space. All patrons will have their temperature taken upon check-in at the box office. Hand sanitizer is freely available in the theatre space for patron use. Lionheart’s main entrance, lobby, common areas, box office and concession area, and audience seating are all sanitized and cleaned prior to each performance.
Lilburn Woman’s Club offers scholarship to 2021 female student
The Lilburn Woman’s Club announces that it will be sponsoring a $1,000 annual award to one local female 2021 graduating high school senior. The student must demonstrate leadership, school and community involvement, academic excellence, and an exceptional desire for higher learning. The Lilburn club is a member of the Georgia Federation of Women’s Clubs.
The student must have legal residency/address within the attendance area zone of one of the following schools: Berkmar, Brookwood, or Parkview High Schools. The student may attend public school, a private school, or be home schooled as long as the residency requirement is met.
The award will be paid directly to the financial aid department of the college or university where the applicant has been accepted to attend. The money is to be used for tuition, room and board, fees, books, or any other legitimate educational expense.
- Students wishing to apply should visit http://www.lilburnwomansclub.org and select “Scholarship” to obtain an application.
Circe by Madeline Miller
From Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill: What do you get when you mix the Titan sun god, Helios, with the Ocean nymph, Perse? Why, the first witch in Western literature! This is the story of Circe, an immortal and powerful enchantress, as imagined in great detail by Madeline Miller. Through Circe we learn about such Titan gods as Prometheus and Hermes and mortals such as Odysseus and Daedalus. Brought up in a dysfunctional family and then banished from her father’s kingdom, Circe lives on a deserted island where she flourishes and gradually discovers her powers. Known throughout mythology as a dangerous sorcerer, Circe is a more sympathetic character in this re-telling. The author gives us vivid and almost poetic descriptions. We feel what Circe feels and we want what she wants, sometimes forgetting she’s not a mortal. This book may mean more to people who already know something about Greek mythology but it’s certainly not required.
An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Museum of Agriculture located in Tifton at ABAC
The Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village (formerly the Georgia Agrirama) is the state’s official museum of agriculture. A living history museum located in Tifton, the 95-acre site offers a traditional farm community of the 1870s, a progressive farmstead of the 1890s, an industrial complex, and a rural town, as well as other attractions.
The idea for the museum grew out of a conversation between Ford Spinks, a former state senator, and Rosalie Shepherd, the widow of James L. Shepherd, a research scientist with the Coastal Plain Experiment Station (later University of Georgia Tifton campus). James Shepherd had invented the first mobile peanut combine machine, and no suitable housing could be found for it. Spinks spearheaded efforts to build a museum of Georgia agricultural history, and the Agrirama opened to the public on July 1, 1976.
In 2010 administrative control of the Georgia Agrirama moved from the Georgia Agrirama Development Authority to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, and the facility was subsequently renamed the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village.
The site includes more than 35 restored or reconstructed buildings, including the Victorian-style Tift House, a water-powered gristmill, a one-room school, and assorted farmhouses. Staff members in period costume interpret the history of the wiregrass region of south Georgia by recreating the daily activities of the community in the late nineteenth century. Other attractions include the Vulcan Iron Works Steam Locomotive, the Georgia Museum of Agriculture Center, and a full-service conference facility.
The museum caters to both students and tourists. More than 60,000 people visit the museum every year, about half of them schoolchildren. School tours and educational workshops offer a unique interactive opportunity for students to dress in costume and participate in the daily activities of the late 1800s. Each year the museum also hosts special events that emphasize the seasonal activities of the community at the turn of the century.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to http://georgiaencyclopedia.org
Structure not built yesterday is today’s Mystery Photo
Perhaps you can tell that this handsome structure wasn’t built yesterday. Delve into the history and identification of this building. Tell us where it was built, and when, and sent your answer to elliott@brack.net to include your hometown.
In the most recent Photo Mystery, Virginia Klaer of Duluth wrote: “You gave us the Georgia clue “gravestone” which really helped. The mystery photo is Gracie Watson, a sculpture by John Walz in Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah. Little Gracie was born in 1883 and moved to Savannah when her father became employed by the luxurious Pulaski Hotel. Little Gracie became quite the center of attention. She put on little shows for the guests, dancing in the lobby and singing songs. She died from pneumonia two days before Easter, 1889.”
The photo was sent in by Cindy Evans of Duluth. Others recognizing it included Kay Montgomery, Duluth; Lynn Naylor, Norcross; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Bobbie Tkacik, Lilburn; and Gloria James of Lawrenceville, who noted: “Little Gracie came down with pneumonia in April 1889 and died at age 6. She was an only child. Her father was so grief stricken that he had a sculptor create this likeness of her to place on her grave.”
George Graf of Palmyra, Va. added: “The Watson family was originally from Boston, Mass. They made their way to Savannah after W.J. was hired to manage the Pulaski Hotel. This luxurious hotel, which was located at the corner of Bull Street and Bryan Street, was one of the best hotels in all of the south. Managing the hotel was a prestigious position. While working at the hotel his daughter, Gracie Watson, became quite the center of attention. This bright-eyed girl warmed the hearts and brought smiles to the faces of almost every visitor to the Pulaski Hotel. It is said she would put on little shows for the guests, dancing in the lobby and singing songs. In 1889, just two days before Easter, Gracie Watson would pass on, she suffered from pneumonia and finally, her little body couldn’t take any more. Even after death, Gracie has remained an ambassador for Savannah. It seems that the spirit of Little Gracie Watson is still around. Many people have reported seeing the ghost of a little girl playing in Johnson Square, where the Pulaski Hotel was located.”
Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. wrote: “Gracie Watson headstone is located in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Thunderbolt, Ga., just southwest of Savannah. According to a Conde Nast Traveler list of the nine most visited graves in the world, this grave is ranked at Number 8.
“Bonaventure Cemetery was established in 1846 as a private cemetery and became a public one in 1907 when the city of Savannah purchased it. Many people are familiar with Bonaventure Cemetery as it featured the 1997 American mystery thriller film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. There are many statues in Bonaventure designed in the likeness of the individual buried beneath the ground. In Victorian culture it was a way to memorialize a loved one and feel close to them. After her death, Gracie’s father quit his job at the hotel and the family eventually moved back to New England. The life-sized representation of Gracie’s tombstone includes a tree cut in half, which symbolizes a life cut short, and ivy climbing toward heaven. Her eyes look upward toward heaven, which reminds the mourner to forget the worries of the current world.”
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