Where is this long building? We’ll tell you in advance it’s famous. Now tell us more about it and the stories surrounding this facility. Send your finding to elliott@brack.net and include your hometown.
Allan Peel, San Antonio, Texas, asks: “So when is a ‘palace’ not a palace”? Well, when it is an elaborate water reservoir system that simply looks like a palace.” The photo came from Kay Montgomery of Duluth.
Peel continues: “The recent mystery photo is of the Palais Longchamp, an elaborate monument built to celebrate the construction of a complex water reservoir built in the mid-1800s to bring water to the city of Marseille. As the city of Marseille was rapidly growing and expanding in the early-1800s, it became evident that despite sitting along the Mediterranean Sea, the city would need to find a solution to the lack of fresh drinking water. Following a terrible drought that struck the city in 1834 and the cholera epidemics of 1835, the construction of a canal to divert the waters of the Durance River, a 200-mile Rhône River tributary that originates in the Swiss Alps and makes its way through southeastern part of France, was first envisioned. The result was the Canal de Marseille, a 50-mile main canal (with 99-miles of minor arteries) that took almost 15-years to complete, finally opening on July 8, 1849.
“To celebrate the planned source of fresh water to the city, the foundation stone of what would become called the Palais Longchamp Monument was laid in 1839. However, it took more than 30 years to complete the project because of the complicated nature of the overall project, cost overruns and complex local regulations. With a fancy fountain in front, and elaborate gardens behind the monument, it eventually became a zoo, a park, two museums, and an observatory and today, it is considered to be one of the most eclectic spots in Marseille.”
Others nailing the photo were Jay Altman, Columbia, S.C.; George Graf of Palmyra, Va,; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Stew Ogilvie, Lawrenceville; Susan McBrayer, Sugar Hill; and Sara Rawlins, Lawrenceville.
Youth cartoonists wanted to submit their work
GwinnettForum is looking to encourage cartooning by Gwinnett youth. If you know of any students who can draw well, and can dream up outlandish and funny ideas in a cartoon format, they should submit three of their drawings. The sample cartoons to determine those selected should be submitted in a horizontal, black-and-white format by email, to be sent by email to elliott@brack.net. More than one cartoonist might be selected, anticipating that GwinnettForum would show one cartoon in each edition.
Deadline for submission will be Feb. 14, 2023. GwinnettForum will compensate the winner who can produce cartoons on a regular basis.
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