Local Events and Chamber & Better Hometown News
 Summer 2009  
Wrightsville, Georgia 

33rd Old Fashioned Fourth of July Celebration
The 4th of July is just around the corner and the Planning Committee wants the 2009 festivities to be the best ever! The Committee is now taking applications for Arts & Crafts and urges participants to return their applications in a timely manner. For a printable arts & crafts application, please click here. Dale Argoe, arts & crafts chair,  may be contacted for more information: 478-299-3284. 

Parade applications are also available online. Please register early if possible. 

The 8th annual Firecracker 5K/10K/Fun Run will take place on Saturday, July 4th. Registration will be located on the Courthouse Square in downtown Wrightsville beginning at 6:30 a.m. Firecracker Registration forms are available online. Please call Lisa Troup, 478-957-5470 for additional information.

As part of the 4th of July activities, the Johnson County Historical Society again will sponsor an Antique Tractor Exhibition. For more information and an application, please click here.

Ribbon Cutting, Saturday, June 27
The Chamber sponsored a ribbon cutting at Wings and More, Wrightsville's newest business on Saturday, June 27th at noon. A good crowd, including representatives of the City, were there to welcome the restaurant to downtown Wrightsville. Wings and More is located at 212 South Marcus Street, in the old Gilley's building.

Business After Hours Scheduled for July 16th
The Johnson County Center for Community Health will host the next Chamber Business After Hours at the Depot on July 16th. Come network with local business people and enjoy refreshments from 5:30 until 7:00 p.m.

Business After Hours Held  June 16
This event was sponsored by Studio 15 Salon and held at their new facility on the Tennille Hwy. A good crowd of Chamber members gathered at Whitney's new shop to enjoy networking and finger food. Thanks, Whitney, for hosting the June Business After Hours!

* New Emergency Notification System *
The Wrightsville-Johnson County Emergency Management Agency is trying to reach as many citizens as possible to notify them of the addition of the Emergency Notification System to the county. The system will call all submitted phone numbers to warn of impending danger. Receiving advanced warnings of impending danger such as natural disasters, hazardous material spills and other public safety issues, will provide a safety net and better protection for Johnson County citizens. 

All citizens within Johnson County are urged to access the following web page in order to be forewarned of Official Watches, Warnings, Advisories and Bulletins.   https://login.coderedweb.com/codereddataentry/Default.aspx?groupid=heM%2bRunT%2feZRDWDsl5by2g%3d%3d

If Internet access is not available for signup, citizens may contact either City Hall (864-3303) or the the Johnson County Commission (864-3388). 

Recreation Department News: Two New Summer Leagues
The Johnson County Recreation Department is now taking teams for Adult Softball, with two more leagues this year: Women¹s League and Co-Ed 40 and over, as well as Co-Ed and Men¹s Leagues. Team Rosters will be accepted with a limit of 20 on each team. Fees for Men and Women Leagues are $400.00. Fees for Co-Ed and Co-Ed 40 and over are $200.00. 

Fees and rosters will be taken through the month of June and part of July. No deadline has been set.
For more information, call the Johnson County Recreation Department at 864-3901 and leave a message. "We are excited about adding two more leagues this year, said Director Daniel Tanner. It is a great opportunity for people to get involved in healthy games, have fun and be a part of something in the community. It also shows our youth the importance of staying healthy and fit."

Schedule for Upcoming Chamber Business After Hours
      Thursday, July 16: Johnson County Center for Community Health, Depot, 5:30-7 pm
      Thursday, August 13: Boys' & Girls' Club, Depot, 5:30-7 pm

Welcome New Chamber Member
Hot Wings and More
212 South Marcus Street
Owner: Felicia L. Wiley

Historic Depot Now Available to the Community
The W & T Train Depot in Wrightsville is now available to the community to rent for parties, family reunions and meetings. Please call Better Hometown at 478-864-0048 for more information and an application.  
   
Entrepreneur Friendly Designation
On Monday, August 18, 2008,  the Georgia Entrepreneur Friendly Review Team visited Johnson County to assess the local program, and designate Johnson County as an official Entrepreneur Friendly Community. The designation indicates the community has worked to develop an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs and is an ongoing endeavor. As a result of the designation, the publication How to Start a Business in Johnson County is now available at the Chamber Office and on the web. This is a valuable resource for businesses interested in locating in Johnson County. In addition the Small Business Administration has a great resource on the web containing information on programs and services to help businesses start, grow and succeed. 

Streetscape Sponsorships
Better Hometown is again sponsoring historic-styled lampposts ($1000), benches ($500), trees ($250) and engraved pavers ($30) for the just completed streetscape project. All sponsorship donations are tax de-deductible under the law. Applications are available at the BHT Office, City Hall and on this site as well as photos of Lamppost plaques. This is a great way to keep alive the names of family members or a business!    

Johnson County Historical Society Offers Commemorative Coin  
The Johnson County Historical Society is proud to offer its first commemorative coin celebrating the 150 year birthday of Johnson County. This beautiful coin in antiqued brushed brass will be a keepsake for your children and grandchildren. Only 1500 of these "first series" coins will be minted and after this the die will be destroyed, This first series means we are leaving our options open for future coins commemorating Johnson County in hopes of having a set of commemorative coins. A drawing of the coin gives an idea of how the coin will look. This first series coin features the county seal on the front side and the reverse side displays the Wrightsville and Tennille # 40 engine with the W & T Water tank in the background. In 150 years as a county the W & T Railroad has been the single biggest asset advancing economic growth in Wrightsville and Johnson County. That growth lasted until the great depression. The artwork has been approved and the coins are now being minted and should arrive before July 4th. For advanced purchase of the coins at a cost of $21.34 (this includes sales tax), they may be ordered at Impressions at 478-864-1700 or Kreative Kreations at 478-864-8640 or through Donald Smith at 478-232-5913. The historical society expects the demand for this coin to be high, so hurry and purchase your coins today. Coins may also be ordered, payable to Johnson County Historical Society, P.O. Box 87, Wrightsville, Ga. 31096. 

Better Hometown puts Historical Walking Tour on the Web
Waiting for the new 911 addressing has tested their patience-so Wrightsville's Better Hometown decided for now just to put the revised Walking Tour Brochure on the Web rather than publish hard copies of it. The site continues to be updated with new additions added weekly. The Walking Tour Web address is shown on the "Links" page. BHT is asking people to help identify former residents of all of the homes...so please call 864-0048 to offer recollections.    

BHT's Revised Page- Classic Courthouses, A Driving Tour of Historic Courthouses in East Central Georgia:
One of Better Hometown's very first projects consisted of getting together a partnership of twenty-two counties to publish the Classic Courthouse Brochure. The brochure's web page has been revised thanks to Suzana Rowland of Clickfire.com/  To view it, please click the following link: Classic Courthouse Tour of East Central Georgia 

Looking for Photo of John B. Wright
The coordinator for the Johnson County Gen Web Project is looking for photos of John B. Wright. Please get in touch with Better Hometown at 864-0048 if you know of anyone who might have his photograph.

Photo of John B. Wright's wife, Mourning Smith Wright, circa 1870.
(From Georgia Archives)

                                                                        
Did you Know?
The late Mrs. Roland (Elaine) Attaway's father, David B. (Gordon) Clarke planted the original oak trees on the Courthouse Square. The trees were found in the woods surrounding Wrightsville and transplanted. Other children of Susie Mae and Gordon Clarke were Estelle Chester, Jeanette Brown, Claxton Clarke, and Leland Clarke.  

Johnson County Tax Assessor's Web Site
Did you know that you are now able to retrieve tax and property information and search property records  at the Johnson County Tax Assessor's new web site? The address is: www.jcboa.org/

Wrightsville to be located on the Georgia Civil War Heritage Trail
Thanks to the diligence of Better Hometown and the Chamber of Commerce donations have been secured  to insure the inclusion of Wrightsville on the Georgia Civil War Heritage Trail. Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails divides the state into six regions, each designating an area or major event from Georgia’s “Civil War era.”  The “Atlanta Campaign” and “March to the Sea” were Georgia’s two most significant Civil War “events.”  Thus these two “historic driving routes” or “trails” are being created first.  Next to be developed will be the route Confederate President Jefferson Davis rode in his attempt to evade Federal capture in May 1865. Yet many more topics are interpreted along each route, including the roles of women, African-Americans, hospitals, churches, and railroads. Each interpretive marker is “linked” by a route to national & state parks, museums, and other Civil War heritage attractions. Wrightsville will be located on the Jefferson Davis leg of the trail. For more information see http://www.gcwht.org/    

 Historical Society News
The Johnson County Historical Society has finished its roof project. A new roof, with 30 year architectural shingles was put in place by David Horton Construction of Eatonton. The work was paid for with a matching grant from Historic Preservation Division Many thanks to all the businesses, elected officials and individuals who contributed to the completion of phase one of the Grice House Restoration Project. We ask for your continued support as we enter phase two of the project which is to repaint the exterior and replace the window shutters that have long since disappeared. There are many ways you can help. Become a member, make a tax deductible donation, or buy merchandise. Memberships: Individual, $10; Family, $25; Corporate, $50; Pictorial History of Johnson County, $20.13; Searching For Our Ancestors cemetery book, $45; 1860 census, $10; 1880 census, $15; William Henry Heath Family, $10; The George Smith Family, $45; Johnson County Church Histories, $12; Cookbook, $10; Car Tags, $8; 1979 Johnson County Football State Championship Game DVD, $20; 1958 Johnson County Centennial DVD, $20; Veterans service board names, $5. The DVDs may be purchased at Impressions and Kreative Kreations. The other merchandise is available for purchase at Sumner Pharmacy, the Johnson Journal or Harlie Fulford Memorial Library. We are also accepting anything of historic significance for our museum. If you have something you think we might be interested in, please contact Donald Smith, 478-232-5913or email him at redhillfarms@yahoo.com/  Donations may be mailed to Post Office Box 87, Wrightsville, GA 31096.