Local Events and Chamber & Better Hometown News
 Spring 2008

                                                                               
32nd Annual Fourth of July Celebration/Johnson County 150th Birthday Celebration
The Fourth of July Festival Committee has been working hard to make this year's celebration the best ever. This year marks the 150th anniversary of Johnson County and both celebrations will coincide with each other. The Wrightsville-Johnson County Historical Society as well as the County Commissioners are helping with the 150th celebration. The many new events and activities will be posted on this site soon. Booth applications are available now. Please get your request in early! Schedule of Events for the Old Fashioned Fourth of July/150 Anniversary Celebration

Local Law Enforcement Appreciation Day Observance
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is the second Friday in May each year and this year a special observance will be held to honor law enforcement officers and their fallen comrades. Rev. Chip Bodie, Wrightsville-Johnson County Law Enforcement Chaplain, will conduct the ceremony, which will be held on the Plaza side of the courthouse square at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 15. Everyone is encouraged to attend.

Next Business After Hours
The Chamber of Commerce has sent invitations to all chamber members for the next Business After Hours Social, sponsored and hosted by Bell-View, Inc.  It will be held at the Johnson County Country Club from 5:30 until 7:00 pm.  This will be a special time for all of our chamber members to network with each other, and to enjoy food, fellowship and fun together. Jay Bell and Adrianne Bell Jordan are excited about hosting this event and look forward to a large attendance. You will be receiving your invitation within the next couple of days.  Food will be catered by Teresa’s Catering.  Don’t forget to RSVP to the Chamber Office (864-7200). 

Work Ready Meeting Held April 15 at Depot
Amy Harrelson, Work Ready/Community Education Coordinator with Heart of Georgia Technical College, conducted the first community-wide Work Ready meeting on April 15th. Randall Peters, President of Heart of Georgia Technical College and Bob Dixon, Work Ready Manager, were part of the program. A variety of people, including educators, employers and those interested in economic development, attended the meeting and came away being glad they came. Johnson County's participation in this program will mean a great deal to current employers and employees and  future employers and employees as well as to the county at large. To find out more about the Governor's Certified Work Ready Program please visit http://www.gaworkready.org/  The Chamber is sponsoring the Work Ready Program in Johnson County.   

TE Project Completed Downtown Wrightsville
Great News!  Foskey & Sons Construction of East Dublin recently completed the $400,000 TE Project in downtown Wrightsville adding new sidewalks, trees and handicap accessible ramps on some corners. It is always an ordeal going through the process, but the results truly enhance and soften the downtown area.

Streetscape Sponsorships Available
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!      

TechSmart Digital Development Meeting Held April 30 at Depot

Session Three of Johnson County's TechSmart Digital Development Community Technology Strategy
sessions was held April 30 with Hortense Jackson, Randy Green and Joy Wilkins attending on behalf of Georgia Tech. A re-cap was presented of Johnson County's Community Vision and action item recommendations were made. The Johnson County group will work closely with GA Tech to develop programs of work to support the ICT needs of existing business and industry. For a copy of Session 3, please contact Charlene at the Chamber, 864-7200. 

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.  

Welcome New Chamber Member!
Designs by Elizabeth Ann
Handcrafted Jewelry
484 Buford Price Road
Wrightsville, GA 31096
478-278-0234
www.designsbyea.com 

Oral History Project
Better Hometown is now interviewing seniors for an oral history project. Anyone interested in participating should contact the Better Hometown Office at 478-864-0048.  

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

Historic-styled Lampposts to Honor John B. Wright and Major James Hicks
Descendants of John B. Wright and Major James Hicks are being asked to contribute to memorials to the two Wrightsville founding fathers. Two historic-styled lampposts to be located just outside the South Johnson County Courthouse doors are reserved for John B. Wright, for whom Wrightsville was named; and Major James Hicks and son, William P. Hicks, who proposed the layout of Wrightsville. Sponsorship of each lamppost is $1000 and each will be marked with a cast bronze plaque at the completion of Phase II of the upcoming TE Project. Tax-free donations have already been received by Better Hometown. To make a lamppost donation in the Hicks’ name, please mail check made out to Better Hometown of Wrightsville to Marsha Hutcheson Olmstead (Major Hicks’ great-great granddaughter), 301 Barrington Hall Drive, Apt. 402, Macon , GA 31220. Marsha’s other contact information is alenah924@aol.com and phone: 478-474-3361. 

Donations for the John B. Wright lamppost may be made directly to Better Hometown of Wrightsville, P.O. Box 94 , Wrightsville , GA 31096. Phone: 478-864-0048
email: hometown@wrightsville-johnsoncounty.com/ 
See photos of existing lamppost and cast bronze plaque.

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)

 Chamber Gift Certificate Program Underway
The Chamber Gift Certificate Program is now in full operation! Come by the Chamber Office and purchase a certificate for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, etc. Give a gift that is always the right size, color, or style. These can be used at all Chamber member businesses – you will receive a list of these when you purchase one. This is a great idea for employers to purchase certificates for their employees as Christmas gifts. Please be sure your dues are up to date!    

Better Hometown Completes Grant Requirements
Better Hometown has completed the planting of the oak trees on the courthouse square and they add quite a bit of softness and majesty to the courthouse area. The Willow Oak trees were planted with grant money obtained from a Garden Club of Georgia Historical Landscape Grant and matched by Better Hometown. Thank you Garden Club of Georgia and Better Hometown!                                                        
       
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/

Better Hometown Receives Plan for Downtown Parking Lot
The property located on the corner of North Bradford and East Court Streets (directly across from the courthouse square) has been cleared and topped with crush & run to make way for community parking.  No plans have been made to convert this area into permanent parking, but just to show how it could look one day, please click on the following link: Parking Plan  Better Hometown requested the Department of Community Affair's Design Services to draw a creative, workable plan for the area-something that the property owners might work towards in the future.   

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 just 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, 478-864-0977 or 478-521-2077. Donations may be mailed to Post Office Box 87, Wrightsville, GA 31096. The next meeting of the Johnson County Historical Society will be June 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Grice House. Come join us.