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Our headquarters is open Monday-Friday, 10:00-4:00.  You may drop off rummage for our two annual sales  anytime.  If you need other help, please email us at director@whitfieldmurray.org &/or call 706-278-0217.

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on Hwy 225 in Spring Place. 

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Local Historic Sites To Participate in

 Georgia History Festival’s Super Museum Sunday

The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society will again participate in the Georgia History Festival’s Super Museum Sunday on February 6, 2022!  Super Museum Sunday is part of the annual Georgia History Festival, a statewide event sponsored by the Georgia Historical Society. The Wright Hotel, The Chatsworth Depot, and the Old Spring Place Methodist Church, all in Murray County, will join over 100 historic sites, museums, and other points of interest throughout Georgia opening their doors to the public, FREE of charge, and offering a variety of in-person and virtual experiences that encourage Georgians to experience the history, arts, and cultural opportunities in our own backyards. The Society's Dalton properties---the Blunt, Hamilton, and Huff Houses will be open as well. 

“We are excited to have so many wonderful sites from across our state participating this year and hope that everyone will take advantage of the opportunity to get out and experience all the things that make Georgia great,” said Dr. W. Todd Groce, President and CEO of the Georgia Historical Society.

The three Murray County properties will be open 1 to 4 PM on Super Museum Sunday and each will offer something "special" to commemorate the day. The admission is free but donations are always welcome. 

The Historic Wright Hotel was built in 1909 by Thomas Wright and is located at 201 E Market St in Chatsworth, GA .  Listed on the National Register of Historic Places both individually and as part of the Downtown Chatsworth Historic District, the Hotel is furnished with period antiques, many of them original to the Wright Family.  Special displays for Georgia History Festival are an exhibition of paintings by local artist Nannie Brewer Arthur which features her original nature, religious, and still-lifes.  A new display highlighting the Keith Store at Tennga will also open this weekend.  IT will include photographs, ledgers, advertisements, and even the meat/produce scales--last inspected in the 1970's but still in working order!  

The Arthur paintings are displayed through the courtesy of Gordon Brewer, the late Jane Pugmire, and other family members through the efforts of historical society member Marcia Kendrick. 

The Keith Store artifacts are recent gifts to the WMHS from Jane Keith Jeffords who grew up in Tennga and now lives in New Mexico.  She is generously sharing her collection of treasures from this long standing business in Georgia's "northernmost city"!

At the Chatsworth Depot, visitors will see railroad and talc memorabilia--the two industries that gave birth to Chatsworth and completely changed the course of history in Murray County.  Murray County is the only place in the state where talc is mined and talc crayons manufactured in Chatsworth where an important part of American production during World War II.  A raffle for a model train set and other prizes will also be featured at the Depot--and all funds raised are matched by the Woodmen of the World. 

Over in Spring Place, Murray County's first seat of government, displays will feature some recently rediscovered artifacts from the area donated by Casey Patton.  Among them are some Civil War items which verified exactly where Union troops camped during the War Between the States.  Also on display will be a number of items from the famous Lucy Hill High School (formerly Lucy Hill Institute and later Lucy Hill Grammar School) which opened in Spring Place about 125 years ago.  The institution offered secondary education and even what would now be called "junior college" work when most people didn't have access to such in their home communities. 

 The Institute evolved into the Spring Place Elementary School of today. 

Super Museum Sunday is supported by Delta Air Lines. For more information and to see a full listing of Super Museum Sunday sites visit georgiahistoryfestival.org.  For more information about the historical society's Murray County properties, please contact the historical society at 706-278-0217 or Tim Howard at 706-695-2740.  Please practice COVID-19 accommodations during your visit.  

ABOUT THE GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history. GHS houses the oldest and most distinguished collection of materials related exclusively to Georgia history in the nation.
To learn more visit georgiahistory.com.

ABOUT THE GEORGIA HISTORY FESTIVAL
The Georgia History Festival is the signature K-12 educational program of the Georgia Historical Society, reaching nearly 250,000 students statewide. Beginning with the new school year in September, a variety of public programs, exhibits, events, and educational resources bring history to life for students of all ages and encourage Georgians to explore the richness and diversity of our state’s past. In addition to new virtual programming, the Festival includes popular annual events like the Colonial Faire and Muster living-history program held at Wormsloe State Historic Site, Savannah’s Georgia Day Parade, Super Museum Sunday, and the elegant Trustees Gala.

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Painting Collection on Exhibit at 

Historic Wright Hotel in Chatsworth

 

When she was left a young widow with seven children to raise, Nannie Lou Brewer Arthur simply went to painting!  Though she had no formal training, Mrs. Arthur had a positive attitude, tremendous faith, and a natural talent that allowed her to not only support her family but to continue painting at her Cisco home for four decades.  

 

Several members of her family have recently donated a collection of her paintings to the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society.  These paintings will be on display at the Historic Wright Hotel in Chatsworth beginning with a noontime exhibition on Saturday, December 4.  The public is invited to attend the free, hour-long tour preceding the Polar Express event at the nearby Chatsworth Depot and Caboose. 

 

Mrs. Arthur was born in 1904, the daughter of Clifford and Maude Brewer of Crandall. Seasonal nature scenes and still-lifes were the usual subjects of her paintings, but she also did religious scenes such as Christ in the Garden.  Examples of all are included in the collection displayed at the Wright Hotel. She and her children walked many miles around the county selling her artwork.  She sold the famous Blair household products as well--but also raised a large garden to help feed her family.  

 

Mr. Gordon Brewer, a nephew of Mrs. Arthur's initiated the project and provided funding for framing several pieces.  The late Jane Arthur Pugmire, a daughter, and grand-daughter Gretchen Spearman also donated paintings along with Barbara Stafford Byrd, a Brewer niece.  Marcia Kendrick, an artist and retired teacher who is a member of the historical society coordinated the exhibit. 

 

The Wright Hotel will be decorated for Christmas and is available for rentals by calling Ralph Ausmus at 706-695-9808

Depot  Raffle Tickets $2.00 (or 3 for $5.00)

Prizes:

Bachmann HO Model Train Set

Depot Print

Caboose Print

Local Restaurant Certificates

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Tickets available here

Pat's Antiques located on Market St. Chatsworth

and 

Crown Gardens & Archives, 715 Chattanooga Ave., Dalton

 All funds raised go direct to support the Chatsworth Depot. 

Modern Woodmen have agreed to match each dollar raised, so your ticket donation will double!

 THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

       Drawing at Model Train Expo @ the Depot April 9, 2022.

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Notice:

 

All Whitfield-Murray Historical Society properties are owned by the historical society, so are therefore private property.

 

If you would like to use the grounds for photographs, etc., please obtain permission by calling 706-278-0217, Monday through Friday.

 

Please note that if an event is occurring on the property, no one else is allowed to be on the property.

 

Professional photographers must schedule events for all outside & inside areas at all WMHS properties. The fee for the rental is $100 per session per property.

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Rent a Whitfield Murray Historical Society Property for your next event.

As you plan upcoming family or organization events, consider using WMHS property. Contacts for information &/or reservations are:

Old Spring Place Methodist Church

Call Tim at 706-695-2740

 

Crown Garden and Archives

Call Tina at 706-278-0217

 

Hamilton House

Call Tina at 706-278-0217

 

Blunt House

Call Joanne at 706-271-8702

 

Huff House

Call Virgelia at 706-226-6774

 

Chatsworth Depot

Call Ted at 706-581-5482

 

Wright Hotel

Call Ralph at 706-695-9808 or 706-260-1320

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FALL & WINTER GENEALOGY WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED

 

     The fall and winter genealogy workshops have been scheduled for  Saturday., January 22, 2022; and Saturday, February 19, 2022.  

These are full-day workshops at Crown Gardens & Archives, 715 Chattanooga Ave., Dalton.

     Beginner and intermediate research topics are on the agenda for Saturday,  Saturday., January 22.  

From 9:00am-12:30pm topics are Basics of Genealogy (Where to Look for Information, Types of Historical Records to Hunt, Where to Locate Them, Where to Get Help), and Walking the Paper Trail.  

From 1:00pm-4:30pm, topics will include Women in Your Line, Basics in Genealogy with DNA, and Secrets in the Census Records.  

     Brick Walls workshops are scheduled for Saturday,  February 19, 2022, 9:00am-4:30pm.  This workshop is available for intermediate & advanced researchers who have hit a wall. 

     Lunch breaks are 12:30pm-1:00pm on both days.  Sack lunches will be available for $6, or participants may bring a lunch.

     Instructor Jennifer Harvey is a genealogy consultant trained by the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.

     To reserve a spot, call 706-278-0217 or come by the Archives.  Cost is $40 for one day, or $70 for two days.  Checks may be mailed to the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, P. O. Box 6180, Dalton, GA  30722-6180.

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MURRAY COUNTY DEEDS ARE NOW ONLINE

All Murray County deeds--back to 1833--are now accessible online.  This includes the earliest deeds for Whitfield County, too, since we were one county through 1851.  Use this link to access the deeds:

https://kofilequicklinks.com/MurrayGA/

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Whitfield-Murray Historical Society Benefits from Grants

     

            During the COVID-19 virus pandemic, the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society has benefited from both member donations & government grants. The US government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), created to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll, enabled the organization to cover employee payroll, payroll taxes, & utilities.  The Society also received funds from the Georgia Humanities Council through the CARES Act Emergency Operating grant.  WMHS is grateful for this state humanities support.

Organized in 1952 to preserve the Vann House, the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society is the pivot point for all things historical in Whitfield & Murray counties.  The Society preserves area history by maintaining structures, archiving objects & materials, & serving as the go-to entity for historical questions.  WMHS also conducts historic house tours, bi-annual rummage sales, and Holiday House tours.  Among the many activities conducted by the WMHS are Social Distancing Concerts at the Chatsworth Depot.  Upcoming date is August 8. 

            The Society has placed 11 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, the group has preserved the 1864 Dug Gap Battle Park, the 1909 Wright Hotel, old Spring Place Methodist Church (1875), & the 1905 Chatsworth Depot. The 1840 Hamilton House which is the oldest home in Dalton, and the 1848 Blunt House, home of Dalton’s first mayor, and second oldest house are also part of the preservation done by WMHS. The 1855 Huff House was General Joseph E. Johnston’s headquarters during the winter of 1863-64 preparing for the Atlanta Campaign is another WMHS property.

            WMHS headquarters, Crown Gardens and Archives--the 1890 Crown Cotton Mill office building--is a resource for local historical & genealogical research.  The Society sells books on local history & publishes a bi-monthly newsletter as well as a historical review.  Annual scholarships are awarded to young researchers, & historic preservation awards recognize area preservationists.  Meetings feature topics of local historical interest in Whitfield & Murray counties.

            Individuals interested in local history are encouraged to join the Society. Donations to aid in the very important work of protecting our local history may be mailed to: WMHS, P.O. Box 6180, Dalton, GA 30722.  For more information, call 706-278-0217, or visit http://www.whitfield-murrayhistoricalsociety.org.

 

Bylines:
Sherrian Hall, Jean Manly, and Joanne Lewis scraping old wall paper at the Blunt House, one of the WMHS historic properties.

 

Children at one of the history camps rubbing tombstones.