Our headquarters is open Monday-Friday, 10:00-4:00. We are practicing social distancing. 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.
With the relocation of Chatsworth's Black Bear Festival away from the downtown area, members of the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society announce they will not open the historic properties for the Festival this year.
Ordinarily, the Wright Hotel, the Chatsworth Depot, the Section House in City Park, and the Big Blue Train would be a part of Black Bear as they have been for festivals called by many names for the last three decades. This year the newly refurbished caboose would have been added to the tours as well.
However, with the change in location, the two dozen+ volunteers involved with preparing and opening the sites did not feel the visitation would justify the expense. Since other Depot and Hotel events scheduled this year have already been cancelled due to low attendance brought about by Covid-19, revenue is down and funds are tight. The Historical Society relies on sales, event income, and donations to maintain and operate the historic properties--they are not government funded.
The Historical Society continues to collect and preserve archival materials as well as artifacts from all aspects of local history at the Chatsworth sites. The group also assists countless residents as well as visitors from other states and countries with genealogy and historical research questions, offers internship experiences for high school and college students, and awards scholarships to recent graduates of area public high schools. Both of the historic properties are also available to rent for private events.
The next meeting of the Society will be the dedication of the restored caboose on Sunday, September 20 at 2:30. The outdoor event will be followed by socially-distanced tours of the caboose, the Depot, and the Hotel hosted by members of the Depot and Hotel Committees.
The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society is headquartered at Crown Gardens and History Center at 715 Chattanooga Avenue in Dalton. Chatsworth resident Tina Pankey is executive secretary and can be reached at director@whitfieldmurray.org or at 706-278-0217.
caboose dedication 2020
September Meeting Focuses on Depot, Hotel History; Caboose Dedication.
The histories of two Murray County properties will be shared at the Sunday, Sept. 20 meeting. The meeting will begin outside at 2:30 at the Chatsworth Depot for the dedication of the refurbished caboose. An inside tour of the depot will be followed just down the street by a tour of the Wright Hotel.
Have you wanted to learn more about these two properties owned by WMHS? Have you wanted to see exhibits of recently acquired items? Here’s your opportunity!
Please wear a mask. We will practice social distancing.
The Chatsworth Depot and Wright Hotel Cancel Events
The Whitfield-Murray Historical Society is disappointed to announce that the Chatsworth Depot’s Social Distancing Concert with Earl Bracken and historical depot, hotel and caboose tours previously set for Saturday, August 8 and The Model Train Expo scheduled for September 12 at the Chatsworth Depot have both been cancelled. Our community is enduring many hardships, health wise and economically, and the committee responsible for the Wright Hotel and the Chatsworth Depot looked at the past two month’s events attendance, weather, and current rise in Covid-19 numbers and made the hard decision to cancel these two events. The 2020 concerts were all set up to be outdoor events allowing for social distancing. However, in the past two months attendance has been low possibly due to heat has keeping people away, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the first time concert events at the two Chatsworth historical properties have had to be cancelled.
The Wright Hotel and Chatsworth Depot committees would like to thank our 2020 entertainers Jason Lyles, Ray Catoe, and Earl Bracken for supporting our historical properties. We did have guest turn out in June and July, despite the virus and heat to tour the hotel, depot, and newly restored caboose with some remaining for the concerts and we extend a big thank you to them. A good number of Whitfield-Murray Historical Society volunteers came out to each of the prior events and they likewise are appreciated as events could not take place without their help.
The business partners for the 2020 Social Distancing Concert Series are Bojangles, Captain D’s, Krystal, First National Community Bank, Bradley’s Ace Hardware, and Peeples Funeral Home.
The remaining events for 2020, Black Bear Festival building tours and train rides, Polar Express, and reschedule Tea, are currently still scheduled to take place. Continued high numbers of Covid-19 or other government restrictions might change these plans.
Please check the web site of Whitfield-Murray Historical Society at
If you are looking for extra space to have family gatherings such as birthday parties, small reunions, family lunches, baby or bridal showers or similar events, both properties are available to rent. Contact the historical society for more info.
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.
Sherrian Hall, Jean Manly, and Joanne Lewis scraping old wall paper at the Blunt House
Children at one of the history camps rubbing tombstones
Two annual events in Chatsworth, sponsored by the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, have been cancelled due to the current state of affairs, but both will be rescheduled.
The popular Tea With Mom, normally held on Mother's Day Weekend, will be moved to the end of the year for a Christmas Tea at the Historic Wright Hotel. The date and time will be announced in the fall.
Any questions or concerns, please call the Archives at 706-278-0217.
Thank you and stay safe.
DO YOU HAVE RELATIVES BURIED AT OLD SWAMP CREEK CEMETERY?
An effort is currently underway to identify unmarked graves at OLD Swamp Creek Cemetery. If you have relatives buried there, please email Martha Locke at midasthree@charter.net to give her the information.
Vintage Gas Stove
VINTAGE MAGIC CHEF GAS STOVE FOR SALE--Manufactured in 1920s or early 1930s. $ 250 cash. Serious inquiries only.
Call 706-278-0217 & leave message.
Copies of Dorothy "Dot" McCrory's poetry book,
"Too Much Cider in the Applesauce,"
are available at the Crown Gardens & Archives,
715 Chattanooga Ave. Dalton GA
Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Copies are $25.
A copy can be mailed for $35.
Book sales benefit the Lesche Club scholarship fund.
Copies of the Historic Photographs of The Whitfield County Schools Available For Purchase!
The Historic Photographs of The Whitfield County Schools by Ellen Keith Thompson is available for purchase. If you're interested in purchasing the book, please maila check payable to WMHS to P.O. Box 6180Dalton, GA. 30722 in the amount of $55 (includes shipping and handling). Or, you can purchase the book at the Crown Gardens & Archives for $45 located on 715 Chattanooga Avenue, Dalton, GA. 30722. All the proceeds from the books sales will the basis of the endowmenet fund for the 40th Anniversary.
Hours at Crown Garden and Archives
To better serve our community
we are open M-F 10am - 4pm.
Please call to schedule an appointment on weekends and evenings for research and events!
For research, please call to verify that we have the family files.
To make an appointment, please call during our business hours!
(706) 278-0217
The Blunt House and Huff House are not currently open on Fridays with the Covid 19 special precautions.
Hours at Blunt House, Hamilton House, and Huff House
The Blunt House is open for tours on Fridays from 10:30 until 4.
The Huff House is open for tours on Fridays from 10 until 3.
Hamilton House is open by appointment by calling the Archives at (706) 278-0217.
