Preserving paradise

PENNVILLE, Ga. -- What started off as a volunteer cleanup day at Howard Finster's Paradise Gardens took on the feel of an archaeological dig as workers uncovered mosaic sidewalks and other projects by the late folk artist.

"Out here, if you do something as simple as raking leaves, you can find buried treasure," said volunteer Justin Hicks, of Cloudland, Ga., as he and other volunteers chopped privet and invading vines off a fence Mr. Finster had set up to grow grapes.

Mr. Finster, a bike repairman turned evangelist and internationally acclaimed artist, spent much of his life constructing, sculpting, painting and decorating his four-acre lot just north of Summerville, Ga. When he died in 2001, his family took over the gardens before selling the site to a nonprofit group in 2005.

Chattooga County plans to buy the site in the fall, which volunteers hope will make it easier to obtain grants to reclaim the gardens from weeds, mildew and weather.

"There's a sidewalk under there," said Mike Poole, of Summerville, probing muddy earth with his shovel until he hit concrete. Shoveling off the muck revealed a concrete path with tiles, marbles and other small items forming a mosaic and the phrase "Don't forget to pray."

The 30 or so volunteers also made a new sign to mark the turn to Paradise Gardens off U.S. 27, replacing one that was stolen. They also dug out trenches that drain the swampy area where the gardens were built.

Paradise Gardens was named to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's list of "Places in Peril" last year, which longtime supporters say has jump-started their efforts.

"I think the Georgia Trust designation really was a catalyst," said Tommy Littleton, who heads the nonprofit running the gardens. "To make forward progress like that in this economy is nothing short of miraculous."

Continue reading by following these links to related stories:

Article: Who's coming to Who-Fest?

Article: Chattooga County looks to buy Paradise

Article: Funding advances for area projects

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