CHATSWORTH, Ga. -- A Dollar General store has replaced the old Murray County Courthouse on Highway 225 in Spring Place, but residents and visitors can see an image of the courthouse as it looked when it was built in 1885.
Erik Gallman, executive director of the Whitfield-Murray History Center and Archives, has painted the old courthouse with painstaking detail, from its shuttered bottom windows to the iron fence that once partially surrounded the brick building.
The painting is one of several in Mr. Gallman's "Old Murray Collection" that will be unveiled today at the Chatsworth-Murray County Library. The collection was commissioned by Whitfield-Murray Historical Society member Herman McDaniel and will be displayed in the library's history section, said Pat Ausmus, library branch manager.
"Many residents may not realize there was a courthouse at Spring Place and that Spring Place was the county seat," said Mr. McDaniel. "(This collection is) basically just to build an interest in local history."
The 22-inch by 28-inch acrylic paintings depict many buildings that are no longer standing or have changed dramatically. All played significant roles in the county's past, Mr. Gallman said.
"Most of these (buildings) we found (black and white) photographs of, but the photographs may not be from a really good angle (or) you can't see all the building," he said. "So, we had to take bits and pieces from several different photographs and piece them all together."
Each painting invokes a history lesson, like the one of John Martin's home. Mr. Martin was treasurer of the Cherokee Nation, and his home was built in 1805. The building is still standing and is probably the oldest private dwelling still in use in Murray County, Mr. McDaniel said.
It was purchased by the Carter family and was remodeled significantly and expanded, he said. It's now known now as Carters Quarter.
Also today, several local authors will sign their books on historic topics, Ms. Ausmus said.
IF YOU GO
* What: Unveiling of Old Murray Collection of paintings
* When: 2 to 4 p.m. today
* Where: Chatsworth-Murray County Library, 706 Old Dalton-Ellijay Road
* Admission: Free. Books priced from $5 to $35.
THE OLD MURRAY COLLECTION
* Sumach Seminary
* Colvard High School
* Spring Place Courthouse
* John Martin's Rock Spring home
* Treadwell Mill
* Chief Vann House
* Lucy Hill Institute
* Crandall Depot
* Chatsworth High School
* Eton High School
Source: Erik Gallman
FEATURED AUTHORS/BOOKS
* Betty Bandy, "Little Murray Memories"
* Herman McDaniel and Bobby Mosteller, "Civil War Soldiers of Murray County"
* Pat Ausmus, "Happy Birthday Chatsworth"
* Tim Howard, "Spring Place Memories"
* Anne Brindle, "Eton Past and Present"
* Emily Cogburn, "Crandall"