Spring Place Methodist Church is a North Georgia landmark, and a celebration scheduled Saturday on the grounds will help preserve it.
The 14th annual Spring Place Community Festival will open at 8 a.m. “All Roads Lead to Spring Place” will be the day’s theme, and historic maps of the area and artifacts relating to transportation and events in Murray County history will be displayed. Emphasis will be placed on the eight decades that Spring Place served as the county seat. Children’s activities will award free gifts that relate to the transportation theme.
The event is sponsored by the Spring Place Ruritan Club and Whitfield-Murray Historical Society to commemorate the church’s place in history and raise funds for its continued preservation.
A bake sale by members of the Ruritan Club is one means of raising funds. Biscuits for breakfast and hot dogs for lunch are among other concessions to be sold.
Visitors also may peruse an assortment of gently used books, historical society publications, collectibles and flea-market items, such as Christmas decorations, furniture, linens, glassware, toys, office and household items
The largest fundraising event is an auction at 10 a.m. Items up for bids include several artist prints, gift certificates to area businesses, savings bonds, sets of local history books, appliances and coin sets.
The Murray County High School Alumni Association will have Rock Building postcards, notecards and prints for sale. Several organizations will have information tables.
A raffle of an Empress hand-woven rug donated by Value Carpets and a print of the original Murray County High School Rock Building by local artist Deborah Pritchett will conclude the day’s activities. Tickets for the raffle are $2 each, $5 for three, $10 for 10. Festival admission is free.
Parking will be available on Elm Street as well as across the road from the church, which is just off Georgia Highway 225 South. To learn more, call 706-695-2110, 706-695-8297 or 706-695-2740.