Wednesday, November 7, 2001
|
Wednesday, November 7, 2001 |
|
New museum celebrates 'GWTW' By CAROLYN
CARY
The train depot in Jonesboro has been the site of a number of events, from loading bales of cotton in the 1860s to a well-appointed museum honoring the late Margaret Mitchell and its place in the legendary land of "Gone With The Wind." Originally, the site sat in Fayette County from 1821 to 1858 and the town was called Leaksville. A civil engineer, Colonel Samuel Goode Jones, supervised a rail line from Savannah to Marthasville, now Atlanta. The engineer lived in Leaksville and was so highly respected that in 1845 the town's name was changed to Jonesboro. The War Between the States brought federal forces through Jonesboro and a good portion of it was burned in late 1864, including the railroad depot. At that time it sat just north of town near the Confederate Cemetery. The current depot was built in 1867 and was used as a freight and passenger terminal until the late 1960s. Historical Jonesboro, the local historical society, leased the building and first renovated it in 1972 and again in 1996, using it as a welcome center and offices, along with creating a museum. In 2000 the site was purchased by The Clayton County Tourism Authority. An additional 1 percent excise tax was put in place to support the museum as well as future tourism development projects. Today the depot houses the Clayton County Convention and Visitors Bureau offices as well as the newly opened Road to Tara Museum. It is filled with memorabilia from the collections of Herb Bridges of Newnan, noted owner of the largest Margaret Mitchell - "Gone With The Wind" - collectibles, to handmade costumes from the film "Gone With The Wind" by famed textile artist Peggy Miller, of Williamsburg, Va. A recent reception officially opened the doors to the exhibit and salesroom with Bridges and Miller attending, along with Fred Crane. Crane had the opening line in "Gone With The Wind," portraying one of the Tarleton twins. He now owns a bed and breakfast in Barnesville, Ga., aptly names Tarleton Oaks. An audio tour of the displays is narrated by Crane and will soon be available in several languages. The museum features a first edition of Margaret Mitchell's books, signed by her, and other book-related memorabilia including a foreign edition from each country the book has been published in. Reproduction costumes from scenes in the movie are on display; the barbecue dress, Scarlett's drapery dress, (be sure to note the chicken claw in the hat), the burgundy dress and Bonnie Blue Butler's riding habit. They are based on Walter Plunkett's original movie designs. The displays will all be on a rotating exhibit. The Road to Tara Museum and gift shop is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $5 for children, seniors and students.
|
