Winter 2009 Business Supporters Volume 3, Issue 1 Sponsor DeKalb History Center City of Decatur Georgia Power Company Ted’s Montana Grill A. S. Turner & Sons Embry Hills Neighborhood Benefactor industry, accounting for 120,000 new citizens between 1950 and 1960, or 42% of the area's total Decatur First Bank population expansion. Embry Hills is a direct Decatur Downtown Development Authority consequence of this period of unprecedented growth. Emory University The Embry Hills community was built in the Macy’s Foundation 1950s by the Embry Realty Company, founded in Yerkes National Primate Research Center the late 1940s by Jack Embry, a former sales manager with Adair Realty, and his brothers Contributor James, Neal, and Theo. Prior to the construction of Embry Hills, the company built a variety of City of Avondale Estates The Hawes Company residential homes in the East Lake, Decatur, and Bank of North Georgia New South Associates East Atlanta areas. Their first planned R. L. Brown & Associates, Inc. Pattillo Management, Inc. communities were the Belvedere and Columbia DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Personal Care, Inc. Valley subdivisions at the intersection of Memorial Drive and Columbia Drive in Decatur, An original drawing for the Embry Hills sign recently built in 1951, as well as the adjacent Belvedere donated by Heery & Heery Architects These business members support the History Center at the Contributor Level or above. For information call 404-373-1088, ext. 22. Shopping Center, home to the first suburban Rich’s department store. By Ben Zdencanovic Around 1955, the company purchased three large Embry Hills is a planned community in Chamblee, tracts of land that would become Embry Hills northwest DeKalb County. The neighborhood is just from the Henderson, Chesnut, and Williams DeKalb History Center southwest of I-85, bisected by I-285, and encircled by families -- 600 acres of farmland containing little Henderson Mill Road, Chamblee-Tucker Road, and more than six houses, a hog farm, and a sawmill. Old Courthouse on the Square Northcrest Road. It includes: Alton Road, Embry Construction began in late 1956 with Poe and King 101 East Court Square Circle, David Road, Chase Road, and Embry Drive. as land planners and engineers. Heery and Heery, Decatur GA 30030 an architecture firm that would go on to design Embry Hills was among the first of many planned such monumental Georgia structures as 999 communities built following the Second World War in Peachtree Street, the Georgia Dome, and Turner Phone: 404-373-1088 DeKalb County as the area saw a boom in industrial Field, were employed as architects and subdivision Fax: 404-373-8287 development. Chamblee in particular was home to a www.dekalbhistory.org consultants. The area was designed to be mixed substantial increase in subdivision and suburban use, featuring not only houses and apartments, growth as industries such as Frito-Lay, Eastman Kodak, and General Electric moved plants and offices Keeping DeKalb’s History into the area. Workers from around Georgia and Continued on page 4 First, since 1947 around the country flocked to the town's booming Inside this issue Bond House Listed on Register • 2009 Lecture Series, From Historic Preservation Division, DNR page 2 The Bond Family The Bond House was history for its associa- • Black History Month, House, located on constructed circa 1872 tions with the Bond Rock Chapel Road in as the home of one of family. Eason Bond page 3 DeKalb County's lead- was the son of an early Lithonia, was listed in • Volunteers Needed, the National Register ing citizens, Eason DeKalb County pioneer page 3 last September. The Jackson Bond (1834- who moved to the area property owner spon- 1893), and remained in circa 1834. Eason • Membership Report, his family until served as Chairman of sored the nomination page 6 and prepared the ma- 1985. The house is the DeKalb County terials. significant in social Continued on page 2 Times of DeKalb Times of DeKalb Volume 3 , Issue 1 P a g e 2 P a g e 7 R e p o r t * Melvin Bettis Eric Lucas Leonard Thibadeau * Estelle L. Hinde Bond House (cont.) Bob Biebel Mrs. Joseph Maas Mrs. William C. Thibadeau Grace E. Keel + Mrs. L. C. Buchanan + H. T. Marshall Charlotte Thigpen Elizabeth Kinney Commission, was a Justice of the Peace, a rural farming community in the 1870s, and Executive Committee and was very involved with Rock Chapel a house of this size would have stood apart + Mark Burnette Miriam Mathura * Mark Treese L. L. Kitchens, Jr. President: Scotty Candler Methodist Church. The family founded from many of the rest. It is believed that the * Meredith Carter Linda McCarty * Michael Vescio Mrs. Scarlet G. Lanier Treasurer: Robert W. Espy IV several local enterprises in the Lithonia wood used in the house was milled at the * Bill Chace * Pat Miller Sue Bracewell Whittle Joyce W. Letaw President Elect: Stuart M. Zola area including a photography business, Bond family lumber mill. * Wilma L. Coney * Mary Lee Millman Student/Teacher/Senior Albert & Virve Martin Past President: Jack Regan the W. A. and J. B. Bond Sawmill, and the Charles L. Cope Mary Margaret Oliver Dannie Bell Secretary: Cherie Bennett Bond Brothers Store, which was once a The front of this clapboard house features a Mr. Wade Medlock, III popular stop across the road from the central door with narrow transom and side- * Kecia Cunningham + Margaret M. Pearce * Naomi W. Bell Dr. & Mrs. Doug Morris Board of Directors Bond House. lights, a wide hip- Mr. & Mrs. Chas. Davidson, Jr. * Becky Pentecost Robert Berg Tommye Mueller roofed porch and Melvin Bettis * Mike Day * Pythagoras Lodge 41 F & A M * Sheila Biggs Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee Frank Burdette The house is a good double-hung sash * Rep. Karla Drenner * Brian G. Randall Jewell Blankenship Mr. William C. Painter, Jr. Jane Grabowski example of a Plan- windows. The original tation Plain. Ac- floor plan is intact with Dunwoody Women’s Club * Donald A. (Don) Rawlins Joseph Augustine Sams Bond Lynn Cherry Grant Mrs. Denise G. Rice cording to Georgia's a central hallway * Nikki Hettinger Tim Salomon Nannelle Bond Ruby Kirby Sanders Mary K. Jarboe Living Places: His- separating the four Mrs. Pierre Howard * Jerry Semprevio * Inez G. Boothe Kathryn Johnson toric Houses in main rooms on the first * Edmund Sheehey John Keys Their Landscaped floor. The balustrade + Elizabeth Jackson * Lawrence Sharp Mary Katherine Burton Vallie Staten Albert Martin Settings , these on the central staircase * Beth Jansa Mrs. R. P. Shinall, Jr. C. Warren Davidson Mrs. Lawrence J. Trotti Kerri Morrin houses had a two- exhibits elaborate sawn Marceil Joyner * Beth Shorthouse + Mari Jo H. Ford Agnes Scott Willoch Elizabeth M. Roberts story block at the woodwork. Four Mrs. Elliott Kyle Gayle B. Shuey Coleen Grant Hardin Carolyn G. Wilson Paula S. Swartzberg front and a one- original fireplace Helen Talley-McRae story range of mantels remain. The James E. Lesher Elizabeth Huberta Smith Walter Harris Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr. rooms at the rear; a upstairs hallway and Barbara Loar * Pam Stenhouse Mrs. Sybil R. Herren + Upgraded Membership full-width one-story front porch was also front bedrooms retain flush plank walls and Johnny Waits, Jr. Lynne & Jerry Lock Sylvester Cemetery Foundation Barbara Hicks * New Membership typical. Mostly found in rural settings, ceilings. Other significant features through- Trustees those remaining usually date from 1820 to out the house include wood floors, wood 1850. This portion of DeKalb County was paneled doors, and simple wood trim. Robert L. Brown, Jr. Thanks to all who have joined or renewed. Membership donations are extremely important to our mission. If there is a correction to your listing, or you have questions about your membership, please call Melissa at 404-373-1088, extension 22. Liane Levetan Robert McMahan Lyn Menne 2009 Archives Lecture Series Judy B. Turner Join * Renew * Give Join us as we Discover Historic DeKalb through the history, organizations, persons and collections Fred C. Turner related to each area. These lectures are free, please bring your lunch. Following the lecture stay and Betty E. Willis visit the Archives to view our holdings. Lectures are held on Tuesdays from Noon to 1:00 Collecting, Preserving and Sharing the History of DeKalb County in the Harrison Room in the Old Courthouse on the Square. Staff All funds received through memberships directly support the preservation of DeKalb County history and are tax-deductible Executive Director: Stone Mountain, January 27, Speaker: Dr. George Coletti Stone Mountain is home to as allowed by law. Your generous contribution to the DeKalb History Center will provide you with a year-long membership Melissa Forgey the largest granite outcropping in the world. Shrouded in early Georgia History, the city of Stone that includes our quarterly newsletter to keep you informed on all our activities. We hope that you will join our team by Heritage Education & Rental Mountain exists today not only as a tourist attraction but also as a thriving community. either renewing your membership or joining as a first-time supporter. Coordinator: MAK District, March 24, Speaker: Scott Leith Developed in the early 1900s, the Leslie Borger McDonough-Adams-Kings Highway (MAK) Historic District is Decatur’s first local historic district. Name ______________________________________ Email _______________________ Archivist: Its homes include the Craftsman Bungalow, Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles. Karen Kopanezos Address ________________________________________________________________________ TUCKER, May 26, Speaker: To Be Announced Tucker is distinct because of its focus on Building Manager: local schools, churches and civic organizations. Despite impressive commercial and residential Larry Serra City/State/Zip _________________________________ Phone _______________________ growth in recent decades, Tucker continues to maintain a friendly, small town feel. Times of DeKalb is published Druid Hills , July 21, Speaker: Dr.