ETOWAH VALLEY ~ HI8 TOQICAL 80CIETY Promoting and enhancing the awareness and preservation of th e heritage and trnditi.ons ofBartow County Volume 51, September 2003 P.O. Box 1886, Cartersville, GA 30120 Phone: 770-606-8862 Come Harvest Our History 2003 Tou r of Historic Homes November 1 & 2 By Masie Underwood he biannual EVHS "Come Harvest O ur H istory" TTour of H istoric Homes is just around the corner, and members of the EVHS Preservation Committee are al ready at work making plans for the evenr rhat not o nly helps raise funds fo r EVHS projects, but also brings awareness to what is being done in Cartersville and Bartow County to preserve chis rich heritage for future generations. T his year's "Come H arvest Our History" is planned for November 1 & 2, and, as always, will begi n at the gold-domed 1903 Barrow County Courtho use, where shuttle buses will pick up tour participants. H ours are Saturday from 10 a.m. ro 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 ro 4 Above: The Adair-/(jnsel House, also known ns the Frances Adair House, p.m. wns built by Dr. Robert E. and Lula Mahan Adair about 1908. This year's tour is special in char it coincides with rhe Below: Two doors down from the Adair-Kimel Ho use is the Chitwood­ 100th anniversary of the gold-domed courthouse, which Goolsby-McEver House, built circa 1907. is in the process of undergoing a face li ft and will be open to the public for the tour. In honor of this historic milestone, the Preservation Committee has selected fo ur ho mes char were constructed in the same period as the courthouse. Also in conjunction with the courthouse anniversary, the Cartersville Downtown Development Authority has planned its annual C hristmas Open House, "H ome for the Holidays," for Saturday, November 1st. This year's ODA annual Cartersville C hristmas ornament features a likeness of the courthouse. Ir wi ll be on sale both days in the lobby of the courtho use, where tickets to the tour of homes will also be available. T hree of the homes featured on d1 is year's tour are al l closely tied together through me Adai r fa mily, o ne of Barrow County's pio neer families that contributed much to the growth of me community. T hese homes are al l si tuated on West Avenue, once known as Rowland Street. included several hundred acres owned by John and Sally When tour goers visit these homes, mey will learn more Holland Leake, for whom Leake Street is named. about chis hisroric area as well as these interesting structures In 1908, the Kinsel property was purchased for $ 1,200 and the Adair fam ily. by Sally Lula Mahan Adair, who wim her husband Dr. The property on which the Adai r-Kinsel H ouse, the Robert Adair built the existing house on the land. The Warde-McLeod H o use, and the C hirwood-Goolsby­ Adairs had two children; William Stewart died at a young McEver House are located was once prime farmland char See Tour ofHomes , continued on page 7 enior Edicor: G uy Parmenter Copyright 2003 EVHS Assisranr Editors: David Parker & C hantal Parker Preservation of Downtown Continues ell, he's at it again. WAfter restoring a number of buildings in the heart ofCarcersv iI l e's downcown (including the Bradley Building), Officers Ron Goss has purchased President three properties on David Parker South Erwin Street char Vice President of wi ll soon benefit from Adminisuation his magical couch. Ed Hill Vice President of The pro perties, Programing located between Leake Joe Head Screec and West Avenue, Treasurer until recencly were Michael Garland occupied as residences. Corresponding Secretary Joanne Smith • Foll owing rescoraci on, Recording Secretary they will be leased our Rosemary Clabo This historic home at 217 South Erwin Street was recently purchased by as office space. Two of Advisor to the Board £VHS member Ron Goss, who intends to restore it to its original charm for che three have already Guy Parmenter been assigned tenants. Directors use as office space. The home was built in 1898 ~ Col Matthew R. Stanseff, David Parker, Chairman who owned a brick yard on the south side of West Avenue. The oldest of the Bob Redwine three properties is also Tish Johnson che oldest home on the block, built in 1898 by brickyard owner Col. Matthew R. Stansell. Pat Mansfield The previous owner hoped co sell the property as a vacant lot, bur Ron choughc he saw Ed Hill something in the architecture of the house that suggested it was older than anyone suspected Joanne Smith Mary Norton and j ust might be worth savi ng. Joe Head 'Can I pick 'em, or what?" Ron said, when the deeds were researched and he learned Committees & Chairpersons just how old the house was. "I thought i c was an 1890s structure. " Ron's restoration of che Allaroona Pass homes cakes advantage of the existing zoning and Ed Hill extends the downtown business district co what used Guy Parmenter • .I to be, 100 years ago, the ciry limits. Cemetery Documencacioo ~==~~· Mary Siniard Occupancy downtown is currencly almost at Brief History Cemetery Preservation 100%, quire a turnaround from just a few years ago. Carl Etheridge Many believe this is due co the restoration boom R. w. Satterfield Courthouse Office that has recencly been caking place. And ch at orv Gooas & Furniture Store Linda Trentham Genealogy restoration effort got a boost earlier this year when Piggly Wiggly Grae. Linda Cochran che EVHS Preservation Commiccee began Diana Shop Apparel Historic Awareness Signs researching the historic buildings and erecting Dianne Tate Heritage Signs (historic markers) so building owners, THE LEWIS BLDG. Newsletter business owners, and downtown shoppers could David Parker CIRCA 1880 Chantal Parker experience the full measure of downtown's histori c Preservation charm. The history has been researched and the signs John Lewis are up on about fifteen buildings. 15 down, about ETOWAH VALLEY Research 85 co go! HISTORICAL Carolyn Parmenter " Ic's an enormous task," said John Lewis, Trail ofTears SOCIETY Wilma Cantrell chairman of the Preservation Committee, and owner Website ofa few downtown buildings himself. "We've gotten . " • Michael Garland a scare on IC, anyway. -. The Heritage Sign for the Lewis build­ Even wich all chose buildings downtown, there - ing, where Main Street Bookstore now The £VHS offit·e and mea11:h /i,rilities is still plenty of room for growth, as the new is, acknowledges not just the historic are klcated in the I 903 courthouse at construction on West Main (across from Noble building, but the many businesses thrtt I I 5 U'fst Cheroku Avenue i11 doumrow11 Street) can attest. And w ith a couple of loft Carrmville. Visit £VHS 011/i,u at called it home for the last 123 years! ww1u.evhso11/ine.org apartments already in place, and more planned, Email [email protected] downtown appears co be growing upward as well. 2 £VHS Volume 51, September 2003 Down Douthit's Ferry Road The following is an article published in The Standard and Express under the headline "Rural Observations" on June 20, 1872. Douthit's Ferry Road is located near Cartersville Middle Schoof, and in 1872 was miles from town. Given the recent growth of development in this area, the editors thought you might enjoJ this virtual carriage tour ofth e drive to the river with its scenes of rural life 131 years ago. n Thursday oflast week we rode our into the country 0 to view the farms and crops ofso me of our agricultural friends, and enjoyed our excursion exceedingly well. As we passed down the Douthicr's ferry road, our attention was first attracted by the fine crops ofco rn, corcon and wheat of our friend Cape. M. L. Pritchett. We decided that his cotton, taken as a whole, was the best chat we had seen. It was chinned to a stand, had been well cultivated, was of uniform size, and gave promise of a large crop. His wheat also was good and che reaper was curring it down The historic Douthit House was built before the Civil War by James and William Douthit, and until aJew years ago snt on a hill at the after che best style of the an. How delightful to behold the corner of Indian Mounds Road and Douthit Bridge Road (also golden grain, invariably and inseperably associated as it is known as Douthit's Ferry Road). The house overlooked the Etowah with good eating. After crossing the river, we p assed River, on the other side ofwhich was the Douthit form. ch rough Douchirc's and Quarles' farms and found chem in good order, and wich good crops upon chem. As we passed Our next observations were made on the splendid farm Quarles', we saw the largest herd of young asses we ever ofour kind and esteemed friend, Mrs. Field. She has about beheld- char is ofchat variety. "What a vase amow1t of brayi ng three hundred acres in culcivacion, and to behold che sea will there be at chat place, when they all turn loose! ofwaving crops growing on chose fertile lands reminds me of Egypt, whither the sons of Jacob went for corn. Here we gathered some specimens of wheat which we chink equals any we ever saw. The grains are large, plump and firm. We saw on the farm what we never saw before-a water-melon field. There were four acres planted in vines, and the prospect was fine for a good crop.