This memorial, located in the plaza park at Broadway and Dillingham Street, was dedicated at the National Convention of the United Spanish War Veterans in 1953. The bronze plaque features a bronze relief of the Hiker of ’98, and a quote by President McKinley: “You triumphed over obstacles which would have overcome men less brave and determined.”
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Just above Toccoa Falls, a reservoir was created when E. P. Simpson built a rock dam to generate hydroelectric power for the surrounding area. The Toccoa Falls Institute built an earthen dam over the original rock dam in 1940 to increase power generation for its growing student population. After World War II, the reservoir, Kelly Barnes Lake, was expanded again by increasing the size of the dam. After 1957, it was discontinued as a power source but remained open as a recreational site.
After four days of heavy flooding, the dam failed in the early morning hours of 6 November 1977. The resulting torrent of water raced without much warning through the Toccoa Falls College campus, killing 39 people and injuring 60. It destroyed nine houses, 18 mobile homes, numerous college buildings, and many automobiles. It was the largest disaster in Georgia since the 1930s and devastated the community.
A memorial to the victims was placed near the falls by the class of 1986, and another monument is located near the courthouse in Toccoa. The victims were: Karen Anderson, Joey Anderson, Becky Anderson, Gerald “Jerry” Brittin, William L. “Bill” Ehrensberger, Peggy Ann Ehrensberger, Robert Ehrensberger, Kristen Ehrensberger, Kenny Ehrensberger, David Fledderjohann, Mary Jo Ginther, Brenda Ginther, Rhonda Ginther, Nancy Ginther, Tracy Ginther, Cary E. Hanna, Tiep “Tia” Harner, Robby Harner, Christopher Kemp, Cassandra Metzger, Dirksen Metzger, Jeremiah Moore, Ruth Moore, Edward E. Pepsny, Carol Pepsny, Paul Pepsny, Bonnie Pepsny, Eloise J. Pinney, Monroe J. Rupp, Jerry Sproull, Melissa Sproull, Jocelyn Sproull, Joanna Sproull, Richard J. Swires, Jaimee Veer, Mary N. Williams, Betty Jean Woerner, and Deborah Woerner.
This illustration [I will credit the artist if I can locate a name] depicts the old Union Primitive Baptist Church, a county landmark which stood near Colquitt until it was destroyed by a tornado and razed in 1995. The cemetery on the site of the church is known as Primitive Union for some reason. A memorial ensures the history of the congregation will be remembered for generations to come.
These austere Victorian memorials stand in stark contrast to the whimsical memorial for Kenn Blankenship, located a few lots away in Primitive Union Cemetery. They’re among the finest of their type in South Georgia. They sit atop pedestals and are life size; with the pedestals, they’re at least 8 feet in height. Mrs. Spooner holds her Bible, and Mr. Spooner wears a Masonic symbol near his waist.
The Spooners were pioneers of the area and, obviously, very prominent citizens. The memorial for their son, Joseph James Spooner, at Olive Grove Cemetery in nearby Seminole County, is also among the finest in the region. [I’ll update with a view of Mr. and Mrs. Spooner in perspective as soon as possible].
I made a special trip to Primitive Union Cemetery in Miller County to see this unusual memorial. It’s an enduring tribute to a man who made a second career paying tribute to Elvis Presley.
Marion Kenneth “Kenn” Blankenship was born in 1940 to a West Virginia coal mining family, and after working for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, he changed careers and began working for Southern Bell. His new occupation brought him South, first to Florida, then to Bainbridge, and finally, Colquitt.
Music was initially a side gig, and in his early days in Southwest Georgia he played lead guitar for a country band known as East River Junction. He married Barbara Jones in 1978 and soon thereafter, he got out of the phone business. He and Barbara opened a restaurant and supper club in Bainbridge. Moving on from the restaurant business after a few successful years, the couple formed their own band and traveled all over the Southeast, working regularly. In the 1990s, Kenn began doing his Elvis tributes and they were wildly popular. He even bought three suits from the company that outfitted Elvis.
Kenn passed away on 8 June 2009, but his love of performing and sharing his talents still brings joy at this unique memorial. The beautifully maintained gravesite invites reflection and will likely inspire people far into the future. In addition to the life-size “Elvis” and the bench featuring laser cut images of Kenn performing, there’s a concrete palm tree, and a guitar shaped stone, presumably the future resting place of Kenn’s fellow guitarist, Denzil Newbern.
The white marble angel in Olive Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery marking the grave of Joseph James Spooner (19 July 1848-31 March 1929) and his first wife, Mary Jane Lane Spooner (2 March 1850-2 December 1914), is one of the finest examples of Victorian funerary art in rural Georgia. Mr. Spooner’s parents’ memorials in Union Primitive Baptist (aka Primitive Union Cemetery) in Miller County are also landmarks of statuary. [I’ll be sharing photos of them soon].
My presumption is that the angel was placed in 1914, after Mary Spooner’s death, to signify Mr. Spooner’s profound sadness over her loss. The monument is life-sized and makes quite the statement.
Tomochichi (c.1644-1739) was the mico, or chief, of the Yamacraw Indians at the time of the colonization of Georgia by James Oglethorpe in 1733. His cooperation with the British made the creation of modern Georgia possible. In 1735, he accompanied Oglethorpe to England to report on the progress of the colony and was received as an ally and representative of all native people of the colony.
Tomochichi was already an old man when Georgia was colonized and he died on 5 February 1739. His life was honored by a British military funeral and his grave originally marked with a pyramid of stones. A more permanent monument, the large boulder pictured here, was placed in Wright Square by the Georgia Society of Colonial Dames in 1899.
Savannah National Historic Landmark District
This obelisk is a memorial to Llewellyn Kitchens, who died at the age of 15. (19 February 1892-13 March 1907). He is buried in the Mitchell Cemetery, but presumably his father was very saddened by his death and wanted to pay special tribute to him. A verse on the memorial reads: He did not fall like drooping flowers that no man noticeth, But the great branch of some stately tree rent in the tempest and flung down to death. Thick with green leafage — so that piteously each passerby that ruin shuddereth and sayeth: The gap that breach has left is wide, the loss thereof can never be supplied.
His death notice, from the 17 March 1907 Atlanta Constitution, states: LITTLE NEWS AGENT DIES – Popular Little Constitution Agent at Mitchell Passes Away – Llewellyn Kitchens, the only son of T. L. Kitchens…died here last night. This young man, only 15 years of age at the time of his death, had become widely known as one of the most energetic and successful newspaper agents in this section of the state. He had represented the Constitution here as agent for a number of years. His death occurred after but a brief illness, being forced to remain in bed only since last Saturday. He is survived by his father, mother and one sister. His father is one of the most prominent merchants of this place and he was descended from a long line of distinguished citizens of this section.
On 29 July 1902, as 9-year-old Dallas Corine Kitchens was taking lunch to her aunt at the Enterprise Mill [visible at left background], she fell from the canal bridge to the water below. Dennis Cahill, an Irish immigrant working for the City of Augusta, noticed her distress and jumped into the canal to save her, but was drowned during the attempt. I believe the girl also died.
A monument of “rugged stones” was placed at the foot of the Butt Bridge to memorialize the tragedy. It reads: Dennis Cahill, By a deed of self-sacrifice such as all humanity claims and counts among its jewels, hallowed this spot and rendered his name worthy of such. Lasting Memory as these rugged stones and this simple tablet can secure. For here he gave his life in a vain attempt to save from drowning a child, having no claim for his sacrifice save Humanity and Helplessness – July 29, 1902. – Born Parish of Castlemagner, County Cork, Ireland, June 1861. I am unsure when the monument was placed, but it was likely soon after the tragedy occurred. A marker placed at his gravesite in 2009 by the local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians identifies him as a Hibernian Hero.
Augusta Canal Industrial District, National Register of Historic Places + National Historic Landmark + Augusta Canal National Heritage Area
A medical camp was established at this site in September 1820 by Dr. Thomas Lawson, surgeon of the 7th U. S. Infantry [and future Surgeon General], to care for soldiers suffering from malaria at nearby Fort Scott, a frontier outpost on the Flint River. It was thought that the higher elevation of the camp, away from the mosquito-infested swamps surrounding the fort would lead to the soldiers’ recovery, but around 40 died nonetheless, due to heavy rains followed by a period of cold weather. The campsite was abandoned by November 1820. Graves are unmarked but the site was first memorialized in 1882. In 1971, N. L. Sellars erected this gate to identify the site.