Alexa Foreman has used her skills as a researcher and producer primarily at Turner Classic Movies for over 25 years – starting with the launch of the network in 1994. While there, she was an integral part of TCM, which specialized in airing uncut and commercial free classic movies – the channel earning a Peabody in the process. She worked with Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz on a daily basis, and when someone couldn’t find some information or needed to know how many Oscar nominations a film had earned, or how many husbands Elizabeth Taylor had, she was the go-to-gal.
Her latest research project: All That Heaven Allows, a biography of Rock Hudson, was published by HarperCollins in December 2018, and is in production for a major motion picture. The biography was chosen by Sight and Sound as one of its top ten for 2019.
Currently she is back at TCM as a freelance researcher, and has written, directed and produced a documentary entitled Scandal: The Trial of Mary Astor, which concerns actress Mary Astor and her 1936 fight to gain custody of her daughter. The documentary premiered at the TCM Film Festival in Los Angeles in April 2018. It has since been screened at the Hollywood Heritage Museum, and been accepted as an Official Selection at both the Dallas Film Festival and the Sedona Film Festival. Scandal had its television premiere on January 6, 2020 on TCM, and is now licensed to the channel.
James Ottley is the author of two volumes on Atlanta history, titled Atlanta History for Cocktail Parties volumes 1 and II. In this online presentation James will recount interesting stories he’s unearthed while researching his books.
Buckhead Heritage’s Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
January 15, 2022 10 – 11:30 am
Limited, Free to Buckhead Heritage Members, No onsite registration
Tour will start at the Peachtree Heights East Historical Marker located on Lakeview Avenue near the Duck Pond.
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse and Caleb Brown will offer a fascinating tour of this hidden neighborhood near Peachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive. With approximately 330 homes within this unique neighborhood, houses in Peachtree Heights East range from early 20th century American two story four-square, Craftsman Bungalow, Cape Cod, Tudor Revival, Mission Revival, and Ranch to 21st century home styles. We will see examples of several of those on the tour. The mile and a half tour route is very hilly and the tour will last about an hour and a half. We ask participants to stay on the road during the tour. This tour is being given in partnership with Atlanta Preservation Center. Buckhead Heritage members contact rwaterhouse@buckheadheritage.com to register, others please register online at AtlantaPreservationCenter. These tours may sell out, please register early!
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
January Book Club: Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family by Gary M. Pomerantz.
January 12, 2022 7 pm Free
Mathieson Exchange Lofts
The next book club discussion will be Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family by Gary M. Pomerantz. According to David Levering Lewis, this is “a fascinating tale of two cities told through the rise of two of Atlanta’s most illustrious political families…highly significant in what it reveals about ambition, hard work, success, and race relations.”
On Thursday, December 16, Buckhead Heritage will host its annual Holiday Party. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., guests will gather for drinks, dinner, fellowship, and music in the Historic National Library Bindery at 2395 Peachtree Rd, currently Peachtree Battle Antiques & Interiors. This 1929 structure designed by noted architects A. Ten Eyck Brown and Alfredo Barili,, Jr has recently been partially preserved with a façade easement, and will be incorporated into a new development. Enjoy seasonal music by Randy Roman, catering by Soiree, and specialty Holiday drinks. Come celebrate with us!
Two Annual Awards Introduced
Buckhead Heritage is honoring founding members Belle Turner Lynch and Bob Helget at our December 16 Holiday Party by announcing 2021 recipients for
The Belle Turner Lynch Buckhead Preservationist of the Year
and
The Bob Helget Buckhead Heritage Volunteer of the Year
We will have a brief recap of the history and preservation of the National Library Bindery Building and acknowledge several people who played a part in this effort. This is one of only a few early commercial buildings in Buckhead still standing after nearly 100 years.
Peachtree Battle Antiques and Interiors, our hosts in the Bindery Building, have graciously offered staff if guests see something they have to have for Christmas, with a percent of any sales being donated to Buckhead Heritage.
Randy Roman will be performing seasonal music at the Holiday Party.
Besides wine and traditional cocktails our Holiday Party Bars will include Manhattan’s and Old Fashions, plus an updated recipe version of George and Martha Washington’s famous Eggnog.
Presenting Sponsors
as of 11/29/21
Patrons
Tamara and Ken Bazzle
Ann and John Beach
Elizabeth and Mark Feidler
Mary Ann and Hunter Groton
Amy and Chris Hastings
Blanchette Maier
Charlotte and Bob Margolin
Antonia and Wright Mitchell
Mary Lu and Wade Mitchell
Christy and Sonny Morris
Ann and Fay Pearce
Sadie Talmadge
Melody and Joe Thomas
Host Committee
Beckie and John Amos
Jane and Mike Armstrong
Carol Grady
Penny and George Hart
Carol White Kelly
Betty Hanacek & Ron Loines
Lee Morris
Claire M Muller
Mary and Felton Norwood
Mary M Patton
Karen L Rose
Linda DeFoor Wickham
Christie and Chad Wright
Special Thanks to
Ahlers and Ogletree Auction Gallery
Peachtree Battle Antiques and Interiors
Soiree Catering
Flowers Atlanta
Seasonal Music by Randy Roman
Speaker Series: Matt Matternes: New Hope Cemetery Recent Findings
November 4, 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Event
Matt Matternes, Senior Mortuary Archaeologist and Principal Investigator with New South Associates, will share the Recent Findings of his continued work at New Hope AME Cemetery on Arden Road in Buckhead. Highlights will include the identification of 38 newly discovered unmarked graves, a possible crypt, and revisions to his previous work from 2018.
November Book Club: Peachtree Creek, by David Kaufman
November 10, 2021 7 pm Free
Author David Kaufman will lead a discussion of his book Peachtree Creek; A Natural History of Atlanta’s Watershed, published by UGA Press in 2008. Taking over a decade of work to document how Peachtree Creek winds it’s way through Atlanta neighborhoods and history, Kaufman has created an incredible story and resource for Buckhead and beyond. His journey along Buckhead’s primary waterway includes ancient peoples, wars, development and neglect, and lots more. We can’t wait to hear his thoughts on how Peachtree Creek is doing, what the future might bring.
Buckhead Heritage’s Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
November 6, 2021 10 – 11:30 am
Limited, Free to Buckhead Heritage Members, No onsite registration
Tour will start at the Peachtree Heights East Historical Marker located on Lakeview Avenue near the Duck Pond.
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse and Caleb Brown will offer a fascinating tour of this hidden neighborhood near Peachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive. With approximately 330 homes within this unique neighborhood, houses in Peachtree Heights East range from early 20th century American two story four-square, Craftsman Bungalow, Cape Cod, Tudor Revival, Mission Revival, and Ranch to 21st century home styles. We will see examples of several of those on the tour. The mile and a half tour route is very hilly and the tour will last about an hour and a half. We ask participants to stay on the road during the tour. This tour is being given in partnership with Atlanta Preservation Center.
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
Please join our panelists as they discuss the decision about if, how, when and where to downsize, considerations common to many Buckhead residents, options on managing the process, what to do with your stuff (kids don’t want most of it), and how to stay sane in the process.
Our Panelists include:
Robert Ahlers, owner of Ahlers and Ogletree Auction Gallery, has many years experience helping downsizing clients in Atlanta
Beckie Amos, a realtor with Harry Norman Realtors in Buckhead, has worked with many clients downsizing Buckhead homes
Charlotte Margolin is a Senior Residency Counselor with Peachtree Hills Place who has worked extensively with families and individuals downsizing
John Beach, moderator, is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist working with Buckhead families downsizing as a a Partner with Paces Construction Co.
September Book Club: Peachtree Rd, by Ann Rivers Siddons
Thursday September 16, 2021, 7 pm Free
3180 Mathieson Dr, Atlanta GA 30305
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse will lead the discussion of Peachtree Road, which was written 33 years ago. Pat Conroy called the book “the Southern novel for our generation.” Come join us to talk about how much Atlanta has changed, or not, since the book was written. Please bring any stories you might have about the book or Anne Rivers Siddons.
Please register online for this free members event, concierge at Mathieson lofts will direct you to our suite.
Speaker Series: Victoria Lemos Discussing her Archive Atlanta Podcast
August 5, 2021, 7 pm, Peachtree Hills Place
Free, Registration Required
Please join Victoria Lemos, a commercial property manager with a love of sharing and preserving Atlanta’s history. Almost 2 and a half years ago, she launched Archive Atlanta, a weekly podcast about the city’s historical people, places and events. Victoria will take each of her episodes and extract out anything Buckhead related/vicinity and that might be a little random but more interesting than the standard information that is easily found via Google. She also will talk about the forgotten Black communities Lynwood/Macedonia/Johnstown/etc.
Victoria is also the Communications Chair for Historic Atlanta, a volunteer-run organization with a deep well of technical expertise in conservation, real estate, finance, law, federal and state compliance, public history, and documentation.
July Book Club: The Magnetic Girl, by Jessica Handler
July 15, 2021 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg, May also be live?
Jessica Handler, an Atlanta writer and lecturer in English at Oglethorpe University, will discuss her book. She will tell us about how she “found” and researched the lead character Lulu Hurst, who was, of course, a real person, and talk a bit about the differences between the real and fictionalized character. She will also talk about the ideas in the book: power, identity, Mesmerism, and the dawning of the 20th century.
Speaker Series: Importance of Historic Preservation in Buckhead byDougYoung
July 1, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event
Free Registration below
Doug Young, Assistant Director for the Historic Preservation Studio in the City of Atlanta’s Office of Design in the Department of City Planning, will share with us the City of Atlanta process for preserving and protecting important historic places and spaces in Buckhead. He will also answer questions about the Department of City Planning’s overall historic preservation-related work.
Buckhead Heritages’s Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
June 19, 2021 10 – 11:30 am
Limited to 25, Free
Tour will start at the Peachtree Heights East Historical Marker located on Lakeview Avenue near the Duck Pond.
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse and Caleb Brown will offer a fascinating tour of this hidden neighborhood near Peachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive. With approximately 330 homes within this unique neighborhood, houses in Peachtree Heights East range from early 20th century American two story four-square, Craftsman Bungalow, Cape Cod, Tudor Revival, Mission Revival, and Ranch to 21st century home styles. We will see examples of several of those on the tour. The mile and a half tour route is very hilly and the tour will last about an hour and a half. We ask participants to stay on the road during the tour.
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
June 2021 Garden Party – Live event
June 6, 2021 4:00 – 6:30 pm
Rain Date June 13th
Presenting Sponsor
Arrow Exterminators
Patrons
Tamara and Ken Bazzle
Ann and John Beach
Dana and Tres Carpenter
Mary Virginia Davis
Bonnie and Bob Helget
Charlotte and Bob Margolin
Christy and Sonny Morris
Antonia and Wright Mitchell
Mary Lu and Wade Mitchell
Mary and Felton Norwood
Ann and Fay Pearce
Linda DeFoor Wickham
Host Committee
Betsy and Scott Akers, Jr.
Suzette and Stan Brading
Sherri and Jesse Crawford
Buffie and Mark Feidler
Amanda and Greg Gregory
Mary Ann and Hunter Groton
Penny and George Hart
Sarah and John Irby
Carol White Kelly
Kathy and Richard Lee
Carter and Hampton Morris
Mary M. Patton
Lynn Pollard
Mary Anne Quin
Laura and Dr. Carter Smith
Stephanie and Austin Stephens
Christie and Charles Wright
Buckhead Heritage will host a Garden Party at the 1920’s Shutze-designed home of Mrs. William Bowen Astrop. Guests will gather for drinks, appetizers, fellowship, music, and to explore this magnificent garden featuring hydrangeas, which should be in full bloom. The rain date will be June 13, 2021.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Buckhead Heritage and its mission to identify, preserve, and promote Buckhead’s history. We endeavor to foster a conscious respect within the community for its rich and diverse history, ensuring that Buckhead’s historic resources are accommodated in future growth and secured for the benefit of the community. Buckhead Heritage is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
We know many attendees have been vaccinated, and we ask guests to follow current CDC guidelines. This is primarily an outdoor event staged in the homes lovely and spacious gardens. Masks and hand sanitizer will be available at multiple locations around the event. Please respect other guests choice to socially distance. Servers and bartenders will be masked and gloved, and disposable plates, utensils and barware will be utilized.
Speaker Series: Architectural Modernism in Buckhead presented by Charles Lawrence
June 3, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event
Free Registration below
Come join Charles Lawrence, Architectural Conservator and Preservation Planner in the Historic Preservation Studio at Lord, Aeck & Sargent, to discuss Modern architecture in Georgia with a focus on examples of Modernism in Buckhead from the Buckhead Modern Resources (1940-1990), Atlanta Regional Commission survey, 2014. Charles will introduce Modernism, the development of Modern architectural forms and styles, and show many examples from Buckhead and across the state.
May Book Club: We Were Dancing on a Volcano by Joseph Gatlins
May 19, 2021 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg
Long-time Buckhead Heritage member and supporter Mary Anne Walser will lead the discussion about this fascinating book which follows the adventures of more than five generations of families that made their mark on both Atlanta and Paris. This incredible story also includes one grandmother’s brave work with the French Resistance in World War II and her untiring efforts to successfully help her only son escape from Nazi prisoner of war camps.
Speaker Series: Saving Atlanta’s Architectural Heritage: Panel Discussion on Historic Rehabilitation
May 6, 2021 – 7 pm
Registration below
Atlanta is a city known for its “build it bigger and better” mentality. But this type of thinking often results in the unnecessary loss of many wonderful old homes that comprise the historic fabric and character of our community. Using the recent rehabilitation of the Governor Hugh M. Dorsey House as an example, renowned local architect, Brandon Ingram, Liz Davies of ESD Homes and attorney Wright Mitchell will discuss the significant tax credits available to homeowners who choose to rehabilitate a historic home as well as the design and construction process from start to finish. Whether you live in a home that qualifies for historic rehabilitation tax credits or are simply interested in old houses, this program will challenge many of the misperceptions that often influence the decision to demolish older homes rather than renovate them.
Buckhead Heritages’s Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
April 10, 2021 10 – 11:30 am
Limited to 20, Free, Please Wear Masks
Tour will start at the Peachtree Heights East Historical Marker located on Lakeview Avenue near the Duck Pond.
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse and Caleb Brown will offer a fascinating tour of this hidden neighborhood near Peachtree Road and Lindbergh Drive. With approximately 330 homes within this unique neighborhood, houses in Peachtree Heights East range from early 20th century American two story four-square, Craftsman Bungalow, Cape Cod, Tudor Revival, Mission Revival, and Ranch to 21st century home styles. We will see examples of several of those on the tour. The mile and a half tour route is very hilly and the tour will last about an hour and a half. We ask participants to stay on the road during the tour.
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
Speaker Series: Buckheadians Buried in Oakland Cemetery by David Moore
April 8, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event
Free Registration below
Historic Oakland Foundation Director Emeritus David Moore will talk about famous Buckheadians now resting for eternity in Oakland Cemetery. Some of those folks include: the Allens, the Inmans, the Grants, and the Maddoxes. He will also talk about the importance of Oakland to the history of Buckhead.
March Book Club: The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter
March 24, 2021 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg
We will discuss Buckhead resident Karin Slaughter’s book The Last Widow. This explosive book is set in Atlanta and involves the CDC which is so much in the news right now. Slaughter has written twenty bestselling books, all of them page turners.
Speaker Series: More Secrets of Atlanta with Jonah McDonald
March 4, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event
Free Registration below
Author Jonah McDonald returns for an encore engagement! His Buckhead Heritage Book Club presentation, Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, was so popular last year he’s agreed to return in March. Jonah’s hidden history around Atlanta includes Buckhead highlights like a very early time capsule, a historic site on Pharr Road, a famous painting on West Paces Ferry, and a park with some of Atlanta’s oldest history.
Speaker Series: The Buckhead Connection to George Armstrong Custer and Little Big Horn with Hal Raper
February 4, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event
Free Registration below
Did you know that Buckhead has a direct connection to George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of the Little Big Horn? It is through Anita Benteen Mitchell whose grandfather, General Frederick Benteen, saved over half of Custer’s regiment. Anita married Stephen Mitchell and lived in Buckhead until her death in 1978. Historian Hal Raper will share this fascinating connection with us.
January Book Club: Culinary History of Atlanta, by Akila McConnell
January 13, 2021 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg
Author and culinary historian Akila McConnell will talk about her book, and take us on a Culinary History of Atlanta. From our Native American roots to the international dining scene, the author will talk about Brunswick stew, hoecakes and peach pie. And local foodies, from Henry Grady, to MLK and Natalie Dupree, as well as notable restaurants.
Speaker Series: Bicentennial of 1821 Indian Springs Treaty and the Sentinel Tree project
January 7, 2021 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with panel
Free Registration below
On January 8 1821 Creek Nation Chief William McIntosh signed the 1821 Treaty of Indian Springs transferring what is now Buckhead to the United States. We’ll talk about Georgia history and over 20 Native American treaties from the 1730’s to the 1830’s, and why Chief McIntosh was later assassinated by his tribe. Then learn how this treaty created the lots we now call Buckhead, and some of our oldest local founding families. We’ll talk about how this treaty ties into the Buckhead Heritage Living Sentinel project, and share an exciting new development.
Speaker Series: History of Race Relations in the Jim Crow Era, by Mason Lowance
November 5, 2020 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with Dr Lowance
Free Registration below
Buckhead resident and author Dr Mason Lowance will speak about the history of racism in the Jim Crow era. Professor Lowance has written several books on slavery, and teaches Early American Literature, American Romanticism, and American Realism at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. Mason is a native Atlantan who grew up in Buckhead and completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University, received a master’s degree in English Literature at the University of Oxford in England, and his Ph. D. from Emory University.
November Book Club: Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, by Jonah McDonald
November 18, 2020 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg
Jonah McDonald writes about the hidden history around Atlanta. Buckhead highlights include a very early time capsule, a historic site on Pharr Road, a famous painting on West Paces Ferry, and a park with some of Atlanta’s oldest history. It’s hard to stop reading this fun book.
Speaker Series: Pandemic Priorities – The State of Buckhead Homes in 2020; A Panel Discussion on how the “new normal” is driving homes and design
Panel Moderator Elizabeth Ralls, Publisher/Editorial Director, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine
Panelists Norman Davenport Askins, Architect and Author
Hil Harper, Co-Founder and Vice President, Ansley Atlanta Real Estate
Tish Mills, Allied ASID, Tish Mills Interiors
October 22 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with Q and A
Join Buckhead Heritage and a group of distinguished local home, design and real estate experts as they discuss the pandemic-driven changes happening in the Buckhead residential world during this exceptional year. An architect, designer and realtor—each respected and celebrated in their field—will speak with the publisher of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine about how the “new normal” is affecting the ways in which we live, work, play and relax in our homes. What’s in demand today, what makes our homes more enjoyable and valuable in this new era, and what are your neighbors doing to improve their homes? The panelists will also take your questions online, as well.
September Book Club: Deliverance by James Dickey
September 23, 2020 7 pm
Free Online Zoom Mtg
James Dickey grew up in Buckhead and went to North Fulton High School. He is well known for his poetry, which included something about searching for Buckhead Boys, and became the Poet Laureate of the United States. But his best known work was synonymous with southern stereotypes, and became defined by the hugely popular movie version of Deliverance. We all know the movie, but many people have not actually read the book.
Register
Speaker Series: Wayne Clough, Things New and Strange: A Southerner’s Journey through the Smithsonian Collection
Sept 3 – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with Dr Clough
Free Registration below
Buckhead resident and author Dr Wayne Clough will speak about his book, Things New and Strange: A Southerner’s Journey through the Smithsonian Collection. Dr Clough is the former president of Georgia Tech and the former Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute. The south Georgia native was curious about what the Smithsonian collections could tell him about this area, and this book was the result. He was named Georgia Author of the Year in June in the History category for this UGA Press volume by the Georgia Writers Association. Dr. Clough received his civil engineering undergraduate and masters degrees at Georgia Tech, and his Ph D from the University of California at Berkley.
Register
August New Hope Cemetery Service Project
August 8, 2020 – 9am – noon, 3012 Arden Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305
Free, priority registration to July Membership Campaign signups
To Register, Please Call Richard at 404-467-9447
July Book Club: Did the Twenties Roar?: The Roaring 20s and Great Depression, by Sandi Ludwa
July 22, 2020 7 pm – Zoom Mtg, possibility of Live
This is a fascinating look at how American society went from the Spanish Flu Epidemic to the Roaring Twenties with bathtub gin, speakeasies, gangsters, flappers, and a booming economy then, we catapulted into the thirties with unemployment, the Dust Bowl, strikes and, rioting. It examines lifestyles throughout the twenties and thirties and asks if this might happen again. This light-hearted book presents both the good, rolling times and rougher events that followed.
We will review the possibility of having this event live at our Buckhead office. If you haven’t attended one of our book club meetings before, this is a perfect opportunity to drop in online remotely.
Register
Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
Led by Richard Waterhouse and Caleb Brown
July 18, 2020, 10 am Covid-19 allowing (Repeat of our March program attended by 70 people)
Free for current Buckhead Heritage or Atlanta Preservation Center members, $13 for others
Peachtree Heights East was established in 1909 as the first Buckhead neighborhood. The historical figure Eretus Rivers will begin the tour explaining how his life was connected to the neighborhood. Peachtree Heights East residents will lead us on a fascinating tour talking about how prominently the neighborhood figured in the development of Buckhead. Tour is approximately 2 hours, guests will walk about 1 mile on streets during tour. Preregistration is required, and this event may fill up.
Current Buckhead Heritage members can register by contacting Richard Waterhouse at (404) 467-9447 or rwaterhouse@buckheadheritage.com.
Current APC members and others can register by contacting Atlanta Preservation Center.
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
Speaker Series: Thornton Kennedy, Comparing the 1918 Pandemic to Today
July 9th – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with Thornton
Free Registration below
Atlanta went through a similar pandemic event just over 100 years ago in 1918-1919.
The sealed door to the 1888 receiving vault at Westview Cemetery reads, in part, “Great service to the community was rendered by this vault during the winter of 1917-1918 when Atlanta’s Influenza epidemic claimed hundreds of lives. Victims were brought here awaiting burial.” This prompted Northside Neighbor columnist Thornton Kennedy to research the Spanish Flu pandemic in Atlanta. He will discuss some of his findings, which include his great-great grandmother’s journal from the period.
This will be a free lecture, live on zoom, with a question and answer session afterwards. You may join this meeting on a cell phone, tablet or computer.
Register
May Book Club Meeting: The War Outside My Window
May 13, 2020 7 pm
The War Outside My Window Editor Janet Elizabeth Croon will join our group
The War Outside My Window: The Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham, 1860-1865 will be discussed. LeRoy Wiley Gresham was born in 1847 to an affluent slave-holding family in Macon, Georgia. After a horrific leg injury left him an invalid, the educated, inquisitive, perceptive, and exceptionally witty 12-year-old began keeping a diary in 1860–just as secession and the Civil War began tearing the country and his world apart. He continued to write even as his health deteriorated until both the war and his life ended in 1865. His unique manuscript of the demise of the Old South has been lauded by the Library of Congress as one of its premier holdings. Richard Waterhouse will lead this discussion.
The War Outside My Window offers interesting contrasts to other books about the same Civil War era that were also set in southern Georgia, such as Lamb in My Bosom by Caroline Miller and The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl, 1864-1865 by Eliza Frances Andrews. These books highlight differing class views of Georgia farm life and the role of slavery, and present interesting questions about the historical context of the Civil War. We’ll also discuss the medical content of The War Outside My Window and the follow up book by its medical consultant, Dennis A. Rasbach, in I Am Perhaps Dying: The Medical Backstory of Spinal Tuberculosis Hidden in the Civil War Diary of LeRoy Wiley Gresham.
Speaker Series: Spalding Nix, History of Georgia Painters
May 5th – 7 pm Live Zoom Event with Spalding Nix
Free
Spalding Nix will discuss the History of Georgia Painters, from colonial times onward, concentrating on 18th and 19th century artists and their subjects.
Besides being an entertaining speaker, Spalding is a gallery owner, accredited art appraiser and advisor, attorney, and former Buckhead Heritage board member. Spalding will present his program online with slides, then answer questions from attendees.
See the video of this program here
Spring 2020 Mansions, Gardens & Ghosts History Tour
April 26, 3 – 7:30 pm – Event postponed, reschedule date TBD
Atlanta International School (North Fulton High School)
Our fun Spring fundraiser event returns this April with more Atlanta homes and gardens, and Buckhead historical characters (our ghosts) to tell you about local history, along with a casual supper and entertainment.
Buckhead Heritages’s Walking Tour of Peachtree Heights East
Part of Atlanta Preservation Center’s 2020 Phoenix Flies Series
March 14, 2020 2 pm
No registration required and the tour will start at the Peachtree Heights East Historical Marker located on Lakeview Avenue near the Duck Pond.
Peachtree Heights East was established in 1909 as the first Buckhead neighborhood. The historical figure Eretus Rivers will begin the tour explaining how his life was connected to the neighborhood. Peachtree Heights East residents will lead us on a fascinating tour talking about how prominently the neighborhood figured in the development of Buckhead. For further information about the walking tour or to obtain the 2020 Phoenix Flies Booklet, please contact Richard Waterhouse at (404) 467-9447 or rwaterhouse@buckheadheritage.com.
(Photo by Ginna Seitz)
Speaker Series: Matt Matternes: New Hope Cemetery
March 5th- 6:30 pm Refreshments, 7 pm Presentation
New Hope Sanctuary, 3012 Arden Road, Atlanta, 30305
No Charge, please register below
Matt Matternes, PhD, is a detective, of sorts. As a Senior Mortuary Archaeologist with New South Associates, he uses a variety of tools, some quite ordinary and some high-tech, to help determine what’s hidden underground. Older cemeteries that date to the 1800s, like the one across from Arden Road’s New Hope AME Church can have many unknowns. Some burials got wood markers that only lasted a few decades, some stones were broken up by falling trees, and some sites may have been unsanctioned. Cemetery lot lines weren’t obvious from adjacent farmland, and some graves may now be in adjacent areas. How many burials, who, and when, are Matt’s initial challenge. He maps the graves using flags and gps coordinates, and uses church records and family descendants’ histories to help identify what’s where.
Surrounding Buckhead neighbors have a long history of supporting this still active African American congregation and former school that once spanned both sides of Northside Drive from Arden Road north to Moores Mill Road. One church member told us last year about growing up where Heiskell School sat; her dad was a Wender and Roberts Pharmacy motorcycle deliveryman before he went to medical school.
Matt worked on Harmony Grove Cemetery on West Paces Ferry with Buckhead Heritage, and is now mapping the New Hope Cemetery through a grant from the Massey Charitable Trust. He will talk about the process and his findings at a free Buckhead Heritage Speaker Series presentation at the New Hope Sanctuary at 3012 Arden Road on March 5th. Refreshments will be served from 6:30, and Matt will start his presentation at 7pm.
February Book Club Meeting
February 13, 2020 7 pm
3180 Mathieson Dr
Mary Amazon is a historical fiction novel based on the lives of Atlantans around the time of the Civil War. Janine did extensive research at the Atlanta History Center, Georgia Archives, and other libraries about he people, places and events featured in the book.
The Buckhead Heritage Book Club meetings are free for members to attend, and usually offer a glass of wine and maybe a small snack. They are casual and generally last an hour to an hour and a half. 10 to 20 people usually attend, and the building concierge will direct you to our space once you enter the lobby.
Speaker Series: Buckhead Living Sentinels Tree Hunt and Historic Resources Survey, by John Beach
Jan 8 – 7 pm – St Philip Cathedral, Gould Rm
Buckhead Heritage members $10, visitors $15
Buckhead Heritage is launching a one year project to find Living Sentinel Trees still in our neighborhoods from the Creek Indian Nation. When the Treaty of Indian Springs was signed on Jan 8, 1821, surveyors laid out land lots for a settlers lottery. In the process they marked about 1000 Buckhead trees by species on their first map. Using mapping technology, we believe we’ve located one of these still growing trees, and want your help locating more. John will also talk about the Historic Resources Register, and planned additions, where we’ll add Living Sentinels we locate.
Special Events:
2019 Holiday House Gala
December 12th, 2019 7pm
Peachtree Battle Ave 30305
Tickets: Buckhead Heritage members $125, nonmembers $150, Host and Patron spots may be available.
Buckhead Heritage will celebrate the Holidays this year at one of the earlier homes built on Peachtree Battle Avenue. In the late 1920’s and 30’s this homes owners property included all but a few lots from Peachtree Battle to West Wesley, and from Northside Dr to Habersham Rd. They sold lots in Haynes Manor and Westover, and traded this house for the Buckhead Theater in 1937. This magnificent home has retained many historic architectural details throughout extensive renovations and additions over time, and is filled with art.
Enjoy this fun cocktail buffet with friends, music and valet parking while helping support Buckhead Heritage.
Presenting Sponsor
As of 11/18/19
2019 Holiday House Patrons
Tamara and Ken Bazzle
Ann and John Beach
Sandy and Dave Ferguson
Bonnie and Bob Helget
Antonio and Wright Mitchell
Mary Lu and Wade Mitchell
Linda DeFoor Wickham
2019 Holiday House Host Committee
Anonymous
Betsy and Scott Akers, Jr.
Beckie and John Amos
Shepard B. Ansley
Jane and Mike Armstrong
Virginia Groves Beach
Sheila and Howard Benson
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse C. Crawford
Elizabeth and Mark Feidler
Judy and Duncan Gray
Mary Ann and Hunter Groton
Betty Hanacek
Penny and George Hart
Deborah and Jon Hunter
Abby and John Irby
Kathy and Richard Lee
Belle and Barry Lynch
Blanchette and Frank Maier
Charlotte and Bob Margolin
Christy and Sonny Morris
Ann and Fay Pearce
William E. Pennington
Cherry Peurifoy
Laura and Carter Smith
Lisa and John Snodgrass
Dr. and Mrs. Marion Stafford
Christie and Chad Wright
Speaker Series: The Real Story of how Wieuca Road got its Name, Ken Thomas
Thursday November 7, 2019, St. Philip’s Cathedral, Gould Rm. 7pm
Buckhead Heritage members $10, visitors $15
Wieuca Road – It’s not named for an Indian Princess, or three daughters of anyone. The story of how the road got its name in the early 1900s has long intrigued Atlantans. All previous stories are but myth.
Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr., genealogy columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has unraveled the truth. It involves a love story, a future governor, and shows how the truth can be buried so deep it was almost lost forever. Come hear the amazing unraveling of how this name came to be on the Atlanta map.
October Book Club Meeting
October 10, 2019 7 pm
3180 Mathieson Dr
Author Cathy Kaemmerlen will discuss her book, Georgia Place–Names: from Jot-Em-Down to Doctortown about the origins of our place names. Cathy is a professional actress, storyteller, playwright and historical interpreter known for her variety of one-woman shows and characters. A Hambidge Center fellow for over twenty years, she has published five books, including three through The History Press/Arcadia Publishing.
The Buckhead Heritage bookclub meetings are free for members to attend, and usually offer a glass of wine and maybe a small snack. They are casual and generally last an hour to an hour and a half. 10 to 20 people usually attend, and the building concierge will direct you to our space once you enter the lobby.
Pancake Supper and Talk, Demos Galaktiadis at White House Restaurant
September 24, 7pm White House, 3172 Peachtree Rd 30305
The White House Restaurant has been a Buckhead institution since 1948, when it opened in the Buckhead triangle, now Loudermilk Park, before moving a block north on Peachtree in 1974. Co-owner Demos Galaktiadis will talk about Buckhead history and stories at the White House over the last almost 50 years he’s been there. Movie stars and musicians, politicians, and everyday Buckhead folks come in daily. From Lester Maddox to President Carter, governors and senators, beautiful actresses and rap stars, the White House is open for business. Demos said Marco Rubio came in last year, and quipped he’d finally made it to the White House. One of his favorite early customers was pastry chef Henri, who came in for coffee and a biscuit in the mornings after baking all night. His granddaughter, who now runs Henri’s Bakery, was at the White House on a recent visit. Pancakes and french toast with bacon and sausage will be served for $15 a person, limited space. September 24, 7pm. 3172 Peachtree Road N.W., Atlanta 30305
Speaker Series: Evolution of Peachtree Road Residences, Rudy Harrell
Thursday September 5, 2019, St. Philip’s Cathedral, Gould Rm. 7pm
Buckhead Heritage members $10, visitors $15
Rudy Harrell, with Dorsey Alston Realtors, has been involved in commercial and residential real estate in Buckhead since the 1970’s. As the owner of a building on “The Golden Mile” along Peachtree in Buckhead, he’s had a front row seat for the changes that have occurred along this corridor. Rudy will talk about the evolution of this area from farmland to stately mansions to its current mix. He will also use our past to pose some questions about potential future development paths in Buckhead. What do we try to preserve moving forward, and what do we want Buckhead’s entry and main artery to look like in the future? This promises to be both entertaining and thought provoking.
August Book Club Meeting
August 22, 2019 7 pm
3180 Mathieson Dr
Author Grace Hawthorne will discuss her latest book, Crossing the Moss Line, a “Gullah/Geechee tale of choices, consequences and wicked Southern humor”,
This is Hawthorne’s third book. She has written everything from ad copy for septic tanks to lyrics for Sesame Street and the libretto for an opera.
She is a Peachtree Hills resident.
The Buckhead Heritage bookclub meetings are free for members to attend, and usually offer a glass of wine and maybe a small snack. They are casual and generally last an hour to an hour and a half. 10 to 20 people usually attend, and the building concierge will direct you to our space once you enter the lobby.
Richard Waterhouse on Oakland Cemetery
August 7, 2019, Lenbrook
Richard Waterhouse, Oakland Cemetery’s Buckhead History. Richard, a longtime volunteer and lecturer, who has written a book about Oakland, will be speaking about Buckhead residents now living at Oakland. His talk will include such notables as Bobby Jones, Dr Robert Hope, and Margaret Mitchell. Please call Richard at 404-467-9447 for more information.
Speaker Series: East Lake Where Bobby Learned to Play – Linton Hopkins
Thursday July 11, 2019, St. Philip’s Cathedral, Gould Rm. 7pm
Buckhead Heritage members $10, visitors $15
Linton Hopkins, now a retired Physician, began writing down the stories about legends like Bobby Jones he’d heard at East Lake Club over the past 30 years. Tom Cousins told him “If you write it, I’ll sell It”. That book sold out, and this is the sequel. Alexa Stirling, U.S. Women’s Amateur golf champion in 1916, ’19 and ’20, also made a “ghost” appearance to tell her story. Alexa was born in the 1890s and would now be over 120 years young, but her standin was very entertaining.
June Book Club Meeting
June 13, 2019 7 pm
3180 Mathieson Dr
Author Hannah Palmer will discuss her path to writing a book about Atlanta Airport. Hannah, both a writer and urban designer, realized that all 3 of the houses she grew up in on the southside of Atlanta have been demolished to make way for airport expansion. She explores our airports impact on south Atlanta, and the region. Buckhead Heritage bookclub is free for members, but requires registration below.
April 28, 2019 3pm-7:30pm
Atlanta International School
Guests will gather for drinks before embarking on a history-themed bus tour that will lead them on an adventure-filled afternoon through Buckhead.
Buckhead Historians will emcee guests riding in comfortable 26 passenger busses on a tour through a Buckhead not typically seen or experienced. En route, guests will hear little known stories and fun facts about Buckhead, and notable Buckhead historical figures in period costume will entertain and inform participants at various spots along the way, while refreshments will be served en route. Mystery stops included.
At the end of the tour, guests will return to the festivities at the historic Philp Shutze designed Atlanta International School for a casual dinner and a rousing closing celebration. Guests will compete for prizes in a Buckhead Secret History competition, cheered on by the Buckhead historical figures they met on their tour.
This event SOLD OUT.
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Buckhead Time Travelers
Blain & Ivan Allen IV
Tamara & Ken Bazzle
Bonnie & Bob Helget
Abby & John Irby
Christy & Sonny Morris
Sally & Richard Smith
Stephanie & Austin Stephens
Buckhead Explorers
Ann & John Beach
Virginia Groves Beach
Sheila & Howard Benson
Donna & David Brown
Shirley & Norris Broyles
Judy and Ed Garland
Elizabeth & Sheffield Hale
Betty Hanacek
Penny & George Hart
Liz & Will House
Margaret & Henry Howell
Pamela Isdell
Belle & Barry Lynch
Blanchette & Frank Maier
Antonia & Wright Mitchell
Mary Lu & Wade Mitchell
Peter Northway
Mary M. Patton
Ann & Fay Pearce
Dean & Bronson Smith
Sally & Richard Smith
Linda DeFoor Wickham
Christie & Chad Wright
Phoenix Flies New Hope Church Event
March 23, 2019
New Hope Church, 3012 Arden Road 11:30 – 4pm Short presentations and guided tours at 12 and 2pm
Buckhead Heritage participated in the citywide Phoenix Flies program organized by the Atlanta Preservation Center with tours of the history of New Hope Church dating back to the late 1800’s. The congregation hosted a BBQ and fish fry for visitors. There was no charge for this event, although donations to the church were welcomed.
March Book Club Meeting
March 21, 2019 7:00 pm
For the Kingdom and the Power: The Big Money Swindle That Spread Hate Across America written by Dale W. Laackman. The author traveled to Atlanta to discuss the careers of Bessie Tyler and her business partner, Edward Y. Clarke, who are the focus of the book. It is the story how two brilliant and talented Atlantans could change the face of America purely in the name of greed. They were amoral con artists of the first degree. We can learn from their actions to assure it cannot happen again. Bessie Tyler became very wealthy and built a Buckhead home now on the National Register, where Buckhead Heritage held their Holiday Party. This book club gathering was free to members. The author graciously donated books for the first 15 members that registered for this event.
February 28, 2019, 6 to 8:30 pm
Private residence on Andrews Drive
This is a Patrons level only cocktail buffet at a gorgeous Buckhead designers private home on Andrews Dr. Enjoy music, drinks and a buffet catered by Soiree as you mingle with friends. A brief preservation talk will be included, and there is no charge for this event.
Buckhead Historic Treasures
Garden Hills, Peachtree Heights East & Peachtree Hills
February 19, 2019 6:30pm
Buckhead Heritage will discuss their ongoing project to collect and archive Buckhead historic resources and their current entries for these three neighborhoods. We will talk about history of these areas, discuss what is and is not currently in our archives, and our plans for additions in 2019. Over 650 Historic Places throughout Buckhead, mapped by neighborhood and street, grouped into 24 themes like Architecture, Social, Military are currently on our website. Future updates will include expanded online features and additional survey entries. Persons interested in local history and learning more about Buckhead neighborhoods are invited to this free program at Garden Hills Elementary School, 285 Sheridan Drive, Atlanta, Ga 30305. There is limited disabled access. For further information about the gathering, please contact Executive Director Richard Waterhouse at (404) 467-9447 or rwaterhouse@buckheadheritage.com.
Mount Olive Cemetery Clean Up, January 21, 2019
On Martin Luther King. Jr. Day (1/21/19), Buckhead Heritage and over 60 Atlanta International School supporters will clean up Mount Olive Cemetery.
January Book Club Meeting
January 24, 2019 7:00 pm
The next book club will review Prohibition in Atlanta: Temperance, Tiger Kings & White Lightning written by Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle. The group will gather at the Mathieson Exchange Lofts in Buckhead. The authors will discuss Georgia’s protracted and intense battle, that changed the industrial and social landscape of Atlanta and unleashed a flood of Illegal liquor that continually flowed in the wettest city in the South. Book club events are free, please register below.
Buckhead Heritage book club events are hosted at our office (Mathieson Lofts, 3180 Mathieson Dr, Atlanta 30305) or at a Buckhead historical site related to the book. We read and discuss books relevant to our area history, and there is no charge for our members.
2018 Holiday Party
Thursday December 13th, 2018
A rare opportunity to see this historic Buckhead home while gathered with friends at the 2018 Buckhead Heritage Society Annual Holiday Party. Guests will gather to celebrate the holidays with an evening of drinks, music and dining starting at 7 p.m.
The Eaton home on Howell Mill Road, built in 1921, was originally known as the Mary Elizabeth Tyler house. It is a Classical Revival-style residence that features a two-story pediment portico supported by massive Corinthian columns. The central entrance is bordered by sidelights and capped by a fanlight. A one-story porch stretches the length of the primary façade and wraps around both sides of the home. Rear additions were made to the residence in 1977 and 2000. The House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.
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Event Co-Chairs Christy Morris & Charlotte Margolin
To register for this event, click here
Presenting Sponsor
Special thanks for centerpiece to Michal Evans Flora and Event Planning
Event Patrons
| Betsy and Scott Akers
Tamara and Ken Bazzle Ann and John Beach Sherri and Jesse Crawford Elizabeth and Mark Feidler Sandy and Dave Ferguson
|
Bonnie and Bob Helget
Antonia and Wright Mitchell Mary Lu and Wade Mitchell Christy and John Morris Stephanie and Austin Stephens Melody and Joe Thomas
|
Host Committee
| Beckie and John Amos
Barbara and Frank Bazzel Virginia Groves Beach Sheila and Howard Benson Jane and Dameron Black Suzette and Stan Brading Katharine and Alan Elsas |
Mary Ann and Hunter Groton
Penny and George Hart Blanchette and Frank Maier Tracy Gray Monk Mary M. Patton Ann and Fay Pearce Christie and Chad Wright |
To register for this event, click here.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MAYOR SAM MASSELL
Thursday, November 1, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
Buckhead Historian Thornton Kennedy will interview Sam Massell on Thursday, November 1st, 7 p.m. at the Atlanta International School Early Education Center. Thornton will lead Sam in discussing his rich life and how important Buckhead has been to him all these years Highlights from Mayor Massell’s career include:
While Mayor, he and his administration are credited with establishing MARTA, with developing the city’s first enclosed arena, the Omni Coliseum, and with the building of “Five Points” Woodruff Park, all with no call on ad valorem taxes
Spending twenty years as a Realtor, becoming Vice President of Allan-Grayson Realty Company, then one of the largest commercial brokerage firms in Atlanta
OCTOBER BOOK CLUB GATHERING FOR MEMBERS ONLY, October 4, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
The third free book club gathering for members-only was held Thursday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. The book discussed was Play it Again, Sam: The Notable Life of Sam Massell, Atlanta’s First Minority Mayor, by Charles McNair.
Sam Massell, a great supporter of Buckhead Heritage and an Emeritus Board Member, has lived an extraordinary life. McNair notes Massell has “excelled in four careers, including twenty-two years in elected offices, thirteen years in the tourism industry, and is now in his thirtieth year of association management”.
He was Atlanta’s first Jewish mayor in 1970 and changed the landscape of the city by creating Atlanta’s Urban Design Commission, establishing MARTA, and appointing the first woman to the City Council.
Buckhead Heritage Society Patrons Tour of Governors Mansion
9.20.2018 | GA Governors Mansion
CIVIL WAR MONUMENTS LECTURE, September 9, 2018, at 3:00 p.m.
Robert Price, longtime volunteer and Trustee at Oakland Cemetery, will talk about his many years of researching, documenting, and photographing Civil War monuments in the United States. He has over 110,000 digital images in his collection. Bob has a lifetime interest in the Civil War and feels that his photos will serve as resources for the public and for historians who study the meaning and the perception of these monuments in an ever changing society. His talk will begin promptly in the Bobby Jones Room, Bell Tower, Oakland Cemetery at 3 p.m. on Sunday, September 9 with a tour of the Civil War sites in Oakland after the presentation. Refreshments will be served between the presentation and the tour. Non-members: $20.00 & Members: $10.00.
Please note the stairs to the upstairs Bobby Jones Room in the Bell Tower, are very steep and not accessible for a wheel chair or walker.
THE LIMELIGHT-HOTLANTA-OH MY!
Sanctuary Night Club, Wednesday, August 22, 2018, 7 p.m.
Buckhead Heritage’s much-anticipated Limelight program is coming August 22nd. We’ll welcome former Limelight staff members:
· Duncan Black, Bouncer
· Guy D’Alema, Public Relations and House Photographer
· Brian Rouleau, General Manager
We’ll hear stories from this amazing club and era in Buckhead’s history, and Guy will be projecting photos from his recent book LIMELIGHT … in a sixtieth of a second. Rumor has it that many of our Buckhead Heritage Board Members still have their Limelightoutfits, and everyone brave enough is encouraged to dress the part. If we show a picture of you during the program and you’re willing to claim it, you might even get a free drink. Of course, there’ll be a chance to show off your old disco moves, too. But no dancing on the speakers!
The Sanctuary is located at 3209 Paces Ferry Place, Atlanta, Georgia 30305.
JULY BOOK CLUB GATHERING FOR MEMBERS ONLY, July 19, 2018, at 7:00 p.m.
Buckhead Heritage Executive Director Richard Waterhouse will lead the second free book club series for members-only on Thursday, July 19 at 7:00 p.m. The book being discussed will be City on the Verge: Atlanta and the Fight for America’s Urban Future by Mark Pendergrast.
Pendergrast, a native Atlanta who now lives in Vermont, writes about the importance of the beltline and how “it will complete a twenty-two mile loop encircling downtown, transforming a massive ring of mostly defunct railways into a series of stunning parks connected by trails and streetcars.” The book was selected because Buckhead will be an important part of the beltline.
Waterhouse, who lived on the beltline and walked many parts of it, will lead a discussion about whether the concept of the beltline has worked and whether the ambitious project can be completed by 2030.
Grave Landscapes: The Nineteenth-Century Rural Cemetery Movements
Buckhead Heritage is honored to have former Executive Director Erica Danylchak to talk about the book she co-authored with the late James R. Cothran called “Grave Landscapes: The Nineteenth-Century Rural Cemetery Movements”.
The lecture will be at St. Philips Cathedral, Gould Room, 2744 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA on Thursday, June 14th at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $10.00 for members and $20.00 for non-members.
Erica will discuss the inspiration for rural cemeteries, their physical evolution, the nature of the landscapes they inspired, and the value of these cemeteries in the 21st century.
5.5.2018 | Atlanta International School (aka North Fulton)
David Cruz Lecture on Native Americans
4.15.2018 | Lovett School Auditoreum
Book Club Meeting on Leo Frank
4.12.2018
Phoenix Flies Tour and Talk
3.27.2018 | Harmony Grove Cemetery
Menaboni Lecture
3.1.2018 | Goodrum House and Spotswood Hall
Click here for past years events
Buckhead Heritage Society
3180 Mathieson Drive, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30305
404.467.9447
info@buckheadheritage.com
© 2018 Buckhead Heritage Society